Houdini Certified School

Student Art: Avinoam Ruach

Houdini + 3D for Film or Games

Houdini + 3D for Film or Games

/Hybrid/48 Weeks Online + 16 Weeks On Campus/diploma

This new and innovative hybrid Houdini program teaches students the essential skills of CG remotely before joining one of the most vibrant Film and Games communities to develop an industry-focused portfolio. With a specific focus on Houdini, graduates from this program step into the industry with an elevated insight into one of most in-demand tools.

Next Start DateFeb 10, 2025

Overview

Program overview

Taught through Think Tank’s interactive platform, Portal, the first 48 weeks combines prerecorded tutorials, collaborative workshops, and one-on-one training to prepare students for a career in Film, TV, or Games.  

The final 16 weeks of this program takes place at the Think Tank Campus in North Vancouver, an international hub for Film and Games. Work directly with your personal mentor while taking advantage of the full Think Tank experience: access to exclusive events, seminars from local studios, and the opportunity to work alongside CG artists from a variety of specializations.

Harnessing the power of Houdini, you’ll master the software’s advanced procedural workflow to create elevated animations, VFX sequences, and 3D assets. As a true benchmark in 3D and VFX software, your ability to both comprehend and integrate Houdini into a pipeline immediately elevates not only your work, but your value to a project.

Who it's for

This program is for artists new to CG who wish to spend the majority of their Houdini-focused program remotely, but want to complete their portfolio in a highly collaborative, in-person setting. Students must be ready to dedicate at least 40-60 hours a week to their studies. Working while studying is not recommended.

Specialize and launch your career

You’ll have the opportunity to focus on a unique specialization that’ll help define you as a CG Artist. In Term 4, you’ll work alongside a greater range of specialized artists- from Riggers, Animators, VFX Artists and more- which will inform, inspire and expand your own portfolio.

Reach out today

Software we'll provide

Houdini
Maya
Photoshop
Unreal Engine
ZWrap
Mari
UVLayout
ZBrush
Nuke
Substance
Arnold

Breakdown

Term by term

Term 1 (Online)

Start with the basics. From a brief history of VFX to texturing, lighting, compositing, rendering, asset creation and more…this term is designed to train you in the most essential facets of 3D Modeling. Alongside a concentration on Houdini, you’ll be introduced to the other important software tools you’ll use when working in the industry.

The courses you’ll take in this term will emphasize and enhance your organization, flexible thinking and problem solving skills. In just 16 weeks, you’ll become an extremely well-rounded artist, with a strong inkling towards the area of CG you might specialize in.

Courses *

/ History of VFX
/ Houdini
/ Look Development
/ Final Project
/ Procedural Modeling
/ Texturing & Shading

Art by Nimrod Zaguri

Student Art: Nimrod Zaguri

Term 2 (Online)

The fundamental courses started in Term 1 continue, becoming more intense, complex, and demanding. You’ll be presented with more in-depth, creative techniques and tools which will allow you to produce more complex and detail-oriented work.

As you move through Term 2, you’ll start to build on you skills in Houdini and really start to grasp the revolutionary workflows and procedures that the software offers. From here, you’ll produce your Intermediate Final Project – producing an environment, a creature or character, or another type of asset for Film or Games.

Courses *

/ Environment Modeling
/ Advanced Modeling
/ Look Development
/ Texturing & Shading
/ Vellum CFX
/ Lighting & Rendering
/ Particles & Effects
/ Scripting & Expressions
/ Term 2 Final Project
/ Production Pipeline

Art by Yuri Silva

Student Art: Yuri Silva

Term 3 (Online)

Courses in this term focus on advanced Houdini tools, uses and methods that will prepare you for the final stages of your specialization. Upon being connected with your personal mentor, you’ll begin to develop a full-term final project that will serve as a high-quality asset preceding the portfolio production stage to come.

You’ll be required to maintain a full production schedule under the guidance of your supervisor while advanced stream courses continue. By the end of the term, you will have a robust understanding of Houdini's advanced capabilities and be well-equipped to tackle your portfolio.

Courses *

/ Environment Modeling
/ Groom & Fur
/ Vellum CFX
/ Fluid Simulation
/ Lighting & Rendering
/ Advanced Particles & Effects
/ Production & Advanced Tools
/ Look Development (Lops & Unreal)
/ RBD Simulations (DOPS)
/ Final Project

Art by Aleix Garcia

Student Art: Aleix Garcia

Term 4 (Campus)

Unlike our fully online program, Term 4 takes place at the Think Tank Campus in a hub for the industry, North Vancouver. Here you’ll receive the added value that is working closely with other artists from different specializations such as Rigging, Animation, Compositing, and VFX. There’s also the opportunity to attend specialty classes like Sculpting & Life Drawing along with a range exclusive industry events.

Alongside making definitive creative decisions on your portfolio pieces–such as finalizing shots, completing lighting, rendering, and compositing, you’ll take lessons focusing on presentation skills, portfolio packaging, career preparation and job search which will provide invaluable direction on preparing resumés and cover letters, as well as industry practices and ethics.

Courses *

/ Presentation Skills
/ Portfolio Packaging
/ Job Search
/ Production Pipeline
/ Final Portfolio Production

Art by Orion Terry

Student Art: Orion Terry

* Specialization may affect course selection

Why Think Tank?

Personalized Hands-on Houdini Hybrid

Portal
Our proprietary platform is your home base. Connect with students, your supervisor, take in live sessions and get feedback.
Cutting edge
Mastering Houdini puts you in the driver’s seat of one of the most exciting and versatile softwares in CG.
Hybrid difference
Beyond online learning. This is in-person mentors, exclusive events, studio visits, and being amongst your community.
Small classes
Each class has a max of eight students. This means less theory, less waiting, more collaboration, and more feedback.
Weekly challenges
Utilize training materials, such as video, software screen capture, exercises, resources, and assignments.
Leave with results
Gain the skills, confidence, connections, and portfolio required to make a statement and land that first job.

FAQ

Got a question?

Reach out today

What is the tuition for Houdini + 3D for Film or Games?
What is Houdini?
Houdini is a 3D animation and VFX software developed by SideFX that is becoming widely relied on across Film, TV, and Games. The software has a unique node-based procedural workflow, which allows artists to create complex animations and effects through a series of interconnected nodes. It also includes a range of tools for modeling, texturing, lighting, rigging, animation, and rendering, making it a comprehensive solution for 3D production.
Will I learn other software tools alongside Houdini?
Does this program require previous experience?
What are this program's admission requirements?
General Admission Requirements:
Must have graduated from high school (or equivalent) or be at least 19 years of age.
Provide a valid piece of government photo identification.
Attend an interview (in person or virtual) with an Admissions Advisor. 

Program Specific Requirements:
You must submit examples of your artwork or a short paragraph essay that displays your commitment to the program. 

English Language Requirements:
For applicants from countries where the primary language is something other than English, the applicant must demonstrate English proficiency.
The preferred method to test your English proficiency is Duo Lingo—a testing platform that works globally, and has equivalencies for TOEFL. You'll meet Think Tank's admission criteria if your score is above or equal to TOEFL 65, IELTS 5.5, or Duo Lingo 90.
What hardware and software should I have for this program?
For the first three terms we recommend using a Windows computer with a minimum 2.5ghz 6-core CPU with 32GB of RAM (64GB strongly recommended) and an NVIDIA GPU with 6GB of RAM (NVIDIA RTX series recommended). A headset (with microphone), a webcam, and broadband internet is also necessary for online learning. We recommend getting a creative pen tablet (ideally from the Wacom Intuos Pro line). A state-of-the-art workstation will be provided for you upon your arrival on Campus for Term 4.

To learn more about the system requirements for Houdini, click here.

Please Note: additional RAM may be required for the Intermediate Term and beyond.

All software tools needed for this program will be provided by Think Tank. This includes Houdini, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Substance 3D Designer, Adobe Substance 3D Painter, MAYA, MARI, UV Layout, V-Ray, Nuke, ZBrush, Unreal Engine 5.
What kind of workload can I expect in this program?
There are over 1,950 instructional hours in this program. For every instructional hour, there is approximately 30 minutes of homework. Think Tank students can expect a workload between 40-60 hours per week.

Please Note: to succeed, we recommend forgoing all employment to adequately attend to the programs full-time schedule. This will prepare you for the demands of working in a fast-paced, intense, and highly rewarding industry.
When can I apply to this program?

Student Art: Scott Tolan

Tuition & Start Dates

Apply for this program

Ready to take the next step? The application process is simple, and our Admissions Team are happy to answer any questions you might have.

•All prices are CAD. See estimated conversions here:

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