VFX 721 / Spring 2026 / Fowler

Project 3 – Procedural Motion and Mechanical Objects

Date Assigned:	Class 13
Image Due:	Class 14
Date Due:	Class 19
Final Render:	Class 20

Checklist

.hipnc (Scene File)
.pdf (Breakdown)
.jpg (Beauty Render)
.jpg (Side-by-Side Compare)
.mov or .mp4 (compressed)
reference/ (Folder with sources.pdf)
tex/ (Folder with textures)

Goals

To learn how to use procedural methods to model and animate geometry. Specifically, to use expressions and functions to generate motion that relates to real world objects. You should complete the assignment with a base knowledge of the use of sin, cos, noise, rand, smooth and abs functions. In addition, you should understand the use of logical operators and the use of the if function as well as use of the ch() function. You may use CHOPs but it is not required.

If you decide to use CHOPs with music it is imperative that it appears the music is controlling the motion and that the music selected is used with permission.

Requirements

It is suggested you use sin, cos, noise, abs, rand and if functions somewhere in the work.
The motion should be based on a mechanical object that displays cyclical motion. However, it must involve motion beyond just simple rotation.
The result should be roughly 10 seconds minimum.
The environments must represent and present the animated object well and all objects should be shaded and lit to a high aesthetic quality.
All aspects are to be completed in Houdini. (Nuke for compositing, Substance for textures allowed.)

Everything must be done in Houdini
(Nuke for compositing, Substance for textures allowed)

Considerations

Use a video as a reference for the motion or a storyboard with at least 6 drawings/sketches of your chosen object.

Good choices for the object could be: mechanical toys, old-style steam locomotives, wacky flying devices from the turn of the century, wind-up toys with several moving parts, robots from films, carousels, and so on.

Poor choices would include a mechanical object that is overly complex (hundreds of moving parts like a watch), or any mechanical object that is visually overly simplified like a car where no complex moving parts are visible.

See class notes for inspirational websites.

Submission Guidelines

The project will be submitted to your dropbox in a directory named:

S26_V721_P3_LastnameFirstname_Title/

The directory must contain the following files:

S26_V721_P3_LastnameFirstname_Title.hipnc
S26_V721_P3_LastnameFirstname_Title.pdf – Please include a general description to a viewer as well as a more technical description to a peer in your class. It is to serve as a breakdown. A visual breakdown would be a plus. See template on the class notes. Always cite your sources.
S26_V721_P3_LastnameFirstname_Title.mp4 — typically 10 seconds of animation, high-quality H.264 compression, 1920 × 1080 (or 720 × 405 during high renderfarm usage).
S26_V721_P3_LastnameFirstname_Title.jpg (or .png — no TIFs): rendered in high resolution (1920 × 1080). Other aspect ratios accepted. Render in EXR, convert using mplay.
S26_V721_P3_LastnameFirstname_Compare.jpg – a screenshot of your reference and your final render.

Expected Directory Structure:

S26_V721_P3_LastnameFirstname_Title/
├── S26_V721_P3_LastnameFirstname_Title.hipnc
├── S26_V721_P3_LastnameFirstname_Title.pdf
├── S26_V721_P3_LastnameFirstname_Title.mp4
├── S26_V721_P3_LastnameFirstname_Title.jpg
├── S26_V721_P3_LastnameFirstname_Compare.jpg
├── reference/
│   └── sources.pdf
└── tex/
    └── (your textures here)

Additional Required Files

reference/ – Reference, Reference, Reference. Images and a sources.pdf indicating primary references/influences for the project and the source of submitted reference images, including appropriate URLs. If you are using your own artwork, please scan it and place it in this directory.
tex/ – If your project includes file-based textures they should be included here. In your .hipnc file, ensure that paths are relative to the $HIP global variable (e.g., $HIP/tex/filename.jpg) and not absolute paths.

Grading

Producing a well-rounded portfolio piece is expected. Content such as lighting, composition, use of color, and most importantly, believable motion, will all contribute to the final quality of the piece and to the overall grade.

First priority is believable motion, appropriate level of modeling, and finally shading and lighting. See the specific rubric posted on the class website.