In partnership with 3D World magazine and The Pixel Farm, Side Effects Software is pleased to announce the 2009 Apprentice Challenge. This year the challenge is to use Houdini Apprentice (available for free) to add CG elements to one of two live action shots to create either the Most Realistic or the Most Entertaining entry.

The image sequences and Houdini scene files with tracked cameras are made available once you have registered. You must then add CG to your chosen shot and post the results to the 2009 Apprentice Challenge YouTube group by May 1, 2009. Popularity on YouTube will play a role in choosing a winner in each of the two categories who will win a copy of Houdini Master and PFTrack.

Check out the latest issue of 3D World for contest info or visit www.sidefx.com/contest to get started right away!

Robert

cool…looks great!

does the houdini file with the tracked camera have any of the tracking points? nulls etc?
or is it just the camera?

The locators were removed and some stand-in geometry has been put in place for both shots to help anchor your effects.

thanks for the info.

Great challenge ….


Rob

Awesome competition, is there any place to view low rez clips of the two scenes?

Thanks

Hi

this contest is awesome, and I got so much ideas, can I post with both options?

or more than one entry?

thanks

…is there a way to download the file without going though the registration again?

- Rasmus Linck

qral
…is there a way to download the file without going though the registration again?

- Rasmus Linck

The files should be in an email that gets sent to you. mine was.

… I have not yet recieved a mail? :?

qral
… I have not yet recieved a mail? :?

Did you register on the 3D world site or the Side Effects site? We have registration on both and I want to find out where things may have gone wrong. Has anyone else not received an email and if not then which site did you register with?

fede
Awesome competition, is there any place to view low rez clips of the two scenes?

The two live action shots are now available in the YouTube group in case you want to start thinking up some ideas before downloading files:

http://www.youtube.com/group/3dworldchallenge [youtube.com]

Robert

I registered at 3D world…

Try registering on the http://www.sidefx.com/contest [sidefx.com] page in the upper right. This should get you the download info by email.

The 3D World registration brings up a page with download info right after you press the register button. I don't think you get a followup email using this method.

Robert

varomix
Hi

this contest is awesome, and I got so much ideas, can I post with both options?

or more than one entry?

thanks

so I got ignored,

just kidding

again, can I?

I registered and got a confirmation screen which had the download info so I downloaded from there. I never did recieve an email though.

varomix

varomix
can I post with both options?

“Entries must be submitted by an individual (not via any agency or similar) and, unless otherwise stated, are limited to one per household.”

This is from the terms and conditions which are available on the 3D World site at the bottom of the rules page:

https://www.futurecompetitions.com/TDW114houdini/Default.asp? [futurecompetitions.com]

I'm not sure if I'm just being dumb here but I want to make sure,

(a) Models can be imported from other packages but the final animation and rendering must be completed in Houdini.

Does the above clause mean even the compositing must be done in Houdini or can it be done in an external app, just clarifying.

fede:

3d World Rules

(a) Models can be imported from other packages but the final animation and rendering must be completed in Houdini.

Also this might be a good time to learn COP's if you havent yet. However extra clarification to let us know if we can do things like replace the sky ect, if your storyboard requires it would be nice. I assume as long as the focal piece is clearly identifiable as the supplied footage things would be ok.

However this suggests we can ONLY add 3d elements to the scene.

Posted By rmagee

to add CG elements to one of two live action shots to create either the Most Realistic or the Most Entertaining entry.

fede
Does the above clause mean even the compositing must be done in Houdini or can it be done in an external app, just clarifying.

Compositing can be done in another app but if you are using the free Houdini Apprentice then the watermark may get in your way. If you render in the free version to Houdini's .picnc format then you don't get a watermark on renderings and can composite them in Houdini without the mark. Only when you export to another format (quicktime etc…) will it get the watermark.

ragupasta
I assume as long as the focal piece is clearly identifiable as the supplied footage things would be ok.

Tinkering with the background or the sound clip are OK as long as Houdini is used to create and animate the main character/effect. Modeling outside Houdini is being allowed in case you want to work with a model you already have ready and want to put more focus on the idea.

Hi,

I also had trouble, I registered and didn't receive an email when I tried to re-register I got a message telling me that my email address was already in use so I would have to enter another one. I registered with another email address and downloaded the files but have not received any conformation email for either address.

This challenge looks great. Best of luck to all.