This Maya course is part of our Maya Foundations series and covers Simulation and Effects. We look in-depth at these fundamental building blocks using a selection of software focused around Maya. We’ll look at both the technical and artistic aspects as we progress through the course with each component being real-world project focused. The course will be broken down into a number of key areas, nParticles, Rigid and Softbody Dynamics, nCloth, Bullet Physics, nHair and Fur, XGen, Fluids and Bifr?st. We’ll draw on real-world examples, examine white papers and dig deep into the software of today’s VFX artists.

The course is aimed at anyone interested in Simulation and Effects work. We will use Maya 2016 as the backbone of everything we do, covering the tools to a more detailed level than ever before as well as including the techniques used in both large and small VFX facilities around the world. Alongside Maya we’ll be using RenderMan, Mental Ray and Hardware 2.0 as our renderers, and Nuke for basic compositing. This will be an excellent course for anyone who knows Maya already but wants to expand their knowledge, or for someone just getting into the business.

The course is taught by Matt Leonard who has been in the 3D and Visual Effects industry since 1990. He has been using Maya since its release in 1998 and before that 3D Studio (DOS), 3DSMax and Softimage. He is a member of the Visual Effects Society and has worked as a beta tester for not only Maya but also Katana, Arnold, RenderMan, Mari, Nuke, and Fusion. He currently works for MPC (Vancouver) as Lead Lighting Instructor and before that ran his own training company Sphere VFX for 9 years.