MA Visual Effects Production (Compositing)

• Check Nuke's technical requirements here.
• Processor - x86-64 processor, such as Intel Core 2 Duo or laterStorage - 5 GB disk space available for caching and temporary filesRAM:

At least 8 GB RAM Display - At least 1280 x 1024 pixel resolution and 24-bit colorVideo card.

Graphics card with at least 512 MB of video memory and driver support for OpenGL 2.0.*

• Wacom tablet or alternative graphics tablet
• An external Hard drive to back up your work during the course - Minimum 2TB

• This course is hands-on. From the comfort of your home, working on high-spec hardware to master 2D skills. We have no more than 13 students in a class so you’ll get plenty of 1-2-1 time with your tutor.
• Experienced tutors. You can’t teach what you don’t know, so that’s why we employ the best. All of our tutors have worked in the industry, plus you’ll have industry feedback sessions. Top studios including The Mill, DNEG, Industrial Light & Magic and Rushes partnered with us for previous compositing courses.
• There’s high demand for skilled compositors and we can help you connect with studios and find roles. Escape Studios is well regarded in the industry and you’ll become part of our creative, vibrant, well-connected and global community of Escapees.
• AfterCare to help you get hired. Our alumni AfterCare package will help you polish your showreel and find the right job - with access to showreel clinics, studio access for 12 months and use of tons of resources on our VLE.
  
• You'll study in an environment that mirrors industry standards from day one, to give you a true taste of life in the workplace.
• You'll graduate with a globally recognised MA qualification from the University of Kent, known as the UK’s European university.

The MA Visual Effects Production (Compositing) is a one-year course including 18 weeks of direct teaching time, a 12-week collaborative project and a 12-week final project.

Module 1 - Compositing 1 (30 credits - VX7004)

• Week 1 - The interface: premultiplied images
  • Production pipeline and light
  • Digital images, formats and resolution
  • Film properties and behaviour: log vs. linear
  • Premultiplication Maths
  • Introduction to Nuke
• Week 2 - Transformations and rotoscoping
  • Transformations and introduction to tracking
  • Multiple point tracking
  • Planar tracking and refining track data
  • Introduction to rotoscoping
  • Rotoscoping human movement
• Week 3 - Rig removal composites
  • Rotoscoping in Silhouette (SFX)
  • Tracking in SFX
  • Painting in Nuke
  • Generating clean plates
• Week 4 - Advanced paint/prep work
  • SFX prep techniques
  • Warping and morphing
  • Advanced prep work
  • Matching film grain
  • Marker removal
• Week 5 - Keying
  • Introduction to keying methods
  • Keylight node and the despill process
  • Primatte and IBK keyers
  • Compositing outside the keyer
  • Pre and post – processing: refining the key
• Week 6 - Colour correction and grading
  • Exposure, gamma and curves
  • Density and colour matching
  • Colour management
  • Atmospherics

Module 2 - Compositing 2 (30 credits - VX7005)

• Week 7 - Filters, motion vectors and time-based effects
  • Convolutions filters
  • Foreground and background edge integration
  • Retiming
• Week 8 - Projections
  • Introduction to the 3D interface
  • Projection types and 3D
  • Camera projections
• Week 9 - Projection workflows and camera tracking
  • Lens distortion
  • Nuke camera tracking
  • Projection rig removal methods
  • Utilising camera data
• Week 10 - Compositing CG
  • Multi channel workflow
  • Introduction to render passes
  • 2D and 3D motion blur
  • CG production pipelines – Framestore, MPC, The Mill
• Week 11 - CG and 2D element integration
  • Edge pre and post treatment
  • Integrating CG and live action
  • Redefining your composites
  • Advanced keying and edge treatments
• Week 12 - Project week
  • Finalising your shots
  • Developing your demo reel
  • End of course presentation
    

Module 3 - Advanced Compositing for Visual Effects (30 credits - VX7007)

• Week 13 - Advanced compositing craft 1
  • Advanced CG compositing with AOVs
  • ModelBuilder
  • UV unwrap techniques for 2D
  • Advanced projection techniques
• Week 14 - Compositing TD (Technical Director)
  • ExpressionNode & filtering (Matrix, Laplacian Pyramid)
  • Position/normals, relighting, distortion
  • Expressions, Gizmo’s, OpenGroups, menu.py/init.py
  • Scripting (Python/TCL/Bash)
• Week 15 - Advanced compositing craft 2
  • Seamless cuts with projections
  • Projections for DMP (Digital Matte Painting)
  • Beauty retouching / basic face tracking
  • Nuke rayrender + 3D lighting and rendering techniques
• Week 16 - Senior/Lead Compositor skills
  • NukeStudio project management and pipeline
  • Shotgun project management and pipeline
  • Receiving and giving feedback in dailies
  • Estimating project requirements
  • Consistency and continuity
• Week 17 - Emerging Compositing Techniques
  • Volumetric rendering with Eddy for Nuke
  • VR / 360 images with Cara VR
  • Particles
  • Deep compositing
  • GeoTracking and FaceTracking with KeenTools
• Week 18 - Project week
  • Showreel advice
  • Job hunting tips

Module 4 - Visual Effects Collaborative Studio Project (30 credits - PR7003)

For this module, you will be required to produce a project that demonstrates your ability to choose correct techniques and approaches and to apply these to meet a specified professional brief.

You will be given a brief for a visual effects shot that incorporates the techniques that you have covered in programme. You will be provided with the live footage that might be combined with CG content to meet the brief requirements. When logistically possible, the scope of this project might mean that you will be working with another vfx artist to complete all the requirements of the brief. For example, you might pair with a 3D artist from another course using his/her complex CG renders to integrate them seamlessly. The key is to demonstrate skills that will be recognised as those used in professional VFX production. This project will demonstrate that you can select the correct techniques from the range that you have studied and manage your time and resources to deliver a professional standard project to a given deadline.

Module 5 - Visual Effects Production Project (60 credits - PR7004)

This major project will allow you to demonstrate that you have reached the level appropriate for the award of a Masters degree. You will specify, refine and produce a substantial visual effects project that will show that you have an in-depth critical awareness of the area and the highly developed practical skills to deliver a complex project on time.

For this assignment, you will specify your own project brief in discussion with your tutors that will involve a complex visual effects shot that uses the advanced techniques that you have studied. It will use live action footage from our library, an external source or plates you shoot yourself. The decisions that you make in developing the material and creating the shot will demonstrate the extent of your knowledge and understanding of the current industry-standard of visual effects. The implementation of your chosen material will allow you to demonstrate the high level of skills that you have developed. It will be your choice to include or not, CG rendered elements from another artist or that you create to a high industry standard. When logistically possible, the scope of this project might mean that you will be working with a 3D artist to complete your shot imitating industry VFX pipeline methodologies.

The last assignment is a 5000 word reflective report that will show that the design and production process you have carried out in this project is one that exhibits the required characteristics for a Masters degree. It should discuss the decisions that you have made, and place them in the context of current industry practice and research in the area. The report should also reflect on your process and your final result to identify its strengths and weaknesses. This is your opportunity to demonstrate the depth of your critical understanding of the field and to show that you can objectively analyse your own work.

For more details about modules, see the full module specifications.

At Escape Studios, there are two main types of feedback on your work: formative and summative. 

Formative assessment

This is one of the most important aspects of your work. There will be many opportunities to receive feedback from your tutor, studio assistants and peers during your modules. This will often be oral feedback on your work, sometimes on a one-to-one basis, sometimes in a group feedback session or daily. All of this should help you build on your strengths and develop your skills as you progress through the course.

The majority of modules contain at least one piece of practice or ‘formative’ assessment for which you receive feedback. Formative assessments are developmental and any feedback you receive for them do not count towards your overall module mark. 

Summative assessment

This will be specifically designed to measure how well you meet the learning outcomes of the module. They will usually involve a task to meet a brief set by your tutor and will allow you to demonstrate the knowledge and skills that you have learned during the module. You’ll need to decide exactly how to complete the task, choosing particular techniques and approaches, and making decisions on the aesthetics and style to meet the given requirements.

Each module will have a practical element (usually a practical project, where you make something) and a written element (usually a journal or blog, where you reflect on what you’ve made). Sometimes there is also a presentation (where you demonstrate your work). All these elements are essential to your development by showing that you can deliver to a required level and also that you understand why you can and how you could improve.

Summative assessment breakdown:

For your pathway modules (Compositing 1, Compositing 2, Advanced Compositing for Visual Effects) you will be assessed as follows:

• Practical project – 60%
• Production logbook – 30%
• Individual presentation – 10%

For the Visual Effects module, you will be assessed as follows:

• Group project – 80%
• Retrospective group presentation – 20%

For the Production Project, you will be marked as follows:

• Production project – 60%
• Written retrospective – 40%
  

The assessment methods employed in this programme have been developed to mirror industry practice as far as possible. We balance feedback from tutors and industry experts. It is crucial that, as a student, you learn how to accept and work with feedback from your superiors and peers, as this will be the norm when you work in industry. You also need to develop a keen self-critical eye, to be able to step back from your work and see what you could improve, and to have the ability to look at yourself and your working practices, and make changes where necessary. 

For more details about assessment, see the full course specifications. 

Your overall workload will be divided between teaching sessions and independent learning.

During your course, you’ll be able to develop your knowledge and skills in a number of ways. Some of this will be closely directed/supervised by your tutors, at other times you’ll be free to organise your own study with guidance. All your scheduled study time, except for some information sessions and presentations, will be in groups of around 12. For your team project, you’ll be working with a smaller team, collaborating to meet a shared brief. This will give you ample opportunity to get the support and assistance that you need.

The first three modules have a high contact time (180 hours for each module), as this is where you will be learning the knowledge and skills associated with your particular subject, directed and informed by your tutors’ expertise and experience. These will normally involve a large part of each day with your tutor and studio assistant, following demonstrations and working on set exercises to help you develop your craft.

The Studio Project and Production Project modules will have a lower contact time (15 hours for the Studio Project and 30 hours for the Production Project), with your tutors taking on the roles of supervisors or studio leads. You’ll meet with them regularly to get feedback and help you stay on the right path, but these modules are much more about you managing the learning experience to meet your objectives. You’ll be free to organise your work either as a team or an individual to best suit your project requirements.

Each module has its own area on the OLE (Online Learning Environment) where you will find all the information about the module and resources provided. Some of this information will be dedicated to the module, other elements may be shared across different modules and some may be external assets that can help with your further study. There may be links to videos, online journals and ebooks, and you should take advantage of these to enhance your development and take it beyond the studio experience. Tutors may highlight some of these during their sessions, so make sure you listen out and follow up on their advice.

You will also have an access to a variety of materials to aid you in your learning. Our OLE platform offers an online module focused on improving your study and research skills and academic writing. Finally, the online library also offers an extensive range of literature on both study skills and academic writing.

For further details, go to our learning resources.

Students with additional needs or disabilities are supported by the Student Services team.

Overall workload

This programme has flexible start dates which may vary from year to year. It is divided into two stages. Stage 1 comprises modules to a total of 120 credits and Stage 2 comprises a 60 credit Production Project module. Students must successfully complete each module in order to be awarded the specified number of credits for that module. One credit corresponds to approximately ten hours of 'learning time' (including all classes and all private study and research). Thus obtaining 180 credits in an academic year requires 1,800 hours of overall learning time.

The first three modules are taught in intensive blocks of 6 weeks each, giving a total of 18 weeks. During each of these modules you will spend around 30 hours per week studying in tutor-led sessions or practice supported by studio assistants. The final two modules are more self-directed. The Studio Project will take around 12 weeks, during which you will have around 15 hours of feedback sessions with your tutor. Finally, you will spend around 18 weeks on the Production Project, including around 30 hours of feedback sessions with your tutor.

Each 30-credit module on the course requires students to commit 300 hours of study, with one 60 credit module which requires 600 hours of study. Some of these hours will be formally supervised in the learning environment and others will involve students carrying out private study.

For more details about modules, credits and workload, see the full course specifications.

An undergraduate honours degree in Art and Design, Architecture, Computing or Engineering-related subjects.

Applicants without a degree who have significant industry experience in VFX or related creative subjects will be considered.

Suitable applicants will be asked to submit a creative portfolio.

Applicants must be living and have the right to study in the UK to study this course on campus. Please contact us on +44 (0)203 4411 303 or admissions@escapestudios.com for any questions.

To apply, please complete the online application form. Our Admissions team will get in touch to take you through the next steps.

Compositors are the masters of make-believe, responsible for creating the illusion of reality. They compose the final image in a VFX or motion picture sequence, creating VFX that make the impossible, possible!

Compositors often start out as rotoscope artists or in junior roles, but can rise to become mid-level, then senior compositors and compositing supervisors. From here the path is open to becoming a VFX supervisor.

Our MA Visual Effects production (Compositing) students have been successful, with two of our students accepted onto Industrial Light & Magic’s (ILM) Graduate programme following their studies. Escapees from our compositing courses have gone on to work at companies including Industrial Light & Magic, Framestore, Cinesite, DNEG, MPC, Milk VFX, Sky, Electric Theatre Collective, JellyFish Pictures and Pixomondo.

For more career advice, download our Careers Guide.

Fees

London campus: £17,995

Live online: £15,450