SideFX has released the recordings of the HIVE (conference) portion of its recent event Houdini Equinox 2025. These sessions were originally delivered live in Toronto 23–25 September 2025, and now the “HIVE presentations” can be accessed online in one convient YouTube Playlist.
The first block covers topics such as the new version of the software (Houdini 21) including new RBD nodes for vehicle-destruction workflows (for example “RBD Car Fracture SOP”, “RBD Car Transform SOP”). The sessions also include creature animation and CFX tools (for example grooming/fur/feather pipelines used in major productions), along with machine-learning workflows inside the software (e.g., a volume up-resolution case study). Additionally, there are studio case-studies showing how a studio used Houdini for large-scale cinematic sequences and trailers.
The second block notes that the recordings represent only the presentation portion of the event (the HIVE presentations). The hands-on “IGNITE” workshops were not recorded publicly. Because some sessions review brand-new features and studio workflows, you’ll still want to test any new tool or workflow in your pipeline before adopting it in production.
The third block explains why this matters for professionals working in post-production, VFX, CGI, game cinematics or realtime content. Access to studio-level workflows means you can see how other teams are architecting pipelines with Houdini, especially for areas like destruction, crowds, grooming, character CFX. The inclusion of Houdini 21’s new features gives insight into whether you should evaluate an upgrade. Even if you don’t adopt all features immediately, the sessions act as benchmarks: you can compare your current toolset or workflow against what’s being used in major productions, and identify gaps.
Welcome to Equinox | Keynote
The Making of “Rocket Boys”: Creating a Full Animated Scene in Houdini 21
GoT: War for Westeros
The Great Migration: A Studio’s Leap into Houdini
Dreaming in Fur and Feathers: Crafting the Creatures of The Sandman
COP Pyro: Rethinking Smoke Simulations
A Look Under The Hood(ini) at NAS’s Assets Pipeline
Ragdolls: Not The Cats
How to Tear a Building in half from the Inside Out
From Desktop to Cloud: Houdini with Aurora on AWS
Missiles, Mayhem, and Explosions: FX Work on Twisted Metal S2
COPs replied: Go cliff yourself!
How to get your Monster Shredded (or not)
Project Violet: KineFX + MetaHumans in Production
Houdini ComfyUI Bridge: a CG-AI toolkit
P.S. This is your editorial reminder that it is just one more month until christmas, in case you missed it. Get your excuses in early to avoid ecoming the IT-support for your relatives.
