In this lecture, Frederic Durand demonstrates a variety of techniques for indirect and direct lighting using Ambient Occlusion within Maya and mental ray. In its most basic use, Ambient Occlusion allows artists to simulate contact shadows in an image. Frederic begins with an introduction to Ambient Occlusion theory and quickly moves into how to control the look and feel of Ambient Occlusion lighting. The technical and artistic challenges of lighting using Ambient Occlusion are covered in great detail. Production techniques for using the built-in AO Shader, MIB_FG OCCLUSION, MIB_AMB_OCCLUSION, MIB_FAST_OCCLUSION and MIB_BENT_NORMAL_ENV are leveraged to create professional quality renders. Advanced concepts like environment lighting, refraction and transparency are covered to ensure clean, accurate and aesthetically pleasing results from complex situations. Compositing is addressed as an integral part of any lighting workflow as it helps to work more efficiently while rendering in passes is critical to any successful lighting strategy. For those interested in mastering mental ray, this title offers invaluable techniques from an experienced industry artist.