od[force]: Since we talk about "technical reasons", what do you feel as being a major problem when it comes to Houdini? In what kind of situation would you rather NOT use Houdini? I'm speaking about technical stuff, not user availability.
Andy Boyd: Hmm, I think I would always rather use Houdini.

od[force]: :D
od[force]: Do you use H9 in production? What's your opinion about it? What do you like, what do you dislike?
Andy Boyd: Yes I have been using H9 for 6 months now. I love the new Mantra 9, can't think of anything I don't like - I know that most things I don't like are currently bring improved, like better example files

od[force]: Have you used fluids in production?
Andy Boyd: Yes, we are doing some 3D chocolate. Yummy! I have used it on other jobs too, one for Hummer.

od[force]: what do you think about them, compared with already established solutions like Real Flow?
Andy Boyd: Well there are 2 solutions for fluids. There is the particle fluid solver (like Real Flow) and there is the container/gas type solvers. I don't think the particle solver is better than Real Flow, it's just much nicer to have it in the package - keeping it all procedural. The container fluids is much better than Maya's. However unless you are a DOPs king you will be using the new shelves in H9 get you going. In version H8 it would take me 2 hours to set simple DOP networks now it takes 1 click!

od[force]: What difficulties have you encountered when using fluids for the Hummer spot?
Andy Boyd: It was hard was to create a feeling of scale. When you don't need a glass of water splashing and you need a swimming pool of water - thats when things get tricky! I used a combo of particle fluids and normal particles all surfaced with the new particle fluid surfacer SOP.