That’s also the experience of Animal Logic, the visual effects and animation studio located in Sydney and Vancouver. “Skilled Houdini artists are always hard to come by,” says Digital Domain FX artist Steven Ong. Given today’s high demand, getting the right artists has now become a critical priority. Houdini is at the core of the effects pipeline at Digital Domain, which has offices in both Los Angeles and Vancouver.Īt any given time the studio has between 20 and 30 artists in its effects department, all of which touch the software. Thomas Cant, Rising Sun visual effects artistĭigital Domain used Houdini to craft Magento’s magnetic field and destruction effects in X-Men: Apocalypse. We also developed some city generation tools which were done for Pan, and we do a lot more modeling and lighting in Houdini than we used to as well. Some forests in a recent production were generated in Houdini. That’s because Houdini is used at nearly every stage in the visual effects and animation pipeline, and it’s why the demand for experienced artists is growing rapidly.įor example, the unforgettable Quicksilver mansion rescue sequence in X-Men: Apocalypse made use of Houdini effects and pyro simulations - in slow-mo - thanks to visual effects from Rising Sun Pictures in Adelaide, Australia, which had also created the effects for the Quicksilver kitchen scene in Days of Future Past.īoth sequences demonstrate the power of Houdini front-and-center, but like many other studios, Rising Sun has also been using the Houdini toolset for much broader visual effects requirements. Houdini artists now take advantage of the tool’s procedural capabilities in diverse roles including CG generalists, FX TDs, software engineers, animators, modelers, character artists, lighters and pipeline developers. But these days that’s often not the case. In the past, a Houdini job would likely have been focused on effects simulation work. The end game: what is a ‘Houdini job’?īut first, let’s look at what a ‘Houdini job’ actually is.
This special report explores the studio requirements for Houdini artists, what schools and studios can offer to help meet the high demand, and what the experience has been like for young artists as they transition into their first Houdini job. Some studios look to qualified students from schools and other training institutions to meet their needs, while other studios have developed on-the-job in-house training and internships. More than ever before, animation and visual effects studios are seeking qualified Houdini artists.
This is a great look into the studio requirements for Houdini artists, which can be described as a beginner’s guide. You can read the full article on the SideFX website. SideFX presented new article on what visual effects and animation studios look for in a Houdini artist.
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