Award Type
Diploma
Duration
18 months
Credits
90
Cost
Domestic Students: $53,250
Program Starts
Programs begin 4 times per year
*Bachelor’s Degree includes all diploma program time and costs.
Overview
The FX Production Diploma combines the full Visual Effects Production curriculum with two advanced blocks focused on Houdini FX workflows, preparing students to create professional-grade visual effects for film, television, and video games.
The program begins with a comprehensive foundation in 3D modeling, digital sculpting, texturing, lighting, and compositing. Students develop expertise in:
- Hard surface modeling (vehicles, buildings, armor) and organic modeling (creatures, characters, animals) using ZBrush.
- Animation workflows: Character rigging, motion capture, body mechanics, facial rigging, and camera animation using Maya and Unreal Engine.
- Compositing techniques: Node-based workflows in Nuke, green screen keying.
- Motion tracking: 2D/3D tracking, rotoscoping, crowd replication, and set extensions to integrate assets seamlessly into real-world environments.
Building on this foundation, the final two blocks dive into Houdini, the industry-standard tool for procedural FX. Students specialize in creating realistic explosions, fire, smoke, water simulations, and complex destruction effects, with a focus on precision and efficiency.
Graduates leave with a polished FX portfolio featuring dynamic, high-quality visual effects ready to meet the demands of film, TV, and game studios.
Software Taught
- Autodesk Maya
- Unreal Engine
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Substance Painter
- Nuke
- Quixel Suite
- ZBrush
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Adobe After Effects
- Houdini
What You’ll Learn
- Foundational Visual Effects: 3D modeling, animation, compositing, and motion tracking.
- Advanced Houdini FX: Simulate realistic fire, smoke, explosions, water, and destruction.
- Studio Workflows: Collaborate on team projects that mimic real-world production environments.
Course Curriculum
The program spans 6 blocks (18 months), transitioning from foundational visual effects to advanced FX simulation techniques.
Learn 3D modeling and digital sculpting techniques for feature films and video games. Students gain expertise in UV mapping, texturing, and integrating assets into real-time pipelines.
Master computer animation, including camera and vehicle animation, rigging, and character performance for film and gaming.
Prerequisite: DAVE 110
Develop visual effects for film, including rotoscoping, compositing, particle simulations, fluid dynamics, and 2D/3D tracking.
Prerequisite: DAVE 110, DAVE 210
A team-based production course that focuses on advanced workflows, creative problem-solving, and portfolio-building for industry readiness.
Prerequisite: DAVE 110, DAVE 210, VFX 310
Learn procedural workflows for creating realistic FX like fire, smoke, and fluid simulations using Houdini.
Prerequisite: DAVE 110, DAVE 210, VFX 310, VFX 405
Apply advanced Houdini techniques to create dynamic, large-scale FX simulations, culminating in a professional-grade portfolio.
Prerequisite: DAVE 110, DAVE 210, VFX 310, VFX 405, FXP 510
Course Curriculum
The program spans 6 blocks (18 months), transitioning from foundational visual effects to advanced FX simulation techniques.
Learn 3D modeling and digital sculpting techniques for feature films and video games. Students gain expertise in UV mapping, texturing, and integrating assets into real-time pipelines.
Master computer animation, including camera and vehicle animation, rigging, and character performance for film and gaming.
Prerequisite: DAVE 110
Develop visual effects for film, including rotoscoping, compositing, particle simulations, fluid dynamics, and 2D/3D tracking.
Prerequisites: DAVE 110, DAVE 210
A team-based production course that focuses on advanced workflows, creative problem-solving, and portfolio-building for industry readiness.
Prerequisites: DAVE 110, DAVE 210, VFX 310
Learn procedural workflows for creating realistic FX like fire, smoke, and fluid simulations using Houdini.
Prerequisite: DAVE 110, DAVE 210, VFX 310, VFX 405
Apply advanced Houdini techniques to create dynamic, large-scale FX simulations, culminating in a professional-grade portfolio.
Prerequisite: DAVE 110, DAVE 210, VFX 310, VFX 405, FXP 510
Portfolio Highlights
- Dynamic FX simulations of fire, smoke, water, and destruction.
- Studio-quality projects showcased at VFX studios and in student reels.
Grad Spotlight
“Nothing prepared me better for my first job in Hollywood than The DAVE School.”
— Michael Cliett, Emmy-Winning FX Artist
Student achievements
DAVE School consistently produces skilled graduates who are uniquely prepared for industry positions.
Lightyear
Katie Hamberger
Stereoscopic Technical Director
The Adam Project
Ariel Fore
Compositor
The Batman
Daniel Kaczkowski
Compositor
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Bryan Haines
Sr. Compositor
Ghostbusters Afterlife
Selena Farkas
Compositor
Eternals
Francesca Milde
Compositor
The Suicide Squad
Jason Bradbury
Compositor
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Zach Hamelton
Visual Effects Producer
Moon Knight
Tiffany Nichole Bromley
Compositor
The Book of Boba Fett
Anthony Jacob
Virtual Production Artist
Hawkeye
Joseph Coto
Asset Artist
Loki
Ric Atkinson
Compositor
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Tanner Bartlett
Compositor
The Mandalorian
Chris Montesano
Pipeline Supervisor
Stranger
Things
Jasper M. Baltzersen
Compositor
Star Trek: Discovery
Shawn Ewashko
VFX Project Manager
Ford v Ferrari
Jimi Clark
Global Resource Producer
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
Alisah Kress-Miller
Compositor
Located on the backlot of Universal Studios, Florida, The DAVE School is an academic unit of NUC University. NUC University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. (267-284-5000) www.msche.org. The MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).