Animation Question

[Velaes]

I was wondering if anyone knew any rules against using images in that 5 second slate prior to the animation.

I also have some previews of team 135's animation!! (attached)


*note* I am only 17 years old, have NO help of mentors and/or professional MAX users, I have never been trained in MAX, and have not been messing with MAX for very long AT ALL! So its a one man show as far as our animation, so don't put me down TOO much Also all animation was done with keyframing and VERY few paths because it is easier to make fixes to animation without the path.

Concept:
The FIRST Factory, in which we add ingredients such as Teamwork, Leadership, and Gracious Professionalism to graft our mold of FIRST. These ingredients are in liquid form in oil tankers and run through pipelines to the final mold, which is the FIRST logo.

Resources:
Max 7
One computer (Dual Processor 3.6 Ghz, 1 Gig of RAM, semi-good video card, Windows 2000, Dell)
Premier
Photoshop
Sounds Library
A nice tutorial library
And I had to make every texture myself...
No bones were used in the creation of this animation, though a Spline IK Solver would have been useful in some of my tube animation...

Just so you all know, at a Kokomo workshop we decided that ALL Indiana FIRST teams should have a hidden teapot in their animation... Well I am true to my word, ph34r my teapots!!

Please comment and give advice to anything you see, I have been working for roughly 50 hours and I know its not beautiful, but I was hoping the idea would make up for it, lol. C & C welcome!! (Comments and Critiques)

Enjoy!!