If you want to create incredible effects for film and games, this hands-on Houdini course is for you! Guided by a professional FX artist, you'll harness the true power of procedural, node-based workflow techniques to create destruction, explosions, and water simulations, learning how to model, texture, simulate and render cool VFX shots from scratch.
Why study Houdini FX at CG Spectrum:
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Start your journey into the film and game industry with CG Spectrum online visual effects school! Be personally mentored by FX artists who have worked at some of the best VFX studios, get plenty of hands-on experience, and graduate with original work for your demo reel.
Enjoy a personalized education experience like no other with unrivalled support and feedback from a mentor who is invested in your success. What a great way to start your career as an FX artist!
Diploma
9 months
20 hrs weekly
Intermediate
Introduction to Houdini or portfolio submission
Weekly online classes, feedback and support
Houdini, Redshift
Feb 1, 2021
Whether you’re straight out of high school, changing careers, or upgrading skills, our specialized expert-led FX programs help you build practical job skills that will serve throughout your career.
Plan your studies around your work and family commitments
Learn from industry experts who have worked on major films and games
Build practical and relevant job skills that studios are looking for
Pursue your passion and start working sooner with flexible payments
Explore procedural modeling and create a believable destruction shot using Rigid Body Dynamics (RBD). You’ll play with geometry fracturing and a range of FX solvers and constraints (Pin, String, and Glue Constraints) to dictate your simulation’s physical behavior. No FX artist’s skill set is complete without knowing how to blow stuff up! During this semester you’ll also discover how to create feature film quality smoke, fire, and explosions using the Pyro Solver and create impressive destruction shots.
Learn how to:
In this term of Houdini training, you’ll get your feet wet with liquid simulations. Practice creating everything from a splash in a pond to a raging ocean, and efficient ways to speed up your render times. You’ll learn how to create simulations for cloth, hair, and grains using the new Vellum solver. By the end of this term, you will have a deep understanding and hands-on experience creating realistic simulations for feature film and TV, along with impressive VFX shots for your portfolio.
Learn how to:
This final term is about launching your career! With your mentor’s guidance, you’ll polish your best pieces for your portfolio. As a diploma student, you can access additional career development services to learn how to develop your competitive edge, market yourself, and make the best possible impression in front of employers.
Learn how to:
All diploma students receive additional 1-on-1 career support, portfolio reviews, and industry insights from CG Spectrum's Career Development Manager.
All Houdini FX classes are taught by industry mentors with years of experience working on films and video games.
Daniel is a senior Houdini FX artist with 15 years of experience working on blockbusters such as Terminator: Dark Fate, John Wick 3, Aquaman, The Wolverine, and Game of Thrones.
Read full bioDept. Head of Houdini FX
Known for John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
Ben's worked on high-profile commercials and Unreal Engine VR experiences for projects like Game of Thrones, Interstellar and Ready Player One.
Read full bioMentor of Houdini FX
Known for Interstellar VR
When not working on films like Tron: Legacy, Thor, Transformers 3, Beauty and the Beast, and Ender’s Game, Robby teaches Houdini to students and other artists.
Read full bio
Mentor of Houdini FX
Known for Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Claire has more than 25 years' experience as an FX artist for films and games on projects like Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, X-Men First Class, and Clash of the Titans.
Read full bioMentor of Houdini FX
Known for Passengers
Ben's the Workflow Supervisor at Walt Disney Animation Studios. He is a specialist in FX technical direction and worked on films like Moana, Big Hero 6, Frozen, Zootopi and Avatar.
Read full bioMentor of Houdini FX
Known for Moana
The most affordable way to learn from top industry mentors in a fun, collaborative environment, while still getting plenty of personalized feedback.
Progress faster and enjoy more flexiblity with private mentorship. Ideal for busy schedules, career-changers, or artists upgrading skills or changing specialties.
(9 x payments)
Save 10%
(3 x payments)
Save 25%
(1 x payment)
(9 x payments)
Save 10%
(3 x payments)
Save 25%
(1 x payment)
With a focus on portfolio preparation, we help students build their competitive edge with high quality work that gets noticed. See what they are creating.
Our commitment to job-outcomes and focus on career development has helped graduates find work at studios all over the world.
I went from knowing nothing about FX, to receiving job offers within 6 months of study with CG Spectrum!
I was blown away by the level of personal interaction the 1-on-1 mentorship provides. Having a direct line to an industry veteran as my mentor has been an invaluable resource and has taken my rate of learning to the next level.
I’m not only learning the essentials of VFX but also key networking tips from my mentor.
I started CG Spectrum with no experience in visual effects. Initially, the thought was quite daunting as I hadn't done much in the field prior. In my opinion, the education with CG Spectrum is the closest to giving me actual industry experience since I’m working alongside an industry vet whilst being taught the fundamentals of my trade. I can comfortably say I have more of a "peer to peer" relationship rather than "teacher to student", making it really easy to share my work and expect solid criticism.
I am very excited about how much I have achieved!
Self-teaching is cool if you don't mind getting no interaction or help, and learning older versions of the software. Thankfully, CG Spectrum has given me the total opposite and an opportunity to push myself every step closer to the industry. With great resources at CG Spectrum, I learned not only my craft, but also how to prepare myself to be industry-ready.
We've built our courses based on industry input and focus on teaching skills studios are hiring for. The three courses below form a complete study pathway designed to fast track your education so you can land your first job sooner. Each course can also be taken separately depending on your skill level and career goals.
Overview:
The Introduction to Houdini FX Certificate teaches you solid foundations, giving you an idea of what it takes to pursue a career in this field.
Prerequisites:
Course Summary:
Overview:
The Advanced Houdini FX Diploma takes your skills to a feature film and AAA game level, with the final term focused on career development and building your professional portfolio.
All diploma students receive additional 1-on-1 career support, portfolio reviews, and industry insights from CG Spectrum's Career Development Manager.
Prerequisites:
Course Summary:
Study options for all skill levels, from short introduction courses to full industry diploma programs.