Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Special Effects for Film and Television University of Bolton, UK

Television shows, films, music videos, commercials and theatre productions all rely on the magic of special effects to enhance their storytelling. Our BDes (Hons) Special Effects for Film and TV course is ideal if you wish to combine design creativity, physical model-making skills, special prosthetic make-up effects, and cutting-edge 2D and 3D computer modelling and prototyping in the creation of special effects for all these platforms.

Our unique course has been created to allow you to explore and develop both design and problem solving skills and apply them to the art of creating special effects for film and television. It’s designed to offer specialisation while still nurturing an understanding of the entire landscape of special effects.

Large scale film and TV productions use both physical and digital effects, so our intensely practical approach allows you to gain hands-on experience of a broad range of special effects disciplines and techniques.

Several elements of the course are delivered by industry practitioners. Our staff are very hands on, skilled, friendly and enthusiastic, prioritising one-to-one support and industry-focused development.

Highlights

• You don’t have to worry about the cost of the 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.
• We’re committed to helping develop your employability and career network. During your time with us you’ll have the opportunity to attend lectures from the likes of award-winning make-up artists Nick Dudman and Neill Gorton, many FX studios like KMFX, and model-makers like Artem.
• We’ll encourage you to research, analyse, design and develop special effects 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.

Key Features

• The course is designed in collaboration with professional special effects artists and studio directors. This ensures that the content is industry-relevant and includes the latest techniques, materials and innovations.
• Course assignments and projects mimic industry pipelines and standards so your experience is a realistic preparation for a career in special effects.
• Alongside your special effects 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.
• 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 access to industry-standard materials.