NFTS Launches Brand New 1 Year MA in Digital Animation for Film and Games
Step into the future of digital storytelling with the National Film and Television School’s innovative 1-Year MA in Digital Animation for Film and Games!
Have you dreamt of becoming an animator for film or games? If so, this brand-new MA programme from the NFTS offers a unique opportunity to turn your creative passion into a career.
Ranked #1 in the UK for Animation training by Animation Career Review and internationally endorsed by The Rookies, the NFTS is launching a cutting-edge, one-year Master’s that explores the theory and craft of digital animation for both games and film.
NFTS graduates from Animation and Games Design have gone on to work at world-leading studios, contribute to ground-breaking projects, and win major awards including BAFTAs and Student Oscars. Their work is regularly showcased at top-tier festivals including the Oscars of the animation world, Annecy and the globally recognised Sundance and South by Southwest (SXSW). With our unrivalled industry connections and a proven track record of success, your next step into the animation industry could be just around the corner!
Senior Course Tutor Alan Thorn (also course leader for the NFTS Virtual Production and Indie Games Development Certificates) outlines the benefits of the course:
“Our Digital Animation MA is a new and exciting opportunity. It empowers students to become creative technologists. The comprehensive curriculum helps you tell compelling stories by developing cutting-edge digital skills across the contemporary animation pipeline.”
You'll gain hands-on experience using industry-standard tools and workflows, learning how to bring characters, scenes and worlds to life with precision and emotion using powerful content-creation software and real-time game engines. Working in a collaborative environment with access to top-tier facilities, you’ll master both the art and the technology of animation.
Still from NFTS graduation film Ascent, built in Unreal Engine
You’ll learn:
- Core principles of digital animation: motion, timing, and storytelling
- Organic and mechanical animation, rigging, weight painting and sequencing
- How to export and implement animations into real-time engines like Unreal
- Techniques for Virtual Production, gaming, and visual effects
Facilities include:
- 24/7 access to our state-of-the-art Digital Animation Lab at NFTS HQ in Beaconsfield
- The Lab is powered by Alienware Aurora development workstations and built around the latest AMD Ryzen and Nvidia RTX technology. All workstations are fitted with industry standard software including Unreal Engine, GitHub, Adobe Creative Cloud, Reality Capture, Blender, Houdini, Maya and ZBrush.
- Additionally, students will have access to VR headsets, drawing tablets, game controllers and much, much more!
Why Now?
According to Screen International, the UK is on track to receive a major influx of investment in film and TV production in 2025, with VFX and animation at the heart of this growth. Major productions including Avengers: Doomsday, Star Wars: Ahsoka, The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power, and the Harry Potter TV series are being produced on UK soil, generating rising demand for skilled animators.
Who is this course for?
This MA is ideal for:
- Aspiring animation directors looking to upskill for real-time workflows
- Graduates seeking to break into games or virtual production
- Technical artists who want a deeper understanding of animation principles
- Generalists aiming to specialise in industry-standard tools
- Applicants interested in progressing to the NFTS Master’s in Games Design and Development, VFX, or Directing Animation