Introducing 3ds Max® 2008

About the Authors

Dariush Derakhshaniis a Creative Director with Radium, a creative design and VFX boutique, and a writer & educator in Los Angeles, California. Dariush used Autodesk's AutoCAD software in his architectural days and migrated to using 3D programs when his firm's principal architects needed to visualize architectural designs in 3D on the computer. Dariush started using Alias PowerAnimator version 6 when he enrolled in USC Film School's Animation program, and he has been using Alias/Autodesk animation software for the past 11 years. He received an M.F.A. in Film, Video, and Computer Animation from the USC Film School in 1997. He also holds a B.A. in Architectureand Theatre from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. He worked at a New Jersey architectural firm before moving to Los Angeles for film school. He has worked on feature films, music videos, and countless commercials as a 3D animator, as a CG supervisor, and sometimes as a compositor. Dariush also serves as a contributing editor and on the Advisory Board of HDRI3d, a professional computer graphics (CG) magazine from DMG Publishing.

Randi Lorene Munnis a staff instructor with The Art Institute of California at Los Angeles. She began working with computer graphics in 1992, and she was hired by her instructor to work at Sony Pictures Imageworks, where she developed her skills with 3ds Max and Shake, among many other programs. A teacher since 1999, Randi enjoys sharing her wisdom with young talent and watching them ...