Contemplating VFX Apprentice Course – Actual Time VFX

Howdy,

Lately I’ve put extra time into studying VFX, I’ve been eyeing the VFX Apprentice since I’ve purchased my first Udemy VFX course. Now that I’ve saved some cash and have extra free time (misplaced my job) I’m contemplating month-to-month VFX Apprentice subscription.

• Does anyone have expertise with the positioning?
• Do they educate Cascade largely? I wish to be taught Niagara and even Unity
• Ought to I take the course or not?

I’ve watched some Jason Keyser movies and I really like his vibe

I’d actually admire should you may suggest programs, books, something that will be helpful or share your individual method and expertise.

Hey there! Blissful to reply your questions as somebody who has been with VFXA.

For a private anecdote of my expertise, it’s an excellent funding should you’re seeking to take the following step. I’ve been a member of their neighborhood since January or so, and it (with lots of onerous work on my finish) took me from by no means making a real-time impact to getting employed. The neighborhood in itself is extremely useful, pleasant, and welcoming to newcomers.

They’ve a mixture of what they educate presently. Proper now, they’re (seemingly) persevering with to push out an increasing number of Niagara/Unity content material! A few of their legacy stuff is in Cascade, however it’s nonetheless high quality content material!

Like I mentioned above, the course is nice. The one “ought to” or “shouldn’t” that’s price contemplating (IMO) is whether or not you could have the time, persistence, and dedication to maintain with a course like this that’s self-driven. There’s tons of nice content material of their classes, however they’re simply the catalyst in your studying journey! So… should you determine to spend money on your future – keep on with it!

Jason is a superb man; he’s simply as pleasant and personable throughout weekly critique periods as he’s in the remainder of his content material.

So far as books go – the one ones I’ve gotten so much out of are the Elemental Magic sequence by Joseph Gilland.

My private expertise with it (purchased the Booms and Blasts course when it got here out a pair years in the past, I used to be in all probability among the many first) has been largely constructive. I nonetheless often refer again to among the classes and discover it a really priceless useful resource. General I’d say it’s nicely price it should you’re severe about diving into this extraordinarily rewarding and presently very marketable profession path.

Execs:

• Particularly nice for stylized FX (although you may take the rules and apply them to any model)
• Covers a very nice vary of the essential FX components (fireplace, water, smoke, magic, and many others.)
• Actually appreciated the emphasis on an entire end-to-end method (idea artwork to completed in-game FX)
• Nice in-engine setup venture for testing your FX in a game-like setting and for making reel vids (each UE and (I consider) Unity)
• The VFXA Discord is superior; tons of useful folks and nice for in-depth and priceless critiques

Cons

• A few of the earlier classes have been very improvised and poorly edited (there are many rambling, ‘ums/ers’, and even stretches of simply clean silence the place you aren’t positive if the video is bugged out. I’d find it irresistible if these early vids have been not less than re-edited, if not fully re-recorded.
• Initially all of the UE FX have been in Cascade, however that’s one thing they’ve begun to treatment just lately with much more Niagara content material. That mentioned, some corporations are nonetheless utilizing Cascade so it’s not fully irrelevant.

Hey, @Milan! I used to be simply pointed to this put up by a good friend, and wished to chime in. I tremendous love all of the suggestions I’ve seen right here, and wished to thanks for elevating these questions.

On the subject of Niagara: we presently have a radical on-boarding sequence for Niagara, and our Cascade content material has been getting an overhaul for a while now, and final yr we launched up to date counterparts to the Booms & Blasts results in an alternate Unreal 5 / Niagara venture. Now we’re about to launch classes to go together with that up to date content material.

So by subsequent month, the one remaining Cascade materials that doesn’t have a Niagara counterpart might be 2 of the aspect scroller results (the sword slash and therapeutic spell). As talked about earlier, since Cascade remains to be extensively utilized by many studios, and the transition between Cascade and Niagara tends to be straight-forward when you’ve discovered one or the opposite, we’re completely happy to depart these 2 results as-is for now, so we will make investments our vitality into making all our upcoming Unreal classes utilizing Niagara.

Then there’s the problem of different older content material needing updates. Completely agree we’ve improved so much through the years, and we’re to know the problems folks discover probably the most distracting. @kimber I’m tremendous curious which classes gave you probably the most grief, should you don’t thoughts sharing, and we’ll check out what might be executed to enhance them. If it’s some low-scope modifying, eradicating annoying ums, chopping out lifeless house, and many others. that each one looks as if one thing we will look into. For the large overhauls, we don’t have any present plans to redo content material, however we’re to achieve classes for future content material.

As for whether or not or not you or anybody ought to take the course, I’ll suggest (in my very biased opinion) that it will be good to first attempt the free coaching, which provides a pattern of what’s inside, and unlocks a number of channels of our Discord server, which is personally my favourite half about VFX Apprentice.

Hope all that helps!

Thanks very a lot for all of the enter. I used to be impatient and couldn’t look ahead to any suggestions so after couple of days I’ve subscribed to VFXA for a month (that’s how a lot cash I had) and to say the least I loved the teachings. The best way they educate is like no different I may discover, manner simpler to know. The whole lot else I’ve discovered goes like “do that do this” and also you get the end result. VFXA present you tips on how to suppose, clarify what every node does. I completely beloved each second I’ve spent studying. Sure, @Zeph
is true you must be self pushed to constantly research. The very best half is the discord channel and all the advantages you get if you are subscribed. The neighborhood is basically welcoming even for somebody as shy as I’m . There are hangouts twice per week. Pupil hangouts room the place folks reside streaming their creating session. Merely put wonderful neighborhood.

I’d suggest to all people prepared to place a tough work into studying VFX. The intro to Niagara sequence covers alot about Niagara itself. Didn’t get to cascade components (ran out of time). There are classes educating you tips on how to create supplies (the half I struggled probably the most), tips on how to work in Krita creating textures, Maya/Blender for Meshes. Superb web site general.

Certainly I’ll subscribe for not less than a month as soon as I collect cash for it. It’s price each penny.

Thanks, @Keyserito for replaying to my put up. VFXApprentice is wonderful, particularly for inexperienced persons like me.

Sorry for my english!

That is actually nice to listen to. I do know we spoke offline, however simply wished to say right here that I’m glad you might be getting what you want out of your VFX training. That’s what it’s all about.