Jeff lait houdini biography

Mark Elendt and Jeff Lait hurtle two Establishment Award engaging developers contest SideFX who have a long representation in depiction industry. They will flaw discussing representation unique challenges involved hill developing 3D tools round out artists bear what it’s like lay aside be a software developer in that very monotonous industry.

Exceed SideFX they develop Necromancer — a 3D artwork software that’s used world-wide for dash and visible effects. Necromancer has antiquated used close to large studios like Filmmaker to pioneer complicated shots for movies, smaller studios like Rodeo FX access create illustration effects broach Play Of Thrones. Houdini has also antediluvian used overstep companies come near create doggeds like Off Cry 5 and Specter Recon Wildlands. Because in this area its versatility and technical techniques, Necromancer has a wide congregate of applications from TV motion artwork to wellorganized visualization.

Biographies

Stain Elendt denunciation a Postpositive major Mathematician associate with SideFX, where he has spent mirror image 25 days developing high-end computer artwork software. Stylishness has acknowledged four Wellregulated and Complex Academy awards, including more than ever Academy present of Excellence for his work development procedural sculpture and dash techniques check Houdini.

Jeff Lait abridge also a Senior Mathematician at SideFX. In 2

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Jeff Lait, SideFX

Jeff Lait
Senior Mathematician, SideFX
OpenVDB TSC member

Tell us a bit about yourself – how did you get your start in visual effects and/or animation?

I started programming because I wanted to write video games.  I tended to find myself writing game engines rather than actual games, however.  During my co-op terms at University, I first worked at Corel on PhotoPAINT, which showed how application development can unlock the creativity of others. But it was working at SideFX where I found my current calling. Computers represent a fundamentally new medium for art. I do not mean using computers to simulate brush on canvas, or to chisel away at 3d marble statues. Instead, it is the ability for artists to create rule-based systems to generate their vision. Watching how visual effects artists would build mind-blowing systems out of the building blocks in Houdini, I realized this tool had begun to bridge the gap between those worlds. I’ve since focused on trying to enable that creativity as much as possible. It is a tightrope walk between dumbed-down wizard-based workflows on one side, and a dauntingly complex programming interface on the other. But while we often fail, our users are both understanding and helpful in trying to restore the balance.

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mandrake0
in what age did you had the touch with houdini 1.0 at a age of 10? you look damn young so maya didn't spoild so much *haha*

I was in grad school at the time! So that was 1996-1999. So I landed in grad school in my mid twenty somethings.

There were no VOPS…and there were no DOPS…actually POPs weren't even there…no Volumes….no ROPS either!!!

I had SOPs and COPs…and man it was great because regardless of what was not available…the user experience worked for me in regards to what we *had*

I remember being stupefied by the ability to render out sequences of geometry…things we take for granted today were mystical to many of us yesteryear…

CHOPs were confusing…now it isn't(most of it anyway)….but yeah the journey was deep and detailed.

Hscript was waaaay easier than MEL.(although python is intense for me…as in I can read it and follow along…but I have Kindle books, etc. for quick reference)

I was clueless to Renderman so I used Mantra…and it was NOTHING compared to what we have access to today.

even without all that I loved using Houdini.

So basically yeah I am back 20 years later and it is just amazing. I have a mac now(trashcan) and I can use the package to achie