Love film? Adore effects? Want to make your name in the rapidly growing world of CGI?

At Staffordshire University we equip students with the skills and qualifications to succeed right across the VFX sector – from shooting the action to creating the most hardcore of effects and imagery.

One of the first UK universities to offer computing at degree level, we pioneered the introduction of computer games design and programming awards and introduced courses in Digital Effects in 2004.

Today we offer a choice of undergraduate FX degrees and will shortly launch a Masters award for graduates looking to enter the Visual Effects industry at a higher level.

Key Course Information:

Our FX degrees
Our Visual Effects degrees combine the study of both the creative and technical aspects of Visual Effects to enable you to create the mind-blowing photo-quality imagery you see at the cinema and on TV. Designed alongside industry professionals, they deliver the skills that employers demand.

Choose to specialise in full-on Visual Effects by taking CGI and Digital Effects or Digital Film and 3D Animation Technology. Or take a more filmic approach studying Digital Film and Post-production.

Click on a course to find out more:
BSc(Hons) CGI and Digital Effects
BSc(Hons) Digital Film and 3D Animation Technology
BSc(Hons) Digital Film and Post-production Technology

Learn from FX professionals
Studying full-time at our Stafford campus, you’ll learn from a team of lecturers with incredible industry expertise. Most have worked in film or television and come from either a 3D, Motion Graphics or Post-production background. Others still work in the sector and, wherever possible, involve students in their external projects.

Industry leading facilities
Complete your FX degree at Staffs Uni and no one will ever say ‘don’t touch that button’. That’s because we want you to experience the broadest range of equipment available.

We’re the most highly resourced HD-capability university in the UK. We have a full HD TV studio, 70 full HD TV cameras, a green screen studio, portable green screens, jibs and tracking, Steadicam, location lighting, Maya, 3D Max, Nuke, After Effects, Mocha, Composite and more. Plus we don’t just talk technology, we teach you how to get the very best from the equipment you use.

Blockbuster placements
Our links with leading Visual Effects houses in London and Manchester mean incredible work placements.  Our students have worked as 3D artists, matte painters, matchmove artists, rotoscope artists and telecine operators for some of the biggest names in entertainment.  Major productions our graduates have worked on include: the Harry Potter films, Clash of the Titans, Nanny McPhee, Wallace and Gromit, Avatar, Pirates of the Caribbean, Where The Wild Things Are and Prince of Persia.

The UK Visual Effects industry is one of the most highly rated in the world – and an FX degree from Staffordshire will equip you to work right across this fascinating business.

Find out more at: www.staffs.ac.uk/visualeffects

The One-Year Visual Effects & Animation course at the Met Film School is unique in many respects.  Unlike many other courses the Animation & Visual Effects programme sits alongside complementary courses in Digital Cinematography and Practical Filmmaking.  This inter-disciplinary mix of knowledge and ideas provides an environment where students can collaborate to produce their work.  Far from treating post-production as a separate entity, detached from the filmmaking process, we train students in the entire production process from script to screen. Our VFX graduates are as comfortable holding a camera as they are working with industry standard 3D and 3D compositing software packages.

Alongside Met Film School sits Met Film Production, where students can be further exposed to the development of in-house feature films and documentaries while on their course.   Met Film is also situated in Ealing Studios, a professional working film studio in London, amid a cluster of dynamic film production companies and creative talent and all our tutors are working industry professionals.

The Met Film School offers an accelerated two-year degree and a one-year practical course in VFX and Animation.  Additionally the Met Film School offers short courses in Motion Capture and Shooting in 3D as well as weekend courses in digital filmmaking.

Industry Connections:
Molinare
Ignition
Expert tutors from a variety of disciplines

[video]Ringling College of Art and Design is a private, not-for-profit, fully accredited college offering the Bachelor’s degree  in 14 disciplines: Advertising Design, Business of Art & Design, Computer Animation, Digital Filmmaking, Fine Arts, Game Art & Design, Graphic & Interactive Communication, Illustration, Interior Design, Motion Design, Painting, Photography & Digital Imaging, Printmaking and Sculpture.

The College is a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design [AICAD] and is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design [NASAD], the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree [SACS], and by the First Professional Degree Level by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation [CIDA], formerly [FIDER].

Located on Florida’s Gulf Coast, the picturesque 35-acre campus now includes 90 buildings, and attracts close to 1,200 students from 43 states and 23 foreign countries. It is recognized as being among the best and most innovative visual arts colleges in the United States as well as a leader in the use of technology in the arts. With a better than 2:1 student to computer ratio, Ringling College’s computing infrastructure rivals even that of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology [MIT].

Computer Animation Curriculum:

FIRST YEAR

3D Design

Liberal Arts 1: Development of Western Art & Ideas I [AH 191]

Liberal Arts 2: Development of Western Art & Ideas II [AH 192]

Communication Design [CORE 112]

Contextual Figure [CORE 123]

Drawing [CORE 101]

Liberal Arts 3: Writing Studio [EN 151]

Observational Color [CORE 102]

Open Elective

Traditional Animation I [CG 208]

History of Animation [CG 170]

SECOND YEAR

Computer Animation I [CG 220]

Computer Animation II [CG 222]

Concept Development I [CG 227]

Concept Development II [CG 228]

Liberal Arts 4: Intro to Psychology [HD 180] recommended

Liberal Arts 5

Liberal Arts 6

Open Elective

Open Elective

Traditional Animation II [CG 209]

THIRD YEAR

Liberal Arts 7: Advanced Art History Elective

Animation Pre-production [CG 328]

Computer Animation III [CG 320]

Computer Animation IV [CG 322]

Concept Development III [CG 326]

Drawing for Animators I [CG 335]

Drawing for Animators II [CG 336]

Liberal Arts 8

Open Elective

Open Elective

FOURTH YEAR

Liberal Arts 9: Advanced Art History

Computer Animation V [CG 420]

Computer Animation VI  [CG 422]

Computer Animation Portfolio [CG 431]

Liberal Arts 10

Liberal Arts 11

Liberal Arts 12

Liberal Arts 13

Liberal Arts 14

Industry Connections:
Ringling College of Art and Design is a member school of the Imageworks Professional Academic Excellence program (IPAX).  IPAX, created in 2005, is a professional development program designed to share, extend and expand the Imageworks and Sony Pictures Animation knowledgebase as well as educate faculty and structure curriculum at leading academic institutions in an effort to develop future talent who will contribute to the overall growth of the visual effects and animation industry.

The program is intended to build stronger relationships with established academic programs and to nurture and grow future generations of digital talent. IPAX is the first program of its kind, focusing on IPAX member faculty development and exposure to real-time production issues and development of standards for training future digital artists.

Email: admissions@ringling.edu

BSc Computer Games:
THINK  MAKE  PLAY  - dream – analyse – imagine – innovate – design – create – work together – - discover – sketch – model – listen – solve problems – research – share – - animate – build – help – develop – program – engineer – control – test – - simulate – troubleshoot – discuss – edit – show – give feedback – publish – compete – document – promote – praise – suggest – inspire – enjoy. 

BSc Computer Games has been developed in consultation with Skillset and games industry professionals.  It runs in partnership with Gamelab London, the games research and development centre at London Metropolitan University.

Students choose to follow a technical or a design/modelling route after their first semester.  Technical students focus on programming with industry standard languages such as C++; design/modelling students focus on scripting and building 2D/3D and other media assets. All students work together to produce prototype games (and toys) for a variety of platforms.  Teamwork and portfolio development play an important role in the curriculum.

Students have the opportunity to do an internship with Gamelab London and may be able to undertake part-time work for other industry clients in the second and third year.

The course opens up many employment prospects in gaming and entertainment development, as well as in traditional public and private sectors where there is demand for technical expertise. It also provides a foundation for further postgraduate study.

Click here for for recent examples of work, clips of students in action, interviews with graduates and events listings.

Click here  to apply.

BSc (Hons) Computer Animation degree
The BSc (Hons) Computer Animation degree offered by the Faculty of Computing at London Metropolitan University gives students an opportunity to build a career as a computer animator, working closely with highly creative and technical professionals within the animation industry.

This course has been designed to ensure development in creative, technical, business, and professional skills leading to employment in the animation or related sectors. An ability to produce animation requires both creative and technical skills and this course will provide students with an opportunity to develop both.

Working in digital 2D and 3D with moving images, sound and narrative students create animation for many different types of market including the web/internet, games, emerging cyber-communities & virtual environments (such as Second Life).

Student work undertaken on the course will address the requirements of future trends, emerging markets and online communities. On graduation, students will be skilled at producing a range of commercial quality animation projects and have produced a showcase of client-centred productions as well as a portfolio of innovative projects. They will also have had the opportunity to take part in a short work placement with a commercial animation studio, work placement as a new media educator or in an educational environment.

The support that students obtain on the course is second to none. Experienced, knowledgeable and approachable teaching staff are keen to share their experience of working in animation, film and multimedia with students to ensure that students realize their full potential.

Industry connections
The creative and cultural industries are seeking professional skilled creative producers with digital animation skills to bring new and traditional content onto the digital, mobile and virtual platforms. The Faculty of Computing already has extensive commercial links with a number of major UK animation studios and practices both in London and internationally. Students have the opportunity of both work placement and a first job experience through it’s World of Work initiative and the BAFTA award winning Gamelab London.

The BSc (Hons) Computer Animation degree course has been designed and developed in consultation with Skillset to ensure that the course meets the needs of the animation industry and that graduating students can demonstrate that they have the skills and attitude that the animation business and practice requires.

Course Leader – Dr Nigel Medhurst
Tel: 020 71333680
Email: n.medhurst@londonmet.ac.uk

MSc Digital Solutions E-Learning Technology
This course gives students an opportunity to build a career in the exciting and expanding area of E-Learning, using a variety of new technologies to explore what is possible with E-Learning. The course offers students the opportunity to master the skills and knowledge to develop E-Learning materials. It focuses on the study of E-Learning methodologies, and on technologies which are currently available and which are just emerging.

Students on this course have the opportunity of developing materials and working with our undergraduate students to test and further develop their work. Students are encouraged to use Web 2.0 technology and we have a particularly active team using emerging cyber-communities & virtual environments (such as Second Life). The Faculty of Computing has invested in significant facilities in Second Life and students on this course frequently develop learning resources in Second Life for other LondonMet Faculties and departments as well as with out side organisations, particularly enthusiastic media companies.

Industry connections
Students have the opportunity of working with staff and students in other parts of the University, other educational establishments and media companies. The Faculty has a large number of links throughout the University and with schools colleges and industry.

Course Leader – Alan Hudson
Tel: 020 7133 3624
Email: alan.hudson@londonmet.ac.uk

·         BA/BA (Hons) Computer Games (Art & Animation)

·         BA/BA (Hons) 3D Computer Animation

·         BSc/BSc (Hons) Computer Games (Design)

·         BSc/BSc (Hons) Computer Games (Software Development)

·         BA/BA (Hons) Graphic Design for Digital Media

·         BSc/BSc (Hons) Interactive Media Development

Key Courses: Postgraduate

·         MA 3D Design for Virtual Environments

University and Course Details
The School of Engineering & Computing at Glasgow Caledonian University is engaged in an exciting and forward looking programme of teaching, research and links with industry. We have a number of exciting opportunities in undergraduate and postgraduate taught courses, a wide range of IT courses and numerous areas of research.

BA (Hons) 3D Computer Animation
3D Computer Animation will appeal to students who wish to combine their traditional art skills with cutting edge creative technology in 3D animation combined with digital video and motion graphics. The course is practically focused and provides the student with the opportunity to develop a significant digital media portfolio in preparation for working within the creative industry.

BA (Hons) Computer Games (Art & Animation)
Game Art will appeal to students who wish to combine their traditional art skills with cutting edge creative technology in 3D art, animation and motion graphics. The course is practically focused offering continual opportunity for portfolio development.

BSc Computer Games (Design)
This programme is designed to provide graduates with the right mix of skills and knowledge needed to become a Game Designer. Game Design embraces a broad area of concerns encompassing elements of both software development and computer arts.

BSc Computer Games (Software Development)
The BSc Computer Games (Software Development) programme stream will emphasis the technical programming requirements (including the mathematics and implementation of physical mechanics), but would also share an appreciation of the core elements of Game Design

BA Graphic Design for Digital Media
Graphic design is a form of visual communication. Having expanded the boundaries of graphic design to include animation, interactive media, web design, digital illustration and motion graphics, digital media is an essential part of today’s design education.  This degree programme prepares graduates to design creatively using industry standard technologies.

BSc Interactive Media Development
In the rapidly expanding and changing area of interactive systems, there is a strong demand for designers and developers who can create sophisticated interactive products. This requires a wider range of skills than ever before.   There is a need for such developers to have a sound technical knowledge of software tools and hardware platforms as well as the creative design skills, knowledge and understanding to produce effective solutions.

MA 3D Design for Virtual Environments
The MA in 3D Design for Virtual Environments encompasses the creation of three dimensional environments suitable for use in computer games, architectural visualisation, television/film set design and online virtual worlds.

Industry Connections
The School of Engineering & Computing  are engaged in an exciting and forward looking programme of teaching, research and links with industry. We have a number of exciting opportunities for school leavers, mature and part-time students in range of subjects. If you are interested in the subject areas of computing, engineering or design I am sure we have the right programme of study for you.

The School has an excellent track record of developing innovative programmes to meet the needs of today’s students. 2008 saw the launch of 2 new masters programmes; MA 3D Design for Virtual Environments and an MA Design Practice and Management in addition to the range of exciting Engineering and Computing programmes that we already offer. The School is committed to the creation of knowledge through relevant research and our programmes are all underpinned by ongoing research carried out by staff within the School.

All our programmes focus strongly on relating your studies to the ‘real’ world of employment. On the basis of our frequent discussions with leading employers, both locally and nationally we continually update our programmes to ensure that you have the skills you need for success. We also offer you, within a large number of our degree programmes, the opportunity to incorporate practical training in industry into your degree. This experience, for which you would normally be paid, is highly regarded by potential employers.

School Admissions Office – seccourses@gcal.ac.uk or call 0141 331 3277.

BFA:

Digital Imaging and Painting
Students use 2D and 3D photo/painting tools to gain an understanding of scanning for texture, mapping techniques, image manipulation, and the printing and mounting of files for presentation in this course.
 
Modeling I
This course deals with issues in advanced NURBS patch modeling and advanced UV layout for polygonal modeling. The further exploration of polygonal modeling methods and tools is performed with implications for Subdivision Surface modeling. Issues in level of detail are discussed with models created in high, medium, and low versions for rendering and animation proxies. Human figure and facial modeling is stressed in this course. Rigging of characters is accomplished with skeletal structures and animation controls set-up.
 
Character Animation
This is an upper level course stressing how character animation influences the character’s personality. Students become knowledgeable in multifaceted issues of human movement. The expression of emotion, timing, and the subtlety of character is explored. Lip-synching and dialogue animation are presented.
 
Character Rigging and Animation Setup
This course provides an in-depth analysis and exploration of character rigging and animation setup. Students will learn how to obtain proper deformations of the 3D geometry and will create Graphic User Interfaces through the use of Mel Scripting.
 
Digital Lighting and Texturing
This course explores the theory of computer lighting and texture mapping using various methods in CGI. Students develop a strong knowledge of photo-realistic lighting and texturing for computer generated artificial objects through structured exercises. Advanced shader networks are created in this course.
 
Advanced Animation and Concept Development
A higher level course with the focus on principles of production, this course examines various levels of the production pipeline. Students develop strategies for solving problems which arise in the production process. Students are placed in production teams and have weekly team meetings working on closely monitored projects with narrow guidelines. The Fur module of Maya Unlimited is also explored.
 
Digital Compositing and Visual Effects
The course focus is on understanding the production pipeline and the digital compositing role in that process. This course incorporates a strong emphasis on the creation of visual effects in the world of filmmaking. This class also marks the Second Annual Portfolio Review for students.
 
Advanced Applications in Animation
An advanced level course for students with previous experience in intermediate modeling and animation techniques, this course’s focus will be on the creation and manipulation of motion capture clips and incorporating the artist’s interpretation and application.
 
Advanced Visual Effects
This course features advanced scripting utilizing MEL (Maya Embedded Language) primarily for use with particles, dynamics, and expressions. This course contains a lab component.
 
Computer Animation Thesis
This course is designed to prepare seniors as animation professionals. Emphasis is on development and implementation of student’s senior demo reel concepts. The course centers on a senior project that results in a rendered animation with sound. Course will center on meeting production deadlines, as well as reviews and critiques of senior works-in-progress.
 
MFA:
 
Video Editing & Audio for Electronic Media
This course provides a solid technical and aesthetic foundation in video post-production for CG students. It concentrates on the issues of shot succession, timing, action, and sound/image relations as an aid to general postproduction skills and revisualization of computer animation. The course covers the essential elements of linear and non-linear systems, as well as general ecology of production and post-production in a rapidly changing field. Students learn to incorporate audio into various electronic media such as CD-ROM, World-Wide-Web, computer animation, and digital video. Technical issues covered include: the physical properties of sound, methods and tools of sound recording, music and audio terminology, and the use of analog and electronic musical instruments. Aesthetic issues are also considered. The class acquaints students with concepts of layers in 2D and 3D space, tracking basic terminologies, functionalities of digital editing software’s components, and processes of editing, compositing, and tracking. From this foundation, students move on to experimenting with different perspectives, creating and editing expressions, editing masks, defining parent-child relationships between layers, and animating lights and cameras. Toward the end of the course, students apply the skills acquired from the class to creating 2D, 3D and CG effects and building up their own sophisticated spaces. This course contains a lab component.
 
Advanced 3D Modeling
The course builds a fundamental understanding of 3D computer modeling, texture mapping, lighting, and rendering technology for developing animation works. Class activities place emphasis on application of modeling tools including 3D Curves, Patches, Meshes, Sub-division Surfaces, Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines, and Polygonal Tools. Students acquire a solid grasp of fundamental modeling techniques while guided through completing an animation project employing principal elements of 3D modeling, texture mapping, and lighting art and design
 
Character Animation
This course covers three major technical areas:
1. Advanced Modeling – Character modeling techniques with Maya
2. Advanced Character Deformers and Rigging with Maya
3. Advanced Animation Direction with Maya
 
All of the above three are core components of Maya. The course acquaints students with the advanced features of Maya modeling and animation. Through stepby- step instructor-led tutorials, students are directed to master essential advanced Maya modeling and animation skills through hands-on experiments. The class combines lectures with tutorials to demonstrate the mechanism of advanced Maya character modeling (Nurbs, polygon, subdiv) and advanced Deformers, Rigging, and animation including Character Setup Features, Skeletons, Constraints, Character Sets, Animating Character Sets and more…

Students are directed to put the concept to work immediately in class activities, and then apply them to their projects. Term grades are based more on the animation level achieved in the project than on testing for knowledge of concepts.
 
Maya Special F/X for Film & Video
The class combines lectures with tutorials to demonstrate the mechanism of Maya Dynamics Particle System, Paint Effects, Maya Cloth and Maya Fur. Students explore beyond 3D paint effects into advanced dynamic particle effects to produce complex images. The class experiments also include dynamic animation using the particle system to create realistic motion. The class directs students to employ Maya Cloth and Maya Fur to create realistic animated cloth and fur within the Maya environment. Through participating in class activities, students gain the ability to model garments for any animated 3D figures and to create self-shadowing fur and short hair on multi-surface NURBS models.

Students also learn to create many other types of cloth animation, including sheets, bedding, drapery, flags, and fabrics of all kinds. Students complete the course with film, video and commercial projects that apply major animation techniques learned during the course.
 
CG Programming Workshop
This course introduces students to Maya MEL (MEL stands for Maya Embedded Language). The course helps students attain a head start in the use of MEL commands and scripts. Once students grasp the essentials of MEL, this course continues to guide them to maximize their control of the commands, macros, scripts, and custom interface elements that can be created with MEL. Furthermore, students can use MEL commands to bypass Maya’s user interface, quickly create shortcuts, and access advanced features. With workshop experiments, students learn to enter exact values for attributes, circumvent any restrictions to precision that the interface imposes, customize it for specific scenes, and also to customize default settings to suit a particular project.
 
Advanced Special Effects Animation Production
This course provides a solid technical and aesthetic foundation for animation video production and post-production with Maya. It concentrates on the issues of shot succession, timing, action, and sound/image relations as an aid to general post-production skills and revisualization of computer Special Effects animation. The course will cover the essential elements of linear and non-linear systems, as well as the general ecology of production and post-production in this rapidly changing field. Students should preferably have some experience with video editing systems before entering the class. With a focus on advanced animation production, the course examines the use of Maya’s digital technologies in the creation of 3D animation end products: full screen video, TV commercials, and movies with Special Effects.

The class covers the process of computerized animation design and production through all phases of the production cycle: from layout, lighting, editing, and composition to digital file video recording, etc. Other advanced features introduced include the development of environment effects, special F/X, use of Maya and After Effects between media, and the fine-tuning of final compositions.
 
Thesis I
Master Thesis I and Master Thesis II combined is the summation of graduate studies in computer animation. Master Thesis I focuses on the initial phase of the thesis project – modeling and basic animation. The class guides students through the first phases of thesis animation production to develop a state-of-the-art production and accompanying paper in a graduate thesis project that reflects the student’s mastering of high-level animation techniques with Maya and other software. The course helps students solve technical problems they encounter during their thesis project development. A formal written proposal is required, involving research, writing of an original script, production planning, and detailing of technical issues. Successful completion of the course involves a positive full faculty review and a graduate committee review measured against defined benchmarks for the MFA program.
 
Motion Capture
As motion capture is leaving behind all controversies and becoming an increasingly practical tool for the generation of animation, this innovative course introduces students to this unique method of creating a 3D representation of a live performance, in contrast to the more conventional animation approaches that entail ‘by hand’ creations through a process known as key-framing. The course offers students hands-on experience with software tools for working with motion-captured data such as Kaydara Filmbox. Students are guided to utilize the tool as the means to edit and blend takes from multiple capture sessions and then mix and match them with key-framed animation techniques. Students gain the capability of exercising great control of style and quality of the final animation output for images.
 
Thesis II
Thesis I and II combined are the summation of graduate studies in computer animation. Thesis II focuses on the second phase of thesis project building – advanced animation production and special effects. Students must have successfully completed Thesis I before taking this course or take it concurrently. This course covers various post-production issues including video/film editing, final product presentation, and thesis defense strategies. The class constitutes a resource rich support to students as they work their way through the final phases of thesis animation production, post-production editing, and composition.

Individual meetings with the professor and class demonstrations of projects in progress ensure that every final product constitutes a state-of-the-art animation piece that reflects the student’s mastering of cutting-edge animation, editing, and composition techniques with Maya live, After Effects, AdobePremiere5, and other software. Students learn the optimal way to deliver and defend the final project in the professional arena.

Industry Connections:

• Digital Domain
• Blue Sky
• Rhythm and Hues
• Dreamworks
• Evolve CG
• Sony Image Works
• Disney Online

In addition to providing learning to approximately 5000 adult students, THC is home to a thriving and dynamic 6th Form College.  Many of our creative arts students progress onto a range of high profile universities such as Ravensbourne. 

Our Creative Arts Department is based at Poplar.  The media suites were refurbished over the summer 2009, and we can now boast state-of-the-art facilities, complete with Mac Suites and a photographic studio. The learning resource centres offer hubs of educational activity, whilst the airy canteen spaces provide the perfect areas to relax over a coffee or snack.

The College is also home to Advice Solutions, a dedicated advice centre offering both course and employment advice, whilst our Employment Solutions team help people to find employment by providing job skills training, and can also assist you in developing CV writing and job interview technique.  There is also a recruitment service with jobs boards filled by local employers, so whether you are a student wanting a part time job, or are looking for full time employment, the centre can help you find the job you deserve. 

The Advice Team offer confidential help and guidance on all variety of matters, from answering financial queries to giving course advice, and from helping with childcare problems to pointing you in the right direction for more help, such as counselling, if it is suitable.

Our support services provide a network of additional help so that your time at College is as successful as it possibly can be.  Our youth work team organise a calendar of activities to give you the broadest education possible, and work closely with our proactive Students’ Union too. The Key Skills Area in the learning centres provides additional support to learners who want extra help with their work regardless of what course they are doing.  We’ve also mentoring programmes, volunteering opportunities, work experience links, the Aim Higher Programme and much, much more to get your teeth into.

Industry links:
The majority of creative arts lecturing staff at Tower Hamlets College have extensive industry experience.  They run their own web business, successful blogs, produce films, are film writers, have won Oscars, work with Nickolodeon, are music composers… their experience really is endless.

Previous college students have managed to secure invaluable work experience with such big names as Framestore, Channel 4, and galleries to include Whitechapel Gallery.  They have also had their films showcased at international film festivals such as Canary Wharf Film Festival and the London Short Film Festival.

Students also put on an industry preview night of their work.  This is the time when many students find themselves with offers for freelance work, which is a fantastic attribute to their portfolio.

Useful Links:
- Tweet us at airTHC
- Become a fan of Tower Hamlets College on Facebook
- View photos of Tower Hamlets College on Flickr
- Search airTHC747 videos on YouTube
- Full college website is www.tower.ac.uk

• Full-time Courses: VFX, VFX TD, VFX Professional, Animation, Games, and Compositing
• Online Training: Maya, Nuke for 3D Artists, Camera Tracking for VFX, Visualisation with 3DS Max, ZBrush, Advanced Shading and Advanced Lighting
• Evening Classes: Maya, VFX, ZBrush, Compositing

Who are Escape Studios?

[video]Escape is one of the most successful and well-respected CG academies in the world. We’re the proving ground for a new generation of computer graphics stars breaking into film, TV, games and commercials. We’re a vibrant community of professional artists. We’re a unique outsourcing resource for leading CG studios. We’re a specialist creative recruitment agency for entertainment, advertising, architecture and manufacturing businesses. We’re an authority on all things CG, offering informed opinions on cutting-edge creative, commercial and political issues. We’re host of the acclaimed Escape talent awards. We’re a specialist IT consultancy and technology store. We are all of these things. We are CG. We are Escape Studios

Why should you study with Escape Studios?

Breathtaking landscapes of impossible beauty. The swashbuckling heroes of a million childhood afternoons. Eye-scorching Hollywood chase scenes. Million-selling legendary game experiences. They’ve all started here. You could too.

Escape is not a university. We don’t do theoretical exercises. We skip the history lessons. Our training is about results. A degree gives you a very sound and broad education over a number of years. An Escape course is different. We teach you one discipline in-depth over a short time. Our courses are intensive hands-on practical workshops designed with a single aim in mind – to give you the skills, experience and confidence (not to mention the showreel) to get your first job in computer graphics.
To succeed you’ll need talent. Personal and financial commitment. Imagination, hard work and belief. But if you’ve got what it takes, Escape Studios gives you the knowledge and tools to prove it. Click on the video to take a look at some of the work students have produced in just six weeks at Escape Studios. This is where it all begins.

To succeed you’ll need talent. Personal and financial commitment. Imagination, hard work and belief. But if you’ve got what it takes, Escape Studios gives you the knowledge and tools to prove it. Click on the video to take a look at some of the work students have produced in just six weeks at Escape Studios. This is where it all begins.
Industry Connections

Industry Connections: Get Connected

The end of your course at Escape Studios is really only the beginning. We affectionately refer to graduates of our courses as ‘escapees’. Being an escapee means joining the biggest international community of CG artists in the world. Like any creative industry, who you know in CG can be just as important as what you know about CG. During your time with Escape you can make invaluable industry contacts and connect with fellow escapees through our Twitter; Facebook, Youtube and LinkedIn accounts which ensures you’re at the forefront of all things CG.
We do everything we can to help you get that all-important foot in the door. Escape Studios serves as a talent pool for big name FX houses in search of fresh new artists. Our escapee recruitment team provides advice, support and resources to help you find roles to apply for and get more interviews. There’s also a certain amount of kudos that goes with being an escapee. Employers recognise the quality of our tuition. All of this makes for a priceless head start when it comes to winning your dream job. One you just can’t get anywhere else.

Where next?

Why not check out our FREE Monthly tutorials? This month it’s Reflections, Rayracing & Render Settings. It’s very simple to access; all you need to do is register on our website and follow the instructions.

Make sure that you keep yourself up to date with the latest promotions, offers and new courses by signing up to our monthly newsletter.

The Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries is located at ATRiuM, a multi-million pound facility at the centre of a modern, lively city. ATRiuM is an architectural icon, a platform for an eclectic mix of teaching and research in the theory and practice of media, design and the arts.

This specially-designed building contains cutting edge technologies and industry-standard facilities, enabling like-minded individuals from a broad range of subject areas to work together in an environment geared to sharing expertise across the creative disciplines.

BA (Hons) Computer Animation
This internationally recognised, Skillset Accredited course, has been designed in collaboration with professionals in the animation industry to provide specialised training for 3D digital animators and artists, for the Film, TV, Commercials and VFX industries.

Previous graduates have been employed at prestigious studios such as Sony Pictures Imageworks (USA), Animal Logic (Australia), Double Negative (UK) Framestore CFC (UK), Aardman CG (UK), and worked on the impressive animated VFX sequences in films such as Hellboy 2, The Dark Knight, Watchmen, Beowulf and Happy Feet.
Students start by examining the fundamentals of 3D Animation and Art, and will then work on specific industry-related options as the course progresses.

This course is officially recognised by Skillset as one of the top training providers for Computer Animation in the UK.
BA (Hons) Games Art and Animation
We have designed this extremely successful and commercially orientated course in collaboration with experts in the computer games industry. The course has Skillset Accreditations for both animation and games art.
Our graduates have gained employment at a number industry leading games development companies including EA Games, Crytek, Ninja Theory, Rare, Rockstar North, Lionhead Studios, Blitz Games and Travellers’ Tales.
The course begins with an introduction to 3D computer animation and 3D digital art principles, then progresses to advanced work in computer-based animation and 3D digital art in years’ two and three.

This course is officially recognised by Skillset as one of the top training providers for Games art and animation in the UK.

This full-featured 3D modelling, animation, and rendering solution is used to produce top-selling games and award-winning film and video content. It’s the tool of choice for quickly generating realistic characters, seamless CG effects, jaw-dropping games, or top-quality film and television content. Enhanced toolsets let you create your 3D environment the way you want, manage complex scenes, and take advantage of improved software interoperability and pipeline-integration support.

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Innovative Creative Tools in 3ds Max 2010
- A new Graphite modeling and texturing system introduces at least 100 additional creative tools.
- Render-like effects in the viewport display offer near photo-real quality for faster decision making.
- Powerful New Referencing and Scene Management Capabilities
- Artists can create robust referencing workflows to help organize complex scenes as a single Container object.
- A new Material Explorer helps to simplify the way artists interact with objects and materials.
- New multithreaded xView mesh analyzer technology for in-viewport reporting on several types of mesh.
- Enhanced Software Interoperability and Pipeline Integration

Click here to read the 3ds Brochure.

Read more about 3ds Max at Autodesk.