Turn 3D models into film-worthy digital animations by mastering mental ray rendering once and for all. This guide focuses exclusively on mental ray in Maya, 3ds Max, and XSI, and it's packed with techniques and insights you can't get anywhere else. The book contain advanced rendering concepts that can be applied to other rendering software as well, including V-Ray, Brazil, Maxwell and RenderMan. It also explains advanced lighting, camera, and workflow techniques that usually take professionals years to figure out. · Introduction · Introduction to mental ray · Rendering Algorithms · Mental ray Output · Camera Fundamentals · Quality Control · Lights and Soft Shadows · Shadow Algorithms · Motion Blur · The Fundamentals of Light and Shading Models · Mental ray Shaders and Shader Trees · Mental ray Textures and Projections · Indirect Illumination · Final Gather and Ambient Occlusion · Subsurface Scattering