visual-effects-course
Create Visual Effects for Film and TV in 8 weeks
This class is appropriate for experienced users of After Effects and for those working or wishing to work in the video field. It is also suitable for After Effects users wishing to expand their skills in compositing and visual effects. This class covers the core concepts and skills necessary to excel in and visual effects, as well as advanced approaches and techniques. This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter. If a change occurs, it will be thoroughly addressed during class and sent via email. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be expected to analyze complex visual effects in movies and create workflows for the creation of basic visual effects.
In this course students will create compositions applying motion and animated effects to media elements, create transparency in layers using mattes, masks, and stencils, animate objects in 3-D space, and much more. After taking this class students will be able to create visual effects for use in web video and podcasts, broadcast television, and even film. If you are a graphic professional who wants to enhance your compositing or you an experienced user, you will also benefit from the many tips and tricks and special exercises.
Adobe After Effects is a powerful compositing software/tool for creating visual effects and doing post production work. You can use After Effects’ tools to create dynamic designs for broadcast and film. This course will help you master the concepts and features of visual effects using the program. It includes many advanced features, including tips and tricks.
Course Outline
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Introduction to polygon modeling
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Selecting and modifying components (vertices, edges, faces)
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Extrusion, beveling, and subdivision
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Edge loops and edge flow
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Booleans and boolean operations
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Polygon modeling best practices
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Understanding UV mapping
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Creating UV layouts
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Applying textures and materials
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Types of lights (point, spot, directional)
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Adjusting light attributes
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Creating realistic lighting setups
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Introduction to Maya’s Hypershade
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Creating and applying materials
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Shader types (Lambert, Blinn, Phong)
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Setting up render settings
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Batch rendering and rendering options
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Post-processing and compositing
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Keyframes and animation curves
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Animation controllers
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Animation workflow
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Students will work on a comprehensive project where they apply the skills they’ve learned throughout the course to model and render a complex 3D product. We will teach students how to showcase their work in a professional portfolio, including creating 3D product renders and presentations.
Throughout the course, assess students’ progress through assignments, quizzes, and their final project. Provide certificates of completion for those who successfully finish the course.