The 5 ARTFX Master's Degrees recognized with the "Digital Director" French title certification

French RNCP registration, a guarantee of quality

The popularity of careers in the image, cultural and creative industries continues to grow, attracting more and more applicants to specialized schools every year. And the opportunities are numerous, both in France and abroad. The 2D animation, 3D animation, digital special effects (VFX) and video game sectors are all doing well, and looking for new talent. What’s more, the skills involved in creating and retouching digital images are of interest to other industries, such as the automotive, marketing and healthcare sectors, which are making increasing use of virtual reality to train doctors and nurses…

However, not all art schools offer their students the same opportunities on the job market. Back in 2012, to help high school students, their parents and teachers find their way around, the Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée (CNC), alongside unions representing employers in the sector, encouraged the creation of RECA. Today, this association brings together 28 French animation schools (including ARTFX) recognized by the industry, both in France and abroad.

“[Among animation training courses,] there’s everything: the too-short and the very-long, the free and the expensive, the worst and the best…” reads the association’s website, which aims to deliver reliable information to help young talent choose the best schools. Among the criteria for RECA membership is the obligation to award state-recognized diplomas.

At ARTFX, as elsewhere, training courses have diversified, from digital special effects to video games and programming, and the difficulty of choosing a top school has grown, with each claiming its excellence.

Inclusion in the national register of professional certification provides guarantees of the quality of teaching, the seriousness of the assessment of knowledge and know-how, the human and material resources made available, and the match between the training provided and the expectations of the professional world. The level of certification, which ranges from 1 to 8 and whose nomenclature is recognized at European level, indicates the level of employment for which the holder of the diploma is eligible. In this case, all 5 ARTFX Master’s programs lead to the title of “digital director”, a level 7 RNCP qualification – a managerial / decision-making level.

 « Réalisateur numérique » is a title that opens the door to a wide variety of current and future professions, including:

• 3D or 2D animator
• VFX Supervisor
• CG artist
• Artistic Director
• Production Director
• Lead 3D
• Game designer
• Game artist
• Character designer
• Level designer
• Rigging artist
• Matte painter
• Environment artist
• FX artist
• Pipeline TD / Programmeur VFX-Game
• Compositing artist
• Technical Director

The seriousness of ARTFX convinced France Compétences to grant this RNCP registration for 5 years (renewable), whereas it usually has to be renewed after 3 years. ARTFX’s ranking as one of the world’s top 10 creative schools by specialist media outlet TheRookies.com and its international network of alumni occupying key positions in the biggest studios are strong arguments in its favor. “Gravity, The Minions, Star Wars Episode VIII, Ready Player One, The Lion King…: ARTFX alumni can be found in all the major film and video-game productions released in recent years,” confirms Joan Da Silva, the school’s managing director.

To maintain this world-class ranking, the school applies a rigorous selection process, both to its teaching staff – all of whom come from the world of cinema and video games – and to its students: “We’re looking for motivated, talented young people who are compatible with our original teaching approach, which encourages autonomy and teamwork.

Last but not least, the ARTFX school is accredited to deliver Validation d’Acquis par l’Expérience (VAE) in its field of expertise: 2D and 3D animation, digital special effects, video games. This enables former students to gain the same recognition as their successors.

The 5 state-approved ARTFX Master’s degrees:

Mastère animation (2D or 3D specialization)
Mastère 3D & Special Effects
Master’s in Video Games
Mastère Nouvelles technologies du cinéma (new)
Master’s degree in video game and special effects technical management (programming)