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SFX Props & Modelmaking for Film and TV

Entry requirements


UCAS Tariff

85-105

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About this course


Course option

2years

Full-time | 2024

Subjects

Design

Visual and audio effects

Fast-track your way to a career in props and modelmaking. This two-year degree puts a focus on the design and fabrication of physically based film and television special effects using a range of art, engineering and science technologies.

**Why study BA (Hons) SFX Props and Modelmaking at BNU?**
**Inspiring facilities**

Our industry-standard facilities are here to help you produce your most creative ideas. We will build your confidence in using the latest machines, equipment and postproduction software.

Our specialist resources include;

• CNC and laser cutter machines
• engineering & modelmaking workshop equipped with the latest advanced tools
• plastic lab
• prosthetics lab
• CAD software
• high end cameras
• photography studios equipped with industry standard blue/ green screen.
• blue/green screen video studio
• computer and CGI lab
• adobe creative suit
• Auto desk.

**Taught by the industry**
The BA (Hons) SFX Props and Modelmaking course is led by a dedicated and experienced course team. Benefit from their industry knowledge and the industry links they bring to the course. Many of our guest lecturers are industry-experts and alongside your lecturers, they’ll nurture your learning and professional development through lectures, workshops and demonstrations.

**Location**
With London on our doorstep, you’ll be near the world’s best cultural centres, such as theatres, museums and galleries, where you can find a range of inspiration. It also means you may have the opportunity to visit outside bodies, such as prop stores, sets and set stores, material suppliers, manufacturing professionals and working studios.

**What will I study?**
The BA(Hons) SFX Props and Modelmaking course at BNU will allow you to focus on the design and fabrication of physically based film and television special effects using a range of art, engineering and science technologies. This will include props design & fabrication, character creation, prosthetics for prop-making, engineering and functional model making.

This practical course will be delivered in our specialist 3D modelmaking & engineering workshop at our High Wycombe campus. You may also have access to the prosthetics lab at our BNU base in Pinewood studios.

This taught practical-based course is industry-focused and will provide opportunities for students to engage with a broad range of skills and techniques required within special effects props and modelmaking production for film and TV and related creative industries. During your studies you’ll be supported by our specialist technicians and demonstrators. Using their experience and technical production and material knowledge, they’ll help you turn your ideas into fully functioning props and models.

The course embraces new and emerging techniques and technologies, maintaining currency and diversity through well-established links and communications with the creative industry. Upon graduation you’ll have a portfolio and a skill set that aligns with the needs of the industry.

**Career possibilities**
Throughout your time with us we’ll support you on the route to your chosen career. We’ll help you to develop crucial skills, encouraging you to become enterprising, employable and good leaders. Our Careers and Employability Team also help you find employment after graduation.
Upon graduation, you will be prepared for a range of career possibilities. Using the skills and knowledge learnt on this course, you could find yourself performing the following roles all over the world:
• Props design and fabrication
• Character Designer
• Animation 3D
• Sculptor
• Prosthetics
• Modelmaking
• Pre-visualisation artist
• Technical Director (TD)
• Creative mould-maker
• Rig builder
• Operator
• Engineering system design
• Digital artist
• Film & Television production assistant

Modules

**Term one**
**Core Modules**
Computer Aided Design
Design Theory
2D Visualisation
Chemical Studies and Technological Applications
SFX Character Design
Design Theory
SFX Props and Model Production 1

**Term two**
**Core Modules**
3D Modelling & Simulation
SFX Character Design 2
SFX Rigging & Manufacturing
Advanced Prosthetics Production
SFX Props and Model Production 2
Special Effects Film Study

**Term three**
**Core Modules**
Creative and Professional Development
Professional Practice & Business Management
Dissertation
Pre-production
Final Major Project

Assessment methods

On this special effects course you’ll benefit by learning from lecturers with real sector experience and an insight into working-life. You could also benefit from access to our network of guest speakers, industry experts and successful alumni.
You will be assessed in a variety of ways, from studio projects, workshop and masterclasses to media outcomes, written assignments and group and individual case studies.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£11,100
per year
England
£11,100
per year
EU
£18,000
per year
International
£18,000
per year
Northern Ireland
£11,100
per year
Republic of Ireland
£11,100
per year
Scotland
£11,100
per year
Wales
£11,100
per year

Extra funding

Buckinghamshire New University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships. For more information, please visit https://www.bucks.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/financial-support-bursaries-and-scholarships

The Uni


Course location:

Buckinghamshire New University

Department:

School of Art, Design, and Performance

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

94%
Design
80%
Visual and audio effects

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Design studies

Teaching and learning

95%
Staff make the subject interesting
98%
Staff are good at explaining things
89%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
88%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

61%
Library resources
76%
IT resources
70%
Course specific equipment and facilities
91%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

90%
UK students
10%
International students
25%
Male students
75%
Female students
85%
2:1 or above
18%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
B
B

Cinematics and photography

Teaching and learning

87%
Staff make the subject interesting
87%
Staff are good at explaining things
80%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
87%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

73%
Library resources
80%
IT resources
87%
Course specific equipment and facilities
60%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

84%
UK students
16%
International students
45%
Male students
55%
Female students
77%
2:1 or above
16%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
D
C

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Design studies

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£19,000
med
Average annual salary
89%
low
Employed or in further education
69%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

36%
Design occupations
12%
Media professionals
9%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals

Cinematics and photography

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£18,000
med
Average annual salary
93%
med
Employed or in further education
38%
low
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

27%
Artistic, literary and media occupations
26%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
12%
Other elementary services occupations

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Design studies

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£17k

£17k

£21k

£21k

£24k

£24k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Cinematics and photography

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£17k

£17k

£21k

£21k

£24k

£24k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here