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BA (Hons) Visual Effects

UCAS CODE: VEF1 (Full-time) or VEF4 (Foundation Year)

TARIFF: 88 - 112 (Full-time) or 32 - 56 (Foundation Year)

Overview
Course Details
Entry Requirements
Modules
Fees
Employability
Teaching Team

Study Mode: Full Time
Location: High Wycombe / BNU based at Pinewood Studios
Duration: Three or Four Years
Start Date: September 2023

You can also study this course:

Online

Visual Effects (VFX) is a continually evolving and exciting subject that is applied in many different areas of the industry, including film, television, games and commercials. With a focus on professional practice, this course gives you the opportunity to use industry standard software and develop fundamental skills required for employment opportunities in the VFX industry by creating a strong portfolio of work to display your talent.

Split between our High Wycombe campus and BNU teaching base at Pinewood Studios, you’ll have the opportunity to learn the skills and knowledge you need for your future, all whilst studying right in the heart of the famous creative hub.

"My favourite part of the course was that I could tailor it to my interests and goals. It gave me the opportunity to see the pipeline on creating 3D models. The support and vision that I got from all tutors was incredible. Now I feel confident about my new roles in the industry as an artist."

Tiago Laureano

Why study this subject?

Whether it is 3D, FX techniques or digital sculpting, a skilled Visual Effects artist can create the illusion of real life. In this industry all roles call for high levels of creativity and passion for storytelling. Your skills will be valuable in any Visual Effects role, including but not limited to:

Commercials
Films
Games
Architectural Visualisation

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?

At Buckinghamshire New University we focus on preparing you for work in the industry, helping you to stand out to employers when you graduate. With the right teaching and learning opportunities, it’s possible to turn your passion for animation into a rewarding and successful career.

Led by our enthusiastic and dedicated team of industry-savvy practitioners and experienced academics, you will have the freedom to explore all areas of visual effects. During your time with us you may also get access to guest lectures and can benefit from live project briefs, masterclasses and plenty of networking opportunities.

This course is also offered as a four-year programme, including an initial Foundation Year. The Foundation Year will allow you to develop your academic study skills and build confidence in your abilities, identifying your own strengths and development needs for progression onto an undergraduate programme.

BNU have been collaborating with Final Pixel Academy to train our staff and students in the technology and workflows required for virtual production. In January 2023, our final year BA Animation, BA VFX and BA 3D Game Art students worked with Final Pixel to learn about virtual production at our High Wycombe campus using Final Pixel’s portable LED wall. Here is a film showing how our students collaborated with Final Pixel.

I really loved the supportive staff and the ability to be so creative with our work. We were able to make things that interest us and make things our own.

Madelaine Kendall-Murray

On this dynamic course you’ll have access to all the industry-standard equipment you need to bring your ideas to life, such as a VR lab and state or the art face capture kit and X-sens suits. You could also study at our BNU teaching base at Pinewood Studios. Here you’ll have the opportunity to learn the skills and knowledge you need for your future, all whilst studying right in the heart of the famous creative hub.

Our Small group sizes enable staff and students to work together as a friendly and collaborative community of learners. It also means you’ll benefit from more one to one support with your lecturer.

Our Animation, 3D Game Art and Visual Effects courses share a common first year, giving you the opportunity to choose your specialism for your future career after your experience of the core curriculum in year one. Rather than having to make your big career decision before you join us, we introduce you to various specialisms and offer you the flexibility to choose the pathway which leads to your chosen career.

With London only a short journey away, you can take the opportunity to visit some of the world’s best exhibitions, galleries, museums and conventions for inspiration.

What facilities can I use?

We’ve made sure you have access to industry-standard equipment. Our labs give you access to;

Maya
Nuke
Adobe Creative Cloud
Substance
Renderman
ZBrush.

Most of our 3D animation is currently done in Maya. To combine live TV with computer graphics you will use VizRT. For modelling you’ll use ZBrush, Marvellous Designer and a range of other pieces of software commonly used in industry. We review the list every year.

We have the latest equipment used in many films, TV shows and commercials. A motion capture studio, renderfarm, and even VR facilities for this increasingly important area in delivery and development. You’ll have access to a stop motion studio and up-to-date camera equipment.

Whilst studying with us you will also use our AppsAnywhere web service, which provides access to many of the software applications you use for learning and studying. AppsAnywhere can be used from your own device or from a University owned PC or laptop, from any location. You’ll also be able to remotely access our VDI, which is a powerful computer that will give you access to both sufficiently powered hardware and the software relevant to the course.

This video was our first experiment with our new Xsens motion capture suits. With the help of dancers from BNU’s BA Dance and Performance course, we motion captured a routine on the concourse running though the university and replaced one of the dancers with a version of the Lonely Robot and comped this back into the footage. We also have state of the art Faceware kits for face motion capture.

In your final year you will also study in our ASUS ProArt lab which is designed to help you deliver your very best work. The lab features Scan 3XS workstations and a range of high performance display monitors from the Asus ProArt range. These provide excellent colour grading to help you produce colour accurate work for your final projects and showreel.

You’ll also be invited to join additional online groups where you will be able to meet the other students taking our animation, visual effects, game art and visualisation courses, both MA and BA, online and attendance. These help to foster a sense of community and are also places where extra-curricular collaborative projects, such as game jams, take place. You will also be able to meet our alumni in these broader forums. All forums are moderated by the lecturers.

Group of students working together at BNU based at Pinewood Studios

Equipment at BNU based at Pinewood Studios

Students attending a lecture at BNU based at Pinewood Studios

Teaching space at BNU based at Pinewood Studios

Male student wearing headphones while working at BNU based at Pinewood Studios

Equipment at BNU based at Pinewood Studios

Teaching space at BNU based at Pinewood Studios

What will I study?

We’ve structured the course to build up your skills during your time with us and you’ll learn everything you need to know to be career-ready upon graduation. Starting with the fundamentals, we’ll help you develop CGI and animation skills to a professional level, and cover everything you’ll need to create realistic scenes and believable, engaging characters.

You’ll use 3D modelling to create objects and characters and learn about the pipeline of a professional project. Throughout your degree, you’ll learn how to integrate your objects and characters into existing footage to create stunning scenes, which could even include destruction simulation You’ll also learn how to build an organic character using industry standard sculpting and character FX techniques.

Opportunity modules are a key part of the BNU curriculum. You'll choose modules in both your first and second year from a broad selection in areas such as sustainability, entrepreneurship, creativity, digital skills, personal growth, civic engagement, health & wellbeing and employment. Opportunity modules are designed to enable you to develop outside the traditional boundaries of your discipline and help you to further stand out from the crowd to future employers.

By your final year, you’ll have found the specialism you want to focus on in the industry. Your projects will give you the opportunity to hone your skills, work in realistic industry scenarios and have opportunities to collaborate with students on other creative courses at the University.

A white sculpture of a dragons skull against a black background

An old fashioned black and gold typewriter against a grey background

How will I be taught and assessed?

Our BNU teaching team are industry-professionals, with years of experience working in the sector and training future generations of talented digital artists. Through their support and the course, you’ll gain the skills and knowledge you need within the industry. You’ll also have the opportunity to work with guest lecturers, take part in a range of workshops and work on a load of live briefs. With the busy nature of the studios, and London being so close, there will be a constant flow of talented animators for you to learn from.

You’ll spend time learning and practicing the skills required by each unit before undertaking summative assessments the form of projects which will enable you to apply and combine their newfound skills together in a meaningful way while tackling tasks commonly found in the industry.

Classes will take place in appropriate computer labs which are equipped with advanced computers and will allow you to explore the subject to the standard that a junior professional will be able to achieve. You’ll attend classes each week with a lecturer present and during these sessions you will have the opportunity to ask questions and get real time responses and feedback from both lecturers and other learners. Normally these will begin with a group seminar or demonstration and then break into 1:1s where you will have the opportunity to discuss your individual progress directly with your lecturer. Sometimes these seminars will be used for presentations and review in a manner that mimics the dailies process in industry.

In addition to this there will be video based lecture content that will be focused on the demonstration of essential skills and clarification and expansion of key concepts and techniques. This will be facilitated via our online learning platform, where you will be able to access sets of recorded lectures which will each be on average 10 minutes long.

Other learning techniques that will be employed appropriately to the situation include:

Demonstrations for new techniques
Group work
Video feedback
Peer review
Use of books, magazines, video and online resources
Research methods

You will be regularly set formative tasks related to the weekly content or be working towards their own project objective as agreed with the lecturers. This will enable you to apply your learning in new contexts. You will also be able to submit your work for asynchronous formative review from the lecturer which will be delivered as a video commentary on your work.

You will also be expected to join a closed online group where you will be able to discuss the work and ask questions throughout the week. It is expected that both lecturers and students will contribute and answer questions. This will also be a place for you to post your work for peer discussion and review.

Assessments will be largely practical coursework along with critical analysis and evaluation which will come mainly in the form of essays and presentations. The practical elements will mimic the kind of work that junior artists will carry out in industry, as far as reasonably practicable.

BA (Hons) Visual Effects Programme Specification

What are the course entry requirements?

A typical offer will require a UCAS tariff score of: 88 - 112 (Full-time) or 32 - 56 (Foundation Year)

A minimum of two full A-levels (or equivalent) is required. Every application is considered on an individual basis.

For further details of our international English entry requirements, please visit our international pages.

Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements for the three-year undergraduate programme, or those who do not feel fully prepared for a degree course, can apply for a four-year programme including a Foundation Year; find out more.

Modules

This provides a guide of the modules that make up your course. You can find more information about how your course is structured on our Academic Advice section.

Foundation Year

Core Modules

Preparing for Success: Knowledge and Creativity

You’ll learn about the overlap between study skills and employability skills and develop your existing abilities in both areas. You’ll be prepared for successful progression to Level 4 academic study whilst preparing yourself for employment through inquiry-based learning, problem solving and critical and creative thinking.

Preparing for Success: Self-development and Responsibility

You’ll develop the skills associated with leadership and self-development and social and ethical awareness and responsibility, which are essential for success in higher education and in the world of work. This module will prepare you for successful progression to Level 4 academic study while allowing you to learn about employment in the twenty-fir...

Inquiry Based Learning

This module has been designed to develop your understanding of key concepts and themes as well as basic methodologies and approaches to academic work. You’ll have the opportunity to analyse a problem or question that relates to your subject area, making use of information gathered from various sources using different methods and strategies.

Digital Media

This module introduces you to the wide variety of computer technologies used in the creation, adaptation and distribution of digital resources across a range of media platforms. It aims to provide you with basic digital media processing skills you'll need to develop and manage digital content including images, animations and audio components.

Computing Essentials

This module introduces key concepts in computing. This will include computer architectures & networking as part of a discussion about the uses of computer technology for a range of different purposes in the modern world. We'll help you learn about the design and development of websites & mobile apps, and use programming to solve different problems.

Year 1

Core Modules

Credits

Introduction to 3D Modelling

Credits: 20

You'll study how to make a 3D mesh, using the 3D modelling toolset from a modelling application. Through the process, you will also develop your observation skills using real objects and / or reference material. You will be expected to keep and submit a reflective learning journal as supporting evidence for their project.

Texturing and Look Development

Credits: 20

You'll study how to texture a 3D model according to reference material, how to create the maps needed to accurately shade & render an object so that it will appear indistinguishable from the real thing, and how to recognise and replicate the properties of real-world materials. You'll be given models complete with UVs for workshops & practice.

Lighting and Rendering

Credits: 20

You'll discover how to set up a three-point lighting setup and replicate it in CG, techniques for on-set lighting in film production, why each technique might be used in different scenarios and how to match these in CG for visual effects elements. You'll study the role of lighters in the VFX industry, and managing your time and scenes efficiently.

Animation Principles and the Moving Figure

Credits: 20

This module aims to give you an understanding of the principles of animation & practical skills to animate simple 3D rigs with weight, force & expression. In the animation studio environment you'll cover essential topics and develop the skills to create animation using industry standard software and will analyse the workflows used in the industry.

Visual Narrative

Credits: 20

You'll study the core methods and principles of communicating a story with moving image. You'll have the chance to develop your understanding of cinematic techniques, using 3D software to experiment and test the creative possibilities of visual narrative. You'll also study the fundamentals of lighting and cameras.

Opportunity Modules

You must choose 2 x 10 credit Level 4 Opportunity modules from the Opportunity module catalogue.

Year 2

Core Modules

Credits

Compositing

Credits: 20

You'll study the core methods of compositing, the step in the production process where imagery elements are combined, enhanced & finalised. You'll use industry standard software to create VFX shots and digital composites and will develop your lighting and cinematography skills and cover the process of merging 3D assets with 2D live action footage.

Digital Sculpting

Credits: 20

You'll discover how to use digital sculpting software to create models that look and feel organic, with a focus on character modelling. You may choose to create a hard surface model of suitable complexity for your level. You are not expected to produce character concept work themselves but can do so with agreement from their lecturer.

Character FX

Credits: 20

You'll study 2 aspects of Character FX work: groom and clothing. You'll look at how to set up, render and style clothes and digital hair on a humanoid character, as well as how to make a basic test simulation. You'll then render outputs into a short animated sequence and write a 2000 word evaluative learning journal of your character FX project.

Advanced 3D Modelling

Credits: 20

You'll develop your skills learned in the year 1 modelling, texturing, look dev and lighting units. You'll be expected to learn and apply up-to-date industry techniques to produce at least one complex model complete with textures, shaders and lighting, at the standard of a junior professional in the industry.

Optional Modules

Credits

Plan your showreel (placement)

Credits: 20

You'll consider your career objectives in both the short, medium & long term, then focus on your short to medium term goals. You'll produce an action plan of the path you intend to take to achieve your aims. You'll research job roles, analyse inspirational showreels of professionals, and look at how you can create a meaningful showreel of your own.

Rigging

Credits: 20

The rig is never seen by the audience but, for a computer generated character to be convincing, this is a critical aspect that has to work according to the brief. Rigging is a logical process, requiring strong organisation and problem solving skills. You’ll learn to create a rig for a humanoid character and bind the mesh to the rig.

Project

Credits: 20

This unit provides you with an opportunity to work on a small project, ideally in a small team but individual projects are possible where appropriate. You may also work with people studying other disciplines. Projects are the basis of much creative work and typically involve pre-production, production and postproduction phases, as well as teamwork.

Simulated FX

Credits: 20

You'll explore the simulation processes used in creating animated destruction, looking closely at how particles and rigid/dynamic bodies behave & interact with each other. You'll study key techniques like simulating dust, debris and how to shatter & collapse objects. Destruction is often accompanied by other simulations such as particles & smoke.

Opportunity Modules

In addition, you must choose 2 x 10 credit Level 5 Opportunity modules from the Opportunity module catalogue.

Year 3

Core Modules

Credits

Industry Production Project

Credits: 20

You'll complete an industry style brief, fulfilling one or more roles (modeler, animator, compositor, groom artist and others) in an appropriate pipeline. The brief will be set and approved by the lecturers in conjunction with industry advice.

Portfolio

Credits: 40

In this module you will complete a piece of work for use in your portfolio. This unit is an opportunity to produce a piece of work at the standard of a junior professional. You will be expected to maintain an annotated learning journal which will demonstrate how you have reflected on your work, leading to improvements and refinements.

Showreel

Credits: 20

Complete your showreel & develop a work-oriented online presence. You'll research similar showreels to help determine how to make your own stand out then evaluate your existing work and choose a piece which can be significantly improved to bring it up to the standard of a junior industry professional. You'll make minor improvements to other pieces.

Optional Modules

Credits

Creative Project: Preproduction

Credits: 20

You'll plan a cutting-edge project, focusing on using up-to-date technologies & techniques in animation, film & game art production, or related content. You'll research your topic and use this to contribute to a project proposal/pitch. You'll receive feedback on the pitch and then be expected to implement it using your own judgement as a guide.

Creative Project: Production

Credits: 20

This module follows on from Creative Project: Preproduction which is a pre-requisite. You will produce the project that you have planned using the assets that have been created and gathered for this purpose. You'll need to adjust your plan as it encounters reality and apply appropriate postproduction techniques.

What are the tuition fees

Home

Home, Academic Year 2023 - 2024

£9,250 per year

International

Overseas/International, Academic Year 2023 - 2024

£15,000 per year

What are my career prospects?

Throughout your time with us we’ll support you on your journey to your chosen career. We’ll help you to develop crucial skills, encouraging you to become enterprising, employable and good leaders. We also help you find employment after graduation. Have a look at our Careers and Employability pages to find out more.

Our BA (Hons) Visual Effects course will help prepare you for a range of career possibilities in any sector which requires a VFX artist. Our recent alumni have gone onto work for:

DNeg
Framestore
TT Games. (Warner Bros)
Mediatonic Games
FST
Ubisoft
Cinesite
Airship Studios

Graduates from BNU's animation courses have gone on to work in all six of the major VFX houses in the UK, as well as a number of major games houses and smaller companies. We have had winners and runners up in the Grads in Games Competition, which have then led to jobs. Our graduates have worked on major films, games and TV productions, including Avengers Endgame.

Graduates can also choose to study for a postgraduate course.

In 2022 we held our first end of year show at the John Barry Theatre at Pinewood Studios. Professionals from the industry were invited to see students' work from their final year on the BA (Hons) Visual Effects course, providing exciting networking opportunities. These industry experts were very impressed with the quality of students' work.