I'm not sure really. I suppose adobe after effects? I would quite like to know if there is any software specific for this purpose

Rob - UK

IF your looking for small scale, any 3D program will do.

For large scale terrain try the Vue product line. There are some free ones like, Terragen. Also if you have money but don't feel like spending too much money search up GeoControl.

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"Imperfection equals Realism"

What kind of environment is it? Buildings, countryside?
Could put you in touch with the 3D course at my Uni if you've got no 3D experience.

In the not too distant past they painted mattes on glass. In the modern era a really good digital photo could probably work. You can play with it in photoshop, combine photos and create any kind of background you want. Future or medieval. The problem is it will probably look a bit flat, so...

You add a layer in front of that background and have that layer move slightly when the camera movies, this provides movement against the background that will make everything appear more 3d. Put layers in front of that one as well if you have a lot of depth in your background.

You can use a 3-d program to really do this right if you have the time and budget.

RJSchwarz

I've always found that computer rendered backgrounds (at least when done with comercially available software for the home market) aren't very convincing. I tried that route, and it just didn't give me the effect I was wanting. So, I did a little research, and came across this company who, back in the 70's used to combine miniatures with blue screen stage work. The company was called Magicam, and I think the article on them was printed in an early issue of the old "Starlog" magazine. (Issue #9, I think.. the one with a TV "Logan's Run Cover) So, anyway, I tried building miniatures, at about 1/12 scale. (dollhouse scale... lots of things like windows, doors, and detail parts available in that particular scale.) The results were much more satisfactory. I could adjust the lighting much more easily, shift the scene slightly if I wanted to, and have other things happening in the background, like lights blinking on and off, hatches opening and closing, etc... If I tried to do that with software, I'd have to pay a couple of grand to get a package that could do it.

Computer rendered backgrounds are only as good as the time taken to craft the buildings. For the new King Kong they crafted most of NY and it looks incredible, but they had a rather large budget.

I have heard that you can take generic buildings and paste the images of real buildings onto each side and make a rather effective 3-d landscape but I haven't done so myself and in fact 3-d is sort of beyond me at this point.

RJSchwarz