More companies should follow the path of Alias and Maya Personal Learning Edition. Maya 6 is a professional 3D animation package that has a USD price range of $2000 to $7000 dollars. However, Alias provide a free version for students and those looking to experiment with their software.
Maya Personal Learning Edition is a special version of Maya® software, which provides free access to Maya for non-commercial use. It will give 3D graphics and animation students, industry professionals, and those interested in breaking into the world of computer graphics (CG) an opportunity to explore all aspects of the award winning Maya Complete? software in a non-commercial capacity.
Here are some good interviews from animators using Maya for million dollar movies including Spiderman, Lord of the Rings and The Matrix.
The short film Blue was also created with Maya.