Postgraduate in Visual Effects

Specialize in production of visual effects and become a professional in simulation techniques, advanced lighting and composition.

Nid: 20485
Syllabus

The Postgraduate is structured in 6 subjects of 5 ECTS each.

Subject Credit
Effects production 5
Simulation 5
Effects 5
Lighting 5
Composition 5
Portfolio development 5
Total 30

The contents of each subject are briefly detailed below:

Effects production
You will learn the visual effects production process and its interrelation with the other phases of the complete process of generating animated scenes and effects, it is the so-called production pipeline.

You will learn, in addition to the terminology, the characteristics and peculiarities of each process, the concepts of flow optimization and the processes themselves, for which programming concepts will be introduced that will be very useful in a professional production environment.

As it is a team task, often delocalized, you will also be trained in transversal skills that are very necessary for a good integration in production teams: agile methodologies, communication, leadership and project management.

Simulation
In this module you will deal with visual development, techniques and methods for generating sequences with physical simulations: flexible and brittle objects, fluids (liquids, smoke) and simulation of natural phenomena. Procedural modeling and animation for the assisted creation of terrain and cities, particle systems, plants, collision simulation and object dynamics. Programming techniques for complex simulations will be included.

Effects
In this module you will deal with the effects related to characters and creatures: simulation of clothes and hair (Cloth & Grooming), Character rigging of creatures (differentiated from anthropomorphic characters due to their greater complexity and specific characteristics). As in the simulation module, programming-based development methods will be included in order to develop highly complex models and animations (procedural modelling and procedural animation).

Illumination
In this module as a student you will go one step further in the application of lighting in synthetic scenes:

  • Design and implementation of lighting sets.
  • Specific lighting for visual effects projects.
  • HRDI techniques (high dynamic range).
  • Lighting aspects for integration of 3D elements in real environments.
  • Advanced hyper-realistic lighting systems and last generation rendering engines.
  • Render managers and their optimization.
  • Use of real-time rendering systems (Unity / Unreal).

Composition
You will learn the advanced use of digital composition techniques using both real elements and digitally generated elements: use of processing layers, rotoscoping methods for complex sequences (motion blur, perspective distortions), advanced methods for chroma key embedding in complex sequences or with shooting problems, use of object tracking or backgrounds for composition with moving elements (Tracking 3D), color correction for photorealistic integration, composition using depth channel (Deep compositing).

FINAL PROJECT ACTIVITY (5 ECTS)

It will consist of developing a personal project that demonstrates the technical skills achieved, which will serve as a visual curriculum to improve your expectations of insertion or job progress. The development of the portfolio will consist of carrying out a mentored personal project with which you can demonstrate the technological capabilities acquired in the postgraduate course.