3D Intermediate (Evening - 20 weeks)

Course details

Location

Live online

Start date

Coming Soon

Duration

20 weeks

Mode of study

Part time (Monday and Wednesday evenings: 7pm-10pm)

Fees

£3,196

Thirs place Rookies award icon for production excellence in visual effectsTop 10 Rookies award for creative schools in the UK
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Course overview

Dive into the detail and take your VFX knowledge to the next level! 

This course is the perfect follow on if you have completed our 3D Foundation course, or if you already understand the basics. You’ll learn how to use key software including Maya, Nuke, ZBrush and 3DEqualizer

On completion of this advanced course, you'll be able to animate objects inside a Maya scene with efficient key-framing and understanding of animation curves, simplify the animation process with constraints, expressions and set-driven keys, and develop a moving visual effects shot, including modelling, texturing, lighting, rendering and compositing. 

You’ll also understand how cameras work in the real world and in Maya, and learn how to track image sequences and reconstruct them in 3D. 

You'll create some key pieces for a killer showreel, ready to stand out in this growing but ever-competitive industry. 

See also MA Visual Effects Production (3D), 3D Foundation (Evening - 20 weeks) or 3D for VFX (12 weeks) 

See more student work

Why choose this course

  • Ranked 2nd in the UK - and 10th in the world for Visual Effects Excellence by The Rookies 

  • Based in London - home to some of the best VFX houses in the world 

  • Industry briefs - work on industry-standard briefs and experience real-life scenarios, just like in a professional studio 

  • Professional input - our advisory board of experts, from the likes of DNEG (Avengers: Endgame and Oscar-winning Dune) and MPC (The Lion King and 1917), help keep this course relevant

  • Successful alumni - join our community of thousands of Escapees, many of whom have gone on to work at some of the world’s top studios. 47 Escapees worked on Avengers: Endgame, 36 on No Time to Die and 16 on Stranger Things

  • AfterCare package - we'll help you polish your showreel and find the right job, with access to our studios and showreel clinics for 12 months

  • Industry-standard facilities - study in a studio environment that mirrors current industry practice, using professional software such as Maya and Nuke 

  • Fast-track learning - studying a short course allows you to learn new skills quickly, in a fast-paced environment, so you can start applying for jobs as soon as you’ve completed the programme 

  • Intensive training - we pack a lot into a few evening classes, and we recommend that you work outside of classes for an extra few hours per week to complete your assignments 

  • Flexibility - study live online and in the evening to fit the course around your professional and personal life and other commitments 

  • Strong portfolio - along with an Escape Studios Certificate of Completion, you'll leave with strong creative and technical skills and great pieces for your portfolio 

  • Small class sizes - a convivial environment allows students to assist and inspire one another and benefit from personalised feedback from tutors.

Course modules

  • Using Maya and 3DEqualizer

  • Basic principles of cameras and their optical properties 

  • Dealing with lens distortion 

  • Alignment of solve in Maya 

  • Tips for integration of 3D elements into live action plate 

  • Using Maya and dedicated 3D texturing packages 

  • Basic 3D texture painting

  • Using Maya and Arnold 

  • Maya and Arnold rendering nodes and techniques

  • Using Nuke 

  • Roto, keying, simple compositing and camera tracking

More information

  • Maya 

  • Nuke 

  • ZBrush 

  • 3DEqualizer

  • Arnold 

  • Substance Painter 

  • Substance Designer 

If you have any questions about your application or our entry requirements, get in touch!

As part of the application process, you will need to agree to our terms and conditions for your place on the course to be secured.

Minimum requirements

We welcome and encourage applications from students with a variety of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

To study this short course, you must:

  • Have experience in 3D or have studied our 3D Foundation course previously

  • Be over 18

  • Have a good understanding of written and spoken English

  • Feel comfortable using a computer.

If you’d like to discuss your circumstances before applying, contact us on courses@escapestudios.ac.uk or +44 (0) 203 441 1303.

Non-UK students

We accept international students for our short courses, with no difference in course fees or administration costs. 

The Standard Visitor visa allows students to come to the UK to study for a course of up to six months at an accredited institution. Depending on your nationality, you may need to apply for a standard visitor visa prior to departure from your home country. For more information visit:  

Contact us on courses@escapestudios.ac.uk or +44 (0)203 441 1303 for any questions.

We can provide remote access to our workstations during teaching time. Due to availability restrictions, we highly advise you to have your own set up at home to study in your own time.

More things you’ll need:

  • A strong internet connection

  • An external hard drive (minimum 2TB) to back up your work during the course

  • A three-button mouse (or optionally graphics tablet)

  • A computer microphone (and optionally a webcam)

  • Note-taking materials

If you have any questions about learning online or if you need help with what to buy, get in touch at courses@escapestudios.ac.uk.

Fees 

Live online: £3,196 

Payment plans

We offer a range of payment plan options for all courses. Following an initial deposit at registration stage, your chosen payment plan will break down your remaining fees into up to six equal instalments, to be paid over the course length.

Contact our Admissions Team on courses@escapestudios.ac.uk or +44 (0)203 441 1303 or visit our admissions page for any questions about fees, funding and payment plans.

“Consumers who are increasingly looking for high-definition (HD) VFX experiences will have huge business opportunities in the VFX market in the next few years.” (source Expert Market Research)

You’ll leave with an Escape Studios Certificate of Achievement, along with strong creative and technical skills and some great pieces of work for your portfolio, which you can add to with help from our Aftercare programme. Ready to apply for jobs in the industry!

Some of the opportunities you can consider once you’ve finished your studies include: 

  • Runner

  • Modeller

  • Matchmove Artist

  • Previs Artist

  • Texture Artist

  • Layout Artist

  • Environment Artist

  • Assistant Technical Director

  • FX / CFX Artist

  • Production Assistant  

  • Production Coordinator 

3D Artists often start out in junior roles to then rise to mid-level and senior roles such as 3D Generalists and Technical Directors, opening the path to becoming a Visual Effects Supervisor.   

Our students have gone to work as both specialist and generalist artists in creative studios, across TV shows, films and commercials, at companies including Framestore, DNEG, MPC and Jellyfish Pictures. Read some of our VFX Escapee success stories.

Check out our Careers Guide for more information about career opportunities and progression routes.

We pack a lot into each class of our evening courses, to be able to offer a learning option that is more flexible and fits in with your personal and work life. This means that contact time with your tutors will be intense learning and hands on. To make the most of this course, we recommend that you spend at least 10 hours working on your projects or practising your new skills in your own time each week. 

Profile picture of Sokratis Synitos
Profile picture of Daniel Shutt
Profile picture of Klaudija Cermak

Meet our industry-experienced tutors

They all have industry experience and are experts in their fields. They are certified trainers for Autodesk and Houdini. They’ve worked at studios including DNEG, Framestore and Industrial Light & Magic, on credits including Fantastic Beasts, Gladiator, Kingsman and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.

Meet your tutors

Student showcase

Escape Studios always produces some of the finest VFX graduates in the country. Their training, both technical and soft skills, stands them in great stead in the industry.

Ollie Gilmour
Head of Operations at Electric Theatre Collective