Contemplating VFX Apprentice Course – Actual Time VFX

Hi there,

Just 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 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 might actually admire should you may suggest programs, books, something that may be helpful or share your personal 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 ideal funding should you’re seeking to take the following step. I’ve been a member of their group 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 group in itself is extremely useful, pleasant, and welcoming to newcomers.

They’ve a mixture of what they train presently. Proper now, they’re (seemingly) persevering with to push out increasingly Niagara/Unity content material! A few of their legacy stuff is in Cascade, nevertheless 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’ve gotten 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 resolve to spend money on your future – persist with it!

Jason is a good 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 collection 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 most likely among the many first) has been largely constructive. I nonetheless often refer again to among the classes and discover it a really helpful useful resource. Total I might say it’s properly price it should you’re critical about diving into this extraordinarily rewarding and presently very marketable profession path.

Execs:

• Particularly nice for stylized FX (although you’ll be able to take the rules and apply them to any type)
• Covers a very nice vary of the essential FX components (hearth, water, smoke, magic, and so on.)
• Actually preferred the emphasis on a complete end-to-end method (idea artwork to completed in-game FX)
• Nice in-engine setup challenge 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 helpful critiques

Cons

• Among 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 like it if these early vids have been no less than re-edited, if not utterly re-recorded.
• Initially all of the UE FX have been in Cascade, however that’s one thing they’ve begun to treatment lately with much more Niagara content material. That mentioned, some corporations are nonetheless utilizing Cascade so it’s not utterly irrelevant.

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

On the subject of Niagara: we presently have a radical on-boarding collection 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 challenge. 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 aspect scroller results (the sword slash and therapeutic spell). As talked about earlier, since Cascade continues 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 joyful 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 difficulty 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 will be accomplished to enhance them. If it’s some low-scope modifying, eradicating annoying ums, reducing out lifeless area, and so on. that each one looks like 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 realize 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 could be good to first strive 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 await 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 train is like no different I may discover, manner simpler to know. The whole lot else I’ve discovered goes like “do that try this” and also you get the consequence. VFXA present you learn how to assume, clarify what every node does. I completely liked each second I’ve spent studying. Sure, @Zeph
is correct it’s important to be self pushed to repeatedly research. The very best half is the discord channel and all the advantages you get if you are subscribed. The group is de facto welcoming even for somebody as shy as I’m . There are hangouts twice per week. Pupil hangouts room the place folks stay streaming their creating session. Merely put wonderful group.

I might suggest to all people keen to place a tough work into studying VFX. The intro to Niagara collection covers alot about Niagara itself. Didn’t get to cascade elements (ran out of time). There are classes educating you learn how to create supplies (the half I struggled probably the most), learn how to work in Krita creating textures, Maya/Blender for Meshes. Wonderful website total.

Absolutely I’ll subscribe for no less than a month as soon as I collect cash for it. It’s price each penny.

Thanks, @Keyserito for replaying to my publish. 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 needed 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.

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

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 wanting ahead to one thing with some construction in-built and even assumed construction simply to level me up as a substitute of in circles haha

On the primary web page, you’ll be able to select 3d VFX half one course after you start the course on the left aspect you get like a listing of topics. You may 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 elucidate however there’s some construction i assume xD Hopefully this helps.

Hello !
I simply joined VFX apprentice, I watched the free programs lately and purchased a month-to-month subscription in the present day. I’m actually fanatic about this, I did their hearth tutorial (Niagara block-in VFX course) and it was rather well defined ! It was excellent for a newbie like me (I do know nothing about VFX/Unreal, I’m an idea artist).

Regarding the roadmap to comply with you’ll be able to obtain a pdf known as “12 month VFX problem” if you be a part of VFX Apprentice