I need help. Please.

[Kevin Thorp]

1. A scanned storyboard is fine. Rough sketches are fine. But they should show all the scenes & movements.

2. You can create one basic flapping motion, then copy the keyframes to new positions on the timeline (shift & move) to get repeated flapping.

3. Do you just need to see the disc of light? That's a spotlight. If you need to see the beam you can create a cone & give it a semi-transparent material, & self-illuminated.

[Mazin]

Originally Posted by Kevin342

1. A scanned storyboard is fine. Rough sketches are fine. But they should show all the scenes & movements.

In the previous years we actually made them in PowerPoint. This year we had hastily drawn sketches that I resketched and put on a web page.

Originally Posted by Kevin342

2. You can create one basic flapping motion, then copy the keyframes to new positions on the timeline (shift & move) to get repeated flapping.

I think my way is easier.

Originally Posted by Kevin342

3. Do you just need to see the disc of light? That's a spotlight. If you need to see the beam you can create a cone & give it a semi-transparent material, & self-illuminated.

Bouncing light, as in a laser bouncing off a mirror in a foggy room?

Be aware that this is the best I got with volumetric lights:

and it probably won't suit your purpose.
I managed to make this little particle thing, but it doesn't look the greatest:

[3dfernando]

There is the "glow effect" that you can apply to particles (which will bounce)
And you can also use the lightmesh plug-in (but it doesn't work with 3dsmax v9) that makes each vertex of the mesh work like a "omni light"...

Note that real light don't appear bouncing unless it's a super laser =p

[Mazin]

Originally Posted by 3dfernando

There is the "glow effect" that you can apply to particles (which will bounce)
And you can also use the lightmesh plug-in (but it doesn't work with 3dsmax v9) that makes each vertex of the mesh work like a "omni light"...

Note that real light don't appear bouncing unless it's a super laser =p

Oooh, I forgot about glow. But having lots and lots of lights is a good way to melt your renderer.