By Stuart Drummond

As we grow closer to the start of our new BA (Hons) Visual Effects degree launching next year and welcoming a new cohort to campus, lecturers and partners have started preparing for our new students through developing our space, partnerships and programme of study to best prepare graduates for the endless career paths they can persue after graduation.

With helpful guidance from the UK Screen Alliance and our creative partners Academy Award winning visual effects house Framestore this blog will explore the growing Visual Effects industry further so you can find out more about the programme and opportunities available.

Are you a VFX Artist?

If you find yourself watching films and quietly wondering how cities crumble so realistically, how creatures feel alive or how entire worlds appear from nothing, you’re already thinking like a VFX artist. Visual Effects is a playground for creative problem-solvers, artists combine the precision of technical craft with the intuition of visual storytelling, it is a place where filmmaking, art and technology collide in the most exciting ways.

Whether you’re sculpting digital characters, simulating natural forces or stitching together impossible scenes, you’re constantly balancing creativity with problem-solving — and discovering new ways to bring imagination to life. At its heart, VFX is about building the moments audiences never forget.

Why study VFX at The Northern School of Art?

At The Northern School of Art, we employ an ‘Art School Ethos’ of technical and creative exploration and experimentation, to challenge you to push ideas, concepts and your imagination. You will pursue your passion as an individual, and a member of an incredible team consisting of model makers, set and costume designers, filmmakers and actors.

Some students fall in love with 3D modelling, building everything from futuristic vehicles to detailed environments. Others discover the magic of compositing, blending filmed footage with digital elements until the seam between real and unreal disappears. You might find your strengths in animation, lighting, rigging or FX simulation — bringing fire, water, smoke or entire digital crowds to life.  With virtual production and real-time tools now shaping modern filmmaking, new roles are emerging faster than ever. Whether you’re artistic, technical or somewhere in between, there’s a place for you in the pipeline.

Framestore & Industry Partnerships

New entrants into the industry will be expected to bring skills and understanding on the impact of AI, sustainability and health and wellbeing in this demanding industry, all areas highlighted by the work of the UK Screen Alliance and valued highly by our creative industry partners.

The Visual Effects industry is built on curiosity and a shared love for storytelling — and few companies embody this better than our creative partner Framestore. Founded in London in 1986, Framestore has grown into one of the world’s leading VFX studios, contributing to iconic films including Gravity, Guardians of the Galaxy, Paddington, Blade Runner 2049 and many more.

Their artists and technologists create everything from photoreal creatures and environments to immersive VR experiences, blending innovation with artistry across film, television and advertising. That’s why we just knew we had to involve them in the development of our new Visual Effects degree programme. They have joined numerous other individuals and organisations representing industry, to give us the most relevant, useful and realistic picture of what it is like to work in the Visual Effects industry and what kinds of graduates they are looking for.

Amy Smith, Global Director, Recruitment & Outreach at Framestore, London, says, “It’s been a privilege to be involved in the development of a new programme at The Northern School of Art. Having employers involved at the development stage is critical to creating a course that gives students the knowledge and tools to build successful careers. At Framestore we work hard to support and encourage the future of our industry, working with FE and HE, running entry-level programming and offering mentoring and guidance. We look forward to seeing what graduates of The Northern School of Art will contribute to the industry!”

View Framestore’s award winning work on Youtube.

What jobs can you get with a VFX degree?

Visual Effects  is filled with diverse career paths. Roles in Visual effects include development, artistic, technical and production roles with some requiring on set work, and others utilising hybrid working from home and in studios- no matter what area you choose, you will be entering a community of like-minded people in a demanding industry.

What makes VFX such a compelling career for graduates is the mix of teamwork, experimentation and problem-solving. The 2025 edition of the Core Skills of VFX Handbook notes that the industry thrives on sociability and shared creativity, highlighting the importance of collaboration and understanding the whole pipeline of production.

At The Northern School of Art, collaboration is central to learning and as such you will be given opportunities to develop full productions with other students across your faculty of Stage and Screen from Film to model making. The screen industries are built on teamwork, collaboration and everyone playing their part in the bigger picture. We are uniquely positioned in the school to be able to integrate programmes, staff and projects in a flexible and reflexive way that mirrors industry and results in exciting outcomes for student showreels and portfolios”.

You can find a range of resources related to careers in VFX here: Resources – ScreenSkills

Below are just some of the UK VFX houses employing our workforce right now:

Access: VFX, BlueBolt, Cinesite, Crafty Apes, DNEG, Do it Creative, Dupe VFX, Electric Theatre Collective, Firebrand VFX, FixFX, Framestore, Freefolk, Ghost VFX, Goodbye Kansas, iGene Media, Important Looking Pirate, Imaginarium Studios, Industrial Light and Magic, Lexhag, Light VFX, Lightrunner Studio, Lunar FX, Lux Aeterna, Magic Dust VFX, Milk VFX, Moonraker VFX, One Of Us, Outpost VFX, Pixomondo, Primary Visual Effects, Rise FX, Scanline VFX, Territory, The Flying Colour Company, The Third Floor (PreViz), The Yard VFX, Union VFX, Vine FX, Viridian FX

You can find out more about our Visual Effects degree programme by visiting our web page, or by attending an open day.