Foundations & Design Tracks overview
Understand the role of the VFX Artist
Imagine the power to control the elements: directing the flow of water, shaping smoke, or conjuring flames. What about the ability to micromanage the movement of a million tiny particles? Or orchestrate the destruction of vehicles, buildings, and entire worlds? Better still, how about performing all these feats at the same time? That, in a nutshell, is what it means to work as an FX artist (aka effects technical director). The role of VFX artist is one of the more demanding in entertainment design, requiring strong coding chops, mathematical smarts, an appreciation of physics, plus a solid art foundation on which to build everything. This is where our VFX/Houdini Track comes in. With a comprehensive suite of classes based around the use of film industry-standard tool Houdini, students, from beginners to advanced, will learn how to master pyro and fluid effects, cloth, crowds, destruction, and more. The track also includes training for those looking at an FX-based role at a games development studio, with the unique demands of controlling particle, environmental, and other simulation-based animation within a real-time pipeline all covered in-depth.
As you complete each VFX online course, you will receive a certificate of completion for that course. In order to qualify for a course certificate of completion, students must complete at least 80% of the class assignment during the duration of the course.
Should you have any questions regarding these courses please contact registration@cgmasteracademy.com. Additionally, you only pay for the course(s) you take in a given term.
While the part of the pipeline dubbed "animation" focuses on character and other rigged asset work, effects animation relates to anything that requires simulations to get results. These solutions usually fall into one of three categories: particle animation, fluids, and rigid body dynamics--though sometimes a solution might require several inter-connected simulations across two even three of the categories. These simulations are also often required to work in conjunction with any hand-crafted elements created by the main animation team.
Foundations & Design COURSES
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As you complete each course, you will receive a certificate of completion for that course. In order to qualify for a course certificate of completion, students must complete at least 80% of the class assignment during the duration of the course.
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Learn from award-winning artists who've worked at top studios around the world
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James Tupper
Adam is an incredible teacher and this course far exceeded my expectations. I really appreciate his ability to teach a technical subject while keeping us engaged / grounded in the high-level theory behind it all.
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Brad Fotsch
Adam is a top notch instructor. He is an expert Houdini user and really put in the effort to help us find our own creative voices.
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The level of the course is really deep and helpful.
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It was great to have a course like this which I felt was more advanced than the usual. I'll be going over the material several more times to make sure I got it all.
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Roy Nieterau
Johannes is a great tutor that knows well how to explain the concepts in an approachable manner. Even later in the course, he was able to keep hinting at things that were thought in the course so it would remain in the back of your mind. Excellent instructor.
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Oliver Wildt
It is a great course! The instructor seems to really want to teach people and not just show how stuff is done.
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Peter Tong
I really liked the course and the way it was taught. I'm excited about VEX coding and would like to learn more. Looking forward to your more advanced course coming soon. Thanks for your great work!
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Grzergorz Olesniewicz
I like how instructor structured and taught this course. Having knowledge doesn't always mean you have the skill to pass it on to someone, but this instructor definitely has it, and that's why I find this course so awesome.
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Martino Ferrara
For a beginner like me, this course was a real game changer. I struggled a lot, every week, but I know for sure that mastering these materials will be the foundations of my future works, and that's really motivating!
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Alasgar Hasanov
Thanks for such a unique and interesting course! The course was for sure very unique and intense—the most intense Houdini course I have taken!
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Peter Anlauf
Manuel Tausch is an extremely high-skilled, positive and passionate teacher. It was a very challenging yet welcoming learning atmosphere throughout the course.
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David Nelson
Keith really did a phenomenal job, and I'm not just saying that. I feel as though I've seriously increased my skill level in Houdini Destruction work after taking his course.
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Taylor Tomlinson
Amazing instructor. Very knowledgeable about the content, learned more during this class then I have in my entire college career.
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Adam Beattie
Keith Kamholz gave really excellent feedback and promptly as well. He also answered email questions very quickly and with really detailed replies.
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Mohammed Al Abri
He worked hard to push us to simplify very complex tasks and encouraged us to take simple steps each time to build magical stuff. I also admired his modesty & wellness for helping and sharing some of his coolest & production proven techniques, which you wouldn't be able to find elsewhere.
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Robert Wörner
Keith is a great instructor. I'd love to see him do different courses, not just the destruction course.
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Heiko Buchalla
Very useful insights and tips about his work. Kind Person. Great course!
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Laura Galloway
Amazing! Really made me feel like he cared about me and my progress. Would take the course again just for Nik's expertise & care for students. So approachable!
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Shannon Wilkerson
Nik was great. He was very inspiring throughout this entire journey.
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Lev Grayson
Nik was awesome, providing examples in the feedback which makes understanding notes easier.
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Ekaterina Korol
Ferdinando, gave a very accurate answers to the questions and was very attentive to my ideas, trying not only to give a solution, but also to understand in which direction it is worth developing my ideas. This course came out with an individual approach.
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Ryan Davies
The course left me with an overall impression of how Nuke thinks and how to keep it happy. I've already seen great improvements in my own projects because of Nuke and Nick's course.
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Andrew Malvasio
Very happy with this course it was exactly what I was looking for to get me jump started in nuke
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Hayden Matheson
My instructor was very detailed when explaining the functions and steps to complete the desired task. He didn't just give the techinical reasons but shared his expierence from an artistic point of view. His personality and approach to handling students is friendly and met with enthusiasm. Assets of a great teacher.
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Divya Jadhaz
Behnam Shafiebeik is really a great instructor. He made the process of learning Nuke for production quite simple, by breaking it down in to parts that could be understood and exercised in a weeks duration.
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Minah Kim
It showed me broader aspects of 3D compositing so far. I think this was my first lectures that actually go over many different topics that are used in the industry.
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George Schneider
We always got really helpful feedback. I only watched a few feedback videos of the other students but I think I can say that the instructor knows exactly how he can help everybody individually at the right knowledge level.
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