Houdini 10 Launch Event in Tokyo!

Our friends over at IndyZone (our Japanese Reseller) are throwing an event in Tokyo on April 27th.

Please check out their blog for the event details for the launch of Houdini 10 in Japan!

Houdini 10 is OUT!

Welcome our newest baby, Houdini 10 is now out for public download.



Here's a video overview of the new key features on the Houdini 10 Launch SideFx page!

Don't forget to give us any feedback on the forums or Support if you are currently on AUP.

Side Effects at FMX 2009

Side Effects is pleased to announce its participation at FMX 2009 in Stuttgart, Germany.

The conference dates are from May 5 - May 8, and we will be present all four days, running 3 workshops and available to demo from our booth , 2.3 List.Saal.

Below is a listing of all the Houdini workshops, but please feel free to book a private demo or discussion in advance with Janet Fraser, Senior Account Executive (janet@sidefx.com).

We look forward to seeing you!

(FMX 2008 with Jeff Wagner, Janet Fraser, and me)

(Jeff Wagner teaching a workshop last year)

WORKSHOPS:

Tuesday May 05
17:00 - 18:00
Raum Reutlingen

Black Mountain VFX and Axis Animation share their local experiences in Europe with Houdini.

Join us for an hour long presentation and gathering to discuss how Houdini has been implemented and leveraged to create ground breaking 3D animation at two local European companies; BlackMountain VFX in Stuttgart, Germany and Axis Animation, in Glasgow, Scotland.

Houdini artists and production managers will share what made Houdini an efficient and integral part of their pipelines, and be available for a casual Q&A session. This workshop is a great opportunity for 3D artists to learn about Houdini recruitment around the world as well from the SESI team.

Wednesday May 06
18:00 - 19:00
Raum Reutlingen

Fire and Smoke in Houdini 10
Jeff Wagner, Senior Technology Consultant, Side Effects Software, www.sidefx.com

In this presentation, Jeff Wagner demonstrates recent advances in the creation of realistic fire and smoke using Houdini 10’s new Pyro tools. Bringing together an artist-friendly interface, production-ready shaders and the ability to distribute fluid simulations over the farm, Jeff will show how Houdini 10 is a must-have for VFX artists serious about their craft.

Jeff Wagner has been an integral part of the technical support department for over fourteen years and has amassed a wealth of knowledge about Houdini. Wagner has consulted on numerous visual effects and CG feature work and often travels the world teaching people about Houdini's procedural way of working.


Thursday May 07
16:00 - 17:00
Raum Reutlingen

Lighting and Rendering in Houdini 10
Jeff Wagner, Senior Technology Consultant, Side Effects Software, www.sidefx.com

In this presentation, Jeff Wagner demonstrates recent advances in lighting and rendering found in Houdini 10. Jeff starts with the new progressive Interactive Photorealistic Rendering (IPR) tools, then moves on to new advances in Physically-based rendering (PBR), production-grade render pass workflows and the addition of Stereoscopic rendering, Jeff shows you how Houdini 10 helps you become more productive while achieving the highest-quality renderings.

Jeff Wagner has been an integral part of the technical support department for over fourteen years and has amassed a wealth of knowledge about Houdini. Wagner has consulted on numerous visual effects and CG feature work and often travels the world teaching people about Houdini's procedural way of working.

(complete schedule for FMX can be found here)


Sincerely,
Side Effects FMX Team

interesting Houdini projects - April 2009

I'm trying to post some work on here that used Houdini but not in the traditional big Hollywood blockbuster ways.

Here's a project done in Montreal for a low-budget, multi-media, one-man adaptation of Paradise Lost.



If anyone is in Montreal around April 12, you should go check it out!

Jed Schwartz Productions in New Hamshire recently did some beautiful earth-map shots locating Chytrid fungus and regions of frog declination in this interesting PBS program called "The Thin Green Line".


Thanks Jed for letting us know!

Monsters vs. Aliens story

DreamWorks Animation released Monsters vs. Aliens last week. Box office earnings were quite good, reporting a $60M opener last weekend for the film.

And yes, Houdini was a part of the technology utilized. Take a look at our most recent customer story which talks about the usage of Houdini at DreamWorks!

The LA Office Opens House!

Thanks to our local LA community for coming out to the Side Effects Open House to see our new digs!

Here are a few pics of the space we now reside in ... filled with terrific people we like to keep around :).

(the long corridor between our kitchen and training room, looking down to our staff offices)

(our lobby entrance with art provided by Kevin Mack)

(front: Kim Davidson talking to Houdini artist John Courte, back: Greg Hermanovic)

(David Robert , Account Manager in SF - dangerously walking past more sweets)



(Moylene & Andy Boyd, Producer and 3D Head at Method with me saying goodbye and come again!)

Customer Highlight: Loki Visual Effects

Check out the amazing work our clients up in Toronto did using Houdini 10 fluids. Who said using beta in production was a bad idea?

Full Press Release
Watch "WenJun".

Toronto’s Loki Visual Effects combine 1000fps Phantom footage with pristine CG for a LVMH Group (Moet Chandon Hennessy) concoction called WenJun. And just in case you think the 3D liquid is all just stylish refraction – according to legend, Chinese poet Sima Xiangru was totally smitten with the widowed lady Zhou Wenjun but afraid to reveal his love. So the poet went down to the lake and played his guqin (a form of zither) so beautifully it caused the water to rise up in fanciful shapes. Agency: Bravo Asia, Director/Cameraman: Steve Gordon @ Sons & Daughters, Production Company: Cheers Films, Shanghai, VFX: Loki Visual Effects, Editor: Bob Kennedy @ Rooster, Music: Mike De Eyre @ Tin Pan.