mseymour7

UPDATE: This is response to a post that has since been removed by CMI ***********************************************************


Well John and I discussed if we should respond - and I guess we decided to

1. Yes, I personally have bought dvd's from CMI. But we also got training materials from each major DVD training outfit we could find. We paid to survey the market, we did not hid who we were, we openly looked for best practice in the field and then built on what we thought was good and we openly work with some of those companies we respected, companies such as PXC, CGChannel, AWN, VFXworld etc.

2. We have never knowingly copied any training, I am sure we have touched on tips that others have touched on, I would not for a second assume we were able to ONLY publish tips and training no one else had ever thought of.

3. As for the idea we are rich enthusiasts - well our team is either working now or have recently worked at top facilities all over the world, from ILM to DD to Hydraulx. I myself was nominated for an Emmy last year and won an AFI last year and was nominated again this year - for a film we worked on in fxphd ! Our client list in pretty strong, GM, ESPN, Toyota, etc etc . It is not to say I am anything special just I have a load of industry experience as have all our crew. I have no idea about the credits of the CMI guys - I am sure they have experience too.

4. I love this concept of us riding on the coat tails of cmi. fxphd was the first fully certified Online Autodesk training center and the first online Apple authorized training centers. Did I mention fxguide started in 1999? Come on please.

Look this is a pointless he said, we said. I am sorry cmi is upset with us. Personally I wish he'd just email us directly if he has issues.

To be honest I first used Sidefx in 1999 when I was at Picture Start Productions doing Channel Nine Idents. It was great. We love Houdini - we have not found the right instructor yet , but that is just how things played out for us.

I am proud of the team at fxphd, and I am proud of positively contributing to the industry both with fxguide and fxphd. Is it perfect for everyone ? I doubt it, but hey it is a big world - and a big internet, I think choice is good. We have hundred of happy members right now, I will leave it to them to express their opinions positively or negatively, but creatively we just enjoy doing this and love the industry. VFX just has great people in it, who work hard and do amazing stuff. We're just happy to be a part of it.


Mike
(on behalf of the fxphd crew)

PS sorry to waste Houdini Forum bandwidth