Vancouver, BC – Vancouver Film School (VFS), has teamed up with Digital Domain, Inc. (and their software division D2 Software), Side Effects Software (the creators of the industry standard for special effects 3D animation software), and HP Canada to offer a one-of-a-kind, four-month training experience on the HOUDINI Master™ and NUKE™ software packages. The HOUDINI™ & NUKE™ Certification was developed specifically for digital artists looking to improve and upgrade their skill sets in response to growing industry demand.
“We always have our finger on the pulse of what the industry needs in the way of qualified people,” says Marty Hasselbach, Managing Director of VFS. “We are in a great position to react quickly to industry needs and that is exactly what we have done with this new program.”
“The need for qualified HOUDINI™ and NUKE™ artists throughout the industry, and particularly in our company, is at an all-time high,” says Rachelle Lewis, Recruitment Manager for Digital Domain, Inc. “Since we need so many artists and have consistently found a significant challenge in locating them, we decided to take matters into our own hands and find a way to train them quickly and effectively….and that’s where VFS came into the picture.”
In developing and delivering the HOUDINI Master™ and NUKE™ training, VFS brought in one of the most experienced trainers in the digital arena, Raymond Corbett. Prior to his recent return to Vancouver, Corbett was the Training Supervisor and Courseware Developer for Digital Domain, Inc and before that worked as Manager of Training and Educational Services at Side Effects Software in Toronto.
“Ray Corbett is well-respected as an artist and as an educator. He truly understands the needs of large studios and their production pipelines,” says Hasselbach. “This will ensure that graduates of the HOUDINI™ & NUKE™ Certification program will hit the ground running.”
The HOUDINI™ & NUKE™ program will run on state-of-the-art HP Workstations, including the new HP xw8200 series. There are now over 350 high-powered HP workstations at VFS. These Workstations provide an ideal environment for process-intensive applications such as graphic design, animation and editing.
“HP and the Vancouver Film School have had a collaborative relationship over the years,” said Maria Del-Rio Arbuckle, Product Manager, HP Canada. “Post-secondary institutions such as VFS play an important role in developing some of Canada’s leading visual effects and film animation professionals - which we are proud to support.”
The HOUDINI™ & NUKE™ Certification program at VFS was developed specifically for digital artists either with industry experience or who have completed the VFS 3D Animation & Visual Effects Program, VFS Digital Character Animation Program or an equivalent animation program from a comparable school. The program is 16 weeks long and 2006 start dates are: February 27, June 26 and October 23. For more information, please visit www.vfs.com, or call 604-685-5808, toll free in North America at 1-800-661-4101 or email admissions@vfs.com.
Founded in 1987, VFS offers a proven education for everything you see, hear, and experience in the entertainment industry. As a results-focused school VFS teaches the arts through the doing, with programs in Foundation Visual Art & Design, 3D Animation & Visual Effects, Acting for Film & Television, Classical Animation, Digital Character Animation, Digital Design, Entertainment Business Management, Film Production, Game Design, Makeup Design for Film & Television, Sound Design for Visual Media, and Writing for Film, TV & Interactive Media. Students develop direct relationships with the people, industries, and ideas shaping these disciplines, and discover the passion and experience needed to become working artists. Graduates work for top companies or elect entrepreneurial routes by starting their own studios.
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