Can somebody explain these two programs in-depth? I understand Renderman is the Pixar developed renderer, but what is rendering really? Also Marionette is Pixar’s proprietary animation software. I would like to know more about each. 
Renderman is a tool for cgi work. When you render something, you’re basically telling what ever program your using (Pixar uses Maya, I use 3ds max) that you want it to produce an image or series of frames. By rendering, the computer is calculating the lighting(indoor or outdoor, self-lit, ect.), atmosphere and particle effects (fire, water, fog, clouds, rain, dust), textures (cotton, rocks and dirt, tree bark, skin, leather, grass, hair/fur), and any objects and characters in the scene. There are a lot of different renders. Scanline rendering is a quick and dirty, but can be used for anything. Mentalray is a great program for effect like glass, atmospheric effects, and creating lighting like overcaast skies and sunlight streaming into a room. You can also use specific shaders (texturing effects) for that renderer. For instance, using photons cast by a light in the scene you can make glass look real and pretty by making light pass through it, like this.
Renderman appears to be a good, quick renderer for complex textures and scenes full of characters and effects. I think Incredibles was the first movie they used it on.
I can only guess about Marionette. Judging by the name and that fact that its for the actual animation process, I would think it’s an advanced tool for controlling the characters. Some programs can specializing in useful keyframing or advanced movement. I know of one program that DW used for OTH that allowed the characters facial expressions to be partly controlled by the pitch and tone of the voice actors.
I hope that clears up a little bit for you. I encourage you to keep looking up info on these, but if might be hard to find stuff on these. Some companies like to keep very close tabs on their in house production tools.
Thanks Haunt that was very informative
A response to PV:
I’ve decided to respond on the corresponding thread, if it’s not allowed, please inform me.
Anyways, I know people at Pixar use Maya for personal things, but for the movies they use Marionette. It’s not only for animating, but for modeling and basic lighting, this program, as you may know, is proprietary and solely used by Pixar. Now, neither of us work at Pixar so how would I know, well if you check the credits at the veeery end, it lists the hardware/software used on the production. From Monsters, Inc. forward you’ll notice “Animated on: Marionette TM”. In the same list it lists other trademarks/copyrights such as Pixar’s RenderMan and Intel. Before, other non-Pixar software was listed, but NEVER Maya. Now if they used Maya wouldn’t they credit them properly, after all, they list the production babies, and they wouldn’t want to get sued. The only Maya complient product I can think of that has anything to do with Pixar is the RenderMan plug-in for Maya, meant for home studios. Also, Pixar has been using Marionette and it’s predecesor Menv for decades, why would they lose loyalty to their own program that they customize to their needs. DreamWorks used to customize Maya, but now they use their own program EMO, why would Pixar be behind in those terms. New employees that used Maya or Lightwave get 2 week training on Marionette and in that time become productive. The thing is, they do pretty much the same thing, but with Marionette, Pixar has security, just in case Maya doesn’t update or whatever. On the Pixar website it says you don’t have to learn any programs to apply for the coveted animator position, implying that they don’t use of the shelf products. So, where do you come in, alright, to settle this fairly, give us a reliable source on what you stated in the “WALL-E – Trailer #3 New” post.
Here are mine:
*To Infinity and Beyond!: The Story of Pixar Animation Studios
*Disney/Pixar DVD’s
*Google Search: Marionette, Maya, Pixar etc.
*Pixar.com
P.S. Those are undeniable sources.
P.S.S. Why don’t you move the debate here, it’d make more sense.
P.S.S.S. Sorry for double posting
Marionette is the main hardware that Pixar uses (usually) for animation, which means Pixar invented Marionette themselves. Maya is the 3D objects and animation software (sometimes), and RenderMan is Pixar’s own renderer (always). You can see more info on the Pixar website, but you already knew that.
A113- Where does it say they use Maya “sometimes”? A link would be greatly appreciated.
Oh, you mean RenderMan for Maya, yeah I’ve checked out that page, that’s a plug-in and I doubt Pixar uses it because it’s for personal/home use as implied by this: RENDERMAN FOR EVERYONE
On a side note: Isn’t RenderMan’s logo so cool!?
Although Pixar may use Marionette for the animating side of things, they still use Maya/Lightwave and other products for other stuff.
For eg. They use Maya for modelling, and they used it for creating cloth in The Incredibles as well as some dynamics, but they have also used 3DS Max for dynamics too.
bawpcwpn- Thank you, that’s what I was trying to say, that they use it for smaller and personal things, but the animating is all Marionette. I just couldn’t choose the right words. So again thanks for clearing that up. So I guess when all the Pixar minds coem together, we figure out what’s true, for example, I was wrong about PIxar NEVER using Maya, but then again, I was right about them using it exclusively for animation, because, no, the animatorsdon;t get to chose, I read somewhere that it takes just 2 weeks of training and the animator should be productive on Marionette by then… So the equation: (Martin+PixarVixen+bawp+CartoonBoy+Googly-Bear+A113+and all the other Pixar fans= the perfect equation when it comes to Pixar facts.)
Edit: I’d just like to add that they used t use Marionette for modeling and lighting but I guess now they’ve switched to Maya for that, I guess because it’s better.
Edit 2: I’d like to see what PV has to say about this, because I think she’d be valuable to this conversation.
Edit 3: Why don;t we move the CartoonBoy vs. Martini debate here?
[size=142]I love the RenderMan logo!!!111111[/size]
Yay RenderMan RenderMan RenderMan!!! 
yeah, i’m insane. xD
From what I have read and heard, Marionette is about the same size as Maya, but is focused on animation, unlike Maya which covers all facets.
RenderMan logo, rendered on RenderMan:
Anywyas, what I’ve read about Marionette, where some articles from the 90’s back when the internet was a wee little place, where they state that Marionette did modeling, animating, and lighting with a focus on animation, anywyas I guess over the years, it devolved into a animation only program. I’ve also heard it’s nothing special, it’s just like Maya, only it’s a bit easier for hand drawn animators to use.
I’ll get you the link for you to read.
Edit: I also read about a program Pixar developed called RingMaster which schedules production.
Edit 2: And here it is: linux-watch.com/news/NS6281055297.html (This one isn’t from the 90’s but if you Google search Marionette Pixar, I’m sure you’ll find 'em.)
I still believe that Pixar uses Marionette exclusively for animation, but what you said (bawp) was pretty convincing.
Oooooooooh…O__o
xD
(btw Martin I strongly suggest editing out the last sentence of your previous post asap)
Animation studios just like having their own program besides Maya so they can make it work the way they want. Especially if you have the engineers to make em. I think Dreamworks uses something called emo or something idk lol
I’m flattered, but honestly, once you guys start talking Renderman and etc., I’m out. I won’t be a techie at Pixar, that’s certain.
And my knowledge of Maya is very basic…like, double-click the Maya icon to launch the program. Haha. But for reals, my knowledge of Maya is limited to basic character modeling.
…so hire me now, Pixar! 
~~=oP
Heh, heh PV. It sounded like you knew Maya well, guess not, but that’s ok, neither do I.
Well, I’m happy now that the whole Pixar technology thing is settled. I know I asked before but I’ll do it again, can we move the dispute over here, it seems more fitting.
Oh, and…
Hire me Pixar once I’m 21+!!
Here are some interesting facts about Marionetter from the Pixar guys themselves!:
From VNOG Blog
At 8:59 PM, Victor Navone said… To answer sugartastic’s question, I believe “menv” is short for “modeling environment”, though it is no longer used for modeling. I think the name is a hold-over from back in the 80’s when they first developed the software. If you watch to the end of the credits of our films it says “animated in ‘Marionette’”, but no one at Pixar ever calls it this. That’s just a name that PR came up with.
From Nate Wragg
Nate Wragg says:
Technically it’s called marionette, but here they call it men-v.
-Nate
These comments have led me to believe that they do NOT use Maya at all for animation, but for modeling.
Also from what I’ve seen in the DVD commentaries, the interface of Maya and Men-v are very different, althogh they do similar things. I’ll try to get a picture up so you guys can see.
Puh-ha! My apologies for butting in, but that just gave me a laugh… 
I wish I knew more about most, if not all, of the computer-animation programs out there, or simply computers in general. Although I am fascinated by technical subjects, I am not at all a geek in the “techie” area of the universe, which is, I suppose, a down-side if I want to obtain a position at Pixar Animation Studios.
Ah well. Knowledge comes with time…
– Mitch
Speaking of rendering and 3D…anyone familiar with Bryce?