Contemplating VFX Apprentice Course – Actual Time VFX

Hiya,

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 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 like his vibe

I might actually respect in case you may advocate programs, books, something that will 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 an important funding in case you’re trying to take the following step. I’ve been a member of their group since January or so, and it (with numerous arduous 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 increasingly Niagara/Unity content material! A few of their legacy stuff is in Cascade, but it surely’s nonetheless high quality content material!

Like I stated above, the course is nice. The one “ought to” or “shouldn’t” that’s price contemplating (IMO) is whether or not you have 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… in case you determine to put money into your future – stick with it!

Jason is a superb 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 quite a bit 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 constructive. I nonetheless often refer again to a number of the classes and discover it a really precious useful resource. Total I might say it’s effectively price it in case you’re severe about diving into this extraordinarily rewarding and at the moment very marketable profession path.

Professionals:

• Particularly nice for stylized FX (although you possibly can take the ideas and apply them to any type)
• Covers a very nice vary of the fundamental FX parts (fireplace, water, smoke, magic, and so on.)
• Actually favored the emphasis on a complete end-to-end strategy (idea artwork to completed in-game FX)
• Nice in-engine setup undertaking 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 precious 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 utterly re-recorded.
• Initially all of the UE FX had been in Cascade, however that’s one thing they’ve begun to treatment lately with much more Niagara content material. That stated, 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 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 at the moment have a radical 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 undertaking. 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 remains to be broadly utilized by many studios, and the transition between Cascade and Niagara tends to be straight-forward when you’ve realized one or the opposite, we’re glad 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 quite a bit over time, and we’re to know the problems folks discover essentially the most distracting. @kimber I’m tremendous curious which classes gave you essentially the most grief, in case you don’t thoughts sharing, and we’ll check out what could be finished to enhance them. If it’s some low-scope modifying, eradicating annoying ums, chopping out lifeless area, and so on. that each 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 achieve 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 provides a pattern of what’s inside, and unlocks a couple 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 way in which they train is like no different I may discover, means simpler to grasp. Every part else I’ve discovered goes like “do that do this” and also you get the outcome. 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 correct it’s a must to be self pushed to repeatedly examine. The most effective half is the discord channel and all the advantages you get while you’re 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 reside streaming their creating session. Merely put wonderful group.

I might advocate to all people prepared 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 instructing you tips on how to create supplies (the half I struggled essentially the most), tips on how to 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 price each penny.

Thanks, @Keyserito for replaying to my submit. 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 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 kind of order to the programs, like a roadmap for us to observe?

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 trying 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 possibly can select 3d VFX half one course after you start the course on the left aspect you get like an inventory of topics. You possibly can go within the order or skip to the topic you’re the most interested in.

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 lately and purchased a month-to-month subscription at the moment. I’m actually fanatic about this, I did their fireplace tutorial (Niagara block-in VFX course) and it was very 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 possibly can obtain a pdf referred to as “12 month VFX problem” once you be a 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