Training Support Scheme for Experienced VFX Talent: Online Course Grant

The National Talent Academy for VFX is excited to announce another round of the Training Support Scheme to support experienced VFX talent in their professional development.

Overview:

The VFX industry is rapidly evolving, with new technologies, tools, and techniques emerging constantly. To stay competitive, professionals in this field must continually enhance their skills. This Training Support Scheme aims to provide financial support to VFX talent by offering grants of up to a maximum of €2000 to take part in relevant online courses.

Objective:

The primary goal of the Training Support Scheme is to support VFX professionals in gaining skills necessary to excel in the dynamic and competitive world of visual effects. By facilitating access to global industry-leading online courses, this initiative will enable talent to stay on top of new tools, software, and workflows.

Grant Details:

The grant will assist in covering 80% of the costs of these online courses up to a maximum of €2,000 per course.

 

Eligibility Criteria:

1. Industry Experience: Applications are open to VFX professionals with a minimum of 3 years of industry experience.
2. Course Selection: The grant will be awarded for online courses only relevant to the VFX field. Courses should be recognised by the sector as high quality and impactful courses. The training needs to commence in 2026 or 2027.
3. The grant can be applied to a single course per year, with applicants able to reapply in subsequent years for further training. Applications are limited to one per person and two per company per year.
4. Applicants must reside in Ireland.

 

Application Process:

1. Course Submission: Please complete the online application form, including a brief proposal detailing the online course you wish to undertake, the course outline, cost and duration.
2. Statement of Purpose: As part of your application, please provide a short statement outlining your experience to date, your objectives for taking the course, and how the online training will improve your work or career prospects within the VFX industry.
3. Selection Panel: A panel will review applications, prioritising those that demonstrate a clear need for the training and a commitment to furthering their professional development.
4. Award: Successful applicants will receive a grant to cover 80% of the course fee up to a maximum of €2,000.
5. The grant will be paid to the applicant in two instalments. The first instalment of 80% will be paid to the applicant on receipt of proof of payment, and the final 20% will be issued once evidence of course completion, including a reflection piece, is submitted.

 

Applications are now closed.

 

 

Feedback from previous recipients:

“In the long run, it has already allowed me to expand my service offerings. I was able to enter discussions for a permanent position starting in early September with a Dublin post-production company. It also allowed me to expand my skills and find more opportunities in the post-production world. As a colourist and a DI engineer, finding employment is very difficult, as there are usually only single vacancies for a project. VFX artists are much more in demand, and I believe that with the recent changes in the Irish film industry and local policies, the VFX field here will grow even more.”

- Kinga

 

“Most of the time during training, I was blown away by every new technique I was shown. While knowing and learning set ups and techniques, that only gets you 50% there, where the other 50% is knowing what is the best course of action for a specific challenge. One thing I find challenging is knowing, out of many techniques, which technique would be best for the job...Being able to train with a high level compositor, enabled me to ask and figure out how he would approach a shot. It also made me realize that a lot of high level compositors were once at my level and have made the exact same mistakes, and made me realise how getting to that level isn't as long of a journey as I thought.”

- Andrei