VFX Set Extensions [CGMA, Paul McWilliams]
- Publisher
- CGMA
- Product Type
- Video Course
- Author
- Paul McWilliams
- Language
- English
- Duration
- 32:35
- Release date
- Oct 1, 2021
- Skill level
- Project Files
- Yes
- Product Price
- $699
An 8-week production-focused course on creating professional visual effects set extensions for film and television.
This course provides an in-depth exploration of the techniques and workflows used to create digital set extensions in modern visual effects production. Students will learn how to combine 3D environment creation, digital matte painting, lighting, rendering, and compositing to seamlessly extend real-world footage.
Designed for aspiring Environment Artists, Lighting Artists, and 3D Generalists, the course follows a real production scenario in which students create a digital extension of an abandoned nuclear power station integrated into live-action drone footage. Throughout the process, students will gain practical experience with industry-standard tools and workflows while developing a deeper understanding of the visual effects pipeline.
Topics include layout, modeling, UV mapping, texturing, look development, VFX lighting, digital matte painting (DMP), projection workflows, rendering, and compositing. By the end of the course, students will have completed a production-quality set extension suitable for a professional portfolio.
Workload: Approximately 10–15 hours per week, including lectures, weekly Q&A sessions, and assignments.
Prerequisites
- Basic working knowledge of Autodesk Maya and Adobe Photoshop
- Recommended prior study:
- Introduction to Production Modeling
- Hard Surface Modeling for Film
- Lighting & Shading for Film
Required Software
- Autodesk Maya
- Arnold Renderer
- The Foundry Mari
- The Foundry Nuke
- Adobe Photoshop
Course Outline
Week 0 - Project Planning & Preparation
Students are introduced to the production brief and begin planning their project. Topics include reference gathering, model planning, workflow preparation, and introductory refreshers for Photoshop, Maya, and Mari.Week 1 - Image-Based Modeling & Layout
Learn to use match-moved camera data to build accurate environments. Students will create the initial layout using image-based modeling techniques, camera projections, and production-oriented workflows.Week 2 - Modeling Development & Final Layout
Expand the environment with additional modeling detail while exploring level-of-detail strategies, asset workflows, UV planning, deformation techniques, and preliminary lighting setup.Week 3 - UV Mapping & Subdivision Workflow
A comprehensive look at professional UV workflows, including UV Toolkit usage, UDIM layouts, UV reuse strategies, and subdivision surface preparation for production assets.Week 4 - Texturing with Mari
Introduction to Mari's projection-based painting workflow. Students will learn procedural texturing techniques, layer management, masking workflows, and the creation of realistic surface materials.Week 5 - Look Development & Material Creation
Focus on developing the visual appearance of the environment through lighting tests, material creation, HDR-based workflows, displacement, bump mapping, and shader refinement.Week 6 - Advanced Lighting & Rendering
A detailed exploration of VFX lighting techniques, including matching photographic plates, exposure balancing, shadow integration, HDR workflows, color management, and optimized Arnold rendering pipelines.Week 7 - Digital Matte Painting & Projection
Students will learn the fundamentals of digital matte painting, including color, scale, perspective, and lighting consistency. The course introduces projection workflows and shot integration using Nuke.Week 8 - Compositing & Final Integration
The final stage focuses on compositing rendered passes, integrating matte paintings and projections, balancing lighting and color, and producing a polished, production-quality final shot.What You'll Learn
By the end of the course, students will be able to:- Create production-ready 3D environments for visual effects
- Use image-based modeling techniques with match-moved camera data
- Build efficient UV layouts and subdivision-ready assets
- Texture and paint assets using Mari
- Develop realistic materials and shaders
- Light environments using professional VFX workflows
- Create and integrate digital matte paintings
- Use projection techniques within Nuke
- Composite render passes and AOVs into final shots
- Understand industry-standard VFX pipelines and production practices
Instructor
Paul McWilliams
Paul McWilliams is an Environment Generalist and Lighting Artist with extensive experience in feature film visual effects. His credits include work on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and the Academy Award-winning Inception.Throughout his career, Paul has worked at leading VFX studios including DNEG and MPC, contributing to large-scale film productions as both an artist and technical specialist. In addition to his production experience, he has held educational leadership roles as a Learning Lead at Technicolor Academy and as an instructor at the National Film and Television School (NFTS) in England.
Paul is also a qualified educator, holding a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) from University College London, and brings a strong combination of industry expertise and teaching experience to the classroom.
