BDes (Hons) Special Effects Modelmaking for Film and Television with foundation year

Program Overview

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Course Details

From alien spaceships to samurai swords, and body parts to ancient statues, special and visual effects use physical artefacts to inject reality into computer-generated action, as well as provide a sense of place, time and atmosphere for actors and audiences. Our BSc (Hons) Special Effects Modelmaking for Film and Television with foundation year course is designed to train the talented artists and craftspeople this highly creative industry needs.

The foundation year allows you to experience the various specialisms offered by the Centre for Film FX at the University of Bolton. It aims to build your academic and creative skills and confidence so that you can make the leap to degree-level study smoothly. We’ll guide you as you explore a wide range of technical and creative areas drawn from across the spectrum of special and visual effects, helping you make an informed decision about your future career direction. At the end of the year, you’ll be able to choose between progressing with our BSc (Hons) Special Effects Modelmaking for Film and Television or transferring to one of our other fantastic Film FX courses.

With this preparation, you’ll be ready to begin our intensely practical education in special effects modelmaking. We’ll encourage you to experiment with materials and tools, and practice contemporary and long-established modelmaking techniques. We’ll support you as you learn the principles of scale representation and how to create bigatures. We’ll lead you in an exploration of how models and props can combine with 3D computer graphics to create spectacular on-screen environments.

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Highlights

The Centre for Film FX is widely regarded by prominent members of the UK and international film industry as one of the best places to study for a career in the film industry. Kate Walshe, Co Dir Millenium FX, said this in 2020 – “The University of Bolton Film and TV dept is literally world-class. I always get so excited to see projects made by the students there. It’s the perfect environment for creating the next generation of artists.”

You don’t have to worry about the cost of the tools and materials needed to complete your studies – we provide these for you. This means you can concentrate on learning how to use expensive industry-standard materials, like silicones and resins, rather than worrying about how you are going to pay for them!

Neill Gorton, multi-award-winning artist/designer and founder of the world-renowned Millennium FX Company, is our Visiting Professor of Special Effects. His astonishing range of professional experience, knowledge of cutting-edge techniques and industry contacts brings enormous benefits.

You’ll have access to our fantastic range of facilities, including our casting and moulding room, boutique film studio, 3D workshop, heavy engineering and woodworking facilities, and composites laboratories.

We’re committed to helping develop your employability and career network. You’ll be encouraged to attend guest lectures that enhance your learning and help you make contacts in the industry. For instance, the modelmaking masters Artem have recently shared their expertise with students on our SVFX courses.

Alongside your special effects modelmaking skills and knowledge, we’ll support you to develop a broader understanding of production design, including concepting, cinematography and composition. This will help you appreciate the roles, skills and expectations of other professionals working in the industry.

We’ll encourage you to research, analyse, design and develop modelmaking techniques so that you can take an idea from a brief or script scene and find the most time-efficient, cost-effective and visually impressive way to turn that vision into reality.

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Key Features

The course is designed in collaboration with professional special effects modelmaking designers and artists. This ensures that the content is industry-relevant and includes the latest techniques, materials and innovations.

We’ll help and support you to develop a portfolio of work/showreel that demonstrates your skills in readiness to impress potential employers.

Course assignments and projects mimic industry pipelines and standards, so your experience is a realistic preparation for a career in special effects modelmaking.

Our dedicated staff team have a wide range of professional experience, industry knowledge, technical expertise and academic credentials, offering you a variety of perspectives and broadening your horizons.

We offer a warm and friendly environment for your studies, with relatively small class sizes, purpose-built teaching facilities, and excellent student support and library services.

We prefer to keep lecture and practical classes relatively small so that you have plenty of opportunities to us ask questions and get individual help, as well as benefit from the ideas and support offered by your classmates.

By choosing to study with us, you'll have the chance to enjoy Bolton's many shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities. Manchester, one of the UK's most multicultural and lively cities, is less than 20 minutes away by train. Not forgetting, the North West of England is renowned for its beautiful countryside, coastline and heritage. This makes Bolton an ideal base from which to explore some of the best cultural and outdoor activities the UK offers.

Program Outline

As a graduate of this course, you’ll be able to demonstrate and combine creative skills with high levels of technical ability to design, create and produce 3D scale models and miniatures for use on film and television productions.

You’ll possess a variety of practical hand skills and transferable skills. These include using a range of different materials, sculpting and modelling techniques, and various tools and computer-assisted equipment. Your excellent eye for detail, high levels of patience, and your abilities to understand scale and focus for long periods will help you work with accuracy and attention to detail. You’ll also be adept at teamwork which is vital for developing ideas and concepts with others. Additionally, your ability to work to deadlines and manage projects will be highly valued by employers.

What can I do with this qualification?

Most modelmakers are self-employed and work on a project-by-project basis. Freelance modelmakers can progress by building up their businesses or becoming agents for other modelmakers.

Modelmakers create models that bring to life the ideas of production designers, props masters or the visual special effects team. Talented modelmakers are still very much in demand, even with the rise of CGI in film and TV special effects.

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Alternative career options

As well as film and television, other clients who employ modelmakers include engineers, designers, architects, advertising companies and museums. Graduates can also use the qualification as a stepping-stone into range of other careers. Relevant experience and postgraduate study may be required for some of these roles. Other industries and careers include:

Film production

Aviation

Motor industry

Civil engineering

Manufacturing

Advertising and marketing

Animation

Games design and production

Teaching

Product design

Arts management