Contemplating VFX Apprentice Course – Actual Time VFX

Hey,

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 location?
• Do they train Cascade principally? I want to be taught Niagara and even Unity
• Ought to I take the course or not?

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

I might actually admire if you happen to might advocate programs, books, something that will be helpful or share your individual method and expertise.

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

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

They’ve a mixture of what they train at present. Proper now, they’re (seemingly) persevering with to push out increasingly more Niagara/Unity content material! A few of their legacy stuff is in Cascade, nevertheless it’s nonetheless high quality content material!

Like I stated above, the course is nice. The one “ought to” or “shouldn’t” that’s value contemplating (IMO) is whether or not you’ve got the time, endurance, 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 on your studying journey! So… if you happen to resolve to put money into your future – persist with it!

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

So far as books go – the one ones I’ve gotten lots 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 optimistic. I nonetheless sometimes refer again to among the classes and discover it a really invaluable useful resource. General I might say it’s effectively value it if you happen to’re severe about diving into this extraordinarily rewarding and at present very marketable profession path.

Execs:

• Particularly nice for stylized FX (although you may take the rules and apply them to any fashion)
• 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 mission 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 individuals and nice for in-depth and invaluable critiques

Cons

• Among the earlier classes had 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 like it if these early vids had been a minimum of re-edited, if not fully re-recorded.
• Initially all of the UE FX had been in Cascade, however that’s one thing they’ve begun to treatment not too long ago with much more Niagara content material. That stated, some corporations are nonetheless utilizing Cascade so it’s not fully irrelevant.

Hey, @Milan! I used to be simply pointed to this publish by a pal, 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 at present have a radical on-boarding sequence for Niagara, and our Cascade content material has been getting an overhaul for a while now, and final 12 months we launched up to date counterparts to the Booms & Blasts results in an alternate Unreal 5 / Niagara mission. Now we’re about to launch classes to go along with that up to date content material.

So by subsequent month, the one remaining Cascade materials that doesn’t have a Niagara counterpart can be 2 of the facet scroller results (the sword slash and therapeutic spell). As talked about earlier, since Cascade continues to be broadly 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 comfortable to go away 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 difficulty of different older content material needing updates. Completely agree we’ve improved lots over time, and we’re to know the problems individuals discover essentially the most distracting. @kimber I’m tremendous curious which classes gave you essentially the most grief, if you happen to don’t thoughts sharing, and we’ll check out what could be accomplished to enhance them. If it’s some low-scope enhancing, eradicating annoying ums, chopping out useless house, and many others. that each one looks as if one thing we will look into. For the massive overhauls, we don’t have any present plans to redo content material, however we’re to realize classes for future content material.

As for whether or not or not you or anybody ought to take the course, I’ll advocate (in my very biased opinion) that it might be good to first strive the free coaching, which supplies 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 anticipate 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 way in which they train is like no different I might discover, approach simpler to grasp. Every part else I’ve discovered goes like “do that try this” and also you get the outcome. VFXA present you how one can assume, clarify what every node does. I completely beloved each second I’ve spent studying. Sure, @Zeph
is correct you must be self pushed to constantly research. The most effective half is the discord channel and all the advantages you get if you are subscribed. The group is absolutely welcoming even for somebody as shy as I’m . There are hangouts twice every week. Pupil hangouts room the place individuals stay streaming their creating session. Merely put wonderful group.

I might advocate to everyone keen 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 how one can create supplies (the half I struggled essentially the most), how one can work in Krita creating textures, Maya/Blender for Meshes. Wonderful web site general.

Absolutely I’ll subscribe for a minimum of a month as soon as I collect cash for it. It’s value each penny.

Thanks, @Keyserito for replaying to my publish. VFXApprentice is wonderful, particularly for rookies 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’re getting what you want out of your VFX training. That’s what it’s all about.

I do know this thread is usually useless however I’m about to hitch VFXA (simply ready on payday) however I used to be questioning if there’s any kind of order to the programs, like a roadmap for us to observe?

I’ve accomplished a handful of programs each free and paid and nonetheless discover myself not sure if I’m even studying what I have to or if I’m beginning within the “unsuitable” space. So trying ahead to one thing with some construction inbuilt and even assumed construction simply to level me up as a substitute of in circles haha

On the primary web page, you may select 3d VFX half one course after you start the course on the left facet you get like an inventory of topics. You’ll be able to go within the order or skip to the topic you’re the most inquisitive about.

Programs consist of various quantities of movies going over the topic.

I’m struggling to clarify however there’s some construction i assume xD Hopefully this helps.

Hello !
I simply joined VFX apprentice, I watched the free programs not too long ago and purchased a month-to-month subscription immediately. I’m actually fanatic about this, I did their fireplace tutorial (Niagara block-in VFX course) and it was rather well defined ! It was good for a newbie like me (I do know nothing about VFX/Unreal, I’m an idea artist).

In regards to the roadmap to observe you may obtain a pdf referred to as “12 month VFX problem” once you be a part of VFX Apprentice