>> Poser is not intended to be a stand-along animation application.

Here, I have to disagree. And simply on anecdotal evidence, but anyway...

Some years ago, at this CG conference in San Francisco, I learned about this guy who, at the age of 45, decided to chuck a reasonably good career in real estate and become a CG animator. His wife told him, fine, you have three years, and that's it. He knew nothing about any of the programs available.

So he started working with this pathetically small PC computer and, of all things, V-Ray. He bought the books and attended classes (where even his teachers treated him as an indulgent joke because of his age and resources). At the end of two years, he'd learned enough to start putting together a calling card animation. At the end of the three years, he sent copies of the animation out to every company he ever wanted to work for, then went back to his job as a realtor... because he'd promised his wife he would.

A few months pass, and he's thinking, okay, it was a three-year experience that went nowhere, but at least I gave it a shot. The he gets a call from, of all people, Industrial Light and Magic: they were working on this film called The Mummy and needed animators and would he be interested?

Of course he was. They knew they'd have to train him, but since they use proprietary software, that was no big deal. Now he's on staff with them, happy as the proverbial clam.

True story, I swear.

Point is, he worked his butt off in those three years. He used low-end software and a 33 mHz computer. But he learned his craft from the gounrd up. And that dogged determination saw him through.

(Someone cue the inspiration music, okay?)

So here's the thing. Any priogram can be used for professional results, even Poser. We've seen what's possible in still images; why should we think animation would be any different? If you work with the program and are patient and diligent enough, you can probably get some great stuff out of it. No, it wont be Final Fantasy level, but that just means knowing your limitations and acting accordingly.

(Bring music to stirring finish and end.)

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