User guide

1 Preface
Katana is a 3D application specifically designed for the needs of look development and lighting in an asset based
pipeline. Originally developed at Sony Pictures Imageworks, Katana has been their core tool for look development
and lighting for all their productions since "Spider-Man 3", "Beowulf", and "Surf's Up!".
Katana provides a very general framework for efficient look development and lighting, with the goals of scalability,
flexibility, and supporting an asset based pipeline.
About this Manual
This manual aims to provide a complete reference for all the controls within each node in Katana. It does not give
you any instructions on using Katana. For details on installing and using Katana, read the Katana User Guide.
NOTE: For the most up-to-date information, please see the Katana product page and the latest Katana
Reference Guide on our web site at www.thefoundry.co.uk.
Getting Help
If you can't find what you need in this document, there are other sources of help available to you for all aspects of
Katana and its operation.
Viewing Additional Help
Katana features several forms of help:
• Some controls offer concise instructions in the form of tooltips. To display the tooltips, move your mouse pointer
over a control or node parameter.
• Many Parameters tabs include contextual descriptions of the node's parameters. To display these descriptions,
click the ? icon.