| Unit name | Virtual Production with Unreal |
|---|---|
| Unit code | COMS10021 |
| Credit points | 0 |
| Level of study | C/4 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Professor. Cater |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Computer Science |
| Faculty | Faculty of Engineering |
Why is this unit important?
Virtual production is a game-changing development for the screen sector, reinventing the way media content is created. “Fundamentally, Virtual Production ‘rolls up’ the previous linear Production process of film and television into a dynamic Production world, bringing together departments that had previously worked sequentially into simultaneous interaction.” StoryFutures Virtual Production Skills Report.
As a result, the screen sector is facing unprecedented demand for people with the skills and know-how of what virtual production is and how it works. If you are already working in film, TV or media content creation or just starting out in the creative industries sector, this course will help you take the next step in your career.
So, if you are excited to be equipped with the skills to be able to create and film things you wouldn’t be able to do conventionally, by bringing together physical and virtual (real or imagined) worlds simultaneously to make the filming of the impossible possible, then this course is ideal for you. Unlocking the next steps in your career and preparing you for the future of content creation.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This is a standalone unit not part of a degree programme. It is aimed at professionals working within the creative sector or wishing to enter the industry.
An overview of content
Starting with the basics, we will provide a broad and general understanding of Virtual Production (VP) with guest speakers highlighting how it has truly impacted their own work and workflows, before we delve into training you in how to use the Unreal Engine.
The most innovative studios are creating today’s most cutting-edge media using 3D games engines like Unreal Engine. Unreal Engine gives VP teams a powerful way to seamlessly combine virtual computer-generated imagery with live action footage simultaneously whilst on set. This enables a more iterative style of filmmaking, meaning artists can be more creative and innovative in their practice, allowing them to transport their audiences to anywhere in the world or to new imagined realities, whilst increasing efficiencies in the production process. For actors, VP offers significant advantages over shooting with a green screen: they can see what the finished product looks like, allowing them to react accurately within their performance to what the audience will be seeing. This removes some of the uncertainly that plagued traditional filmmaking.
Once you have a good understanding of the Unreal Engine we will cover the full Virtual Production pipeline from render node to screen. Starting with VP basics, the curriculum will then cover areas such as: on-set roles and responsibilities, camera tracking, and Plate Playback vs Real-time content; this part of the course focuses on all technical, logistical and hands-on filming aspects of virtual production filmmaking. You will have the opportunity to learn what a Virtual Production shoot may look like from pre-production to post-production, learning through a mix of Volume-based training, classroom learning and guest lectures and workshops from our partners and leading industry professionals.
We will also provide you with workshops on career mapping and CV advice, EDI 101, inclusive leadership, networking and successful interviewing and an opportunity to meet the employers in the region, as well as mentoring.
By the end of the whole course, you will have had the opportunity to visualise and film your Unreal virtual environments on our VP LED wall at the University of Bristol, practising and utilising your new skills and knowledge learned throughout the course to add to your portfolio of work.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
Virtual Production and Unreal skills are being utilised in a wide range area across architectural visualization, automotive, film and television, product design, advertising, and more, which has caused the demand for real-time technology skills to escalate. Upon completion of the unit, you will be able to apply these real-time technology skills and knowledge to succeed in the industry.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
You will learn through a mix of in-person and synchronous online sessions covering your training in Virtual Production and Unreal. There will also be a focus on building up your hands-on experience with these technologies, through computer lab sessions, group work, self-directed exercises, and time within a Virtual Production Stage. Educational materials, software and further online links/videos will also be made available to you asynchronously through the University’s Virtual Learning Environment which you will be able to engage with outside of the contact hours delivered within this course. There will also be opportunities to visit some of our studios within the region to see how Virtual Production and Unreal are impacting them and providing new client opportunities.
As this is not a credit-bearing course there are only formative exercises given to support your learning and development on this unit. There are no summative assessments.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. COMS10021).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
