Level 3

Creative Media Production (Animation and Concept Art) Level 3 Extended Diploma

Duration Age Group Study Start Available Locations
2 YEARS SCHOOL LEAVERS FULL TIME 01/09/2025
Centre for Digital Technologies – Basildon
Duration Age Group Study Start Available Locations
2 YEARS SCHOOL LEAVERS FULL TIME 01/09/2025
Centre for Digital Technologies – Basildon

Overview

Immerse yourself in the dynamic world of animation, mastering techniques from traditional hand-drawn to cutting-edge digital 3D animation. This course equips you with the skills to bring your creative visions to life, whether it's captivating 2D characters, intricate 3D worlds, or stunning visual effects.

Begin with the core principles of animation, such as timing, spacing, and squash and stretch, which are essential for all styles. Dive into traditional 2D animation, creating expressive character movements and storyboards, then transition to digital 2D using industry-standard tools like Adobe Animate and Toon Boom Harmony.

Explore the exciting realm of 3D animation, from basic modelling and rigging to advanced character animation with Autodesk Maya and Blender. Appreciate the craftsmanship of traditional techniques like stop-motion and Claymation, creating frame-by-frame animations with physical media.

Enhance your animations with digital compositing, integrating visual effects and post-production processes for added depth. Understand the full animation production pipeline, from concept to final rendering, while learning to collaborate effectively in a studio environment.

By the end of the course, you'll have a professional portfolio and demo reel showcasing your diverse skills, ready to create compelling content for film, television, video games, and advertising. Join us to become a versatile animator equipped for success in the ever-evolving field of animation.

Entry Requirements

Due to the course being an A-Level equivalent we have to ensure the learners we recruit are capable of succeeding at this level of study. To support us in establishing suitability we have the following minimum requirements, depending on entry route: 

  • Four GCSEs at Grade 4 / Grade C including English and Maths.

Or:

  • Level 2 qualification at a Merit, preferably UAL Level 2 in Creative Media Production & Technology, and evidence of engaging with making progress from Grade 3 to Grade 4 in English and Maths. 

All applicants will need to attend an interview with the course team to review a portfolio of work and establish suitability for the study programme. 

Course Structure

The course content evolves every year in response to staff specialisms, job profiles for targeted job roles, and student feedback, though the structure of our courses can be broken down to typically include the below topics and skills. 

Our philosophy for student learning can be simplified down to moulding each learner in to an employee capable of: 

  • Analysis : Breaking down client briefs and deconstructing problems to identify cause and solution. 
  • Research : Gathering and synthesising information for the purpose of growing ideas, generating new or challenging existing knowledge, and assessing the effectiveness of their own solutions. 
  • Expert Practical Skills : Learners will repeatedly go through production pipelines, with expectations growing with their increasing experience and confidence. 
  • Reflection : A key focus of the course is reflecting on learning and planning a route forward for future growth. 

Assessment & Feedback

Our learners are assessed exclusively by coursework in the form of projects with unique scenarios that encourage learners to grow their confidence and independence when managing and contributing towards a creative project. 

We aim to provide informal developmental feedback every session related to learning activities, this is punctuated by a review week every term where we discuss the learner’s progression plans, perception of their progress, and individual learning plan. Outcomes from project assessment is shared digitally to the learner’s student email with feedback per skill targeted, with the option to re-submit each assessment once when they feel ready to re-attempt the assessment. 

The qualification is made up of 8 units in the first year, and 5 units in the second year. The final unit for each year determines the learner’s grade for the year, affording students 7 and 4 units respectively to experiment, learn, and respond to feedback before a grade is attached to their efforts. The final unit for each year is graded Pass, Merit, Distinction.  

Units prior to the final unit are graded pass or fail, with adapted language to support learners in chasing personalised target grades.

Course Cost

School Leavers, full_time:

FREE to UK under 19’s not in employment. 

For non-school leavers over 19, please contact us to discuss a funding assessment and alternate course options.

 

What Next...

Upon completion of the qualification, students typically progress on to Higher Education (both Bachelors of Arts and Science) or careers within the vocation. 

Learners progressing to university will have their grade outcome converted into a universal point system called UCAS points, to support with standardising applicants.

Due to the highly transferrable range of skills taught across the two years, the destinations learners can progress on to is diverse and spans not just the media industry!

Common post-college careers for our learners include: 

  • 2D Animator
  • 3D Animator
  • Character Designers
  • Modellers
  • Technical Animators
  • Illustrator
  • Writer for Animation, TV and Film
  • Visual Effects Artist