Contemplating VFX Apprentice Course – Actual Time VFX

Hi there,

Not too long ago 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 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 really like his vibe

I might actually respect if you happen to might suggest programs, books, something that might be helpful or share your individual strategy 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 a fantastic funding if you happen to’re trying to take the subsequent step. I’ve been a member of their group since January or so, and it (with lots of exhausting 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 the moment. 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, 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 could have 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 determine to put money into your future – stick 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 loads 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 in all probability among the many first) has been largely optimistic. I nonetheless often refer again to among the classes and discover it a really beneficial useful resource. Total I might say it’s effectively price it if you happen to’re severe about diving into this extraordinarily rewarding and at the moment very marketable profession path.

Execs:

• Particularly nice for stylized FX (although you may take the rules and apply them to any type)
• Covers a very nice vary of the essential FX parts (fireplace, water, smoke, magic, and so forth.)
• Actually favored the emphasis on an entire end-to-end strategy (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 imagine) Unity)
• The VFXA Discord is superior; tons of useful individuals and nice for in-depth and beneficial 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 certain if the video is bugged out. I’d adore it if these early vids have been at the very least 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 not too long ago 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 submit 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 at the moment have an intensive on-boarding collection 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 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 shall be 2 of the facet scroller results (the sword slash and therapeutic spell). As talked about earlier, since Cascade remains 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 pleased to depart these 2 results as-is for now, so we are able to 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 loads through the years, and we’re to know the problems individuals discover probably the most distracting. @kimber I’m tremendous curious which classes gave you probably the most grief, if you happen to don’t thoughts sharing, and we’ll check out what may be finished to enhance them. If it’s some low-scope modifying, eradicating annoying ums, slicing out lifeless house, and so forth. that every one looks as if one thing we are able to 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 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 look forward 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 train is like no different I might discover, approach simpler to grasp. Every thing else I’ve discovered goes like “do that try this” and also you get the consequence. VFXA present you easy methods to assume, clarify what every node does. I completely cherished each second I’ve spent studying. Sure, @Zeph
is correct you need to be self pushed to repeatedly examine. The perfect half is the discord channel and all the advantages you get when you are subscribed. The group is de facto welcoming even for somebody as shy as I’m . There are hangouts twice every week. Pupil hangouts room the place individuals reside streaming their creating session. Merely put wonderful group.

I might suggest to everyone prepared to place a tough work into studying VFX. The intro to Niagara collection covers alot about Niagara itself. Didn’t get to cascade components (ran out of time). There are classes educating you easy methods to create supplies (the half I struggled probably the most), easy methods to work in Krita creating textures, Maya/Blender for Meshes. Wonderful web site total.

Absolutely I’ll subscribe for at the very least a month as soon as I collect cash for it. It’s price each penny.

Thanks, @Keyserito for replaying to my submit. VFXApprentice is wonderful, particularly for learners 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.

I do know this thread is generally lifeless however I’m about to hitch 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 finished a handful of programs each free and paid and nonetheless discover myself uncertain if I’m even studying what I must or if I’m beginning within the “unsuitable” space. So wanting ahead to one thing with some construction inbuilt and even assumed construction simply to level me up as an alternative 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 may be some construction i assume xD Hopefully this helps.

Hello !
I simply joined VFX apprentice, I watched the free programs not too long ago and acquired a month-to-month subscription right this moment. I’m actually fanatic about this, I did their fireplace 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).

In regards to the roadmap to comply with you may obtain a pdf known as “12 month VFX problem” whenever you be part of VFX Apprentice

Are you able to level me to the place that pdf is? I can’t discover it in both the 3d or second sections

nvm, I discovered it within the free vfx programs