About School
ArtFX was created in 2004 by professionals from the cinema, animation, video game and visual effects industries. In 2019, ArtFX was recognized as the #1 school in the world for Visual Effects and #2 school in the world for 3D Animation and Video Games in The Rookies’ Production Excellence categories.
Based in Montpellier, ArtFX is one of the few European schools that specializes in both filming techniques and compositing. ArtFX alumni have a 98% job placement rate within major studios throughout France and around the world. ArtFX training programs are also renowned for being perfectly aligned with the demands of international studios.
ArtFX offers training in Houdini, Maya, Arnold, ZBrush, Unreal Engine 4, Unity 5, Mudbox, Nuke, Krita, Affinity Photo, Photoshop, RealFlow, Mari, Substance, Speed Tree, Golaem Photoscan, Game Maker Studio 2, 3ds Max, FPTrack, Autopano Pro, Storyboard Pro, Toon Boom Harmony, nCloth, Hair & Fur, Arnold, Redshift, Adobe Audition, After Effects, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Spine, among others.
Success Stories
Courses prepare students for a successful transition to a professional working environment immediately following graduation: alumni receive their first job offer within an average of 20 days
A network of over 450 alumni working on the biggest productions in some of the largest studios around the world: Illumination Mac Guff, Double Negative, Framestore, Warner Bros, Industrial Light & Magic, Ubisoft, Mikros, MPC, Weta, The Mill, Mathematic, etc.
ArtFX alumni are also solicited to give informative presentations and provide workshop sessions within their expertise for current students.
Aymeric Ballester
Senior Digital Compositor, DNEG
Melanie Geley
Digital Matte Painter, Framestore
Yoann Gouraud
FX TD, Industrial Light & Magic
Elodie Hicksont
Lead Modeller, Illumination Mac Guff
Lou Cortes
Junior VFX Artist, Ubisoft Montpellier
Jordan Voisin
Lighting Artist, Eidos-Montreal
•Thibault Rhein (2018) | Junior Animator @ Dwarf Animation Studio.
The level of students coming out of ArtFX is so appreciated that I was very quickly entrusted with complex shots.
Facilities & Staff
ArtFX offers an innovative pedagogical program. The courses are in the form of workshops, using the principle of the inverted classes to promote active learning and initiative throughout a project.
- Learning the most up-to-date techniques on advanced software.
- Developing fine art skills and building artistic culture (sculpting -3D modeling, drawing, photography, concept art, video game creation, etc.).
- Students are actively involved in the learning process. The objectives of the ArtFX program are based as much on know-how as on the personal development of each student: autonomy, maturity, professionalism, culture, artistic and technical abilities, creation, production, innovation, curiosity, and solidarity.
Houdini, Affinity Photo, Maya, Nuke, Unity, Unreal Engine 4, Zbrush, Substance Painter, Substance Designer, Arnold, etc
Regardless of their specialization, students have access to all the professional materials and equipment they need to learn about the complete digital directing process. This includes a filming studio with a cyclorama green screen, a camera crane, steadicam and dolly tracks. Top of the line equipment (HD video cameras, a drone, projectors, flashes and lighting accessories, professional sound recording equipment, digital cameras, and more) thanks to partnerships with Nikon, Canon, Leica and Broncolor.
Antonin Seydoux
After working for the Duboi group, Antonin Seydoux joined the Mac Guff Ligne studio in 1998. Until 2010, he worked as a VFX Compositing and Supervisor graphic designer on a hundred advertising and film projects.
Jérôme Duraud
Trained in visual arts and then traditional animation, Jérôme Duraud has worked as an Animator, Character Animator and Animation Supervisor in a number of studios.
Gaëtan Blaise-Cazalet
Worked as a developer, software designer and project manager in the traditional computer and the online video game industries. Worked as a freelancer for mobile gaming studios and communications companies, as well as virtual and augmented reality projects.
Student Artwork
All ArtFX students, regardless of their specialization, will have experiences creating short VFX, 2D & 3D animation or stop-motion films, video games, VR projects, concept art, paintings, drawings, as well as physical and 3D sculptures.
Courses
| Name |
Duration |
Price |
Intake Dates |
| Animation |
2D (3 years), 3D (5 years) |
Year 1 = 7,000€. Years 2-5 = 8,000€ / year |
November - June |
| CGI & VF |
5 years |
Year 1 = 7,000€. Years 2-5 = 8,000€ / year |
November - June |
| Video Games |
5 years |
Year 1 = 7,000€. Years 2-5 = 8,000€ / year |
November - June |
| Programming for VFX & Video Games |
2 years |
8,000€ / year |
November - June |
| Fine Arts Foundation Year |
1 years |
5,100€ / year |
November - June |
Industry Networking
ArtFX’s state-of-the-art education is fully aligned with the job market thanks to close ties with professionals in the field.
The graduation jury, held each year in June, has become a must-attend event for recruiters from French and international studios of 3D animation, VFX and video games. This event allows ArtFX graduates to present their graduation projects to between 30-40 industry professionals from around the world who come to Montpellier each year and serve as official jury members. ArtFX graduates also participate in one-on-one rapid job interview sessions with these jury members.
During the graduation jury events, ArtFX consults with the industry professionals around the current and upcoming needs within the industry and collects candid feedback regarding the projects and students that the jury members have seen. It is through this type of ongoing, honest dialogue with professional industry members that ArtFX remains relevant and closely aligned with the job market.
Studios Hiring
The following studios hire students from this school: Illumination Mac Guff, DNEG, Framestore, Industrial Light & Magic, Ubisoft, Mikros Image, Moving Picture Company, Weta Digital, RodeoFX, Luma Pictures One of Us, Important Looking Pirates and more.
The Rookies #1 Production Excellence for VFX
The Rookies #2 Production Excellence for 3D Animation
The Rookies #2 Production Excellence for Console & PC
The Rookies #6 Production Excellence for Immersive Media
The Visual Effects Society Outstanding VFX in a Student Project: TERRA NOVA (2018 graduation short film)
Effects Stars 2018 THE VOLUNTEERS (2018 graduation short film)
Effects Stars 2018 TRAIL OF LIGHT (2018 graduation short film)
Spark Animation 2018 SIGMA (2017 graduation short film)
Festival du Film Fantastique de Rouen 2018 YEMANJA (2018 graduation short film)