Modelling Props for VFX 2025

Learn the essentials of Modelling to create a photoreal hero prop asset for VFX

Course schedule
03.02.2025 - 25.04.2025
Tutor
Jahirul Amin
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Learn how to create a photorealistic asset suitable for high-end VFX

Modelling Props for VFX is a live/online course where students will be taught the fundamentals of 3D Modelling to create a photoreal, pipeline-ready prop for VFX. Through practical hands-on learning, we’ll cover a wide range of topics covering the asset modelling process.

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.

 

This course is the part of our CAVE 2025 Spring Programme where we will teach you how to build an asset and push it through the VFX pipeline to create a number of believable shots. You can enrol on this course as a standalone, or if you’d like to develop a wider skillset, you can do so by joining us on Surfacing Props for VFX 2025 (Term 1) and Lighting Fundementals for VFX 2025 (Term 2).

We’ll also discuss other areas of the CG pipeline that are integral to the success of any project, such as Onset, Surfacing, Lighting, Production, Bidding and Scheduling.

To underpin each stage lesson and to push your creative, technical and problem-solving skills, we’ll study the fundamentals and the theory behind Modelling. This includes studying real-world materials, pushing our traditional skills, art, shape, function and form. This background research will directly feed into how we approach the creation of CG assets.

Studio Quality Data

For this course, you will be provided with high-end scans captured by Clear Angle Studios, a global leader in 3D capture for film, TV and games, whose work has been used by studios such as ILM, DNEG, Framestore, MPC, Weta and Digital Domain.

Each scan will come with a series of cameras and reference images, allowing you to follow workflows as used by industry.

The outcome of the course is to provide you with a strong modelling skillset enabling you to have a core understanding of the VFX modelling pipeline and an ability to apply these skills to real-world projects.

Students who enrol on the course will also have access to our on-demand course, Introduction to Maya 1001, to ensure you are ready for the course from the offset.

Industry Support

We are happy to announce that this course is being supported by Adobe, Foundry and SyncSketch. For students enrolling on the course, you’ll be provided with full educational licenses for the Adobe/Substance Suite, a 95% discount for Foundry products, and we’ll have FREE access to SyncSketch for Dailies.

Throughout the course, we’ll also have guest speakers from a number of VFX studios joining us to provide you with an industry perspective on Surfacing for VFX.

Course Overview Presentation

If you would like a more detailed overview of this course, please check out this presentation. And if you have any further questions, please do get in touch.

Course Details

  • Type: Online
  • Level: Beginner
  • Format: Live Zoom meetings
  • Term 1: Spring
  • Duration: 12 weeks
  • Schedule: 03rd February 2025 - 25th April 2025
  • Workshop Session: Mondays, 11am – 2pm GMT
  • Feedback Session: Fridays,  10am – 12noon GMT
  • Tools: Maya, Nuke, ZBrush, Arnold, Mudbox
  • Prerequisites: Introduction to Maya 1001
  • Course Access Time: Lifetime

Learn about shape and form in order to create believable textures and shaders.

Industry partners

Lessons in this course

  • Week 01. Modelling for VFX

    We’ll be kicking off the programme off with a breakdown of how Modelling fits into the VFX pipeline. We’ll also discuss important topics such as Modelling briefs, LODs, naming conventions.
  • Week 02. Observation and Analysis

    This week, we’ll take a look at objects from the real-world and consider their shape and form. We’ll also study how objects respond to light to reveal and hide details.
  • Week 03. Modelling Workflows and Best Practices

    Here, we will define our asset build requirements and then look at how we could go about modelling our prop. We’ll also look at the technical aspects of building a production ready asset, such as: non-manifold edges and uniform topology.
    Available on: 2025.02.17 9:00 am
  • Week 04. Working with Scan Data

    This week, we’ll turn our attention to building our production model. Before we dive into the software, we’ll examine the scan dataset, which has kindly been provided by Clear Angle Studios.
    Available on: 2025.02.24 9:00 am
  • Week 05. Blocking out your Prop

    When it comes to design, in most instances, you’ll find a mix of big, medium and small shapes. Here we’ll explore the power of contrast and how it relates to our asset and approach to modelling.
    Available on: 2025.03.03 9:00 am
  • Week 06. Refining Shape and Form

    Pushing points is the role of a modeller, however, in order to assess our asset, we’ll need to play with light. By doing so, we can review how our model responds to light.
    Available on: 2025.03.10 9:00 am
  • Week 07. Finalising your Topology

    As we come closer to completing the topology, we’ll look at some examples of what makes a production-worthy model.
    Available on: 2025.03.17 9:00 am
  • Week 08. Creating your UVs

    In this lesson, we’ll discuss the importance of creating a well-structured model hierarchy and establishing and sticking to a naming convention. It may seem like the boring stuff, but by doing so, you can ensure the smooth running of a project, especially when multiple assets are required. We’ll also look at organising our UVs and creating a series of UV Sets.
    Available on: 2025.03.24 9:00 am
  • Week 09. Adding High Resolution Details

    Up to this stage, we’ve modelled the primary and secondary details. Here, we’ll study the tertiary details, of which we’ll use sculpting tools to add to our asset.
    Available on: 2025.03.31 9:00 am
  • Week 10. Displacement and Normal Maps

    Up to this stage, we’ve modelled the primary and secondary details. Here, we’ll study the tertiary details, of which we’ll use sculpting tools to add to our asset.
    Available on: 2025.04.07 9:00 am
  • Week 11. Creating a Model Turntable and Contact Sheet

    This week, we’ll be setting up our render and outputting a clay and wireframe layers. Following on from this, we’ll look at creating a model turntable template in Nuke. This template will then be used for all future model turntables, allowing us to easily compare the differences from one version to the next.
    Available on: 2025.04.14 9:00 am
  • Week 12. Bringing it all Together

    For our final lesson, we’ll look at cleaning up our model, so it’s ready for the next stage of the pipeline. That means deleting the history, checking the pivot points, object naming, scale, and so on. We’ll also look at technologies such as USD for asset workflows.
    Available on: 2025.04.21 9:00 am

Course Information

  • Course Type: Live, Online Zoom meetings
  • Schedule: 03rd February 2025 - 25th April 2025
  • Workshop Session: Mondays, 11am – 2pm GMT
  • Feedback Session: Fridays, 10am – 12noon GMT

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.

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/Q&A 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?
    For this course, the workshops will be delivered on Mondays between 11am - 2pm, GMT.
  • What day and time is the live feedback/review session?
    For this course, the feedback/Q&A session will be on Fridays between 10am - 12noon, GMT.
  • 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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