Checklist
- ☐
.hipnc
- ☐
.jpg beauty shot (1920 × 1080)
- ☐
.mp4 — 5–10 seconds, 1920 × 1080,
H.264
- ☐
.txt — containing link to breakdown
website (blog)
- ☐ Blog — progress presented in dailies format (mandatory,
10% of grade)
Goals
To explore techniques discussed during the quarter and produce
a well-rounded portfolio piece. This project requires a blog
documenting your progress, which counts for 10% of the total 35%
project grade.
Requirements
The specifications are purposefully broad to allow you to
explore Houdini in the manner you are most interested in.
- Shot length: 5–10 seconds (longer shots
require pre-approval).
- Resolution: 1920 × 1080 pixels (or the
maximum size reasonable to produce if rendering toward the end
of the quarter).
- Present progress in dailies / blog format
the class before the due date — this is mandatory and counts
toward your final grade.
- Your project must include at least one of
the following: pyro, fluid,
or crowds.
- You will produce a visual technical breakdown
for the shot.
- Integration with a background plate is optional but
encouraged only if you have those skills.
These are the minimum requirements.
Optional choice is pending professor approval.
Considerations
Use your time management skills wisely. Examples of projects
will be discussed in class.
You are not required to work in groups, but this is an option
if you have a plan — group work must be pre-approved.
Submission Guidelines
Submit a directory named:
F26_V428_P_LastnameFirstname_Title/
F26_V428_P_LastnameFirstname_Title/
├── F26_V428_P_LastnameFirstname_Title.hipnc
├── F26_V428_P_LastnameFirstname_Title.pdf (or link to breakdown website)
├── F26_V428_P_LastnameFirstname_Title.jpg
└── F26_V428_P_LastnameFirstname_Title.mp4
This directory must contain:
- F26_V428_P_LastnameFirstname_Title.hipnc
- F26_V428_P_LastnameFirstname_Title.pdf
— technical breakdown, or a link to a website where the
breakdown exists. References must be included.
- F26_V428_P_LastnameFirstname_Title.jpg
— beauty shot, high resolution 1920 × 1080.
Note:
always render to EXR; convert to JPG/PNG using mplay,
Photoshop, or IrfanView.
- F26_V428_P_LastnameFirstname_Title.mp4
— approximately 5–10 seconds of animation, high-quality H.264
compression, 1920 × 1080 pixels. Any file > 1 GB will not
be accepted. Use Handbrake (free, Windows) with H264x codec.
No spaces in filenames! Strict
adherence to these naming conventions is required and is
reflected in the grading.
Failure to comply with naming conventions will also affect your
professionalism grade.
Grading
Producing a well-rounded portfolio piece is important. The
project will be judged on completion, complexity,
organization and clarity, proposal,
and presentation. A well-executed simpler
project is preferred over an incomplete complex one. See Rubric.
What Professor Fowler is looking for:
- Does your shot include pyro, fluid, or crowds as required?
- Have you presented consistent progress through the
blog/dailies?
- Is the technical breakdown clear and well-referenced?
- Is the shot complete and polished within the allotted time?
Pushing further — what moves a grade into the "A"
range:
- Evidence of exploration well beyond what was covered in
class.
- Consistently presenting progress during dailies.
- Exceptional complexity of effects.
- Exceptional technical breakdown.
- Exceptional look development (lighting, texturing, and
rendering).
- Integration with a photographic background plate.