Procedural Worlds & FX: A 6-Week Journey in Houdini for Artists

Overview

Faculty: Animation
Duration: 6 Weeks – Mon & Tues 6pm – 9pm
Delivery: Online
Certification: Pulse College Cert

Start Date: Monday 9th June 2025
Course Director: Jane Carmody
Fees: €750

COURSE CONTENT

This 6-week course is designed to give students a strong foundation in Houdini FX, focusing on procedural modelling, simulation, and environment building. Students will learn to create dynamic effects like destruction, fire, and terrain using the same tools used in the film and games industries. Over two 3-hour sessions each week, the course combines technical skills with creative thinking. By the end, students will have produced a short, fully rendered procedural sci-fi scene, ready for a portfolio or showreel. Houdini is rapidly becoming a must-have tool in VFX, animation, and game studios worldwide. Its node-based, non-destructive workflow offers a level of flexibility and control that sets it apart, making it a key asset in modern production pipelines.

DETAILED COURSE CONTENT

Week 1

Intro to Houdini & Proceduralism

Week 2

Attributes & Procedural Geometry

Week 3

Terrain & Instancing

Week 4

FX: Particles & Volumes

Week 5

Simulations: Vellum & Destruction

Week 6

Lighting, Karma Rendering & Final Polish

TUTOR

Jane Carmody

Jane Carmody holds an MA in 3D Animation from Bournemouth University, where she specialized in modeling and texturing for animation and visual effects. She worked as a 3D Generalist at Viridian FX, a leading visual effects studio, where she gained extensive experience across the production pipeline. During her time there, she contributed to high-profile projects, including Netflix’s Heart of Stone, HBO’s House of the Dragon, and the Netflix series Kaos. Her work involved creating detailed 3D models and realistic textures, bringing characters, environments, and props to life for both film and television.