I need to make a 3D render for a amator movie we made. We will put some bluescreen actor in it. So i need a near photo realistic look...  I don't expect it to be perfect but right now it look like more like a cartoon cavern. I used vue vue for the test but i have acces to max7, carrara 5, vue infinite 5 and poser 6.

Here are some still render.

http://www.imaginethisproductions.net/p3/grotte_p3_ver3.jpg
http://www.imaginethisproductions.net/p3/grotte_p3_ver3b.jpg
http://www.imaginethisproductions.net/p3/grotte_p3_ver3c.jpg

In the third picture i know the scale of the right wall is not right... i am fixing it. As you can see the setting is medieval fantastic...  

It is probably the light but don't know for sure... Still trying to find what. It is my first real 3D interior scene... By the way i don't have any formation in 3D.

Any advice? Tutorial or trck? I am ready to start it over from scratch...

Shadu

For your atmosphere, did you check GI or GR? You rlighting looks flat like it's just the generic atmo render settings.

Do you have reference photos of cavern interiors so that you might be able to do a combo of 2D/3D for the final output mattes, or are you needing to animate some camera movement?

-Lew ;-)

I'm back - not harping or making fun - just want you to understand that - the shapes used in the images are the clean basic primary shapes which adds to what you referred to as the "cartoonish" look.

You can make more elaborate constructions and props in Max or Carrara and import them into Vue for assembly, atmo, lighting, and rendering.

That would also help a great deal towards the more realistic look you're going for.

I've also been struggling for a while to create a convincing cave but my problems come from the stalagtite and stalagmites looking real or not. Just haven't gotten the hang of creating them in Vue so I'm going to give it a shot in XSI or C4D.
-Lew ;-)

I'd recommend spending some time on the web and finding an image you like and try copying it's POV. Adding people as a scale element would help as well.

I will effectivement need some camera movement in it.  The camera will pull away from the central point in direct line until it pass in the wall and exist outside in the forest.

Someone suggest me some image projection... How can i do that in vue? Is there any good tutorial about that?

For the shape this is a idea to madel it somehere else...

I made a new test using a new technic. I used a difference boleen function on 2 terrain to obtain the cavern this time. I think the look is better. I still need some better texture... But i think it is better.

http://www.imaginethisproductions.net/p3/grotte_p3_gen2.jpg

Shadu