MA Character and Creature Creation, Escape Studios

Course description

MA Character & Creature Creation

Design, create and bring life to your own characters and creatures.

Over the course of this programme, you will learn how to design, model, texture, rig and animate your own characters. The first 18 weeks of the course are common with our Advanced Character & Creature Creation course. You’ll learn hands-on character and creature design skills before applying them to two major projects based on industry briefs. One of those projects will be collaborative, so you get used to working as a group just like in a studio, the other will be individual to allow you to create and finesse more pieces for your portfolio.

At the end of the course, you’ll have earned a postgraduate qualification, have a showreel of character and creature creation work and a thorough understanding of the animation and VFX industry. Led by our industry-trained tutors who’ve worked on credits including The Lion King, Godzilla and Doctor Strange, and with help from our Talent Development Team, Aftercare programme and industry guest speakers, you’ll build the skills and connections to kick-start your creative career.

If you are serious about building a career in character and creature design, this course will give you the qualification, confidence, skills and connections to start applying for roles in the industry.

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Suitability - Who should attend?

Entry requirements

Minimum requirements

An undergraduate honours degree with a significant component in the field of art and design or related discipline.

Applicants without a degree who have significant industry experience in animation or related creative subjects will be considered.

Suitable applicants will be asked to submit a creative portfolio.

International students

We welcome applications from qualified candidates all over the world.

Postgraduate applicants will need a good undergraduate degree in a relevant subject (or significant professional experience) and a postgraduate portfolio.

View individual country requirements. If yours are not listed, then please contact us.

English language requirements

All our courses are taught in English. If your first language is not English, you may need to complete an English language test, such as a Pearson English language test (PTE Academic) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test, to demonstrate you have the language skills needed to complete your degree.

Qualification and score required

IELTS: 6.0 IELTS (with a minimum of 6.0 in Reading and Writing and 5.5 in Speaking and Listening)

PTE: 62 including 60 in each subtest

Cambridge English: Advanced & Proficiency: 176 (with a minimum of 169 in Reading and Writing and 162 in Speaking and Listening)

Internet-based TOEFL: 90 Overall including at least 22 in Reading, 21 in Writing, 17 in Listening and 20 in Speaking

International students will be required to hold a Secure English Language Test (SELT) at B2 in order to be able to apply for a visa to study at Escape Studios on a student visa. Visit Escape Studios website for the qualifications that are accepted by UKVI.

You may be exempt from proving your English level if you are from an English-speaking country listed as recognised for visa purposes or have a degree level qualification obtained in one of these countries. The latest list is available on the UK Government website.

For students who have a SELT at B2 but who do not meet our requirements, we can also consider alternative qualifications. Please contact us for more information.

If you’d like to discuss your circumstances before applying, please contact us.

Training Course Content

Module 1 - Character and creature design

Character and creature design theory
- Moodboards
- The importance of research, body language and expressions
Tools and techniques for creating character and creature concepts
- Colour and background
- Beat boards
- Light and shadow
Using anatomy of characters and creatures in design choices
Analysing an established style to create character and creature concepts
Functional fashion in character and creature concepts
- Costume design
- Costume language
Establishing new styles
- How to prepare a character or creature design bible for animation, outsourcing and videogames, and a pitch for comic publishing

Module 2 - Character and Creature modelling and presentation

Introduction to ZBrush
- Character and creature anatomy
- High-detail sculpting
Introduction to Maya
- How Maya works
- Retopology
- Anatomy
- Asset setup
Introduction to texturing
- Introduction to Substance Painter and Mari
VFX and games pipelines
- Differences and similarities
Lighting and rendering
- Rendering in Arnold and Unreal Engine
Presenting characters and creatures for portfolios
- Introduction to rigging for creating character poses
- Directed project time

Module 3 - Character and creature technical direction

Character rigging in Maya
- Creating advanced character rig setups
- Introduction to python
- How Maya really works
Creating cloth and soft surface simulations in
- Maya and Houdini
- FEM and Vellum workflows
Creating muscle systems in Maya
- Advanced anatomy
- Character FX pipelines
Fur and hair groom
- Long and short hair/fur with dynamics
Creating character cycles for presentation
- Walks and runs ready for final showreel presentation
Project catch-up week

Module 4 - Collaborative studio project

Module 5 - Production project

Why choose Escape Studios

Top 6% of Institutions for Graduate Employability -- by Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

First Unreal Authorised Training Center in the UK

Expenses

Fees and funding

Fees for 2024 entry

London campus:

UK students: £18,995
International students: £19,995

Live online: £15,995

Our postgraduate fees are payable within the first 18 weeks of the course, with a deposit to be paid before the start of the course. Please note, we review our fees every year.

Fees include:

Escapee Aftercare and career support, including help and advice on your CV, showreel and job applications for 12 months after the end of your course.
Free Autodesk student registration allowing access to educational versions of software such as Maya and Arnold.
18 weeks of classroom study followed by 12 weeks of remotely directed learning and a 12 to 15-week remotely directed final project. All with feedback from your lead tutor and from an industry professional.

Funding for UK students

To be eligible for funding from Student Finance England, you must be studying on an eligible course at a provider registered with the Office for Students (OfS). Escape Studios is registered with the Office for Students and our Master’s programmes are eligible for funding.

Payment plans

We offer a range of payment plan options for all courses. Following an initial deposit at registration stage, your chosen payment plan will break down your remaining fees into up to six equal instalments, to be paid over the course length.

Contact our Admissions Team our visit our website for any questions about fees, funding, payment plans and scholarships.

Continuing Studies

You’ll graduate with a postgraduate qualification and a killer portfolio put together with advice from tutors and industry professionals. Ready to apply to start your career in the industry!

Some of the opportunities you can consider once you’ve finished your studies include: