V-Ray Cinematic Lighting Course (10 Weeks)

Course Duration: 10 Weeks
Mode: Online / Offline
Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Week 1: Introduction to Cinematic Lighting & V-Ray

• Understanding the fundamentals of cinematic lighting
• Overview of V-Ray and its interface in Maya/3ds Max
• Importance of light direction, contrast, and mood
• Exploring different types of V-Ray lights

Week 2: Essential Lighting Techniques

• Three-point lighting system in cinematics
• Key light, fill light, and rim light setup
• Understanding exposure and color temperature
• Working with V-Ray Rect Lights and Sphere Lights

Week 3: Realistic Light Behavior & Shadows

• Understanding light decay and falloff
• Soft vs. hard shadows for realistic depth
• Adjusting shadow properties in V-Ray
• Creating dramatic lighting using negative fill

Week 4: Cinematic Mood & Atmosphere

• Creating different moods (warm, cool, high contrast)
• Using fog and volumetric lighting for depth
• Nighttime and golden hour lighting setups
• Using Gobos and Light Textures for storytelling

Week 5: Photographic Approach to Lighting

• Understanding real-world cinematography techniques
• Using camera exposure settings in V-Ray
• Depth of field (DOF) and motion blur for realism
• Understanding Filmic Tone Mapping and LUTs

Week 6: Interior & Exterior Lighting for Films

• Natural lighting for indoor cinematic shots
• Simulating sunlight, moonlight, and artificial lights
• Balancing interior and exterior exposure
• Using V-Ray LightMix for dynamic lighting variations

Week 7: Character & Portrait Lighting in V-Ray

• Lighting setups for hero shots and close-ups
• Skin shading and SSS (Subsurface Scattering) in V-Ray
• Creating soft and diffused beauty lighting
• Enhancing facial details with rim and bounce light

Week 8: Advanced V-Ray Rendering & Optimization

• Using V-Ray Frame Buffer for post-processing
• Optimizing light samples for noise-free renders
• Understanding light path expressions (LPE)
• Improving render speed while maintaining quality

Week 9: V-Ray Compositing & Post-Production

• AOVs (Render Passes) for compositing
• Multi-light rendering for flexible adjustments
• Integrating renders into Nuke/Photoshop for final look
• Adding film grain and cinematic color grading

Week 10: Final Cinematic Shot & Portfolio Presentation

• Lighting a full cinematic shot from scratch
• Applying storytelling through light and shadow
• Rendering and compositing the final image
• Portfolio tips for film and CG industry professionals