Tutorial: Large-Scale Cinematic Destruction in Houdini
The Gnomon Workshop has released Large-Scale Cinematic Destruction in Houdini, a comprehensive guide to the procedural 3D software, recorded by VFX artist David Silberbauer.
The workshop, which is aimed at intermediate-level artists, provides over seven hours of video training in Houdini.
A comprehensive guide to procedural destruction workflows in Houdini
The workshop reveals how to build a fully scalable destruction shot – a boulder rolling down hill, destroying buildings – using professional procedural techniques.
Silberbauer begins by setting up the underlying terrain using height fields, then generates procedural 3D buildings to populate it.
He then reveals how to set up a fracturing system with custom constraints, how to set up a DOP Network to handle rigid body dynamics (RBD) destruction, and how to review RBD in SOPs.
From there, he explores how use POP (particle operator) networks to create debris, and how to manipulate the debris to use as a volume source.
The workshop is intended to encourage artists to think procedurally, helping them to build their own large-scale scenes suitable for VFX, animation or motion graphics work.
As well as the tutorial videos, viewers of the workshop can download a Houdini Apprentice file with a basic cinematic destruction set-up.
About the artist
David Silberbauer is a VFX artist at aniation facility Sunrise Animation Studios.
He previously worked at VFX studio BlackGinger on movies including Monster Hunter, Deep Blue Sea 2 and 3, Black Beauty and Escape Room, as well as commercials and cinematics.
Pricing and availability
Large-Scale Cinematic Destruction in Houdini is available via a subscription to The Gnomon Workshop, which provides access to over 300 tutorials.
Subscriptions cost $54/month or $499/year. Free trials are available.
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