Post Production & Visual Effects BA(Hons)

You'll develop a strong skills base and a working knowledge of industry practice by responding to an exciting and diverse range of post production and visual effects challenges. With access to professional-standard facilities, the chance to collaborate with multi-skilled teams and opportunities to learn from industry leaders, you'll graduate with a diverse portfolio, invaluable connections and the entrepreneurial skills to start making an impact. 

Modules

All modules in your first year balance the acquisition of key technical skills and the opportunity to apply them in a creative context. This is further underpinned by the critical exploration of leading industry speakers. 

Audio Post-Production Fundamentals

You'll get an introduction to the fundamentals of audio post-production processes and software through Avid’s Pro Tools 101. This will give you an understanding of audio as a whole and enable you to integrate the skills and understanding you gain into your wider work that you get to apply to a creative audio project.  

Video Post-Production Fundamentals

You'll be introduced to the fundamental processes and essential tools used in editing for post-production through Avid’s Media Composer 101. This will give you the confidence to explore these skills and take on greater challenges in your work with your creative editing project. 

VFX Fundamentals

You'll develop your insights into key visual effects (VFX) principles, while developing related software-based knowledge and skills (Maya). You’ll then apply these to a creative VFX project within the module. 

Audio Post-Production Competency

You'll get the opportunity to further develop your software skills through Avid’s Pro Tools 110 and explore the creative side of audio post-production. 

Video Post-Production Competency

You'll develop your editing skills further through Avid’s Media Composer 110 and delve deeper into the tools and platforms used within post-production, applying these in a creative video post-production project. 

VFX Competency

You'll get the opportunity to apply visual effects (VFX) techniques and develop a deeper understanding of visual effects principles. Enhancing your software-based knowledge and skills (Nuke) will be an integral part of this as you apply these to a creative VFX project. 

Your second year is designed to give you greater confidence in your skills and a clearer understanding of your own interests. You'll continue your development on the three core areas but also be given that crucial space to refine your own specialist interests. This may be as a specialist editor, sound mixer, VFX supervisor, colourist, sound designer or compositor among the many other roles open to you. By exploring the cutting-edge world of virtual production and collaborating on challenging projects you’ll get to connect with peers from the School of Film & Television and across the University.  

Modules

Audio Post-Production Proficiency

You'll focus on enhancing your skills in audio post-production workflows, software and hardware through Avid’s Pro Tools 201. These will then be applied to a creative audio post-production project. 

Video Post-Production Proficiency

You'll take your editing skills for picture post-production to a professional level by participating in Avid’s Media Composer 201, an industry accredited programme, as an enhancement to your activities. These skills will come to bear as you apply them to a creative video post project. 

VFX Proficiency 1

You'll engage with and reflect on intermediate visual effects techniques related to the cutting-edge world of virtual production. 

Collaboration Lab 1: Collaborative Project

Within this module you'll get the opportunity to collaborate with peers from across the School of Film & Television and beyond to meet the challenge by your developing specialist skills. This is your chance to shine as a specialist within your chosen area. 

You can choose to take an optional placement year after your second year on a three-year programme, or after your third year if you’re studying for a degree with an Integrated Foundation Year. 

You’ll be responsible for finding your own placement, with support from the RealWORKS employability team. 

Choosing this option will enhance your industry experience and skills while studying. 

How you’ll study during your placement year 

You’ll spend time working in a professional context, as part of a business or organisation. This can be in one role, or up to three, and must be for a minimum of 24 weeks. 

You’ll develop in-demand workplace skills, deepen your insight into industry and grow your network of contacts, all of which could help you get ahead in your career after graduation. 

Throughout this year, you’ll develop a portfolio of work that includes critical self-reflection on what has been learned from the experience. You’ll be required to evidence your experiences, the skills you’ve learned and your professional growth. 

Your final year will be dedicated to refining and mastering your skills as you prepare for a career in industry. You'll cement your learning across the three core areas of audio post-production, video post-production and visual effects. You'll have the opportunity to take on a collaborative contextual or entrepreneurial project with peers from across the University, especially in animation, film, television, prosthetic effects, games or on one of the School of Film & Television's funded micro-budget films. You'll also work on an advanced post-production or visual effects project. 

Modules

Audio Post-Production Mastery

You'll progress to become an advanced operator for audio production by mastering technical and practical skills through Avid’s Pro Tools 210. This is an essential skill to have in terms of entering the industry. 

Video Post-Production Mastery

You'll refine your practice and take your knowledge to the next level by developing your understanding of industry and the application of key workflows through Avid’s Media Composer 210 and a creative video post production project. 

VFX Mastery

Take a prescribed supervised project where you'll apply current professional working practices. This will enable you to demonstrate proficiency in a chosen specialism to a standard expected by industry. 

Collaboration Lab 2: Future Skills

You'll be equipped to critically examine and practice a range of future skills so you can become a resilient and connected practitioner. Collaborative working is a key here and reflective of the industry that you will soon enter. 

Advanced Post-Production & Visual Effects Project

Get industry-ready by working on a live client-related brief in collaboration as a post-production or visual effects specialist. 

Why study an Integrated Foundation Year route? 

If you’re taking on a new subject that you haven’t studied in depth before, have been out of education for a while or have a non-standard educational background then an Integrated Foundation Year degree may be the right choice for you. It is a four-year degree with an Integrated Foundation Year to start, which allows you to explore the primary elements of your subject before progressing on to the remaining three years of the BA(Hons) degree. 

What you'll study in your Foundation year

If you choose this pathway, you'll study five core modules in your Foundation year. These are all designed to help you explore the foundational elements of your subject. You'll gain relevant technical skills, learn to experiment and take risks, develop an understanding of professional practice, have opportunities to work across disciplines and collaborate with other students on live project briefs.

Modules

Explore

You'll begin your foundation year by working collaboratively with others to explore themes of the future. You'll take risks, experiment through play and be supported to break through barriers.

Technique

You'll take subject-specific workshops and develop essential technical and practical skills in your area of study. You'll also enhance your analytical and organisational abilities.

Apply

You'll work with your peer group to think beyond discipline by addressing a societal or global issue. You'll then showcase your work to your peers and deliver and accompanying evaluation of your process.

Industry

You'll enhance your creative and practical skills in your subject specialism by responding to typical industry briefs, underpinned by focused research and experiments. You'll also gain industry insights through guest lectures and workshops.

Launch

You'll develop your unique identity in your specialism through the production of a self-initiated body of work. Your final project will be the bridge to your next year, fully supported by evaluative reviews and critical analysis of the work you have created.

After the Foundation year, you progress into Year One of the full three-year degree, equipped with a deeper knowledge of your subject, a clear understanding of your strengths, and develop a practical and technical skillset and the confidence to excel in your chosen subject. 

If you apply for and enrol onto a degree with an Integrated Foundation Year, you’ll have the option to switch onto a five-year version including a placement year. That means you’ll complete the first three years of your course before completing a placement in industry in your fourth year and returning to Falmouth for the fifth year of your programme. 

The Integrated Foundation Year pathway for this course is new for entry year 2023 and subject to validation.