Hi, My name is Christian Bohm.

I work as an FX TD and have over 10 years of experience in the VFX industry.
Somehow I managed to work for companies like ILM, Framestore, MPC and PsyOp in film, TV and Commercials.
You can read more about me

FAQ

So what's so great about your course, heh?

Well, for one I cover the whole range of Houdini (or at least the most important bits), so you're not just buying into one topic. I cover standard cases of POPs, VELLUM, FLIP, RBDs and PYRO. So while you certainly don't know everything after the course (good luck with that idea), you know enough to understand the context of everything else out there. Also the site is not just a bunch of videos: It's a learning platform. Most videos have one or more of the following:
- Links to other resources
- Hip-Files to download
- Graphics explaining the core concepts

And don't forget the comprehensive Search Function - forgot what a "velocity field" was? Just search it and the video about it shows up. It's not supposed to be the only course you take, but the first one - let me be your guide through the crazy world of Houdini!

Also the amount of content has grown quite a lot: over 70 hours of content with many examples (And growing...).

Is this for complete beginners in 3D?

No, I recommend to have experience in a 3D package ( Blender / Maya / 3DSMax / Cinema4D) and ideally Nuke.
So you should have basic knowledge about rendering and compositing, ideally with experience in Node based programs.
I will barely cover these areas. Houdini should not be your first 3D program.
The workflows are quite different and to understand the why and how you should have worked with a "normal" 3D program before.

Can I use the free "apprentice" Version of Houdini for the course?

Yes, the free Houdini version has all functionality built in of the full version. The limitations only cover exporting and high-res rendering, there is no functionality in the course that can't be practiced with the apprentice version.

Why a subscription?

Most tutorials are outdated after at least 3 years, some even after one. That's why a "buy once"-approach didn't make sense to me.
The course is "alive", that means I am constantly adding or updating videos (4 per week on average, sometimes more, sometimes less).
I am constantly trying to keep the knowledge up to date, so that you understand the latest workflows.
I also constantly re-record old videos to adress problems, fix mistakes and make things clearer.

There are so many courses and tutorials out there, a lot for free. Why should I pay for yours?

Good question!
It's true - There is so much material out there - it was never easier to learn Houdini!
Yet - a lot of beginners struggle with it.
I think that's because there is no guideline through all the knowledge. Unlike other programs you can't just jump around the topics.
If you don't understand the fundamentals nothing makes sense.And it's those fundamentals that surprisingly few videos explain properly.
So what I have to offer is a structured approach to learning Houdini. So that you can understand the context of the other courses and resources. The course tries to teach you the most important concepts so you can then dig deeper on your own.
Or in gamer terms: My course tries to be the main quest line, so that you can do all the side quests by yourself.

Can I test the site before I decide?

Sure, just register here for a free account and have a look around.

So what's the catch?

I don't show you hollywood level huge scale effect tutorials. People always want that, but I don't believe in that. It doesn't teach you much. You spend more time on execution than on learning the underlying concepts. It's also too limited - you learn how to do effect X, but have no idea why things were done this way, what other ways there are and what the context of all of it is.
But you can always solve a problem yourself and go bigger with proper fundamentals.

What you get is production knowledge, that sometimes includes boring bits, no quick results or super fancy examples. That's the nature of the field sometimes.
My mantra is: "This is a profession, not a hobby."

Also - No, I will not be able to make you a senior FX TD. You will not get a job at ILM after this. I am not here to sell dreams, sorry.
I definitely can help you learning Houdini, but I will not promise you anything else. That's my "no bullshit" policy.
If you want unrealistic promises, look somewhere else, there is plenty of it out there.
If you accept that Houdini is hard to learn, takes a long time to master and can become complicated - welcome to the course!

If that's not your cup of tea, no bad feelings - there are plenty of other sources out there: other learning resources

Which topics are covered? Which aren't?

No, I'm not covering "everything". That wouldn't makes sense and would overwhelm you and me.
I am covering the common workflows of an FX TD, not CFX, nor Animation or Rigging.So let me give you a list:

 Covered:
- Fundamentals / SOPs (Procedural modeling)
- Basics of Rendering and Shading (Solaris/USD)
- POPs (Particle simulations)
- Vellum (Cloth/soft body simulations)
- MPM (Elastic simulations, like mud or snow) - RBDs (Rigid body simulations, destruction FX)
- FLIP (Fluid simulations)
- Pyro (Smoke/Fire/Explosion simulations)
- VEX (Programming in Houdini)


 Not covered:
- Crowds
- Terrain (Landscape generation)
- Hair/Fur/Feathers
- CHOPs (Wave modification, like Audio)
- Rigging (KineFX, APEX)
- Animation tools
- complex shading/rendering
(Since this is a "living" course - this list might change over time.)

The good news is: with the knowledge from the course you will have the context and knowledge to learn every other field in Houdini much quicker.