Which CGI package is the best can be debated. Typically however professionals doing effects for movies and what not will use Maya. Maya will set you back about $4999 (USD). However, there are a lot package varieties for Maya; go to ?url? http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=6904914&linkID=6761454?/url? to see them all. Second best is arguably 3D Studio Max which will set you back $3,495 (USD). Nothing else worth mentioning besides Maya and 3D Studio Max really comes to my mind except maybe Softimage XSI which costs $495 (USD) for the foundation packaage; but thats more for character modeling so that wouldn't really suit your needs if you wanted to make virtual enviroments, explosions, etc. Go to the the Animation Question post (?url? http://filmmaking.net/fnetforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4101?/url?) in the newbie section of filmmaking.net for some more info if your intrested. Hope that helps.

You seem to have missed Lightwave, which is used a lot in TV and has been used to create entire CGI features before: it was even used for modelling in the 'Final Fantasy' movie despite the movie being rendered in Maya.

I'm sure it's not the best in absolute terms, but if you're on a budget you get more 'bang for the buck' with Lightwave than any other 3D package I'm aware of.

Ahh your right MarkG I completely forgot about Lightwave. Thanks for reminding me. By the way Svelter Lightwave will cost you $795 (USD) which has all the manuals in PDF form or you can pay $895 (USD) to get printed manuals. Also you should be able to get any of the 3D packages listed here at an academic rate if your a student. However you might need to be enrolled in a course that actually needs the software (I could be wrong on this). Also you won't be able to make any profit on whatever you make with it. But check out a site like ?url?www.journeyed.com?/url? for software at academic rates.

All of the listed packages cost a pretty penny. If you want to go the guerilla 3d filmmaker route, check out Blender -- a free open-source 3d solution.

http://www.blender.org/cms/Home.2.0.html

Also, Google just made available a free simplified version of SketchUp 3D. I don?t know how useful it will be to filmmakers, but I?ve used SketchUp?s modeling tools in the past and they?re really good. Download SketchUp here:

http://sketchup.google.com/

Hope this helps.

Dan Rahmel
Author: "Nuts and Bolts Filmmaking"
Free scripts, templates, film glossary, and know-how,
check out: http://www.cvisual.com

I do think Maya has a demo version you can use for 30 days i think but will leave a watermark on your stuff.

Yeah pimpindark your right about the watermark. I know on a recent post I said I though the trial didn't put a watermark on the renders but after further reading I realized it did. However I don't believe the Maya Personal Learning Edition (PLE) is limited to any time constraints.