Get Allan McKay’s free 15-hour The Shores VFX course

VFX supervisor Allan McKay has released The Shores: a free ten-part training course intended to show viewers how to create a production-quality visual effects shot from start to finish.

The course, which comprises 15 hours of video training, explores how to recreate a shot of a missile strike on a high-rise building, including the explosion, smoke, debris, and the building partially collapsing.

Destruction dynamics are simulated in 3ds Max and tyFlow, Tyson Ibele’s popular particle simulation add-on, currently in free open beta, with smoke and fire simulated in Chaos Group’s Phoenix FD.

Free downloadable assets, including the 3D model, HDRIs and source footage
As well as video training, the course includes all of the assets required to recreate the shot, including the 3D model of the building, which is based on a real apartment complex in Los Angeles.

Other assets include LIDAR scans, HDRIs, HD footage shot on a RED Weapon camera, and roto mattes.

As well as the simulation work, the videos explore how to light, shade and composite the shot, with the latter section covering Nuke, Fusion and After Effects.

Availability
Allan McKay’s The Shores training course is available free via the link below. To access the files, you’ll need to register on McKay’s site.

Register for Allan McKay’s free The Shores VFX training course