fxguide’s sister site – visual effects training provider fxphd.com is extending its sale. Join for $199 and get two courses + extras for the April term. We’re also giving you a sneak peek at one of the many courses available at fxphd with this look at a class from NUK217 – NUKE and Digital Environments. We had planned to only do this for a week but there was a lot of interest, which is great !
The Foundry’s node-based compositing tool NUKE has been one of the stand-out advancements in visual effects tech in the past ten years. fxphd is a premier NUKE training provider with several courses available in the product. NUK217 NUKE and Digital Environments is taught by industry professional Eran Dinur, a visual effects supervisor at Brainstorm Digital. Dinur recently received two VES awards for his work on season 2 of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire (outstanding compositing in a broadcast series, outstanding modeling in a broadcast series).
Below is a full single fxphd class from the NUKE and Digital Environments course. This particular class focuses on blue screen extraction, studying the various problems, and examining different extraction techniques.
Click here to join for just $199 and get a wealth of great training… doesn’t your career deserve it?
Plus, 2 members of this term’s fxphd will win full conference passes to Siggraph 2012 in LA (in August). Valued at over US$1300. Join now to get in the running and get access to courses on Nuke, Renderman, CS6/AE, Smoke, Tracking, Camera Tech and so much more.
You can also check out this Professor Profile on Dinur over at the fxphd production blog.
NUK217 NUKE and Digital Environments course – Course Listing
Class 1: We will start with an exercise in simple relighting using color grading and the volume rays tool. We’ll then study the “golden checklist of integration”, and go over our first shot assignment.
Class 2: We will use the principles studied in class 1 to add and integrate background mountains into a plate. We will also create animated water reflections with noise displacement and take a look at the soften and edge blur tools.
Class 3: For the next three classes, we’ll concentrate on creating an all-CG aquarium environment. In this class we’ll tackle white-screen extraction problems and use Vue to create and light the base scene, taking advantage of some of the new features in version 10.
Class 4: After establishing a depth of field using the Z-blur and Vue’s depth pass, we will continue working on the aquarium comp, adding reflections and scratches, then we’ll use Blender to create animated floating dirt particles.
Class 5: We’ll start by using Maya’s paint effects to create animated plants and integrate them into the aquarium comp, then we’ll use Nuke’s own particle system to create bubbles, and add the finishing touches the shot.
Class 6: Extraction master class. We’ll look closely at a blue screen extraction scenario, studying the various problems, and examining different extraction techniques. We’ll move from Primatte to the IBK, and also use non-alpha extraction techniques for the hair.
Class 7: From here on we will concentrate on our hero underwater shot. We’ll start by tracking and generating a 3D camera with Nuke’s camera tracker, then take a close look at the concepts and techniques of 2.5D relighting.
Class 8: In this class we will be joined by award-winning matte painter Mathew Conner who will walk us through the process of creating the elements for the shot, from concept to 3D modeling. After that we’ll continue with our 2.5D relighting rig, then move on to initial placement and integration.
Class 9: We’ll continue working on the underwater shot, moving on to camera projections and extractions, relighting, atmospherics and volumetric effects.
Class 10: In the last class we will complete the work on the shot and put up the finishing touches. And if we still have some extra time, we’ll cover some more Nuke tips and tricks.
Fantastic class !
Gotta sign up now ^_^
Hey thanks !
Mike