Kickstart your VFX career at the National Film and Television School

The creative power of visual effects continues to transform film and television production, and the constantly evolving discipline provides exciting opportunities for anyone who’s passionate about creativity, technology and storytelling. If that sounds like you, there’s no better way to kickstart your career than with industry-standard training in a real studio environment.

The National Film and Television School (NFTS) has a two-year Visual Effects (VFX) MA that’s unique in its highly practical multi-disciplinary training. Starting in January each year, the course allows students to learn vital techniques on set and on location while also receiving tuition and studying and practising in the lab at dedicated individual workstations with the software actually used in the industry. Students leave ready to go to work in film and television.

Train at an institution with a proven track record

The NFTS has a range of specialist MAs, Diplomas, Certificates and short courses in film, television and games designed to fast track graduates straight into the industry. It runs more behind-the-camera courses than any other film school in the world, with dedicated training courses in specialisms such as motion graphics and titles, animation, games design and development, marketing and distribution and creative business as well as VFX.

Supported by key industry partnerships, NFTS students benefit from world-class tuition, state-of-the-art facilities and an outstanding programme of exclusive Masterclasses, where they can hear from a range of significant and diverse voices in the industry. With a graduate employment rate of over 90%, NFTS alumni are bringing high-profile film, television and games content to our screens today.

Gain an advantage practical real-world skills

NFTS courses provide a unique blend of technical and artistic training, equipping students with the skills needed to produce work with the high quality finish that the industry expects from its future leaders. Visual Effects students study in a working film studio, gaining a unique and unrivalled experience that allows them to graduate with a thorough understanding of what it’s like to work on a real set and how to effectively communicate VFX requirements throughout the production process. 

Students work with proprietary software, camera and real-time technology, and are taught by current industry artists, experts, technicians and supervisors. They learn about VFX data capture and VFX onset supervision and work on set, in design, previsualisation, world building and virtual production, right up to crafting the final pixels. And they develop their expertise in close collaboration with other courses at the School, including model making, production design, sound design, cinematography, editing and colour grading.

All production costs are included in the tuition fees. The NFTS also offers over £950,000 of scholarship and bursary funding each year, demonstrating its commitment to supporting British students and widening access into the industry. Relative to its student body size, the NFTS awards more scholarships and bursaries than almost any other educational institution in the UK. Applications are currently open for NFTS courses starting in Autumn 2024 (September/October) and January 2025. See the full course listings. 

If you want to kickstart your creative career in film, television and games, guided by industry professionals every step of the way, the National Film and Television School (NFTS) could be the place for you. Find your course at nfts.co.uk.