In this training series we will explore the main areas of the Maya's dynamics engine. We will begin with basic particle emission and we will build up week after week working on more elaborate setups that will showcase the power and versatility of effects animation within Maya. The focus of this course is to teach our students how to analyze a particular effect and determine the most time/cost effective way to achieve it.

We will cover generic effects setups for natural phenomena, deformable geometry and basic crowd behaviors while always aiming towards a solid understanding of the core concepts and how to adapt them to suit a variety of situations. As part of this level our students will work in 3 main assignments both as individuals and in groups.

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In this training series we will build on the solid foundation gained from Maya Dynamics Level 1 by exploring advanced particle behavior and expanding the use of fluids simulations in our effects. Students will also cover how to use Maya's Nucleus Solver to create optimized simulations connecting cloth, nParticles and fluid elements. We will pay close attention to the use of Maya fluids and the possible applications not only as renderable elements, but also as forces acting on particles and deformable objects.

MEL Scripting, a fundamental area of effects animation, will be covered and this will open a new world of possibilities for controlling and adapting simulations. We will learn to use MEL to create dynamic rigs and to help deal with repetitive tasks. As with any course in VFX Learning, we will analyze effects sequences from films, study them and determine the most cost effective way to achieve similar looks. At the end of this level, students will have a broad knowledge of the dynamics engine in Maya and overall FX procedures and techniques.

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Masterclasses represent our highest level of training and this course is no exception. Taking all of the skills acquired in Maya Dynamics Level 1 & 2 this masterclass applies them to a production level shot. Students will be shattering and simulating Rigid Body Dynamics using PulldownIt. We will take advantage of Maya latest fluid simulation tools to create high resolution fluid simulations driven by nParticles. We will use our MEL scripting knowledge to take control of this effects and create more complex scripts to automate certain processes.

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In this intensive training series we will explore several production techniques used to generate different types of water simulations both in RealFlow and Maya. The goal of this course is to not only teach you how RealFlow operates, but also how to determine the best possible approach to complete the work, we will take into consideration constraints such as budget, time, computer power and scale and use this information to break down a series of shots and come up with the most cost effective and visually interesting result.

After spending years working in the VFX industry focused mainly in the creation of water simulations Luis Pages have managed to collect a pretty creative and solid series of tricks that for the first time will become available to his students. Students will learn to think outside the box and take full advantage of what both RealFlow and Maya have to offer. We will cover the creation of small to large water simulations, drips, splashes, foam, mist, spray, lakes, "abstract liquid simulations" and more.

Topics Covered