Futureworks has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
Course summary
Our Animation with Illustration degree is a practical skills-based course tailored directly to the needs of the animation and illustration industries. All our staff are active within the industry and teach you the skills that you’ll need to gain employment after graduating. The course utilises a mix of lectures, hands-on workshops, tutorial classes, and practical exercises such as life drawing, to give you a rounded education in the animated and illustrative arts. We fuse cutting-edge industry-standard software skills with lessons learned from over a hundred years of animated tradition: lessons summed up in the core 12 principles. The course is designed to take you from a solid grounding in fundamentals through to developing your own personal specialism and getting you ready for the industry.
Modules
YEAR 1 Fundamentals of 2D Animation (20 credits) – Working in 2D (both traditional and digital) you will put together a portfolio of very short, animated clips demonstrating the 12 principles in action Year 1 Animation Project (20 credits) – Combine the lessons learned in Fundamentals of 2D and create your first original short film, animated in 2D and roughly 30 seconds in length Pre-Production (20 credits) – Scriptwriting, character design, expression sheets, turnarounds, backgrounds, and layouts, storyboarding and animatics: everything needed for animation minus the animation, in other words History of Animation and Illustration (20 credits) – Lectures focusing on the history of animation and illustration, giving context to the skills learned in other modules and how these emerged historically Fundamentals of Illustration (40 credits) – The first semester focuses on technical drawing skills (anatomy, proportion, line of action, perspective, colour theory, etc) and the second on creating a portfolio of creative works YEAR 2 Fundamentals of 3D Animation (20 credits) – An introduction to Maya, focusing on how to utilise the 12 principles within a 3D animation environment Year 2 Animation Project (20 credits) – Draw on the lessons learned in Fundamentals of 3D to create a movement-oriented short film; an obstacle course animated in 3D, roughly 30 seconds in length 3D Modelling (20 credits) – Learn the fundamentals of 3D modelling in Maya, allowing you to build basic 3D environments in which to set your 3D animations Motion Graphics (20 credits) – You will work on a client-set brief, learning motion graphics techniques using After Effects and Premier Pro, within a commercial environment. Rigging Fundamentals (20 credits) – Take your 3D models and make them animatable. This module will lead you step by step through the rigging process, introducing all the tools you'll need to make your own custom rigs. Applied Illustration (20 credits) – Construct a portfolio of illustrations in response to weekly briefs in semester 1, with a storybook/comic project in semester 2 introducing long-form illustration YEAR 3 Final Year Project (40 credits) – Your chance to develop your specialism, working on a project you design in collaboration with the module tutor. Year 3 Animation Project (40 credits) – Your final year film is based around a piece of audio found by you, of roughly 30 seconds length, that can be animated in either 2D or 3D Research Project (20 credits) – Engage with high level media and cultural theory, conducting a research project in an area of your choosing and producing a piece of creative work responding to what you've learned. Professional Development (20 credits) – A module focusing on getting you a job: everything from CVs, websites, showreels and portfolios, to how and where to network, interview practice and how to find work as a freelancer. WHAT ARE CREDITS? As a guide, 20 credits typically represents around 52 hours of tutor contact time (e.g. lectures/workshops/feedback) and 148 hours of self-study time (usually over the course of a semester). These numbers may increase or decrease depending on the nature, length and level of the module, especially towards the end of the course. TEACHING STAFF Everyone who teaches on this degree is active in the industry. Whether that’s animating, storyboarding, illustrating, designing, or writing for animation or illustration; when your tutors aren’t busy teaching you, they’re busy honing their craft. As a result, we are always working and teaching the most current industry workflows. We practice what we teach. We also have an extensive network of industry contacts that we can draw on for guest lectures and workshops, industry-set briefs, and as guests for our degree shows
Assessment method
We don’t believe in exams. All assessment takes the form of coursework, portfolios, presentations, and essays. If you are being taught animation, you will submit a portfolio of completed animations. If you are being taught how to pitch a show, you will do a presentation pitching a show. If you are studying the history of animation, you will synthesise that research into an essay on the history of animation. In other words, all assessment is directly related to the skills being taught. You will often have the opportunity to receive feedback along the way, via formative submission points, with official summative submissions falling at the ends of first and second semesters.
How to apply
29Jan
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- W216
- Institution code:
- F98
- Campus name:
- Futureworks (Manchester)
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
- Year 2
- Year 3
International applicants
We are able to accept applications from students requiring a Student visa.
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 104 - 120 points
A level - BCC
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DMM
Remember that qualifications such as Graded Examinations in Music Performance and Arts Award (Gold) can also count towards your UCAS points – check the tariff calculator. Applicants who do not have the required qualifications, but do have the industry experience and/or proven interest in the subject will also be considered All applicants are expected to have at least a grade 4 in GCSEs Maths and English Language. Non-UK applicants will need to have an English Language qualification at International Level B2 or higher, such as an IELTS of 6.0 or better (with no component below 5.5). Students with equivalent qualifications will also be accepted. Applications from individuals with non-standard qualifications, relevant work or life experience will be equally considered. If your application is successful, you will be invited to an interview where you will have the opportunity to talk about your work, influences and interests. Ideal applicants will have a keen interest in animation, illustration, and production. You will be asked to provide a portfolio of your work. The portfolio should consist of 8-10 pieces of work, and must include some observational drawing, ideally life drawings.
Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course
Additional entry requirements
Interview
Interviewer: Joe Darlington (Programme Leader) If your application is successful, you will be invited to an interview where you will have the opportunity to talk about your work, influences and interests. Ideal applicants will have a keen interest in animation, illustration, and production. You will be asked to bring any relevant examples of work with you, in the form of a portfolio.
Portfolio
For your portfolio we recommend including some observational drawing, ideally life drawings. Experience in digital working and animation is not necessary prior to starting the degree, but if you have explored any of these avenues already then we'd love to see them. Other than that, bring in any work you are particularly proud of, between 8 and 10 pieces in total, and be prepared to talk through your working process in the interview.
English language requirements
GCSE level 4 & above or equivalent
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Republic of Ireland | £9535 | Year 1 |
| England | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9535 | Year 1 |
| EU | £17000 | Year 1 |
| International | £17000 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
Provider information
Futureworks
Riverside
New Bailey Street
Manchester
M3 5FS