Art of Visual Effects (VFX)

BA (Hons) Undergraduate Degree

UCAS Code W614

Start Date 01/09/2026

Duration 3 Years

UCAS Points 104-120

Places for September 2026. Start your journey today!

Course Overview

Our Art of Visual Effects degree is a practical skills-based course tailored directly to the needs of the visual effects, games and other digital media industries. All our staff are active within the industry and teach students the skills they’ll need to gain employment after graduating.

The course utilises a mix of lectures, hands-on workshops, tutorial classes, studio sessions and practical exercises such as 3D Modelling, Digital sculping, 2D & 3D Compositing, Matte Painting, Motion Performance, Motion Graphics, FX & Simulation, onset VFX supervision and Virtual Production with the use of Epic’s Unreal game engine.

The course fuses cutting-edge industry-standard software skills with lessons learned from over a hundred years of filmmaking and visual effects. We teach everything from the ground up; in short you don’t need any prior knowledge or traditional artistic skills before joining the course. Our highly skilled team will help you develop the knowledge and skills you need to thrive in industry.

Modules

What will I study?

Compositing for VFX
3D Studies and Modelling
Texture and Lighting
Composition
Rendering
Digital Sculpting
Motion Graphics
Performance Capture
Dynamics & Technical FX

Compositing for VFX (20 credits)

Introduces you to working with industry standard software. You will be introduced to the core 2D compositing skill used by the leading production houses internationally.

Asset Integration & Invisible VFX (20 credits)

Building on the skills learnt in ‘Composting for VFX’, you will focus on how to track real world cameras, gather lighting information, texturing and multipass rendering to invisible composite 3D asset into a filmed plate.

3D for VFX (20 credits)

You will be introduced to the fundamentals of 3D modelling and Animation to enable you to replicate real world objects in industry standard 3D software. You will be introduced to creative and technical skills such as good edge workflow, UV mapping, texturing, lighting and rendering in order to create a 3D turntable artefact, which showcases the beginnings of Photorealism.

Creative Development (20 credits)

This module introduces you to key concepts for working in the creative sector, including the study of visual conventions and narratives, the development of traditional creative skills such as research skills, creative development, storyboard creation, previsualization and the analysis of visual material in terms of aesthetic value and communication content.

Creative Practice (40 credits)

This module builds on work produced as part of ‘Creative Development’, where you will work in small teams to develop concepts to particular briefs and then pitch these for feedback, before going on to develop the concept and deliver the final product as a post visual showcase. The aims are to provide you with the knowledge, understanding and practical skills in production for digital industries.

Studio Project (40 credits)

You will be introduced to work as part of a team to replicate studios project pipeline for VFX. As part of an open brief, you will use creative practices to generate digital environments and environmental FX through the use of 3D modelling pipeline, virtual production with the Unreal Engine, dynamics, simulation and visual effects on set supervision.

Digital Sculpting (20 credits)

This will introduce you to advanced 3D modelling techniques including digital sculpting, hair simulation, texturing, rendering and compositing to creating a likeness of a character from popular media.

Motion Graphics (20 credits)

You will explore the theory, creative and practical development of graphic design in relation motion graphics and as part of user interface development for film, television, and advertising. This will include exploring key graphic design techniques, as well as animation principles, 3D, and simulation-based motion graphics.

Performance Capture (20 credits)

You will be introduced to motion performance-based animation and its integration with an animation ready digital character within a digital environment which takes in to consideration the mise en scene of your creative decisions.

Dynamics & Technical FX (20 credits)

Introduces you to the use particle systems, rigid body dynamics, cloth simulations, fluid simulations, and destruction simulations. This will include research of forces, collisions, friction, and material properties to create realistic-looking simulations. Furthermore, the you will employ evaluation and analysis of creative and technical decisions making.

Professional Studio Project (40 credits)

Building on Film ‘VFX studio Project’ with a bias on specialisation you get the chance to negotiate your role in the assessment and are graded accordingly. This is where the you can hone your specific research and practical skills to create a group-focused portfolio.

Major Project (40 credits)

This is the module that allows you the freedom to create your own project relating to your chosen area of the industry. This can include collaboration or individual work and is another area where you can enhance your portfolio and employability skills.

Professional Futures (40 credits)

Prepares the you for the world of work in a multitude of ways from career research, networking, how to create a freelance portfolio to the techniques needed to become employable.

“Futureworks has opened my eyes to the world of VFX, creating an environment to nurture my passion and ready myself for the industry. Tutors at Futureworks hold professionalism at the forefront of learning whilst making classes fun and engaging, also allowing plenty of chances to cooperate with others and bring bigger scale projects to life. Futureworks has grown my confidence and skillset to work in the VFX industry, opening up ample professional opportunities that wouldn’t have been possible on my own.”

Alex Bucknall
BA (Hons) Art of Visual Effects

Careers

Where can this degree take me?

A Futureworks visual effects degree leads to a whole range of different careers – not just film and TV, but also roles in advertising, architecture and product design. Many industries require visual effects professionals.

Some of the biggest VFX companies are based in the UK and the scope for careers is really positive. There are lots of opportunities in this growing and exciting industry for the right people, with the right education and the right experience. And that’s what Futureworks gives you.

The complete list of potential job roles for our students is too wide to list here, but it includes compositors, 3d modellers, R&D, lighting, visual effects operator… and you may end up as a skilled freelancer, working in agencies or in a film production house – it’s such a wide and growing industry. Our past students have worked on films such as Guardians of the Galaxy, Paddington, Robocop and Ronin to name just a few.

Gallery

We are proud to showcase our students work

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Entry Requirements

To be considered for this course, you will require 104-120 UCAS points.

This could be gained via a number of qualifications, for example:

BCC or above at A2 Level
DMM or above at Extended Diploma Level
M or above at UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma Level
A proven interest in this area

You can apply for this course by applying directly to Futureworks. Alternatively, you can apply via the UCAS system. The UCAS codes for this course are as follows:-

UCAS Code: W614

Institution Code: F98

If you have any questions please call us  on 0161 214 4602 or email admissions@futureworks.ac.uk

Successful applicants will be invited to an interview where you will have the opportunity to talk about your work, influences and interests. A guide will be sent with your interview details to help you prepare for your interview. Ideal applicants will have a keen interest in film, television, and visual effects. You are welcome to bring any relevant examples of work with you, if you have them. This is optional and a portfolio is not required for applications to be considered for this course.

Art of Visual Effects (VFX)

BA (Hons) Undergraduate Degree

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