Education // Professional programme

VFX Generalist

Live action // Visual storytelling // Compositing

A two-year route through live-action image construction and the complete VFX pipeline. Compositing is the centre of the programme, but the real subject is judgement: understanding why an image works, how to transform it and how every technical decision supports story, photography and performance.

Intake
October 2027 // Two academic years
Duration
2 academic years // 9 months per year
Schedule
Morning group 09:00 to 13:00 // Afternoon group 15:00 to 19:00
Format
Studio-based // Small cohort
Places
Two groups of up to 20 students
Tuition
€1,000 per month // 9 months per academic year
VFX Generalist: a shot of the La Vega hall broken down into scan, track, plate, depth and roto passes.VFX Generalist: a shot of the La Vega hall broken down into scan, track, plate, depth and roto passes.

How the programme works.

We do not teach software. We teach how to work: inside a studio, inside a pipeline, inside a team, on projects of international level.

  1. 01

    Year one: foundations. Theory and practice through briefs, inside the studio's own production pipeline.

  2. 02

    Year two: production. Real projects with supervisors and coordinators, as part of a studio team, alongside students from the other two programmes.

  3. 03

    Proprietary tools plus industry-standard tools: students work inside the studio's own pipeline and with the applications the industry uses. Tools change; the way of working stays.

  4. 04

    The fundamentals of international production: image and colour science, scene description and data, versions and naming, reviews, dependencies, schedules and delivery. What students learn works in any modern pipeline.

  5. 05

    AI as a tool, authorship as a rule: AI helps with technical tasks such as roto assistance, data preparation, scripting and documentation. Creative decisions, performance and final images belong to the student, and every use of AI is declared in reviews.

  6. 06

    Assessment by review, as in a studio: weekly dailies, a review at the end of each module and a final production review. No written exams.

  7. 07

    International teachers: the programme is led by the supervisors and artists listed on the Education page, who have worked at major international VFX and animation studios.

  8. 08

    Two groups per programme: mornings 09:00 to 13:00 or afternoons 15:00 to 19:00, with up to 20 students each.

  9. 09

    Not an official degree: the programme builds the craft and judgement to start working in the industry.

Before you apply.

  1. 01

    A two-year postgraduate specialisation: a previous degree or equivalent training is expected.

  2. 02

    A background in illustration, animation, fine arts, an arts baccalaureate, computer engineering or game development, or equivalent professional work.

  3. 03

    A portfolio or showreel that shows how you see and build images, and an interview with the programme coordinators.

  4. 04

    English good enough to follow reviews and documentation (B2 recommended). Classes are taught in Spanish and English.

  5. 05

    No computer of your own is needed: the studio provides fully equipped workstations.

Read the image. Intervene with intention. Make the impossible belong to the frame.

01

Year 1

5 modules
01

Image language

Learning to read a shot before changing it.

Details +
Narrative intentionShot grammar and coverageComposition and framingLens, focal length and perspectiveLight, exposure and contrastColour and moodContinuity across a sequence
02

Live-action acquisition

What must be understood and recorded before post-production begins.

Details +
The VFX supervisor on setPlate strategy: clean plates, elements and referencesCamera, lens and sensor dataLighting reference: HDRI, grey and chrome balls, colour chartsSurvey, LiDAR and photogrammetryWitness cameras and tracking markersData management and handover to post
03

Compositing foundations

Building an image from connected, controllable decisions.

Details +
Linear light and colour managementImage formats, bit depth and channelsRotoscopy and paintKeying and despill2D and 3D trackingMulti-pass CG integrationGrain, lens and camera matchingFinaling and quality control
04

Matte painting & image extension

Extending photography while preserving scale, light and atmosphere.

Details +
Perspective and scaleAtmosphere and aerial perspective2D, 2.5D and projection workflowsEnvironment extensionPhotographic coherenceRelighting and time-of-day principles
05

Shot preparation & pipeline

Understanding dependencies, reviews and delivery standards.

Details +
Script and shot breakdownBidding and scheduling basicsShot structure and namingVersioning and publishingColour pipeline from camera to deliveryDailies and notesDelivery specifications
02

Year 2

3 modules
01

Collective production

A shared film project developed under studio conditions.

Details +
Department briefsProduction planningShot ownershipReviews and approvalsInterdepartmental dependenciesWorking with supervisors and production
02

Sequence practice

Taking a group of shots from first turnover to final approval.

Details +
Sequence continuityComplex integrationResponding to feedbackVersion control under deadlinesQuality controlFinal delivery
03

Professional reel

Presenting the work and the thinking behind it.

Details +
Breakdowns that explain decisionsPortfolio editingShowreelPresenting work in reviews and interviewsIndustry roles and career paths

What you learn.

  • Master visual language and the principles of cinematic composition.
  • Understand the VFX pipeline from script analysis and acquisition through final delivery.
  • Integrate digital work into live-action photography without breaking narrative or visual coherence.
  • Develop solutions with technical precision, aesthetic sensitivity and production awareness.
  • Work responsibly inside a department-based studio pipeline.

Where it leads.

  • Compositor
  • Digital Matte Painter
  • Sequence Lead
  • On-set VFX practitioner
  • Progression towards VFX supervision

Your starting point.

  • Students of film, art, animation, design or communication.
  • Professionals entering or moving into visual effects.
  • Self-taught artists with visual judgement who want a professional structure.

What people ask us.

When does it start?

On 1 October 2027. Each programme has a morning group (09:00 to 13:00) and an afternoon group (15:00 to 19:00) of up to 20 students each.

How long is it?

Two academic years of nine months, from October to June.

How much does it cost?

€1,000 per month, nine months per academic year, for two academic years.

How do I pay?

The reservation of your place and the monthly fees are confirmed with your offer of a place. Online payment will open on this website.

Are there scholarships or support?

Support options are confirmed during admissions. Ask us in your first contact.

What language are classes in?

Spanish and English. You need English good enough to follow reviews and documentation (B2 recommended).

Where is it?

In the CEPA, Centro de Educación y Producción Audiovisual, Tudela de Agüeria, Oviedo, Asturias.

Do I need my own computer?

No. The studio provides fully equipped workstations.

Is it an official degree?

No. It is a professional programme that builds the craft and judgement to start working in the industry.

Open calls for this programme.

admissions open

October 2027 // Afternoon group 15:00 to 19:00

Starts 1 October 2027
Application window open
20 places // on site

Apply to this call →
admissions open

October 2027 // Morning group 09:00 to 13:00

Starts 1 October 2027
Application window open
20 places // on site

Apply to this call →

Register your interest.

Tell us where you are starting from, what you want to learn and why this programme interests you. This creates an Education enquiry. We reply within 24 to 48 hours, and sending it does not commit you to anything.

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