Brief Introduction Welcome to the highly anticipate "HIP Tricks" video set, created by CMIVFX and Varomix. A partnership like no other, this joint venture shows the true comradery that is a true CG pipeline. There is a reason that cmiVFX stands alone in the high end market…. IT'S NOT EASY TO DO! However true, we take pride in our sadistic need to provide the latest and greatest training in our industry so that digital entertainers can tell their story. We will work with ANYONE that has something fantastic to offer… wether it is a student half way around the world, or another training company that wants to work with us on a video title. We will always pull together with the right people to make the best training the world has to offer. Expect great things… ALWAYS! A Hip Autopsy In this first volume you will learn how to dissect any Houdini Hip scene, and figure out how that scene is put together. This is great for exploring sample scenes, other artists scenes to assist you in the creation of your own. We will also go over some tips to make your projects more solid and show you were you can get help from the great Houdini Artist Community. Feather Tool For this chapter set we will build a hero feather system used for close-up shots. This tool will give the artist total control using Houdini's ramp widgets so that it makes for a great user experience. In the process we'll learn how to map ramp parameters to control parameters of our tool. Earthquake and Fischer Cracks. In this section we will create a multi-purpose ground cracking tool, putting special attention on making it easily modifiable, and in realtime. The art of making it solid and getting predictable result, doesn't mean that its simple. The final result is a very high end production ready tool that can be used in many scenarios. This chapter alone is work the price of the entire volume set. Alvaro Castaneda Alvaro Castaneda, best known as "Varomix" is a 33 years old CG Generalist TD. He lost a little of his self back in 1993 at a Jurassic Park screening, and that totally changed his life. Toy Story finished the job in 1995 - there was no turning back!. He started his way in 3D back in 1998, first using 3ds Max, then Cinema4D and finally in 1999, I met Maya 2.0. Since then I've done CGI for print, web, TV, Film, DVD, I guess anything that has pixels in it!. He started using Houdini in 2002 shortly after Side Effects launched the Houdini Apprentice Program. He had also done on-set VFX Supervision and DOP Assisting. He'll soon move to Toronto to continue his career as a Houdini Generalist.