This course won’t be running in September 2024, but you might be interested in one of these degrees:
- FdSc Visual Effects Production Technology
- BSc (Hons) Virtual Production
- BSc (Hons) Virtual Production - London
Or, you can check out BA (Hons) Visual Effects Art which is delivered by NTU on their City Campus.
Duration:
3 years full-time for BSc (Hons)
Direct entry into year 2 or 3 available with previous HND/FdSc
Location:
Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies, Nottingham
UCAS course code:
P319
Institution code:
N91
Looking for a place in Clearing? We are accepting applications and would love to hear from you.
To discuss our entry requirements and see what we can offer you, call NTU’s Clearing hotline on +44 (0)115 848 6000.
If you've already got your results, you can also apply online.
- We accept UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications.
- GCSE English and Maths grade C / 4.
Contextual offers
A lower offer may be made based on a range of factors, including your background (such as where you live and the school or college you attended), your experiences and individual circumstances (you may have been in care, for example). This is called a contextual offer and we get data from UCAS to make these decisions. NTU offers a student experience like no other and this approach helps us to find students who have the potential to succeed here but who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university. Find out how we assess your application.
International qualifications
We accept qualifications from all over the world – check yours here:
English language entry requirements
You can meet our language requirements by successfully completing our pre-sessional English course for an agreed length of time, or by submitting the required grade in one of our accepted English language tests, such as IELTS:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors. Find out more about advisors in your country.
This degree is validated by Nottingham Trent University. You can apply through UCAS.
Visit our fees & funding page for more information.
Additional Costs
Your course fees cover the cost of studies, and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team, and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses.
We advise you to budget between £50 - £250 for an external hard drive and SD cards. Whilst you will be provided with storage for your work on the servers it is also good practice to back up your digital files to an external source.
Library books
Most study modules will recommend one or more core text books, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary and further information is available in the University’s bookshop. Our libraries provide a good supply of essential text books, journals and materials (many of which you can access online) – meaning you may not need to purchase as many books as you might think! There may also be a supply of second-hand books available for purchase from previous year students.
Field trips
All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.
Placements
If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.
Print and copy costs
The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the Printing, photocopying and scanning information on the Library website.
VFX has become an integral part of the production process for film, television and advertising. On this course you’ll explore the VFX industry for moving image products while developing the skills required of a VFX artist across a range of disciplines.
This degree explores the role of VFX and post-production in film and television and will enable you to develop the skills required for the creation of a wide range of dynamic and creative photo real content.
You’ll have the opportunity to explore the different techniques and processes used by industry artists and will develop a diverse portfolio of VFX work across 2D and 3D disciplines. You’ll also develop the skills to design and implement workflows and pipelines for your own larger productions and more complex sequences.
Alongside this, you’ll engage in a number of work-based opportunities and enrichment trips designed to further develop your understanding of both the industry’s expectations of graduate artists and how to improve your own employability in respects to your showreel and skill set.
By the end of the course you’ll have developed a strong portfolio of work tailored to your career aspirations and will have trained in the use of a wide variety of industry-standard software, such as Nuke, Mari and ZBrush preparing you to enter the industry in a number of specialist and generalist roles.
This course is taught at Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies in Nottingham for September 2023 entry. If you are looking to join us in September 2024, the course will be taught at Nottingham School of Art & Design.
Within individual modules the delivery of the material encourages increasing levels of skill development and student participation, ensuring that, as you progress through the course, you become a more confident and independent learner. We aim to include a range of methods of delivery that may include;
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Workshop
- Group tutorials
- Academic Tutorials (ATs)
- Presentations and Pitches
- Team working
- Independent learning
- Visiting industry professionals
All the modes of delivery are structured to develop on-going abilities and skills through exploring ideas and problem solving.
93% of our degree students would recommend studying at Confetti to others. (National Student Survey 2020)
Trips
We give students the opportunity to go on a variety of trips throughout the year. There have been a number of great trips previously, including a visit to the Bournemouth Visual Effects, Animation and Games Festival (BFX) - you can read about the trip here.
What our current students think

"The course is the perfect level of practical to theory and the class sizes are small allowing you one-on-one time with tutors."
Kirsty Macadam
Advice from our alumni

"Confetti provide all of the industry-standard software, and help direct you on a career path if you haven’t yet decided. The tutors are very helpful and it is a great atmosphere to learn in."
Elliot Macey
Assessments for each module place an emphasis on portfolio building and each portfolio for each module will contain a range of evidence such as practical work, production management evidence, reflection, evaluation, research projects, presentations and written work.
Each assessment undertaken will enable you to experience a variety of roles within visual effects production whilst enabling you to experience industry standard working practices and software. The varied assessment tasks have been designed to prepare you for the range of skills you require to work in the global visual effects industry.
A three year Bachelor degree is a great choice if you’re looking to gain a full Level 6 qualification. With a higher UCAS tariff – this type of degree is perfect for you if you prefer a more theoretical approach to your studies combined with significant elements of practice. After graduating you will be able to progress onto a postgraduate course or start your creative career.
Topping up your existing qualification
If you already have an FdSc, HND or equivalent you can join this BSc course by direct entry into year 2 or 3, depending upon your qualification and experience.
Each case will be considered individually, but if you have passed an FdSc from Confetti and decided you want to continue your studies, you’re automatically entitled to enter into the 3rd year to ‘top-up’ to a full honours degree.
What you'll study in year 1
This module introduces you to the assets you’ll be working with in VFX productions. You’ll develop your skills operating a range of digital technologies in the acquisition of video and audio assets for VFX sequences. By understanding the mechanisms and technologies involved in image and data origination, you’ll develop an understanding of the relationship between principal photography and the VFX professional.
This module introduces you to the main principles of creating 3D content and integrating created 3D content with another source (typically a digital film camera) and making it conform or fit into that environment. The module also introduces the important notion of the virtual camera, and how the 3D software camera needs to match and replicate the qualities of the physical or real film camera.
This module develops your skills in compositing when working with 2D Graphics. You’ll be introduced to 2D image basics, including layering, masking, keying, and notions of colour space, project set-ups and flexible reusable templates. You’ll also spend time exploring the history of compositing and its roots. The module also examines different methods by which mattes can be created and how they might be manipulated and used in VFX compositing.
This module examines the art of matte painting and the role of the environment technical director. With the advent of 3D CGI the matte painter’s job has increasingly moved away from creating 2D backdrops of landscape and cityscape to include working with geometry in what is often phrased as 2.5D. You’ll explore painting techniques and their role in creating environments whilst developing skills in photo real paint artistry.
What you'll study in year 2
This module concentrates on the process of achieving an accurate camera solve or matched object geometry from plates shot with moving film cameras. You’ll explore the application of camera movement within an image and the difference between object tracking and camera tracking. You’ll develop skills in the creation of more realistic and professional VFX sequences as well as learning the important process of rig removal.
In this module you’ll learn about making particle systems, structures, cloth, fluids and crowds move under the forces of physics. Within the VFX industry these are the jobs of an effects animator or effects technical director. You’ll learn to use VFX software to simulate complex behaviours and phenomena (fires, breaking glass, fluids etc.) and be able to understand and communicate using the language of Newtonian mechanics.
This module allows you to explore the role of the rigger and the working relationship and interactions with animators and modellers. You’ll learn to design, create, test and maintain character, vehicle, cloth and prop setups working with animators and modellers to meet the technical needs of a project. You’ll also extend and advance your skills in modelling as the module complements and builds on your existing hard surface modelling skills with soft surface modelling aimed at creating organic forms to technical specifications.
During this module you’ll undertake appropriate self-directed projects, working collaboratively on creative work, allowing you to directly apply the knowledge and skills learnt throughout the programme in the context of the workplace. This module aims to develop your overall professionalism and provide you with the knowledge and resources to begin a career in the creative industries.
The nature of creative industries is increasingly defined by freelance and self-employed models of work. Consequently, individuals seeking work in industry need to appreciate the pressures of working on multiple projects to strict deadlines and the subsequent demands this place on time and resources. Similarly, an understanding of professional practice and the legal and economic imperatives in industry is important, as is effective communication, self-efficacy and autonomy. This module aims to develop these skills and knowledge by challenging you to develop a range of self-directed projects.
What you'll study in your final year
The visual effects industry is notoriously fast-paced with new hardware, techniques and workflows emerging every year. This module aims to give you an understanding and practical knowledge of some of the latest technologies and innovations associated with visual effects. The module also aims to look at the importance of research & development within the field of VFX and how the work carried out is shaping the visual effects and post-production industry. You’ll be given the opportunity to learn new technologies and combine these with your existing knowledge of visual effects techniques and processes to produce content which uses the basic principles of VFX in new and innovative ways.
This module concentrates on the role of the lighting technical director in the visual effects pipeline and will give you a broad understanding of the various skills, software and technical processes required to match photo realistic computer generated imagery to live action plates and create realistic and accurate 3D renders. Alongside this you’ll explore the scientific and creative application of a variety of lighting conditions and associated phenomena as well as the practical skills required to deploy this knowledge in the creation of photo real shaders for use in 3D visual effects and animation content.
The aim of this module is for you to design and produce an innovative and ambitious visual effects project of your own design in which you’ll bring together the various techniques, processes and procedures you have explored across your time on the course. You’ll need to demonstrate flexibility, creativity and technical accuracy whilst working both independently and in collaboration with your peers and your production teams.
You’ll develop critical and technological skills that allow you to realise your professional visual effects production. Alongside professional production skills, you’ll also extend your theoretical knowledge in new technologies and in the establishing of professional workflows in order to enhance your understanding of the visual effects pipeline and what is required for an efficient and successful production.
This module provides you with the opportunity to undertake sustained investigation into a specific area of creative technology that builds on your previous knowledge, experience and skills acquired during levels 4 and 5. This module will allow you to explore critically a specific issue or area of personal interest within your chosen field allowing you to explore individual lines of enquiry connected to your career goals. You’ll achieve this by undertaking a self-initiated practical research project supported by tutor supervision.
As part of this investigation you’ll also enhance your abilities to communicate your findings with an audience and consolidate your skills in project management and self directed work, both of which are vital for a career within the creative media industries.
The module serves to acquaint you with the key skills and practices required to undertake and complete independent project research and to create practical creative media technology products as a response.
On this course you'll study in Confetti HQ - our brand new £9.1million digital media hub. You’ll have access to:
- 37m2 green screen VFX studio
- 48m2 Motion capture Studio
- 24 seat post-production lab with Dual Screen PC workstations
- 25 seat screening room with Dolby Atmos audio facilities
- Specialist software including Nuke, Mari, Houdini, ZBrush, PF Track & Unreal Engine
- Full Autodesk Suite (Maya, 3DS Max, Mudbox)
- Adobe Creative Suite (After Effects, Photoshop)
- Wacom Cintiq 13HD touch tablets




At Confetti, we offer students the chance to ‘Do It For Real’ – get out into real industries and experience working in various roles that take their interest.
Our Talent Development team work closely with Course Leaders to link students with opportunities across the VFX industry, and live briefs – like working on visual effects for a real film as some of our students had a chance to do, gaining them IMDB credits and tonnes of experience.
Experiences like these are what help make our graduates extremely employable - have a read of one of our alumnus’ stories, and how studying at Confetti helped him land a job at the Oscar-winning VFX house Framestore.
Guest speakers
Throughout the year, students are invited to attend various talks and events with visiting industry experts. Recently, students were visited by Framestore’s Maxwell Smith who gave an insightful lecture about the VFX industry and how to impress employers within it.
Industry Week
You'll also take part in Industry Week where you’ll be able to meet a range of professionals within your field of interest as well as other areas of the creative industries. Past guests have included the likes of Framestore, Industrial Light and Magic, The Mill and VFX artist Michael Wilde.
Continue your education
Your time at Confetti doesn’t have to stop once you finish your undergraduate course. Choose to continue your studies on our postgraduate degrees that can help you further develop your skills and obtain the experience you need to get a head start in your career.
Future careers
- Roto artist
- Compositor
- 3D artist
- Digital preparation
- Layout artist
- Lighting technical director
- Match move artist
- Matte painter
- Animator
- Technical director
- VFX supervisor
Previous students are working at companies, such as:
- Framestore
- Double Negative
- Pinewood Studios