InFocus Film School Blog

SEE WHY HOUDINI, A STATE OF THE ART ANIMATION AND VFX PIPELINE TOOL IS CHANGING THE GAME. 

Written by Rachel Kim

Explosions, earth-shattering destruction, glittering swirls of magic—these are the unavoidable spices of film and television. Today, much of these effects are created by a single tool—Houdini. But Houdini’s influence stretches even further. Though traditionally favoured by the effects departments, Houdini is a 3D and visual effects package that handles everything from modeling, animation, effects, character effects, lighting, and compositing. It has been embraced for its versatility and powerful capabilities.  

“Houdini is very much designed and conceived as an end-to-end pipeline tool,” says Luca Pataracchia, Senior Production Specialist at SideFX and an industry-experienced Houdini artist. SideFX is Houdini’s software developer.

Houdini had an ethos of embracing procedural generation since its inception in 1996. The software has firmly established itself as a powerhouse in the industry.

Click here to learn more about InFocus Film School’s Houdini FX for Film + Games Program

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THE 3D ANIMATION INDUSTRY IS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH. MORE CONTENT, MORE JOBS, MORE OPPORTUNITIES. ANIMATE YOUR FUTURE BY READING THIS LIST.

Written by Rachel Kim

From bio-diverse animals to alien robots to resurrections of people long past, 3D animators have brought to life our wildest imaginations of this world and beyond. 

Since Pixar’s breakthrough with Toy Story in 1995, 3D animation has quickly dominated our media. Just a cursory glance at the latest Hollywood blockbusters shows how much we depend on 3D animators to breathe life into these imagined worlds. As the industry’s growth skyrockets, the demand for 3D animators has never been greater.  

InFocus animation mentor Selman Kantarci has worked on several large-scale productions including Detective Pikachu, Sonic the Hedgehog, Maleficent 2, Cats and more. He draws from his well of industry experience working at companies like MPC, Bardel Entertainment, and (currently) Method Studios to offer practical advice and encouragement to anyone hoping to build a career in 3D animation. 

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USING CLICHES WILL DISRUPT THE PUBLIC’S VIEW OF YOU AS AN ORIGINAL OR UNIQUE FILMMAKER. WE LIST 7 OF THE MOST COMMONLY USED FILM CLICHES AND GIVE YOU ALTERNATIVES TO AVOID USING THEM YOURSELF.

Written by Johnny Papan

Short films are as old as cinema itself. The Lumiere Brothers launched the motion picture phenomenon when they, for the first time in history, screened 10 of their short films to the public in 1895. At first short films were the only form of cinema being made. Most films didn’t exceed 10 minutes in length until the 1900s. The world’s first feature film, The Story of Kelly Gang, was released in 1906, 11 years after the Lumiere Brothers unveiled this groundbreaking new art form to the masses.

Today, short films are as prominent as ever. They’re a go-to launching pad for filmmakers and can be utilized as a proof of concept for longer films or to showcase an artist’s prowess in a quick and compact way. Thousands of short films are produced every year and production values can vary from cinematically exquisite to D.I.Y. home movies. That being said, regardless of the production budget, a strong, well-told story is what truly matters. 

With so many films being made every year, you’re bound to see similarities. However, some tropes cross the line of comparability and have become outright cliches over time. If you are a new filmmaker or film school student who wants to stand out amidst the sea of film festival submissions, here is our list of 7 cliches to avoid if you’re making a short film.

Click here to learn more about InFocus Film School’s Writing for Film and Television Program!

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FOLLOW OUR IN-DEPTH ARNOLD RENDERING TUTORIAL STEP BY STEP.

Written by Miguel Rodriguez

3D animation has evolved the landscape of visual media forever. It gives us the opportunity to experience landscapes, structures and beings beyond our wildest imagination. Contemporary cinema uses 3D animation and visual effects in various ways, ranging from heavy-duty to so subtle you cannot even notice it. 

That being said, every monster, alien spacecraft and most building demolitions seen on film, television and video games are made with 3D graphics. All graphics must turn into images that can be edited, seen and shown. In order to achieve that, we rely on a process called rendering.

Click here to learn more about InFocus Film School’s 3D Animation and Visual Effects Program

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“The creative producer is inherently a filmmaker who also wants to write and direct,” Paulsson says. “They wear many hats but truly have an interest in telling and finding great stories through the language of film.”

By Ryan Uytdewilligen

For most movie goers, when the credits roll, the producer names are unrecognizable and their overall duty on the picture isn’t quite clear. But their involvement must be integrally important seeing as how they tend to be Hollywood’s richest and take home top prize at the Oscars, right?

The stereotypical image for many might be a tightly wound fat man in a suit, chomping down on a cigar and barking orders at frightened malnourished writers. But nothing could be further from the truth.

Click here to learn more about InFocus Film School’s Writing for Film and Television Program!

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