Learning Carrara 8.5 DVD by Phil Wilkes

barrieMbarrieM Posts: 292
edited January 2018 in Carrara Discussion

Where can I purchase "Learning Carrara 8.5 DVD by Phil Wilkes"? Amazon only have the Carrara 8 version and most links go to Safari where you have to pay a monthly fee with no mention of purchasing the actual DVD. 

Post edited by barrieM on

Comments

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,168

    When I purchased it, it was from infinite skills directly.  Then Daz brokered sales on behalf of infinite skills, I think.  And then Infinite Skills ceased to be a Daz published artist seller.  I don't think we are ignoring you as a group, I just think those of use who bought it from Infinite Skills don't know how it works now.

  • SileneUKSileneUK Posts: 1,975
    edited January 2018

    The US Amazon site has:  https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Carrara-8-5-Training-DVD/dp/B00FQJ2RSI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1515186669&sr=8-1&keywords=infinite+skills+phil+wilkes

     the 8.5 version which tops up the previous version... and there are supplemental ones.

    If you are looking on Amazon UK, then I also did not see the 8.5 there, says it's currently not in stock and not known when to be in. Sometimes it's worth messaging the vendor on Amazon.  

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Learning-Carrara-8-5-Training-DVD/dp/B00FQJ5DWU

    Hopefully Phil can shed some light on where it can be gotten here in the UK if elsewhere?

    I did find I needed the Carrara 8 version to build the 8.5 skills on back in 2014... all depends on how easily you learn. I knew nothing about Carrara and it got me up and running.

    They are very very good tools and still totally relevant!  

    yes Silene

     

    Post edited by SileneUK on
  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,551

    Maybe contact the company that bought out Infinite Skills? I don't remember who that was.

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,551
    rk66 said:

    Thanks RK!!! Always a lifesaver! yes

    I'm really glad that I bought the whole collection. Fantastic training and it's fun having our friend Phil Wilkes showing it all to us the way he does! I watch them over and over again. It's just a neat thing to watch and always gives me some fresh ideas. He does things a little differently than I do - and I guess that's kinda true for most of us. Carrara is so vast and offers so many different ways to accomplish the same task... It's always fun to see these other ways in action. But there were some things that I just wasn't even planning on exploring until I saw Phil tell me how they work. I like that the most!

  • barrieMbarrieM Posts: 292
    edited January 2018

    Thanks for all suggestions. Looks like infinite Skills went to Reily and Safari Books now make Phil's DVD available by subscription only. I have almost used up my free trial and determined to buy the DVD. It is an excellent tutorial and will be worth every dollar when I buy it from the USA. Can't find it in Mother England.

    Post edited by barrieM on
  • SileneUKSileneUK Posts: 1,975

    A shame Phil can't re-release them (with enough changes to be 'different') and offer them on Rendo or something....  broken heart Silene

  • PhilWPhilW Posts: 5,145

    I only just noticed this thread - sorry I don't have any control over where it is available, that is now down to O'Reilly. I think they are keen to push their subscription solutions, but it is also available from Amazon.com (US).  As far as I am aware, this is the only place that you can buy it outright.

  • barrieMbarrieM Posts: 292
    edited January 2018

    I tried to buy it from Amazon (US) but they won't ship to UK. Tried to get it shipped to Canada but won't do that either. My daughter was looking for it in Canada without success. She sent me a link to Safari books which happened to be the place I originally found it. My free trial at Safari runs out tomorrow and I won't be paying the $39 per month subscription. Damn shame, it is an excellent tutorial that every Carrara user should have in their back pocket. Haven't given up yet. I think I can get it shipped to an address near the border of Canada where my daughter will pick it up and smuggle it into canada. She will then give it to my wife who will be returning to England in February.

    Phil, I thought you would be amused at the lengths some people would go to get your DVD.  

    Post edited by barrieM on
  • PhilWPhilW Posts: 5,145

    It's great that you are so keen!  Just a thought but could a kind US-dwelling Carrara user on this forum maybe buy it for you and post it to you?

  • UnifiedBrainUnifiedBrain Posts: 3,588

    Why do you need the DVD?  The digital download is readily available, and it works great.

  • barrieMbarrieM Posts: 292

    Never though of that. If I had, I wouldn't have the nerve to ask. I could get my daughter to send it to me.

  • barrieMbarrieM Posts: 292

    Where is the download available? The only one I know is at Safari Books.

  • UnifiedBrainUnifiedBrain Posts: 3,588

    Just Google Amazon Carrara 8.5 digital download.

  • barrieMbarrieM Posts: 292

    Where is the download available? The only one I know is at Safari Books.

  • barrieMbarrieM Posts: 292

    The digital download is on Amazo US and they don't allow downlods to UK. Amazon UK don't appear to have a digital download.

  • SileneUKSileneUK Posts: 1,975
    barrieM said:

    The digital download is on Amazo US and they don't allow downlods to UK. Amazon UK don't appear to have a digital download.

    Have daughter download... then she can burn to DVDs and send to you if you really want a hard copy. Be sure she does not call them commercial software when sending to you in the post... just put personal on the customs form or you will get done for duty!  I also think sometimes DVDs are intercepted to check for porn... so you might want to use a file transfer utility.

    I always use WeTransfer and would have her a couple at a time or so to you on the free version. You can send 2GB on the free version, but I don't know how many times you can do that in 24hrs, might have to stretch it over a couple of days or so.  On the 8.5 tuts... I counted about 7 zip files of about 500mb average when zipped. There is DropBox, too, but I like WeTransfer as you don't have to jump through hoops to get it working. Just point, click and email.

    Good luck!

    yes  Silene

  • barrieMbarrieM Posts: 292

    SileneUK, thanks for your suggestions. My daughter has ordered it so that problem is solved. I am now considering Phils DVD for version 8. I believe you have both 8 and 8.5  so can you tell me if  8.5 contains any clips from 8 ? I don't mind same topics as long as the aproach is a little different.

  • SileneUKSileneUK Posts: 1,975
    edited January 2018
    barrieM said:

    SileneUK, thanks for your suggestions. My daughter has ordered it so that problem is solved. I am now considering Phils DVD for version 8. I believe you have both 8 and 8.5  so can you tell me if  8.5 contains any clips from 8 ? I don't mind same topics as long as the aproach is a little different.

    I think Phil can answer that better.... I have not fired them up in a couple of years together and I got the first one in 2013, so can't say off hand. His lovely northern voice is so easy on the ear that I found myself doing the steps along with the video when I wanted to try something. Am sure he will answer, or PM him! 

    ETA:  have daughter remove packaging...as well if sending to you.  But safer to transfer to you in my personal opinion.  EG, if you buy something on 'sale'... HMRC will charge duty on full list. Really sucks that.

     yes Silene

    Post edited by SileneUK on
  • PhilWPhilW Posts: 5,145

    When 8.5 came out there were a few areas that had been added but no real changes to what was already in version 8. So if you have the full 8.5 package, you will have all of the basic course, there is no need to get version 8 as that will just duplicate what you have already (and in fact version 8 was an enhancement of version 7, I never went back and re-covered previous ground!).  There was a lower cost version (called New Features) that just added the chapters that were missing so that previous owners of version 8 could get the extra material without having to buy the whole thing again.

    If you like it and want more then there is always Advanced Carrara Techniques, which focuses mostly on modelling with Carrara (and a few other bonus areas) and Carrara - Realism Rendering which covers my discoveries about using Linear Workflow and Gamma Correction to enhace the realism of Carrara's native render engine, and how to work around some of the few anomolies that this throws up.  And of course there is the Animation in Carrara set that I produced myself rather than through Infinite Skills and that is still available from my Daz store.

  • barrieMbarrieM Posts: 292

    Thank you Silene and thank youPhil. I looked at your Daz store, very interesting. I loved the portrait studio. 

  • PhilWPhilW Posts: 5,145

    Thank you smiley

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,551

    You're not going to want to stop there - trust me. You'll also be wanting "Advanced Carrara Techniques" (no matter how advanced you might (or might not) be) and the "Realistic Rendering" courses as well. It's so great to have all of that Carrara information available at all times - on video.

    Here's a fun short article I wrote about how much I enjoy owning them, and to thank PhilW for making them so great!

  • PhilWPhilW Posts: 5,145

    Dart's like my cheerleader!

  • barrieMbarrieM Posts: 292

    Here's another cheer leader for PhilW. I lived for many years in the US. At that time I thought Mark Bremmer was the best Carrara teacher that ever lived and got four of his training CD's covering Carrara 5 and 6. In the UK I came accross PhilW's Training video and stopped looking for Mark's because I regarded PhilW as the British equivalent of Mark. How sad and ironic that Phil's video can only be purchased in the US and only if you live there! Why on earth is it available in the UK only by a ridiculous $39 / month subscription or free trial for 10 days. I can only think that infinite Skills/ Reily / Safari Books recognised its value and paid Phil a kings ransom for exclusivity....... I hope so anyway. By the way I paid £38 for Phil's 8.5 Training DVD on Amazon US. The Same DVD on Amazon UK was £63 before it became unavailable......... Makes you think eh?

  • UnifiedBrainUnifiedBrain Posts: 3,588

    I'm not trying to justify the business model of Safari or Amazon, but it is what it is.  There are often workarounds.  For example, there are tons of games available for download on the US site, that are not available to people in the UK or elsewhere.  Considering that gamers outnumber Carrara enthusiasts about a million to one, it is not surprising that their sheer numbers have caught the attention of entrepreneurs.

    https://www.ghacks.net/2012/06/30/how-to-purchase-digital-games-at-amazon-from-outside-the-us/

    As for Phil, he has made all the difference for me.  I'm not good at reading manuals.  Without his video tutorials I likely would have stayed with DS.

  • PhilWPhilW Posts: 5,145

    Thanks for the kind words, it means a lot.

    Apart from Animation in Carrara, I was contracted to Infinite Skills to make the videos for them and receive royalties on sales.  Then Infinite Skills sold out to O'Reilly and the distribution methods were changed to fit in with O'Reilly's business model.  I have no say on that side of things unfortunately. It is indeed ironic that I am British and yet you can't appear to be able to buy them here!

  • GreymomGreymom Posts: 1,112

    Thanks for the info on where to get the video, I ordered while there were still some available!

     

  • 3DMD3DMD Posts: 18

    I bought the infinite skills version through DAZ a few years ago and I got a link with an activation key. Definitely worth it. 

  • PhilWPhilW Posts: 5,145

    Thanks!

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