Games, VR & VFX
at Engine Shed
This Level 3 Extended Diploma is centred around delivering real life projects, in real working environments and often for commercial clients. On this course you’ll develop your skills across a number of disciplines including 3D modelling, rigging, texturing & animation, 2D animation, motion graphics & compositing, 2D illustration and image manipulation, games engines programming for VR and interactive media and film and visual effects.
Studying at Engine Shed isn’t like being at school, you’re learning where the work is. Engine Shed is Bristol’s central location for creative companies to meet and create up-and-coming business ideas, such as app development, web design and smartphone technology. Studying here means you’re not just in a classroom, you’re sharing a workspace and developing your games design, animation and programming skills alongside creative professionals and businesses such as Channel 4 and Bristol Media.
Our tutors are embedded in the industry and work at the cutting edge of digital production. They will inspire your learning and fuel your creativity alongside guest lecturers from industry and master classes from technical staff and engineers from some of the most innovative and influential development studios on the planet.
Key Info
Recent Projects.
boomsatsuma courses hold immersion and opportunity at their core. The Games, VR & VFX Extended Diploma changes its projects and students' outcomes year on year, by making new connections with specialists and building industry-facing projects. This allows students to not only gain a valuable qualification, but, at the same time, develop a realistic and well-informed portfolio of experience at the earliest stages of their career.
Engine Shed Model
Students spent weeks painstakingly recreating their learning space at Engine Shed. This project provided students with an initial understanding of how technologies traditionally for video games have non-recreational applications.
3D Characters
An introduction to Maya and Cinema 4D for iniital animation of main charcaters. Students produced their characters following a seminar and group discussion with SUMO Digital.
Lighting, Cameras and Materials
Students are introduced to Maya to learn the manipulation of lighting, materials and virtual cameras. Exploring emissive materials in this project to achieve the desired 'glowing' effect.
Course Structure.
Games and VR
Engine population and operation
C# script and code
2D and 3D game production
Troubleshooting and diagnostics
3D character and environment creation
3D Animation
Professional interactive workflows and pipelines
Platform export and optimisation
Simulation and immersion techniques for VR and AR
Illustration and digital painting VFX
Pre-Production
Filming and editing
Rotoscoping
Compositing
Keying and greenscreen
Camera tracking and match moving
Object removal
3D to 2D Integration techniques
Parallax and forced perspective
Particles and fluid dynamics
Software
Photoshop
Illustrator
Premiere Pro
After Effects
Unity
Unreal
Maya
zBrush
Substance Painter
Hardware
Xeon PCs 64Gb Ram 1080 TDI
Lenevo PC workstations
iMacs
Oculus VR
DSLR and production video cameras
Green Screen
Wacom drawing tablets
PS4 and Xbox One
Extras
Communication and networking
Teamwork and group management
Critical thinking and problem solving
Pitching ideas and presentation skills
Evaluation and extrapolating data
Workflows and professional pipelines
Remote collaboration
Business and marketing strategies
Student Spotlight.
Wellington
"I've always loved art and games but I didn’t know there was a course like this that existed until I heard about boomsatsuma..."
Oliver
My passions are to help others bring their visions/ stories into a creative and visual media, being creative, making games and personalising my work to a degree that echoes my inner intentions and visions.
Career Progression.
On completion of this course, you will have the strong practical skills and knowledge of the working industry needed to progress to university, higher education courses, high level apprenticeships or even entry in the work place.
Students progressing to university from this course are often better equipped than students that have studied A Levels because of the time management skills that are needed to complete a diploma and portfolio based assessments.
By the time you leave us, you will have skills in collaboration, communication, creativity and problem solving, this means you are also able to apply for courses outside of Games, VR & VFX, having completed the diploma. If you decide you want to study something different, you will still be able to apply for a range of arts, humanities and social science courses. Past students have even gone on to study subjects such as Business, Sociology, Fine Art and Sports Journalism.
Art & Design
3D Modelling Artist
Lighting Artist
Character rigger
3D Character artist
Concept Artist
Technical Artist
Graphics Programmer
Animator
Gameplay Designer
Level Designer
UX/UI Designer
Roto Artist
Match Mover
Compositing Artist
Texturing Artist
Environment Artist
Programming and Technical
Generalist Programmer
Engine Programmer
QA Tester
Gameplay Programmer
Tools Engineer
Physics Programmer
Network Programmer
Build Engineer
Artificial Intelligence Programmer
Creature TD
Pipeline TD
Effects TD
Shader Development TD
R&D Programmer
Editorial and Production
Production Coordinator
Production Manager
Community Manager
Assistant Producer
Marketing Executive
Esports Producer
Producer
Publisher
Sound
Audio Programmer
Music Composer
Sound Designer
VO Designer
Audio Implementer
Audio Lead
Audio Director
Key Details.
Application Process
Level 3 Extended Diploma worth up to up to 168 Points - equivalent to 3 A* A Levels. On successful completion of the course you will be awarded an overall Distinction*, Distinction, Merit or Pass grade.
Typical Offer
You will need to be on track to get at least five GCSE grades 4 - 9 including Maths and English or BTEC Level 2 Diplomas (at merit or distinction). In exceptional cases we can take students who don’t have GCSE English or Maths at grade 4 or above and we can provide tuition in those qualifications alongside the course.
Qualification
Submit your application online via our website. All candidates are interviewed and selected primarily on their creative ability. Though experience of creative and media subjects are advantageous, we are more interested in energy and commitment, and welcome your application even if you have had little or no experience.
Course Costs
The course is funded for students ages 16-18 at the start of their course, however we ask for a £150 Studio Fee to cover enrichment costs. Students will be eligible to apply for a discretionary bursary to cover this and to assist with travel costs. Students will be expected to contribute to the cost of trips.
Course Duration
Two years, 15 hours a week + studio day.
Location Address
Station Approach, Redcliffe, Bristol BS1, UK