Enhance your CGI and visual effects skills while studying in Italy and England
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Overview
Enhance your CGI/VFX career prospects whilst studying in both Italy and the UK
This programme is a unique opportunity for CGI/VFX artists to enhance your career prospects whilst studying for an MFA/MA in both Italy and the UK.
You will be taught advanced CGI, VFX and 3D Animation skills whilst also learning on set practice and technical workflows for Compositing & Motion Capture.
Candidates can graduate with an MA after completing 3 of 4 modules or can continue for the MFA through 6 months in an industrial role either within a VFX/Animation Studio or as an independent artist.
The bespoke model of delivery requires 3 or 6 months studying with Big Rock in Treviso, Italy and a 4 week condensed summer school at the 老司机视频鈥檚 state of the art industry facilities located at the Tech Park on our Bognor Regis campus.
The 2 independent study modules are fully supported remotely with tutorials and forums. You will have the opportunity to visit studios and engage with industry specialists, networking with important industry contacts, whilst in the UK and Italy.
The Course
What you will study
The course is divided into distinct learning stages, during which you will be attending classes, workshops, events and assessment stages during which you will be evaluated. This will be divided between the BigRock School in Treviso, Italy and the Bognor Regis campus at the 老司机视频 in England.
The four parts of this course are as follows:
- Part one: three months, face-to-face teaching at BigRock School
- Part two:聽 three months, self-directed project under the supervision of BigRock School professionals
- Part three: one month, face to face teaching delivered at the 老司机视频
- Part four: six months, self-directed final project supervised by professionals at the 老司机视频
of Chichester or equivalent level experience developed working in the industry or presenting an industry ready freelance project
Modules
Advanced CGI Skill Development
Taught at BigRock, Italy (3 months)
This comprehensive module is tailored for students aspiring to excel in the dynamic field of visual effects and animation for film and gaming. Through a combination of theoretical insights and hands-on experiences, you will acquire a sophisticated skill set to navigate the intricacies of digital production. The module encompasses a range of subjects, each contributing to the holistic understanding of contemporary production processes.
Advanced Portfolio Project
Taught online or at BigRock campus, Italy (3 months)
This module serves as a dynamic platform for you to embark on a personalised exploration within the expansive landscape of digital production.
Centered around the execution of individual projects, you are encouraged to conceive and develop a creative endeavour that aligns with your passions and interests.
This module stands as a testament to fostering autonomy, unleashing creativity, and instilling a profound sense of ownership in your learning journey.
Advanced Animation & VFX Skills Development
4 week intensive summer school at Bognor Regis campus
This module is designed to be delivered as a compressed and intensive experience across 4 weeks.
During this module you will study daily and be expected to be fully dedicated to the tasks, workshops and technical sessions with a professional attitude at all times. The module is split into 2 equal parts each with a specific creative, technical and industrial focus. Each part is worth 50% of the final assessed module.
Independent Industry Project
6 month industrial placement project
The aim of this module is to support and guide you as you begin to transit towards your chosen CGI/VFX/Animation career pathway.
With a focus on professional practice and industry competencies, you are expected to take your first significant steps as a creative practitioner, as you research, critically analyse and reflect upon the options open to you.
This is an independent individual project – you can choose from a wide range of options relating to assessment. These could include but are not limited to, industry placement (min 3 months), creative proposals and pitches for computer games, episodic content and animated feature films, business proposals and plans for a start-up creative or educational business.
Final agreement will be made through a project proposal and discussions with tutors but all submissions will need to demonstrate professional level creative, artistic and analytical skills.
All support throughout is online based, though you will have virtual access to high end computing and render facilities via the 老司机视频.
This list is indicative and subject to future change.
Teaching and Assessment
How you will learn
There will be opportunities for both formative and summative assessments. Formative assessments do not carry any formal marks however they are designed to prepare, support and guide the summative assessment. Assessment feedback will be personal, informative and insightful.
The course will start with three months of face-to-face teaching at BigRock School. This will include a dynamic blend of lectures, workshops, and collaborative projects that will provide a well-rounded learning experience. Each week you will engage in sculpting, animation, and rendering tasks, ensuring a practical understanding of digital production.
You will then have three months of a supervised, self-directed project at BigRock School. This will involve a journey of planning and executing a self-initiated project using ideation sessions, project proposal development, hands-on implementation, and regular peer feedback sessions to encourage collaborative learning.
The course will then progress to a four-week face-to-face taught intensive summer school at the 老司机视频. This is split into two parts; motion capture suit technologies and studio-based compositing process. Using lectures, practical workshops and assessed briefs you will demonstrate the knowledge you have gained.
The final part of the course will be either a six month, self-directed final project supervised by professionals at the 老司机视频, or a internship within the industry. Online lectures will outline the module expectations, contact time, and career focused opportunities. For your final summative assessment task, alongside their portfolio, you will be聽 required to submit a 2,000 word reflective commentary.
Facilities
State of the art campus with world class facilities
老司机视频 Tech Park
Our Bognor Regis Campus hosts the 拢35m Tech Park which was opened by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2018.
By bringing together science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics courses on one state-of-the-art site, we aim to produce graduates that have enterprise skills, creativity, and technical knowledge and are equipped to enter the graduate workforce.
Our flagship Tech Park offers Creative Industries students access to world class facilities, including:
- 250 square-metre, three-storey high sound stage (one of only three in the UK capable of holding a professional orchestra)
- Dedicated 75 square-metre green sound stage for compositing and chroma work
- Vicon Motion Capture Lab
- Nine post-production edit suites, alongside our ‘Soho’ standard dubbing and master suite
- Screening theatre
- Professional recording studios and live room
- Dedicated computer labs for 3D Animation, VFX, Games Design and Esports
- Mac and PC editing suites
- Red, Arri & Sony camera technologies
- Ideas labs and co-working spaces
BigRock Campus
Founded in 2005, BigRock is one of the most important training centres for Computer Graphics in Italy. Set in a stress-free rural environment, BigRock involves more than 300 students per year, teaching the art of making 3D animation, visual effects for movies, and videogames.
In 2022 BigRock has been ranked among the 50 Best Creative Art & Entertainment Schools and the Best 20 3D Animation Schools in the world by popular platform The Rookies.
The BigRock facilities include:
- 10 classes equipped with Mac, PC workstations, and Wacom tablets
- 200 seat cinema
- Sculpture Lab
- Showroom
- Refectory
- Multiple Affiliated accommodation
Careers
Where you could go after your studies
This MA/MFA Advanced CGI & VFX degree will help you develop your skillset and progress your career in the CGI and visual effects industry.
Future careers may include:
- CGI artist
- 3D animator
- Visual effects artist
- Motion graphics designer
- Game developer
- Virtual reality designer
- CGI modeler
- CGI supervisor
- Compositing artist
- VFX supervisor
- VFX producer
Course Costs
Course Fees 2024/25
MA
MFA
Entry Requirements
Applicants should have:
- An Honours degree in a relevant subject
Or one of the following:
- Equivalent industry experience
- An equivalent EU/International degree
- Previous self-taught CG basic knowledge and the completion and passing of a specifically designed entry exam/test
Each application will be considered on its merit but cannot guarantee an offer in each case.
Additional Requirements
Italian students will need a student visa and access to 老司机视频 accommodation for the intensive teaching periods during the summer.
UK students will need a student visa for Italy and can access H-Farm student residential accommodation within the Big Rock Campus in Treviso, Italy.
