Introduction to Houdini FX
Learn FX for film and games in this fun online Houdini FX course for beginners
Learn Houdini from top FX artists
Take your first step towards a career as a film & game FX artist
Ever wondered how those mindblowing effects in your favorite films and games are made? Find out how in this Houdini for beginners course. Guided by a your industry mentor, you'll learn Houdini fundamentals and begin creating your own VFX shots from scratch, even without prior experience.
Why study Houdini FX at CG Spectrum:
- Learn from FX artists who have worked on big films & games
- Train on industry software at a Houdini certified school
- Create your own FX shots from scratch
- Choose 1-on-1 or small group classes (max 4 students)
[more]More[/more]
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!
Daniel Hourigan
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
Guillaume Fradin
Guillaume is a Senior VFX Artist and Film Director who has worked for Framestore, ILM, MPC and Weta on Avatar, Gravity, Doctor Strange, Pirates of the Carribean and Star Wars.
Mentor of Houdini FX
Known for Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi
Ben Frost
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
Claire Pegorier
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
Stephen Tucker
Houdini expert Stephen has worked in film and games at top studios like EA and Digital Domain. Credits include: Battlefront II, Battlefield V, and Happy Feet 2.
Read full bioMentor of Houdini FX
Known for Star Wars: Battlefront II
Robert Thomas
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
Ray Tjernstrom
Ray has worked as an FX TD since 2006 at large studios such as MPC and Cinesite in Canada and the UK. Credits: John Carter, Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows 2, and Vikings.
Read full bioMentor of Houdini FX
Known for Midway
Greg Hird-Rutter
Now Senior FX Artist at Electronic Arts, Greg's worked in the FX industry for 20 years at studios like Relic, MPC and Ubisoft. Credits: Life of Pi, Assassin’s Creed and For Honor.
Read full bioMentor of Houdini FX
Known for Star Wars Battlefront II
Ben Fox
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
Houdini Course Pathway
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:
- Basic computer skills
- A computer that meets the minimum recommended specifications
Course Summary:
- Qualification: Certificate
- Duration: 3 months
- Commitment: 20 hours weekly
- Skill level: Beginner
- Software: A student educational license of Houdini is provided to all students for free
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:
- Completion of the Introduction to Houdini FX Certificate or a portfolio demonstrating similar learning outcomes
- A computer that meets the minimum recommended specifications
Course Summary:
- Qualification: Advanced Diploma
- Duration: 9 months
- Commitment: 20 hours weekly
- Skill level: Advanced
- Software: A student educational license of Houdini is provided to all students for free
The mentors are extremely helpful and knowledgeable.
Prior to enrolling at CG Spectrum's VFX course, I had no experience in creating VFX or using Houdini at all. By the end of the 3rd semester, I was quite comfortable in using Houdini for most simulations, using VEX in place of regular nodes and creating procedural assets.
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 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.
