For my final project in Rendering and Shading, I plan to create a RenderMan shader that will simulate finite particles of dust in a light. Traditionally, representing this effect in 3D has required the setup of a particle system, which may also involve the effects department in what is, intuitively a lighting choice. Ideally this project will create a system that allows a renderman volume shader to be assigned to a light in Maya that will create instant ambient dust particles at rendertime.

typically in bright light sources, we don't see dust particles unless the particle reflects the light back at us, like a tiny mirror. In order to get this effect to work properly,  I propose creating 1x1 polygonal planes within the volume.

The first step will be determining if this effect is possible using the RenderMan framework.

Phases

• Phase 1: Determine if it is possible to create geometry in RSL, or determine a way to create geometry using a renderman DSO.
• Phase 2: Create the effect using Renderman for Maya and Maya nParticles. Research behavior and qualities needed to produce realistic dust.
• Phase 3: Dust particle positioning using RenderMan. Use a 3D Voronoi perturbed by 4D noise. Shade only the corners
• Phase 4: Combine particle creation and positioning.

Final output will be a still image demonstrating the dust effect in action.

Additional optional phases

• Phase 5: Add animatable noise parameters to allow for ambient floating motion.

Parameter Ideas

• Particle Frequency
• Time (t)
• Particle Speed (ambient motion)
• Particle Size
• Size Variation

Optional Requirements

• Particles should be created so that they can accept transmission attributes, so that stained glass effects will appear correctly.

I recorded a version of the final audio and performed the facial animation to see what blendshapes I would need to create.

I did some work on the ear... more work to come. Been busy with some other projects.