Course Overview

Class Description:

This course provides a foundational understanding of optimizing your workflow in Houdini. We will first look at an example file containing a pyro simulation. Using Houdini's native nodes students will learn through practical examples how to effectively analyze and optimize volume data for caching to ensure the fastest read and write speed to and from disk. Students will then learn how to effectively wrap up the fully procedural system into an HDA and lastly, implement some “ease of use UI flair” with python.


Learning Outcomes:

Students will leave this class with a peek into the world of an effective TD in the industry, and the importance of data management and optimization of systems to effectively ensure the lowest footprint on disk. 

Course curriculum

    1. Files

    1. Session 1 Outline

    2. Session 1 Full Video

    3. 1-1 - Intro- Introduction

    4. 2-1 - The Problem- File

    5. 2-2 - The Problem- Overview of Problem

    6. 2-3 - The Problem- Voxel

    7. 2-4 - The Problem- Post it Notes

    8. 3-1 - Format Checks- Format Checks

    9. 3-2 - Format Checks- Caching format

    10. 3-3 - Format Checks- Floats

    11. 3-4 - Format Checks- Empty Fields

    12. 3-5 - Format Checks- Primitive Intrinsic Method

    13. 4-1 - Velocity Field- Velocity Field

    14. 4-2 - Velocity Field- Using Density Field

    15. 4-3 - Velocity Field- 2nd way

    16. 4-4 - Velocity Field- Full Proofing- User Friendly

    17. 4-5 - Velocity Field- Clean up option

    18. 4-6 - Velocity Field- Understanding Flow of Info

    19. 4-7 - Velocity Field- parsing by types

    20. 4-8 - Velocity Field- Accepted & Not

    21. 4-9 - Velocity Field- Volume Pitfall

    22. 4-10 - Velocity Field- Heightfield

    23. 4-11 - Velocity Field- Heightfield w- Tool overview

    24. 5-1 - VDB Types- Overview

    25. 5-2 - VDB Types- Review of process

    26. 5-3 - VDB Types- Q-Unwritten Underscore Rule

    27. 6-1 - Coming up- Closing Thoughts

    28. 6-2 - Coming up- Food for thought - Flip Fluids

    29. 6-3 - Coming up- Q&A - Caching out story

    30. 6-4 - Coming up- Resources

    1. Session 2 Outline

    2. Session 2 Full Video

    3. 1-1 - Intro- Last time on Effective TD

    4. 1-2 - Intro- Review VDB and Fields

    5. 2-1 - Set Up- Lesson Overview

    6. 2-2 - Set Up- Creating HDA Tool - Subnet

    7. 2-3 - Set Up- Bringing in Parameters

    8. 2-4 - Set Up- Folders,Tabs, Promotions & more Params

    9. 2-5 - Set Up- Resampling Velocity Fields & UI Toggle

    10. 2-6 - Set Up- Volume Field Adjustment

    11. 3-1 - Optimizing densities- Overview

    12. 3-2 - Optimizing densities- Looking at Density Data

    13. 3-3 - Optimizing densities- Parsing Atts & selecting

    14. 3-4 - Optimizing densities- Looking at Voxel Definition & Data

    15. 4-1 - ForEach & Field Info- Overview

    16. 4-2 - ForEach & Field Info- Identifying Iterations

    17. 4-3 - ForEach & Field Info- Q-Iterations & Inital Voxels

    18. 4-4 - ForEach & Field Info- Prelimanary Steps for Iterating

    19. 4-5 - ForEach & Field Info- Dynamic Field Params

    20. 4-6 - ForEach & Field Info- Getting info from Param Tips

    21. 4-7 - ForEach & Field Info- Targeting Specific Parameter

    22. 5-1 - Rebuilding Wrangle - Spare Inputs- Overview

    23. 5-2 - Rebuilding Wrangle - Spare Inputs- Reevaluating Params

    24. 5-3 - Rebuilding Wrangle - Spare Inputs- Q-Spare Input & Return Values

    25. 5-4 - Rebuilding Wrangle - Spare Inputs- Testing

    26. 6-1 - Last steps- Interface and Python- Overview

    27. 6-2 - Last steps- Interface and Python- UI Improvements - Buttons, Velocity

    28. 6-3 - Last steps- Interface and Python- Additional Elements to Velocity UI

    29. 6-4 - Last steps- Interface and Python- Adding toggles & Cleaning Up UI

    30. 6-5 - Last steps- Interface and Python- Making things more smooth

    31. 6-6 - Last steps- Interface and Python- Q-Voxel Radius-

    32. 6-7 - Last steps- Interface and Python- Adding Last Param - Mask Radius

    33. 6-8 - Last steps- Interface and Python- Centering Button & Test

    34. 6-9 - Last steps- Interface and Python- Additonal Notes

    1. Session 3 Outline

    2. Session 3 Full Video

    3. 1-1 - Intro- Overview of Session

    4. 2-1 - Python Overview- Overview of Session

    5. 2-2 - Python Overview- Python Module

    6. 2-3 - Python Overview- Hou & Callback

    7. 2-4 - Python Overview- Creating Classes

    8. 2-5 - Python Overview- Initalizing Class

    9. 2-6 - Python Overview- Grabbing Class-Kwargs

    10. 2-7 - Python Overview- Fetching Fields

    11. 2-8 - Python Overview- Returning Fields

    12. 2-9 - Python Overview- Q-Save Node Type

    13. 2-10 - Python Overview- Final Checks & Print

    14. 2-11 - Python Overview- Adding Comments

    15. 2-12 - Python Overview- Q-Vel and Prims

    16. 3-1 - Defining Method to Add Fields- Initial Setup

    17. 3-2 - Defining Method to Add Fields- Fetching Field Param

    18. 3-3 - Defining Method to Add Fields- Iterating Field Names

    19. 3-4 - Defining Method to Add Fields- Reassigning Print Button

    20. 4-1 - Running Auto Setup Automatically- Overview

    21. 4-2 - Running Auto Setup Automatically- Troubleshooting Inputs

    22. 4-3 - Running Auto Setup Automatically- TroubleShoot Initial Inputs - Bug

    23. 5-1 - Defaults- Overview

    24. 5-2 - Defaults- Tool Improvements - Restructure

    25. 5-3 - Defaults- Visualization

    26. 5-4 - Defaults- Enabling Prim Switch

    27. 5-5 - Defaults- Sparse Volumes vs Tool

    28. Submit your work

About this course

  • $150.00
  • 93 lessons
  • 5 hours of video content

Course Teaser

Session 1

Optimization of Volume Data

In this session, we dive in and take a look at a practical example of a pyro simulation and how to analyze and optimize the Volume Data in Houdini. This type of tool building serves as the foundation for a good Technical Director, and the concepts in this course can be applied to any type of tool building inside and outside of Houdini.

Session 2

HDA Creation for Reusability

In session one we walked through an example of how to analyze data on disk, and ensure it is as optimized as possible. In this session, we will take our optimization system and wrap it into an HDA so we can reuse it over and over again.
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Session 3

Enhance the User Experience

Python is a must-know language for a Technical Director, and in this session, we dive into the python module of the HDA we made in session two and write a bit of code to enhance the user experience of the HDA with some automation. This session will showcase a practical example of how python can be used to help improve the overall usability of your HDAs.
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Instructor

Jesper Rahlff

Technical Artist

Jesper is an experienced technical artist that specializes in automation, tool building, workflow optimization, and artist training. Jesper is an internationally acclaimed educator, having written curriculums and taught both students and artists for several schools and companies in the VFX industry. Jesper has a well demonstrated history of working in the motion picture and film industry and have worked for companies like FuseFX, Method Studios, Double Negative and Cinesite. Jesper now owns and operates Solid Alpha VFX, a small houdini boutique.

WHAT YOU NEED TO TAKE THIS COURSE

  1. Computer (Please see SideFx system requirements)
    1. https://www.sidefx.com/Support/system-requirements/
    2. A second Monitor is recommended, but not necessary
  2. Basic understanding of Houdini, Volumes, VDBs, and Python Syntax
  3. Basic knowledge of VEX, HDA Interface, Hscript

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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REFUND POLICY:


Multi-Session Courses
Students may request a refund up to 1 day before the start of the course. Students may also withdraw from Multi-Session Courses at any time and are entitled to a pro-rated refund. The withdrawal date must be 1 day before the next class they intend to drop.

On-Demand Courses
All on-demand courses are non-refundable.

How to Drop a Class
Please send a request to drop a class via email to support@houdini.school.
Your written request to drop any or all of your classes must include:
  1. Student’s full name
  2. Name of the course(s) being dropped

See you in Class!