VFX CAREERS GUIDE 2014
Image courtesy of MPC © 20th Century Fox
Image courtesy of Rhythm & Hues © 20th Century Fox
Contents AN INTRODUCTION TO VISUAL EFFECTS
3
A Growing, Diverse and Global Industry
3
Why We Use VFX
4
The Skills That Make Up This Industry
5
A Brief History
6
Bridge the Artist-Techie Gap
7
The VFX Pipeline Explained
9
CAREERS IN VFX
10
VFX Around the World
11
Mastering a VFX Discipline
12
The Freelance Culture
13
Earning Power
13
Tools of the Trade
14
GETTING HIRED
15
What the Industry Wants
16
The Showreel Clinic
17
GET STUDIO-READY
18
VFX Training
19
Your Options
20
SO WHAT NOW?
21
Join the Commun ity
21
Image courtesy of MPC © Three Mobile
AN INTRODUCTION TO VISUAL EFFECTS A Growing, Diverse and Global Industry Looking to forge a career in visual effects (VFX)? This is your guide to the craft, the industry and the career prospects that make up this booming, global business. Over the last two decades the VFX job market has changed dramatically and quickly. Once managed by a small number of specialists, VFX is now a major global industry. As it grows, new opportunities for VFX professionals develop all the time, worldwide. In this digital age, it’s easy to take the technical achievements of VFX for granted, but before we continue, take a moment to think how much of what you see on screen these days is a product of VFX?
The art of visual effects involves nothing less than making words into pictures, technology into art, and magic into reality. Artists and technicians who create this magic have laboured throughout the history of moving imagery, always working in service of the story, the director’s vision, and the cinematographer’s art.
Michael Fink and Jacquelyn Ford Morie – The VES Handbook of Visual Effects
ILM COME TO LONDON Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) – the VFX studio responsible for the VFX in ‘Star Wars’, ‘Terminator 2’, ‘Jurassic Park’, ‘Avatar’, ‘Transformers’, ‘Iron Man’, ‘Star Trek’ and many more – now have a studio here in London, creating 200 jobs for the VFX community in the UK. ILM also have studios in Singapore, San Francisco, Vancouver, Los Angeles and San Rafael.
Image courtesy of MPC © 20th Century Fox
Why We Use VFX Visual effects is a device used in filmmaking to tell stories in a visual way that won’t detract from the emotion of a scene. It allows filmmakers to bring ambitious ideas to life that otherwise would be too expensive or physically impossible to capture with a camera on the film set. It is the technical trickery that breathes life into a film, suspending disbelief with photorealistic effects that seem so real, the audience can’t tell the difference between what was faked and what was captured on camera. Sometimes when VFX is being used, the aim is to make the effect invisible, blending all the elements convincingly and photo-realistically. An artist has done their job well when the scene is believable. This is often done for set-extensions or removing unwanted elements from a shot. There are also more stylised ‘obvious’ effects that bring superheroes, mythical worlds and impossible stunts to life. Although we can recognise these effects as being a product of VFX, no expense is spared on detail, making these VFX assets mimic real-world elements as much as possible.
DID YOU KNOW? A recent introduction of tax incentives from the European Commission will see a £188 million investment for Britain’s games development sector.
Visual Effects (VFX) Visual effects is the largest computer graphics (CG) sector and the biggest employer of CG artists. VFX is the production of effects, CG assets and motion graphics for movies, TV, commercials and other video-based media, such as the web.
Feature Animation Computer graphics animation has grown into a blockbusting movie genre of its own in the 19 years since Pixar pioneered the form with ‘Toy Story’. Big studios use hundreds of artists on a single title, with teams specialising in one discipline such as character design, animation or lighting.
Games Games studios produce immersive environments within tight technical limitations. Video games development is the second fastest growing media segment in the world, behind online advertising.
Virtualisation Modern engineering, architecture, motor and product manufacturing industries all rely on CG artists to help visualise projects during the design process.
DID YOU KNOW? The annual revenue of the British VFX industry is expected to reach £600 million in 2014.
Image courtesy of Cinesite
The Skills That Make Up This Industry Visual effects is an industry where art, science, maths and technology all come together with a shared goal – to create something visually awesome in the most cost and time effective way possible.
The industry needs people with talents across all these areas – not just the a rtist ic. Mathema tics, physics an d programming are also skills that help push the boundaries, allowing VFX to reach new technical heights that wow audiences. This industry also relies on t alented project managers and people with a good mind for business. These skills make up the production team – VFX co-ordinators and producers who keep the production and delivery of VFX on schedule as well as bringing new business to the studio. After all, someone needs to make sure the studio is making money.
We want the superstar maths students too, not just the kids who studied media, drama or art. Michael Elson – Film and VFX Consultant at Prime Focus World
Image courtesy of Cinesite © Warner Bros. Pictures
A Brief History An industry built on the shoulders of giants To get to grips with the art of visual effects, it helps to go back to where it all started, and discover how far the craft has come. Over the last century the techniques and technology used to create a visual effect has advanced incredibly. From the earliest use of in-camera effects in the 1890’s to the use of 3D computer graphics in today’s industry, it is humbling to think how far we’ve come in so little time. Learn from the past and take a look at examples of filmmaking pre computer-generated imagery (CGI) to better understand the principle techniques at work in visual effects today. Much of the functionality we gain through software tools now, is based on artistic, scientific and mathematical logic that were achieved by hand (along with very acute attention to detail), right up until the evolution of computer graphics. So we salute the pioneers of VFX who dared to experiment and consequently push the boundaries of filmmaking. From Alfred Clarke’s stop action beheading of Mary Queen of Scots in 1895, through to Méliès, Murneau and Lang, O’Brien’s ‘King Kong’, Harryhausen’s fighting skeletons, Trumbull’s gravity-free atmosphere in ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, the technical innovations of Ed Catmull and Alvy Ray Smith at Pixar, to the digital era with John Gaeta’s bullet time in ‘The Matrix’ and Joe Letteri’s ‘Avatar’. Driven by advances in technology, the growth of new media sectors and demand for bigger, better, more spectacular digital experiences, computer graphics has grown into a multi-billion pound worldwide industry.
HISTORY LESSON 1896 – French magician Georges Méliès accidentally invents the shot substitution technique while filming a street in Paris. Following an error where his camera jammed, Méliès discovers this happy accident produced a shot where a bus magically transforms into a hearse – inspiring a succession of in-camera effects that would spark the future development of VFX. 1985 – ILM produce the first 3D CG character composited into a live action shot for Barry Levinson’s ‘Young Sherlock Holmes’. This paved the way for the incredible CG achievements in films like ‘The Abyss’, ‘Terminator 2’ and the first ever photorealistic creature created for ‘Jurassic Park’ in 1993 – another ground-breaking moment in film history.
The history of VFX is still being written, and relies on new talent to surprise us all. We look forward to what today’s VFX students will create tomorrow.
Creative Skillset – Core Skills VFX Handbook
Bridge the Artist-Techie Gap The relationship between mathematics, science and art Visual effects is a marriage of art, science, maths and technology. If you’re new to the craft of VFX, this may sound a little scary – but fear not, no one is expecting you to be an expert. These are simply the theoretical principles at work when creating visual effects. An understanding or awareness of each area will greatly support your progression as a CG artist, but advanced knowledge is only important for certain VFX roles. The VFX industry is built on a balance between art and technology, both working together to make a cooler image. Without artists, the technology is missing a vital part for what creates awesome visual effects, and this relationship is what makes VFX such an interesting area to work in.
The Art
The Science
Fundamentally, VFX is a creative discipline. A VFX artist should have a good grounding in art and art history. You can begin training your eye by learning the theory of composition, balance, chiaroscuro, framing, implied motion and other concepts used in the art world. Just like a painter, a VFX artist needs to examine the natural world and mimic how it moves, forms, disintegrates or erodes.
Physics can be a very useful subject to know as a VFX professional. While working in a 3D space, artists will think about how to mimic the natural world around them. If a film shot ignores the standard laws of physics, such as a solid object doing an impossible manoeuvre, an artist will lose the realism they were working so hard to achieve.
Painting can help you appreciate light and colour and what it takes to replicate or suggest reality. However, if the idea of putting paint to canvas isn’t for you, then try photography. This is a great way to observe and frame what is real, and apply what you learn from that process to your work in VFX.
The science of sight also has a part to play. Magic or reality – the way our eyes and brain respond to light and colour tones can lead to a visual misinterpretation. In areas such as lighting, compositing and matte painting, VFX artists can create optical illusions that fool the eye or direct its gaze to a particular part of the screen.
Art is particularly important for artists working in compositing as they work to blend all the elements together, telling a visual story that brings the full effect to life.
Image courtesy of MPC © Warner Bros. Pictures
Image courtesy of MPC © Warner Bros. Pictures
Technology If you’re a dab hand at computer programming – consider yourself an asset to the VFX industry. In some roles it is desirable (but not essential) to have a working knowledge of Python, C/C++, or other forms of scripting and programming. Technical Director (TD) roles are where we see this in practice most, but if you’re an artist and are new to the concept of computer programming, this is a skill you can learn along the way.
There is particularly poor awareness among students interested in maths and sciences of the potential application of their skills to VFX; yet these are the students who hold the most potential for us in technical positions, which are the most difficult to recruit.
Mathematics
Courtney Vanderslice-Law – Production Director at Cinesite
It’s a common misconception that maths isn’t creative, yet maths in itself is a form of art. A creative mind is essentially a curious one, and by applying thinking skills and creative thought you gain a better understanding of maths. Mathematicians tend to have a mind-set that promotes curiosity and problem solving, two attractive attributes for a VFX professional. In VFX, the maths element is really only about thinking logically and mental arithmetic. So if you’re an artist thinking you need to be an expert, don’t worry. Knowledge of trigonometry, matrices, vectors, applied mechanics and basic algebra are deemed to be useful, but you can learn these as you go. We simply want to draw attention to the beautiful relationship between art and maths, and how they can support your work as a VFX professional.
Two major reasons drove Renaissance artists towards the pursuit of mathematics. First, painters needed to figure out how to depict three-dimensional scenes on a twodimensional canvas. Second, philosophers and artists alike were convinced that mathematics was the true essence of the physical world and that the entire universe, including the arts, could be explained in geometric terms.
Michelle Emmer – ‘Visual Mind’, Volume 2, Section 3, MIT Press 2005
Art department
The VFX Pipeline Explained
Research and development
Here at Escape Studios, we help VFX artists learn the skills to work in two main departments – 2D (also referred to as Compositing) and 3D (otherwise known as CGI). Both of these departments play an important part in the process of creating a visual effect. Our courses not only teach you the techniques, they also give you an in-depth knowledge of the VFX pipeline so you can fully understand the process and how it works.
Dailies
Modeling
Shading
Texture
Rigging
THE
SHOOT
Films that rely heavily on VFX – films like ‘Inception’, ‘The Matrix’, ‘Avatar’, ‘Tron: Legacy’ – require thousands of artists, sometimes working from many different studios across the globe. The work from each artist slots into a chain of complex tasks that when brought together will create the ultimate visual effect and the illusion of reality.
So having a good understanding of the entire VFX pipeline allows you to recognise how your work contributes towards the entire process and what you need to deliver to keep a project running smoothly further down the line. In the industry, delivering accurate and efficient work will earn you friends higher up the ranks. By anticipating what’s coming up ahead, you can second-guess potential issues or pitfalls.
PRE
PRODUCTION ASSET GENERATION
If you want to work in visual effects, you’ll need to understand the VFX pipeline – and we aim to help. This is the process that makes VFX possible, from the initial idea to the finished image. Ever wonder why the list of rolling credits for the VFX department is so insanely long?
Every finished VFX shot you see is the result of a defined pipeline that guides the different stages of achieving a visual effect. Along the process, each set of artists will have their own specialised task to complete before passing the shot on to the next stage.
Pre-viz
Post-viz Matchmove Rotoscoping
Animation
POST
PRODUCTION
Matte paint
FX Lighting Compositing
FILM OUT
CAREERS IN VFX If you’re looking to kick-start your VFX career here in the UK, then you’re in luck. The UK boasts one of the largest visual effects industries in the world. Double Negative, Framestore, MPC and ILM all have UK-based studios and films including the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise, ‘Gr avity’, ‘Avatar’ and ‘Inception’, have been made possible due to the work of UK artists. Over the last decade, the UK film industry has built on its niche appeal for VFX production. There is a rich talent pool of VFX professionals, capable of meeting Oscar-winning high standards – and this is what has att racted companies like ILM, who will begin work on the next ‘Star Wars’ trilogy over the coming year, right here in London. Filmmaking produced in the UK is supported by the UK government through tax incentives. As financial incentives like these continue, the UK can look forward to attracting many more exciting projects to its shores. And let’s not forget that VFX is also widely used in international advertising, long-form TV series (such as ‘Game of Thrones’) and games industries, of which the UK is among the most high profile in the world.
DID YOU KNOW? Since 2007, tax relief has provided more than £800 million worth of support for more than 800 British films with a combined production value of £5.5 billion.
DID YOU KNOW? The European Commission has confirmed a tax relief for game developers based in the UK. To be eligible, video games must be in line with EU state aid rules.
Find out more
Image courtesy of The Mill © Smithwick’s
Europe 1,140
Russia 44
Middle East
North America
57
653
Asia Pacific 281
Africa 2
VFX Around the World So VFX as an industry is doing well here in the UK, but what about the rest of the world? Well, you’ll be glad to know that this industry is global, with opportunities for VFX professionals to work in established VFX communities across Europe, North America, Latin America, the Middle East, Asia and the wider southern hemisphere.
Latin America 224
South Africa 24
Australasia 73
The past few years have seen an encouraging rise in VFX communities among developing economies such as the Asia Pacific regions, India and Latin America.
Take a look at the VFX studios in your area
The estimated number of CG studios currently active around the globe.
R O I N E S
Director
VFX Supervisor
Facility VFX Supervisor
COMPOSITING / 2D DEPARTMENT
CGI / 3D DEPARTMENT
PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT
Facility 3D Supervisor Compositing Supervisor
VFX Producer
Compositor
Sequence Lead Lighting TD
ANIMATION DEPARTMENT
Sequence Lead Compositor
VFX Co-ordinator
Animator CG GENERALIST
Digital Matte Painter
Prep / Paint Artist
Motion Capture Prep
Creature / Rigging TD
3D Mode le r
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Te xtu re Pa int er
L igh ti ng TD
Pipeline TD
Effects TD
Roto Artist Assistant TD Assistant VFX Co-ordinator
R O I N U J
Matchmove / Camera Tracking Artist
Runner
Mastering a VFX Discipline
As computer graphics have become more specialised, the opportunities available to artists expand. To embark on a successful career in VFX, you should look at your natural abilities and aptitude and choose a path that best compliments them. However, if you’re up for a challenge, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t work hard to try something outside your comfort zone.
Although not extensive, here’s a rough guide to some VFX disciplines you could consider working towards. The great thing about VFX is you don’t need to choose just one of these. You could be skilled in a combination of these areas, qualifying you as a VFX generalist. Generalist VFX artists are popular among smaller studios, because they can apply a range of valuable skills to a collection of projects. At the larger studios artists tend to specialise in one area.
In VFX there’s a specialism for everyone, you just need to find where your particular talents lie.
Shading Programmer
Image courtesy of Prime Focus © Lionsgate
The main bit of advice I can offer anyone wanting to work in VFX is that you need to really want this career and be willing to work hard to achieve what you want. When applying for work, you must apply everywhere. If you don’t get a reply from one or many companies, don’t give up. Studios hire people depending on how busy they are. Also, don’t just target the big VFX studios. You’ll quite often have more luck with smaller studios, plus there’s the added advantage of working on a greater range of projects, and using a wider range of skills.
Taran Spear – Escape Studios graduate and now NUKE Artist at Electric Theatre Collective
The Freelance Culture VFX has a large freelance culture. In fact many artists freelance their whole career. It’s an attractive way to work for many people, as they are given the freedom to move between a range of st udios, on a mixture of projects. Variety is the spice of life after all! That’s not to say there aren’t many permanent roles available to artists as well, especially at the big post houses, where they tend to work on the big blockbuster titles. Smaller studios also see their fair share of exciting projects, and their reliance on artists to display a wide range of skills across all their projects means you may find you’ll get your foot on the career ladder a lot quicker.
Earning Power What you can expect to earn as a VFX artist Salary Guide for 2014 – Freelance positions (£/day)
£75-100 –
Entry-level/Juniors
£100-150 –
Junior to Mid-level
£150-250 –
Mid-level to Senior
£250-350 –
Senior to Experienced
£350+ –
Supervisor/Senior TD/Lead
Image courtesy of Weta Digital © New Line Productions, Inc.
Tools of the Trade These are some of the leading industry software tools used by CG artists today. As mentioned earlier, technology in VFX is evolving all the time, so don’t sit on this list for too long. Keep your ear to the ground and discover what technologies are taking VFX production to new dimensions.
2D Compositing
3D VFX
• Adobe After Effects – A digital motion graphics, visual effects and compositing tool, used in post-production for film and television production.
• Autodesk Maya – 3D computer ani mation, modeling , visual effects and rendering software tool. • Autodesk Mudbox – Computer-based 3D sculpting and digital painting tool. • ZBrush – 3D/2.5D modeling, texturing and digital painting tool. • Adobe Photoshop – Used by texture and paint artists as an image editing and compositing tool.
• NUKE – The award-winning compositing tool for visual effects and the industry’s standard software. • Adobe Photoshop – For matte painting and compositing for accurate image editing.
• Mocha Pro – A tool that lets you achieve multiple tasks like planar tracking, rotoscoping, object removal, lens calibration and st abilisation. • Silhouette – This tool includes rotoscoping, non-destructive paint, keying, matting, warping, morphing, stereoscopic workflow and 2D-3D conversion capabilities.
• MARI – 3D paint tool that offers a fluid and flexible way to paint directly onto 3D models.
Start your education – download free demos and learning editions of leading VFX software
• 3DEqualizer – Used by tracking artists this tool lets you accurately track and reconstruct the world space, camera and object movements of the original live action scene.
• Maya and Mudbox – autodesk.co.uk
• PF Track – Another tool used by tracking artists to accurately track and reconstruct the world space, camera and object movements in a scene.
Software and hardware discounts for students
• Houdini – A high-end 3D animation software used by many FX Technical Directors when simulating ambitious effects like particles and dynamics. • Cinema 4D – Used in the Motion Graphics industry, this tool allows graphic designers to add 3D to their work.
• NUKE, MARI, MODO and HIERO – thefoundry.co.uk
Our friends at Escape Technology are always happy to help you find the kit you need to get started in your education towards VFX stardom.
For more information, contact
GETTING HIRED Recruiters in any company will be sent hundreds of applications on a weekly basis, and when it comes to getting your application noticed, you need to make sure you stand out. Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to impress them at a glance!
Image courtesy of MPC © Paramount Pictures
ADVICE FROM VFX RECRUITERS 1
2
3
4
5
When applying for a junior role, we recommend you research and understand the company you’re applying to. Tailor your application around the kind of work they do. Show lots of enthusiasm for VFX and know the type of work you want to focus on. Are you looking to specialise in a particular area or will you be a generalist with a range of skills? Keep improving your skills by learning new software. Some software vendors will allow you to download a demo or education version online. Only put your very best work on your showreel. Push for quality over quantity every time and position your best work first. Always include breakdowns of your work, especially if you’ve worked as part of a team. Your breakdown should show exactly what you have done, not the team as a collective.
Image courtesy of Cinesite © Warner Bros. Pictures
What the Industry Wants The proof is in a showreel What does it take to get your foot in the door? A killer showreel is a great place to start. The proof of your talent comes in the form of a showreel (or demo reel). This is how you will catch the eye of potential employers – it is your calling card to the industry. Want to learn how to create an awesome showreel? Here are some tips from the industry experts. Depending on the VFX discipline you’re applying for, you will need to show your knowledge of specific techniques.
In a 2D or Compositing for VFX showreel, demonstrate that you can:
In a 3D for VF X showreel, demonstrate that you can:
• Effectively perform rotoscope, paint and rig removal techniques. These are entry-level skills for any artist looking to work in the Compositing team and should be on your reel.
• Camera track.
• Apply additional techniques such as keying and 3D compositing.
• Create a photo-real CG shot showing off good geometry, texturing and lighting. Show a bit of variety to your skillset by incorporating a product shot. For example a bottle of perfume, a bottle of gin, a watch or a detailed high-end camera.
• Pairing up with a 3D CG artist is a great way to get a 3D composite shot in your reel. Escape Studios students do this when working towards their ‘end of course’ projects.
• Attempt a product that forces you to work with glass and reflections. It’s difficult to get these effects right, and if you master them, you’ll win Recruiters over. • If you’re really looking to impress, include an additional matchmove shot with some basic 3D.
Image courtesy of Framestore © Sony Pictures
The Showreel Clinic The Escape Studios in-house Af tercare Team, who have helped place hundreds of our graduates into their first job, have some key dos and don’ts to bear in mind when preparing your showreel.
DO • Keep it relevant to the position you’re applying for.
When in between jobs, it’s important to continue working on your own projects, targeting the skills that tie in with the company you want to work for. For example, an animator applying for animation work could try creating realistic animation cycles, using rigs freely available on the Internet. Research the companies you’re applying to and keep in touch with Recruiters.
• Play to your strengths. • Lead with your best shot. • Show a range of skills but focus on the skills to get you that specific role.
Ben Owen – Global Head of Recruitment at MPC
• Breakdown and annotate your work. • Show finished shots in the first half and breakdowns in the second half. • Keep it fresh and original. • Keep it short and simple. • Think about composition and presentation. • Practice and develop all of your art skills. • Use reference material.
DON’T • Attempt overly complex or ambitious work. • Use/copy other people’s work. • Show any work in progress. • Include sub-standard work. • Use offensive material. • Make it too long.
Every year Framestore will look to hire approximately 30 to 40 junior artists, depending on the type of projects being produced in-house and how many juniors are required. If you include Runner roles, this number can rise from 40 to 60.
Anna Swift – Recruitment Manager at Framestore
Image courtesy of Framestore © Marvel Studios
GET STUDIOREADY
To work in VFX you’ll need to learn the craft, and this requires training. One option is to learn on the job, starting as a Runner and working your way up. However, if you’re looking to live the dream a little sooner, you can train with a VFX school like ours to tr y and get a leg up on the competition. Our courses are intensive, designed to give you the skills and knowledge to help you get a job in VFX. Educating the future generation of VFX talent is a big responsibility, but we’ve taken it on and have been doing it for the last 12 years. Alongside Pearson College, we have the pleasure of seeing literally hundreds of students realise their dream job, turning their creative passion into a career in VFX.
SKILLS FOR INDUSTRY Escape Studios was born in 2002 with a singular vision – to solve the industry’s lack of educated ‘studio-ready’ talent. Since then, we’ve graduated over 2000 Escapees. The Escape alumni now work in every facet of the VFX industry working on:
• VFX Oscar and BAFTA winning films, including ‘Gravity’, ‘Life of Pi’ and ‘Dark Knight Rises’. • 100’s of award winning films and television shows. • 1,000’s of award winning commercials. As a student of VFX, it’s important to learn real-world production techniques used by professional artists right now. The industry evolves incredibly quickly, so you’ve got to keep up with the pace. Here at Escape Studios, we can make sure you’re learning the most relevant skills for today’s industry.
VFX Training Supported by the industry Industry professional tutors If you’re going to learn something new, learn from an expert. Someone who has been there, done that and now wears the t-shirt. At Escape, we invite VFX professionals who have worked on the big blockbusters and commercials you will recognise, to teach our students.
Meet the Escape Studios tutors
Advisory board Delivering the most up-to-date curriculum to our students is always at the heart of Escape Studios’ training. To achieve this we rely heavily on our industry connections to keep us tuned into the latest trends, technologies and processes at use in the current VFX climate. Our advisory board of top industry players, help us develop and deliver the most relevant training for those looking to forge a career in VFX.
Meet the Escape Studios advisory board
Industry partners In any business, it’s important to have partners, and we feel very lucky to have partners who are the leading names in the VFX industry. As part of our industry partner scheme, our students get to visit these world-renowned studios and get a sneak peek into life as a VFX professional. Image courtesy of The Mill © Valspar
Check out our list of industry partners
Your Options
Image courtesy of Framestore © Warner Bros. Pictures
Learning VFX your own way At Escape Studios you can learn 3D and Compositing for Visual Effects disciplines, starting with basic concepts, right through to technically advanced techniques and ending with a graduation project designed to showcase your skills and get your showreel well and truly started. To help give your career in VFX the best possible start, we’ve created three modes of study so you can learn in a way that best suits your needs.
Full-time courses Our fast-track classroom courses run for 12 weeks, giving you the essential skills you need to get your career in VFX started as soon as possible. There is also the option to extend this training by 6 weeks and take our advanced programme where you can sharpen your technical understanding of VFX principles, before moving onto more complex and sophisticated techniques. By the end of an 18-week full-on VFX knowledge assault, you’re going to have a pretty awesome showreel!
With an internet connection, a workstation and the relevant software, you can study from anywhere in the world using the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). This platform lets you take advantage of pre-recorded and live tutorials as well as feedback from tutors on your VFX creations. The VLE also hosts a Student Wall – the perfect place to interact with your fellow students and a great online community for VFX enthusiasts.
Taster courses So you’ve got this far in the Careers Guide, and you’re still not sure which discipline is right for you. What’s the difference between 2D Compositing and 3D for Visual Effects? And do you fully understand what they’re all about? To help you dig deeper, we’ve designed one-day classroom taster courses, so you can jump straight in and get a hands-on introduction to the software and skills we teach. Can’t choose between Compositing or 3D for VFX? Try both!
Part-time evening courses If you’re someone who already juggles a lot during the day, our part-time evening courses are a great alternative. Taught by industry experts, who sometimes arrive at the classroom directly from their day-job in VFX production, you’ll learn the skills and techniques needed to create a kick-ass showreel of your own – the tools you need to apply for entry-level and junior roles in th e industr y.
Online courses If distance prevents you from attending a course in our London studio, try learning visual effects online. Our online courses also offer support from expert tutors, using our unique interactive learning platform.
One-day classroom taster courses 3D for Visual Effects Compositing for Visual Effects
Can’t come to London? Try a two-week online taster course 3D for Visual Effects Compositing for Visual Effects
SO WHAT NOW? Join the Community We hope this guide has given you a better idea of the size and scope of the VFX industry and what it’s like to work as a professional VFX artist. If we’ve inspired you, the next step is to find out more about us and what we can offer.
Visit our website
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You can find out more about Escape Studios, our courses and the unique way we do things at:
For advice, tips and tutorials on a range of topics around VFX, there’s a range of free online resources you can get your teeth into. All these tutorials are hosted on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and to access these for free, all you need to do is register.
escapestudios.com
Get a tour We hold regular open days at our state of the art facilities with guest speakers straight from some of the biggest post houses in the world.
Book a studio tour If you’re more interested in distance learning, we can show you around our facilities remotely with an online tour.
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Speak with an advisor Our training experts are ready to answer any questions you may still have about the fascinating world of VFX, so what are you waiting for? Get in touch and get ready to change the world!
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