Led by the University of Bristol, this course is completely free of charge to the learner* as they have been funded by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority. It will be delivered in partnership with industry-leading Virtual Production training providers MARS Academy, specialist talent and technology company Gritty Talent, and accredited trainer in Unreal Engine.

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 Skills Bootcamp will help you take the next step in your career.

“It's been an absolute joy participating in the course and the most I've ever learned in a small space of time! The course is expertly taught, the kit is top notch, and I love the collaborative work with such a diverse mix of people from creative, technical and production backgrounds.” James Dalby, learner from the Virtual Production with Unreal Skills Bootcamp

Who is this for?

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 Skills Bootcamp is ideal for you. Attending this Skills Bootcamp will help you unlock the next steps in your career and prepare you for the future of content creation.

The most innovative studios are creating today’s cutting-edge media using 3D games engines like Unreal Engine. The Skills Bootcamp in Virtual Production with Unreal is aimed at those wishing to learn how games engines are being used within Virtual Production. Unreal Engine gives VP teams a powerful way to seamlessly combine virtual computer-generated imagery with live action footage simultaneously whilst on set. Learners on the Skills Bootcamp will be trained in Unreal by an accredited trainer and have the opportunity to visualise and film their Unreal virtual environments on our VP LED wall at the University of Bristol. Those that would find this Skills Bootcamp useful include production supervisors, technical directors, DOPs, camera operators, and anyone wanting to create virtual environments for film or tv.

“Thank you so much for these great opportunities and your first-class teaching. The course is top notch, incredibly interesting, and the teachers and cohort are fantastic. I'm constantly amazed by how you manage to help every single person learn and understand, from VFX experts to non-techy producers! Bravo.” Stephanie Wessell, learner from the Virtual Production with Unreal Skills Bootcamp

Suitable for individuals aged 19+ who wish to apply their new-found knowledge gained from the Skills Bootcamp to enter a career in the creative technologies sector or to enhance their existing practice in the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority region. Learners should have a clear understanding of how the Skills Bootcamp aligns with their career goals. It is an intensive training programme, with in person and online contact hours, led by our experienced trainers, meaning that successful learners will need to be dedicated to their own development. Eligible participants must already work or live in the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority region or be able to demonstrate that they will gain work here in the region after completion of the course.

This Skills Bootcamp will equip learners with skills suitable for a wide range of roles in the film and television sector, including but not limited to:

  • Early-Career Professionals: Individuals who have recently entered the workforce and are looking to build a solid foundation in their field.
  • Mid-Career Professionals: Those who have several years of experience and are seeking to enhance their expertise or transition into new roles.
  • Career Changers: People considering a switch of roles who need the relevant knowledge and skills to make a successful transition.

*If applying through your employer, you must have their consent to attend the Skills Bootcamp and have their agreement to fund the required fee contribution to the course.  Large employers (more than 251 employees) will need to fund 30% of the full cost of the Skills Bootcamp. Small Medium Enterprises (less than 250 employees) will need to fund 10% of the full cost of the Skills Bootcamp.  The full cost of the Skills Bootcamp in Virtual Production with Unreal is £6,000.

Do you want to learn skills that will propel you into the future of film production?

If so, apply for our Skills Bootcamp, Virtual Production with Unreal

 

Apply now:

Led by the University of Bristol, this course is completely free of charge to the learner* as they have been funded by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority. It will be delivered in partnership with industry-leading Virtual Production training providers MARS Academy, specialist talent and technology company Gritty Talent, and accredited trainers in Unreal Engine.

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 Skills Bootcamp will help you take the next step in your career.

 

Who is this for?

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 Skills Bootcamp is ideal for you. Attending this Skills Bootcamp will help you unlock the next steps in your career and prepare you for the future of content creation.

The most innovative studios are creating today’s cutting-edge media using 3D games engines like Unreal Engine. The Skills Bootcamp in Virtual Production with Unreal is aimed at those wishing to learn how games engines are being used within Virtual Production. Unreal Engine gives VP teams a powerful way to seamlessly combine virtual computer-generated imagery with live action footage simultaneously whilst on set. Learners on the Skills Bootcamp will be trained in Unreal by an accredited trainer and have the opportunity to visualise and film their Unreal virtual environments on our VP LED wall at the University of Bristol. Those that would find this Skills Bootcamp useful include production supervisors, technical directors, DOPs, camera operators, and anyone wanting to create virtual environments for film or tv.

Suitable for individuals aged 19+ who wish to apply their new-found knowledge gained from the Skills Bootcamp to enter a career in the creative technologies sector or to enhance their existing practice in the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority region. Learners should have a clear understanding of how the Skills Bootcamp aligns with their career goals. It is an intensive training programme, with in person and online contact hours, led by our experienced trainers, meaning that successful learners will need to be dedicated to their own development. Eligible participants will already work or live in the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority region, or want to gain work here in the region.

This Skills Bootcamp will equip learners with skills suitable for a wide range of roles in the film and television sector. Including but not limited to:
  • Early-Career Professionals: Individuals who have recently entered the workforce and are looking to build a solid foundation in their field.
  • Mid-Career Professionals: Those who have several years of experience and are seeking to enhance their expertise or transition into new roles.
  • Career Changers: People considering a switch of roles who need the relevant knowledge and skills to make a successful transition.

 

*If applying through your employer, you must have their consent to attend the Skills Bootcamp and have their agreement to fund the required fee contribution to the course.  Large employers (more than 251 employees) will need to fund 30% of the full cost of the Skills Bootcamp. Small Medium Enterprises (less than 250 employees) will need to fund 10% of the full cost of the Skills Bootcamp.  The full cost of the Skills Bootcamp in Virtual Production with Unreal is £6,000.

Further information

To be eligible for this Skills Bootcamps, you must:

  • be 19 years old or older;
  • live in, work in, or intend to work in, the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority area, which includes Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, Bristol, and South Gloucestershire. You can find your local authority by entering your postcode here;
  • have the Right to Work in the UK;
  • meet UK Residency requirements;
  • be able to dedicate the required number of hours for the duration of the Skills Bootcamp (please see curriculum for the dates of each session which you will be required to attend);
  • not have already undertaken another Skills Bootcamp in this year (April 2025 – March 2026);
  • have a clear understanding of where the Bootcamp and the skills you will learn on it aligns with your career goals.

 If applying through your employer, you must have their consent to attend the Skills Bootcamp and have their agreement to fund the required fee contribution to the course.  Large employers (more than 251 employees) will need to fund 30% of the full cost of the Skills Bootcamp. Small Medium Enterprises (less than 250 employees) will need to fund 10% of the full cost of the Skills Bootcamp.  The full cost of the Skills Bootcamp in Virtual Production with Unreal is £6,000.

Applications will open from Tuesday 6th May 2025 and will close at 12:00 midnight on Monday 26th May 2025 via the Microsoft form below.

Please be aware that you cannot save the application once in progress so please allow some time for completion. We suggest drafting your answers to the longer questions in another document before using the Microsoft form to submit them. The three longer questions within the form are listed below to help you prepare:

  • Please tell us about any relevant experience you might have whether vocational, academic or recreational?  This could be anything linked to games engines, film making, Virtual Production, or other creative pursuits which could be linked (e.g. storytelling) (max 300 words).
  • How do you hope to use the skills you learn in the Skills Bootcamp in Virtual Production with Unreal Engine?  What future employment opportunities could it open up for you? How will gaining these skills impact your work and your future career prospects in the WEMCA region?  Please be as detailed as possible (max 300 words).
  • What excites you about this Skills Bootcamp in Virtual Production with Unreal Engine? Please be as detailed as possible in your answer, we would love to know for example what you are most looking forward to learning within the curriculum specified on the website and anything else you would like to tell us (max 300 words).

We expect to make selections after the deadline has passed and will be in touch with applicants about the outcome of their application as soon as possible following the deadline. We expect to hold a wait list in the event that the selected candidates are unable to take up their place.

If you have any queries about the application form, please email: myworldskillstraining-group@bristol.ac.uk

 If you need any assistance completing the Microsoft application form or if you would like to submit your answers in another format, for example a video, please email myworldskillstraining-group@bristol.ac.uk

 

We are dedicated to increasing diversity and representation in the creative technologies industries.  Our delivery partner Gritty Talent has specialist expertise in discovering, nurturing and connecting talented people from underrepresented groups.  We actively encourage applications from individuals who are underrepresented in the creative industries. If you need any assistance completing the Microsoft application form or if you would like to submit your answers in another format, for example a video, please email myworldskillstraining-group@bristol.ac.uk

Skills Bootcamp Virtual Production with Unreal Curriculum Summer 2025

This Skills Bootcamp is valued at £6,000 per learner and has 100 guided learning hours.

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 on how to use the Unreal Engine and cover the full Virtual Production pipeline from render node to screen.

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.

Starting with VP basics, the curriculum will 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 Skills Bootcamp, you will have had the opportunity to film within our Virtual Production Stage at the University of Bristol, practising and utilising your new skills and knowledge learned throughout the Skills Bootcamp to add to your portfolio of work.

“Absolutely brilliant course – thank you so much to the team for their support and outstanding delivery! Mind officially blown!” Mitch Turnbull, learner from the Virtual Production with Unreal Skills Bootcamp

The information provided above and in the pdf is a previous example intended to provide an indicative curriculum of the Skills Bootcamp in Virtual Production with Unreal. The University of Bristol and delivery partners reserve the right to change the curriculum and delivery format.

Key Dates that you must be able to be available for:

  • 17 June: In-person half-day Introduction to the Skills Bootcamp Virtual Production with Unreal course and Tour of MyWorld facilities (MyWorld Sheds, near Bristol Temple Meads)
  • 18 June: Online half-day Introduction to Virtual Production and In Camera VFX (ICVFX) with MARS Academy
  • 19 June: In-person half-day Career Mapping and CV workshop with Gritty Talent (MyWorld Sheds, near Bristol Temple Meads)
  • 20 June: Online half-day VP and ICVFX Content Workflows training with MARS Academy
  • 23 and 24 June: 2 days In-person Unreal Engine training (University of Bristol Clifton campus)
  • 26 and 27 June: 2 days In-person Unreal Engine training (University of Bristol Clifton campus)
  • 30 June: 1 day In-person Unreal Engine training (University of Bristol Clifton campus)
  • 1 July: Online half-day on How to successfully produce a Virtual Production shoot with MARS Academy
  • 2, 3, or 4 July: In-person Production Team VP Shoot Planning. Each learner will be allocated into a production team. Each production team will be required to attend a full day to start to plan their VP shoots (MyWorld Sheds, near Bristol Temple Meads). We will confirm which of these dates you will be required to attend upon confirmation of a place on the Skills Bootcamp.
  • 7 July: In-person Virtual Production training with MARS Academy – Meet the Volume and Production Team VP Shoot Planning (Virtual Production Stage, MyWorld Sheds)
  • Between 8 and 11 July: 2 days In-person Virtual Production training with MARS Academy (Virtual Production Stage, MyWorld Sheds)
    • 8 July: 2D Plate training and shoot – Production Teams 1 & 2
    • 9 July: 2D Plate training and shoot – Production Teams 3 & 4
    • 10 July: 3D Plate training and shoot – Production Teams 1 & 2
    • 11 July: 3D Plate training and shoot – Production Teams 3 & 4
  • 17 July: In-person half-day Connections and Conversations with Gritty Talent (MyWorld Sheds, near Bristol Temple Meads)
  • 30 July: In-person half-day Inclusive Leadership workshop with Gritty Talent (MyWorld Sheds, near Bristol Temple Meads)
  • 7, 12, 14, or 19 August: In-person Production Team Shoot Day – each production team will have a full day in the VP studio to shoot (Virtual Production Stage, MyWorld Sheds)
    • 7 Aug: Production Team 1
    • 12 Aug: Production Team 2
    • 14 Aug: Production Team 3
    • 19 Aug: Production Team 4
  • 3 September: In-person Meet the Employers session
  • 2, 4, or 5 September: In-person half-day Showcase and networking event with opportunity to see production team’s work. We will confirm which of these dates you will be required to attend upon confirmation of a place on the Skills Bootcamp.

To fully participate in the Skills Bootcamp, you will need to attend ALL these sessions as above PLUS the following:

  • All learners are expected to attend two x 1-hour individual mentoring sessions with Gritty Talent:
  • Mentoring session 1 will be offered between 30 June to 4 July, 14 to 18 July, and 21 to 25 July 2025.
  • Mentoring session 2 will be offered between 18 to 22 August, and 26 to 29 Aug 2025.
  • Between 14 July and 18 July – Mentoring/Deep dive sessions will be offered in Unreal Engine (University of Bristol Clifton campus).
  • Some additional studio visits for which dates will be released in due course.

 

Previous Experience

No previous experience using game engines (e.g. Unity or Unreal Engine) or prior knowledge of Virtual Production is required, your willingness to learn and passion for developing skills in this exciting area are more important.

More info: Skills Bootcamp Virtual Production with Unreal Curriculum Summer 2025

Our Skills Bootcamps are primarily delivered in person to ensure significant hands-on time with the cutting-edge equipment. There are some online sessions to support the in person learning, as well as mentoring and career development sessions. Due to the high in person contact hours, learners will feel part of a cohort and will benefit from the additional networks and support that this offers as well as from the support of our in-person trainers.

This Skills Bootcamp has been designed and developed through the MyWorld project, which comprises a very large number of industry organisations, to ensure that the courses are addressing critical industry skills gaps. Learners will benefit from these existing industry networks and connections through networking events, studio visits and guest speakers during the Skills Bootcamp. They will also enjoy the benefits that being a registered student at the University of Bristol will bring, such as access to the University’s facilities. The in-person training days will take place on site in the University of Bristol, where attendees will be able to access state of the art equipment and facilities, developing their skills in MyWorld’s  brand-new Virtual Production studio.

The Skills Bootcamp has been structured to ensure a holistic approach to developing the learner and also embed the softer employability skills, not just focusing on the digital and technical skills needed to succeed in Virtual Production.

Virtual Production skills are being utilised in a wide range of areas across architectural visualisation, 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 Skills Bootcamp, you will be able to apply these real-time technology skills and knowledge to succeed in the sector.

You can email us with any queries on myworldskillstraining-group@bristol.ac.uk