How is Env. art and 3D modeling in general, different in animation pipeline than that of in games?

Vishesh3008

Greetings,

I just got a job offer from a studio where they're working on an upcoming Netflix series, They offered me a role of environment artist. 
Well, I have a background of working with video games and I've been following the traditional PBR pipeline, that games generally follow like various optimization techniques, specific topology, lightmaps, baking, and stuff for a couple of years now. I just wanted to know how the pipeline is modified for working in Animations, like a high poly budget, dynamic lights, and stuff. As they don't have to run real-time so there must be much more freedom and artistic choices.
I don't know much about it, that's why I decided to put it up here so you can help me understand what the basic differences are with working in the Gaming and the Animation industry from a POV of a 3D environment artist.

Thanks a lot in advance.

Thanks

Eric Chadwick

PBR is still applicable, but with offline renderer, so material format will be specific to their renderer. Ask about their pipeline... What renderer you'd be expected to use, what material pipeline.

Offline renderers pay more attention to transmission and reflectance properties than games do.

No baking nor lightmaps.

Topology is still important, but as an env artist, less so than for characters.

Vishesh3008

Thanks a lot for responding Eric. The main style they're going for is, Stylized with realism, hope you understanding what it means, kinda like Pixar animated movies

oglu

There are a lot of factors that does change the pipeline and the workflow. Is it a feature film with unlimited budget or a Kids TV Series with near to zero budget. Are you goin to use an offline render or are you using an engine to render the frames. If you use an engine that doesnt mean you render 30 frames a sec. Engines can output high quality frames that take several seconds to render.

We need more info to help you.

Vishesh3008

Thanks a lot for replying, It is a Netflix series, and regarding rendering, I don't have an idea if the series and animations are all rendered inside Maya itself or they use another rendering engine.
I will update the thread as soon as I'll have a meeting with the team and I'll get some details on the subject.

Ashervisalis

Hey, everything is sub-D in animation. You make a high poly which smooths nicely. There is not really any retopology (for environment artists, unless you're sculpting). Of course, it all depends on their pipeline. We don't bake anything at my studio.

Vishesh3008

That's what I thought, @Ashervisalis , Thanks for responding and clearing out my doubts.