The following concepts are used throughout the Action chapters to describe the workflow and user interface.

SceneThe scene is Action's representation of 3D world space. It is where objects are placed and animated. World space has three directions: X (left/right), Y (up/down), and Z (in/out).

ObjectAn object is any element in a scene. An axis, a camera, a surface, a light, or a model can also be referred to as an object.

MediaMedia consists of a front and matte clip only.

SurfaceA surface is a special type of 3D geometry onto which media is mapped.

Geometric Object (Models)A 3D geometric object can be something as simple as a cube, sphere, or cone, or as complex as a character. Although some basic geometric objects are included with Smoke, most geometry is imported from a 3D application such as Maya and 3ds Max. A model is another way to refer to a geometric object.

CameraThe camera represents the 'eye' you are using to see the scene. The camera is used to “record” the scene in Action. By default, the camera consists of two objects: the camera eye and the point of interest (the coordinates the camera is 'looking' at).

AxisAn axis is the element of an object or media that can be manipulated to determine the object's 2D or 3D space, position, and movement.

SchematicThe schematic is an icon representation of the scene. It shows all the objects in the scene and their relationship with each other. See Schematic Basics.

3D Models and TextYou can import 3ds Max files, FBX^® format files, Wavefront files, Inventor files, and Paint geometry into Action. Also, you can create 3D text with custom beveling.