Modelling Digi-Doubles for VFX 2025

From scan data to final topology, learn how to model a production-ready digi-double asset for VFX

Course schedule
Tutor
Jahirul Amin | Christopher Antoniou
Enrol on course for £299.99
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Learn how to create a digi-double from scan to final topology

Modelling Digi-Doubles for VFX is a live/online course that will take you through the process of creating an industry-standard digital double model and sculpt, ready to be rigged and textured.

For those that cannot make the live/online sessions, they will be recorded and uploaded to the CAVE platform, so you’ll be able to work through the teaching at your own pace.

The course will begin by working with a production-quality scan data provided by Clear Angle Studios and then fitting the CAVE base mesh to block out the initial proportions.

 

From here, we’ll look at lining up the model to the reference using Faceform Wrap, and then using the photographic reference for final lineup. We’ll then model and UV the costume before moving into ZBrush and transferring/adding high resolution detail.

 

We’ll also look at creating a basic character rig, allowing us to easily switch between scan pose, A-pose and T-pose.

Lastly, we’ll create a series of production style renders and turntables to make our asset ready for review and sign off.

Students who enrol on the course will also have automatic access to the following on-demand courses to ensure you are up-and-running from the offset for character creation:

And thanks to the wonderful folk at Faceform, enrolled students will also be provided with a FREE license of Wrap throughout the duration of the course.

Course Details

  • Type: On-demand
  • Level: Intermediate
  • Lessons: 08
  • Duration: 30+ hours
  • Format: Video on-demand
  • Tools: Maya, ZBrush, Faceform, Nuke, Arnold
  • Prerequisites: Introduction to Maya 1001
  • Course Access Time: Lifetime

Create how to create an industry standard digi-double for VFX.

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Lessons in this course

  • Week 01. Reference, Pipeline and Workflows

    In this lesson, we’ll break down the asset brief, prep our scan data, and then set up our Modelling environment. We’ll also cover some modelling pipeline steps and workflows for creating digi-doubles.

  • Week 02.01. Introduction to CAS Scan Data

    In this lesson, we'll assess a standard CAS handover package for a full body scan and a head scan.

  • Week 02.02. Prepping our Full Body and Head Scans

    This lesson, we’ll prep the scan data that has been provided by Clear Angle Studios, give an overview on the importance of LODs, topology, and assess our base mesh.

  • Week 03.01. Scan Cleanup and Alignment with Wrap Overview

    In this lesson, we’ll use Faceform Wrap to align our base mesh to the scan data and look at how to resolve some of the issues that may arise.

  • Week 03.02. Prepping and Cleaning our Scan Data

    Now that we've seen one approach to cleaning up and wrapping a basemesh to a scan, let's now wortk through the steps from the ground up (and using a slightly different approach). In this lesson, we'll focus on cleaning up our scan and creating selection sets for east wrapping.

  • Week 04. Wrapping the Head and the Body

    With the scan prepped, let's now look at wrapping the base mesh to the head and the body. We'll also look at transferring textures and combining dfifferent meshes together.

  • Week 05. Refining the Head

    Following on from the body, let's now focus our attention to lining up all the key features of the head using our photographic reference.

  • Week 06. Refining the Body

    In this lesson, we will continue the cleanup of our asset with a focus on the body.

  • Week 07. Modelling the Costume

    In this lesson, we'll focus on modelling the costume.

  • Week 08. Finalising the Model and Creating Turntable Renders

    In this lesson, we'll check our model is production-friendly and create a series of production qulaity model turntables for supervisor/client review. This will include full body and head renders aligned to the camera views, and studio-style renders using a custom 3-point lighting setup.

  • BONUS. Shooting Geometry Reference

    Capturing geometric reference is both useful for the modelling and the camera tracking departments. We’ll look at how to go about capturing reference for both assets and environments to support both teams.

  • BONUS. Asset Shoot Exercise

    Using the techniques demonstrated in the previous lessons, we’ll run through the process of capturing a full data set (geometric, texture, look development and lighting reference) for an asset.

Tutor: Jahirul Amin

CAVE Academy Founder | VFX Teacher

Jahirul Amin is a Computer Animation and Visual Effects Teacher and Consultant. He specialises in designing and delivering courses to create solid and diverse production ready skills in all 3D related departments and across a number of facilities worldwide. His background in academia feeds into his ongoing connections with Universities and Colleges which provide Computer Animation and Visual Effects courses. He is also involved in course and examination design as well as lecturing, running workshops and mentoring.

Course Fee: £299.99

Format: Video on-demand

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FAQs

  • How will this course be delivered?
    This course will be delivered live and online via Zoom. Each week, we'll run 1 workshop session and 1 feedback/review session. On occasions, you may be presented with some pre-recorded content (for example, if we are on an external shoot) but for the most part, the primary content will be delivered live.
  • What day and time is the live workshop?
    2hrs. Sundays, 10am - 12noon.
  • What day and time is the live feedback/review session?
    1hr. Sundays, 12noon - 1pm.
  • If I cannot make the live sessions, will they be recorded and made available for viewing later on?
    Yes. All live sessions will be recorded and made available on the course lesson page. This usually takes us around 24hrs to edit and upload the video recordings.
  • Can we pay in instalments?
    Yes, depending on the length of the course, you can pay an initial deposit and then spread the remainder of the cost over a series of months. If you are enrolling on multiple courses, we'd be more than happy to create a custom payment plan for you.
  • Is there a discount if we purchase multiple line/online courses?
    Yes, we are happy to offer a 10% discount per course for enrolling on 2 courses, and a 20% discount per course when enrolling on 3 or more courses. Please get in touch for more info.
  • Will we have lifetime access to the recorded course content?
    Yes, you will have lifetime access to the course content via our CAVE platform.
  • Will we be required to complete exercises?
    Each week, we'll be setting an exercise. You will be treated as adults, so it will be on you to complete the exercises. We understand that time is precious and you may have other commitments, which result in you missing an exercise or possibly falling behind. If so, do get in touch and we'll be more than happy to support you in catching up and developing your skills. We will be using SyncSketch for the review sessions, of which you will be able to access as a CAVE Academy student.
  • Will there be a final assignment?
    Each course will have a slightly different outcome but overall, yes, you will be tasked with creating an 'output' for each course. For Modelling, this may be a final model plus model turntable renders. For a Concept Art based course, this might be a series of production quality images. For every course, you will have an output for your portfolio (should your work be signed off by the tutor).
  • Will any support be provided outside of the live sessions?
    Yes - we use Discord for out of class discussions and if you have any other issues, you are more than welcome to send us an email directly. And if required, we'd be more than happy to catch up via a one-to-one Zoom session.
  • Will there be any support after the course has finished?
    We'll be more than happy to continue supporting students after the duration of the course as they work on their final assignment.
  • Will data be provided for the courses?
    Yes - we'll be providing data where required and dependent on the course. The majority of our course content is project-based and created using CAVE IP (scripts, concepts, models, textures, HDRIs, video footage, etc.) of which you will have access to. Please note that the data should not be shared externally for any purpose.
  • Will software be provided for the course?
    Where possible, we will provide software at student rates. For example, for any students enrolled on our live/online courses, we can provide access to the Adobe and Substance Suite, and students are able to access the Foundry products at student rates (95% discount). We will also be providing access to Flow Production Tracking (ShotGrid) and SyncSketch. We are in discussion with Maxon and Autodesk for student licences but currently cannot provide these apps.
  • Will we be working within a specific colour space?
    We will be working within an ACEScg colour space with an sRGB viewing LUT (out of the box Maya 2022+ setup).

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