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

    2. Discord

    1. 1. Introduction

    2. 2. File

    3. 3. Overview of Problem

    4. 4. Voxel

    5. 5. Post it Notes

    1. 1. Format Checks

    2. 2. Caching format

    3. 3. Floats

    4. 4. Empty Fields

    5. 5. Primitive Intrinsic Method

    1. 1. Velocity Field

    2. 2. Using Density Field

    3. 3. 2nd Way

    4. 4. Full Proofing - User Friendly

    5. 5. Clean up Option

    6. 6. Understanding Flow of Info

    7. 7. Parsing by Types

    8. 8. Accepted & Not

    9. 9. Volume Pitfall

    10. 10. Heightfield

    11. 11. Heightfield with Tool Overview

    1. 1. Overview

    2. 2. Review of Process

    3. 3. Q&A: Unwritten Underscore Rule

    1. 1. Closing Thoughts

    2. 2. Flip Fluids

    3. 3. Q&A: Caching out story

    4. 4. Resources

About this course

  • $150.00
  • 88 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.

  • Introduction
  • Analysis of default data output
  • What data do we actually need?
  • Basic optimization
  • Advanced optimization
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.

  • Introduction
  • Identifying the purpose of the tool
  • Planning out the UI
  • Linking parameters
  • Evaluate steps to use the tool
  • How can the user experience be improved?
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.

  • Introduction
  • Analyze which steps are repeated
  • Discuss potential enhancements to UI
  • Approach with pseudo
  • Implementation
  • Testing
  • Refinement of code

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.

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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 [email protected].
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!