The MA Visual Effects course has been designed to provide you with a platform on which to explore and challenge the growing possibilities of the dynamic entertainments industry. You will develop your creative and technical skills and enhance your career potential.
Pushing The Boundaries
Visual Effects has become one of the most attractive and dynamic areas of the entertainment industry and a driving force behind many aspects of moving image and post production. Its full creative potential is still being defined and expanded.
The MA in Visual Effects will allow you to fully explore and challenge the growing possibilities of this dynamic area and to identify a specialist area to help you obtain future employment.
Developed in collaboration with major London post-production houses, the course delivers industry relevant content within a focused work based environment.
Times are changing
The Visual Effects course has been developed in response to industry demand for creative professionals with specialist creative and technical skills and an understanding of the workflows and working practices employed by the industry.
Modes of working
Problem-solving skills will be a key aspect of the course and throughout the programme you will be encouraged to think both laterally and analytically. Experimentation, innovation and the learning of new skills and modes of delivery will be encouraged in order to broaden your approach. Cross-disciplinary work is encouraged, mirroring a real world of work environment, also giving students the opportunity of learning from each other.
Who’s it for?
To support your learning at this level you are expected to have previously studied either editing, post-production, motion graphics or 3-D animation at undergraduate level.
What you will study
The course provides you with an overview of skills, which include directing and shooting live action, match moving, the language of film lighting, green screen, photography as well as an overview on compositing and 3D software.
Post-production and visual effects is a collaborative process and you are encouraged to team up with fellow postgraduate and undergraduate students from subject areas that share key elements of the post-production and visual effects pipeline.
Your final major project will be an exciting opportunity for you to explore any of these areas. You are encouraged to produce an innovative and professional piece of work, which will inform and challenge your specialism and help you identify a career path either in specific areas of post- production or new emerging markets.
The Core Units
During the Technology Issues unit you will take part in a series of short projects working independently and collaboratively. Simultaneously you will begin to challenge and explore your specialist area developing your understanding of research methods and theoretical frameworks through the Research Process unit and identifying an area of enquiry for your major project. This enquiry theme will be further explored as you develop knowledge and understanding of business models and processes on the Business and Innovation unit. You are then expected to develop your major project theme during the Concept and Prototyping and Major Project units.
Teaching
The Visual Effects course at Ravensbourne combines creative design and technology education with professional practice methods.
Learning is facilitated by permanent teaching staff, supported by sessional staff and visiting speakers who are leading, practising professionals working in the creative industries.
There is an emphasis on ‘real world’ ways of working, which further develops professional skills and practices. You are helped and encouraged to take on work experience and ‘live’ project work within the industry. Ravensbourne has well-established partnerships with post-production houses seeking special effects artists as well as a production company where students with appropriate skills and knowledge can practice and demonstrate their abilities.
Assessment
Knowledge and understanding is primarily assessed through the delivery of practical project work, essays, project report and development work, individual and group presentations. You are required to conduct background research on the subject and demonstrate a thorough understanding of the discipline.
Where will it take you
Applicants will be aiming to obtain employment in post-production houses in a variety of compositing and visual effects roles or develop their interests in new and emerging industries such as visually high-end narrative content in games, online media and interactive content across a range of platforms.
Click here for the full programme specification.
