Welcome to "Old School". The Technical Director's Workshop where you can come to learn about becoming a better Houdini TD. My name is Jeff Wagner and I will be hosting this blog and introducing you to concepts and techniques essential for working in production with Houdini.

I have been a part of the Side Effects Support department for over eleven plus years supporting first PRISMS and then Houdini. That's an eternity in this industry. I have accumulated a vast amount of Houdini tips, tricks and methods over those years. I have seen the CG industry grow tremendously yet it still amazes me that it is the simple old school techniques that remain timeless and ever useful. This blog is where I get to share that knowledge and help you solve problems long before they become problems.

This blog is being written to improve the skills of technical directors and artists that wish to explore the more technical aspects of Computer Graphics. Bringing together the art and technique of Computer Graphics is the responsibility of every TD and Houdini's procedural architecture offers the best tools for achieving this goal. Houdini lets you take your art to the next level while managing data in a clean flexible way. It is one of those rare pieces of software that melds art and technology to give you the perfect TD's playground.

What really motivates me is all the Houdini users I have met over the years and all the new Houdini users eager to learn. The most rewarding part of my job is helping people discover what Side Effects and Houdini are all about and to see their reaction when they discover how much Houdini will help them work better and create faster. It's that same feeling I remember from when I first got the training wheels off my bike or my first solo ride on a motorcycle. Freedom! Houdini gives you freedom. Freedom to explore your art without the usual constraints. It all about your next fantastic idea and fleshing out new ways to solve old problems.

Of course I am starting to sound like a Houdini brochure which is not my goal. Starting with my next blog entry the gloves will be off as I expose you to the nuts and bolts of working with computer graphics. I will be using video, sample files and whatever media is appropriate to teach you all about Houdini's more technical underbelly and how it will help you creatively.

It is a great time to be in the CG industry!