Recommended Hardware

• Desktop or Laptop: Laptops are portable but much less power and harder to do in camera VFX. Desktops are the best solution for Virtual Production.
• Operating Systems:  While you can use a Mac and Linux it is recommended to use a PC. If on a Mac Bootcamp will make more things work, but some additional problems can arise too.
• Hard Drive: Ideally nVME M.2 fast SSD. Especially needed to take advantage of Nanite in Unreal 5. Have your OS and programs installed to it. Also ideally your Unreal projects, especially if Nanite. 2gb recommended min. Ideally 4gb
• CPU: Intel i9 or AMD (Ryzen or my preference Threadripper)
• RAM: 32gb min. I like 128gb
• Graphics Card:  NVidia is king as of writing this, although AMD Ryzen cards work. Just try to use a more current card from within the last year. NVidia 20** series to be able to do real time Ray Tracing. Ideally a 3090, but these can be hard to find
• Virtual Camera: Vive Pro for Indie level VCam
• Puget Systems make great pre-built machines with a very reasonable turnaround time. We have a special discount for our students. Please inquire for details.

Struggling to get a machine in time?

• Consider a cloud virtual workstation!
  • AWS
    • AWS Workstation info 

    • AWS Marketplace easy link

    • AWS Activate Look into free credit
  • Azure
    • https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/data-center/virtual-workstation-cloud/
    • Look into free credit: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/free/

Testimonials from former students

Oscar Campos

"Great content by two amazing experts, Edd and Jackie. So much value, knowledge and warmth in this course for everyone out there that has the curiosity and means to dive into Unreal." 

Peter Bowles

"Taking this now and I highly recommend! If you want some teachers that are willing to put the time in to help you and genuinely want you to succeed, this is the right place."

Joshua Sikora

"Currently in this class and it has truly been a game-changing experience—Edd and Jackie are wonderful instructors, doing a remarkable job of introducing new users to Unreal, while simultaneously stretching and supporting more experienced artists. The project-based approach means that each person is getting to grow and be challenged in the course, and come out the other side with something to be proud of. I'm amazed by the work of everyone in the cohort and it's encouraged me to push harder and grow more while working on my own short film. All of that, plus some tremendous guest speakers and a great collaborative environment, have made this a very worthwhile and highly-recommended experience. Thanks, Edd and Jackie!"

Alec Birdman

"Great class! Tons of information for any level of experience with virtual production. Edd and Jackie both come with tons of knowledge and experience as CG filmmakers."

Josh Hayes

"I've been a storyboard artist for 25 years in traditional media so I was a bit intimidated by the 3d world but being able to ask Edd and Jackie questions and ask other classmates on the private Facebook group that they made was an amazing opportunity that they made and I found it invaluable." 

Sonia Seow

“In the two years of learning under Edd, I've not only garnered precious knowledge but also the skills and courage it takes to thrive, realize my potential and identify my strengths and weaknesses. He always made sure that strong fundamentals and basics came first and foremost which I couldn't agree more with as I am now able to breakdown, study and build complex scenes.  He'd always offer in-depth critique and feedback that challenged me to push further and out of my comfort zone allowing me to grow faster as an artist with a clearer, unbiased mindset. I'd also like to thank him for imparting his wisdom and encouragement with real life experiences to prepare me for the industry and its challenges.”    

Megha Lokuhapuaracchi

"Learning the fundamentals of Lighting from Ed was definitely an eye opening time for me. His in depth technical knowledge, and guidance changed my perspective on how to break down shots. It was a milestone in my journey of becoming a greater artist. I am extremely lucky to have had him as a teacher, and I wish I had met him earlier in my life”