Price:

 249  49 USD

*Special offer.

Overview

So you dream of working in VFX?

If you are passionate about VFX and want to succeed in the VFX industry, it is essential to learn how to harness the power of Houdini.

In this first season of Film FX Program, you will learn how to use Houdini FX from scratch in an easy and smart way as well as you will find out how the procedural approach can help you to be more effective and efficient.

This course objective is to create and replicate awesome FX of a specific shot inspired by The Avengers from start to finish.

After completing this course, you will have a strong knowledge base to face new FX projects successfully. You will also be able to create your own version of the shot taught in this course to include a high quality and interesting movie project in your professional Demo Reel.

Software
Houdini 17.5
Difficulty
Beginners
Duration
12 hours approx.
Format
Recorded videos
Content development
Agustín Schilling
Daniel Larrosa
Instructor
David Ferreira
Language
English
Rendering
Mantra
Q&A
Community Forum
Requirement
Basic 3D concepts
Pace
Self-paced

COURSE CONTENT

Week by Week

WEEK 01

In this first week, you will recognize the power of Houdini and what distinguishes this software from other 3D packages.

We will find out the differences between Houdini versions and will talk about the hardware requirements.

Next we will get into the interface and will start our first project of the course, so we will be modelling the Mjolnir, the Thor’s hammer, which we will grip it later to shoot at Iron Man a great storm of rays.

At the end of this first week, you will be able to move around the interface, understand the procedural workflow, model a high quality asset, create shaders and make render to submit your asset with a professional final look.

WEEK 02

“Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor”. Will we be worthy?

In this week, we will set up the scene to start working on the final project and will animate the Thor’s hammer that we modeled previously, using CHOP’s in Houdini.

Once the scene is ready to work, we will get on with the main ray setup, ray ramifications and extra rays.

After completing the second week, you will have learned how to control some of the most important nodes of Houdini as well as how to use VOPs to modify geometry and create ramps for a better control of attributes.

We will teach you as well to reuse processes to create new FX variations.

WEEK 03

Points, particles and collisions… We will introduce you to these three concepts quickly and will develop a simple example making use of two systems to get to know the advantages, disadvantages and differences.

Then, we will continue working on the final project and will set up the geometry to create a spark system.

Here you will acquire the necessary knowledge to develop and control particle systems in an efficient way.

WEEK 04

Now it’s the volumes turn! Here we’ll learn everything about volumes, what they are and how they work. We will work on a particular example while learning all the necessary concepts and tools to control the powerful Pyro Solver and understand how volumes work.

We will then continue creating the smoke pass caused by the rays impact we’ve developed in week 2.

By the end of this 4th week, we’ll have already created all the FX of this first season project.

WEEK 05

Although this is not a shading and composition course, we will teach you to create materials for the different FX of this course, make render passes and compose the shot using COPs in Houdini.

So at the end of this course, you will be able to compose your own version of the shot and submit your project with a professional final look.

BECOME AN FX ARTIST

Take Your Career to the Next Level
with Film FX Program

REQUIREMENTS

  • Good 3D generalist background. This is not an introduction to 3D course but an FX introductory course. No previous experience in Houdini is required, but the student must know and understand the basic 3D concepts.
  • A computer with Windows, Linux or OSX.
  • 16 GB RAM, at least. Take into account that the more RAM, the more resolution and detail will be achieved in the simulations.
  • AMD or Intel 64-bit processor of recent generation.

David Ferreira

David, a.k.a. CGMonkeyKing, has over ten years of experience in VFX, digital sculpting, tracking, rigging, compositing, and animation.

After graduating in Biology, David kept on searching his calling and eventually went on to study Architecture, when he first came in contact with the CG world.

Always curious and eager to learn, he kept on exploring other fields of this CG world, going from concept to modeling, from scripting to rigging, from tracking to compositing… And in 2011 David started working as a freelancer in search of new adventures.

Today he is a professional Houdini Artist, who besides teaching, has been involved in interesting CG projects around the world.

FAQ

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about Film FX Program

ABOUT THE COURSE

How do I enroll and register?

You must create an account or log in to enroll in this course.

Then you will be able to pay right away and get access to the course.

What is the start date?

We offer a unique teaching system: no schedules or start dates!

Learn at your own pace, anywhere, and at a time that suits you!

Do I need to buy Houdini Indie or FX?

You can use “Houdini Apprentice”, which is a free version of Houdini FX, used by students to create personal non-commercial projects. With Houdini Apprentice, you have access to virtually all of the features of the award-winning Houdini FX to develop your skills and work on personal projects.

Will I get a certificate after completing this course?

This is not a certified course but will cover the skills and background knowledge needed to create your professional Demo Reel.

Your Demo Reel is your calling card and ticket to new job opportunities. It’s definitely the key towards landing your dream job!

COURSE CONTENT

Will I get access to all videos upfront?

Yes, you will get access to all videos so you can take the course as fast or slow as you want.

Are the videos downloadable?

No, all video classes are hosted in the VFX Campus.

Will I have lifetime access to all content?

Yes, you will have lifetime access to all course content.

Do you provide support to solve questions?

We have a community forum, where you can find solutions, share ideas and follow discussions. It is a place for connecting with other students, learning new skills, sharing feedback and finding all the support you need for your projects.

Bear in mind that it is not guaranteed that you will receive a reply from The VFX School team, only in the case of the most frequent and important questions.