Virtual ProductionNEW
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Program Overview
The Virtual Production Ontario Graduate Certificate is an immersive and dynamic program that equips you with cutting-edge in-camera visual effects (ICVFX) and real-time virtual production (VP) skills. You will dive into the exciting realm of LED volume technology and emerging VP approaches, mastering roles integral to the VP pipeline in the film and media production industry.
Through engaging, project-based courses led by expert faculty, you will explore key areas including ICVFX, motion capture, VP pipeline management and game engine (Unreal Engine), and gain practical technical experience and expertise.
Innovative technical careers start with future-focused curriculum. This program is designed to stay ahead of industry shifts, ensuring you are prepared to adapt to the ever-evolving VP workflow. Collaborative initiatives with local and international partners enrich the curriculum and offer invaluable work-integrated learning opportunities. You’ll use cutting-edge resources including computer labs, state-of-the-art LED volume studio spaces and a diverse range of equipment.
Get ready for an exciting career at the forefront of innovation in storytelling!
Note: students will be working primarily out of Humber’s Lakeshore campus. Infrequent travel to partner locations and North campus will also be required for some classes and projects.
Courses
At Humber, courses are delivered in a variety of formats:
In-Person - An in-person course is delivered fully on campus.
Online Asynchronous (A) - An online asynchronous course has no fixed class schedule and allows students to engage with the course at different times according to their needs. Faculty provide modules, which are completed independently by the students according to established deadlines.
Online Synchronous (S) - An online synchronous course is delivered fully online and requires faculty and students to participate in real-time according to a fixed schedule. Classes are scheduled for a specific day and time.
Hybrid - A hybrid course is a combination of in-person and online classes and follows a set schedule. Students must be available to attend in-person classes at scheduled times during the semester.
The chart below outlines the delivery options available for each course in this program, by campus. For some academic terms, there may be more than one delivery option available. You’ll be able to select your preferred options when building your course schedule during open enrolment. Preferences for course delivery will be considered on a first come, first served basis. Some Humber programs are also delivered fully online, where all courses are delivered online.
International students: the impact of studying from outside of Canada on Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility differs significantly based on when you start your program. Please review the PGWP eligibility before choosing your program and course delivery.
| Course code and Name | Delivery Type by Location | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course Code | Course Name | North | Lakeshore | IGS | DL/Online |
| Semester 1 | |||||
| VPRO 5000 | Introduction to Virtual Production | N/A | Online (S) | N/A | N/A |
| VPRO 5001 | Virtual Production Project | N/A | Hybrid | N/A | N/A |
| VPRO 5002 | In-Camera VFX (ICVFX) 1 | N/A | In-Person | N/A | N/A |
| VPRO 5003 | Unreal Engine 1 | N/A | Hybrid | N/A | N/A |
| VPRO 5004 | Pipeline Management | N/A | Hybrid | N/A | N/A |
| Semester 2 | |||||
| VPRO 5500 | Virtual Production Capstone | N/A | Hybrid | N/A | N/A |
| VPRO 5501 | Special Topics in Virtual Production | N/A | Hybrid | N/A | N/A |
| VPRO 5502 | In-Camera VFX (ICVFX) 2 | N/A | In-Person | N/A | N/A |
| VPRO 5503 | Unreal Engine 2 | N/A | Hybrid | N/A | N/A |
| VPRO 5504 | Business of Virtual Production | N/A | Online (S) | N/A | N/A |
The Humber Advantage
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Expert Faculty
Tamara Abas
Tamara Abas is Canada's first female Unreal Authorized Instructor who specializes in virtual production and in-camera visual effects (ICVFX) workflows. Previously, she was part of the VAD (Virtual Art Department) team as an Unreal Engine Generalist for the ETC (Entertainment Technology Center) at USC School of Cinematic Arts. Tamara worked on an in-camera visual effects (ICVFX) production, Europa, in collaboration with Sony Pictures Entertainment, Pixomondo, and Qube. She was one of the lead Unreal Engine instructors for Canada's first Indigenous Virtual Production Microcredential program through IM4 Media Lab and Emily Carr University of Art and Design (2023). She provided virtual and in-person training for numerous topics including previsualization, lighting and ICVFX, and technically supported 24 students from across Canada. She was featured on Epic Games' Meet Someone Unreal series (2023) sharing her passion for training industry in Unreal Engine. Tamara participated in the Unreal Fellowship Animation (2023) program with Epic Games. This was a three-week virtual course that examines the principles of animation and the technical foundations of constructing keyframe and/or motion capture data within Unreal Engine.
Carlos Vilchis
In 2014, I co-founded my first company, HCG Tech, the official and exclusive reseller of Vicon Motion Systems and Faceware in Spanish-speaking countries. In 2020, I co-founded Eugenia Digital Humans, a Metaverse company to offer services for AI-based avatars and scanning digital doubles. In 2021, we received an Epic Megagrant and joined Nvidia Inception. In 2022, I joined Industrial Light & Magic as senior mocap TD and moved to Vancouver to work in virtual production with the same team and technology used on The Mandalorian. I spent a year working with the most advanced methodologies and workflows in a 10-episodic TV show, Percy Jackson & The Olympians. After my contract with ILM, I have worked as a consultant worldwide to develop virtual production workflows and ICVFX stages. In 2024, I completed my PhD related to AI and digital humans facial animation using real-time with Unreal Engine. Some of my papers have been published in well-recognized scientific magazines. My last project is the Virtual Production Academy, the first Epic Games-Authorized Training Center focused on ICVFX in the Spanish speaking market.
Eva Ziemsen
Dr. Eva Ziemsen is a professor and program co-ordinator of the Virtual Production Graduate Certificate in the Faculty of Media and Creative Arts (FMCA) at Humber College. She is a researcher, educator, and filmmaker with 20 years of experience. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia, an MA in Feature Film Development and a Micro-Credential in Virtual Production completed at SIRT Centre. Eva teaches courses in Virtual Production and has been developing and implementing new innovative VP curriculum at Humber College for several years. Eva is an early adopter of Virtual Production and Metaverse technology, she has made films in virtual worlds and has taught in the Metaverse.
Eva co-led the research of two applied research projects related to the Metaverse in 2022/23, including SoTL, “Harnessing Higher Education in the Metaverse" and the NSERC-funded Applied Research and Technology Partnership (ARTP) grant, “Metaverse-Based Virtual Simulations for Virtual Production and Customer Engagement, Education and Training” with APG Media Group. Eva Ziemsen received the President’s Research Excellence Award 2023 for these collaborative research projects. With a vision to democratize filmmaking and innovate in online curriculum delivery, Eva previously initiated a collaboration called, “In-Engine Virtual Production - A Collaboration between GAME and FILM," for which the team won the 2022 League of Innovation of the Year Award. The project garnered international recognition from Unreal Engine. Eva Ziemsen continues to connect curriculum to industry via partnerships and applied research in virtual production, AI-driven media creation, real-time filmmaking and the Metaverse.
Your Career
This program will equip you to perform new film and media industry roles, specifically using the game engine, Unreal Engine, to produce films in an LED volume applying ICVFX pipelines and real-time processes (such as previs). Roles include Unreal Engine on-set technician, virtual production producer, virtual production technical director, virtual art department (VAD) and motion capture technical director. This field is rapidly evolving and there is strong demand for skilled workers in virtual production.
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Program Availability
| START | DELIVERY | LOCATION | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | Condensed Week | Lakeshore | Open |
| START | DELIVERY | LOCATION | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | Lakeshore | Open |
| START | DELIVERY | LOCATION | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | Condensed Week | Lakeshore | Open |
| START | DELIVERY | LOCATION | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | Lakeshore | Open |
Humber is a publicly funded institution. International students graduating from a PGWP Eligible program at Humber are eligible to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit.
International students in Canada could be eligible for an automatic scholarship*. Apply now!
Check out the step-by-step Admissions Road Map for helpful information and additional resources.
| START | DELIVERY | LOCATION | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | Condensed Week | Lakeshore | Closed |
| START | DELIVERY | LOCATION | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | Lakeshore | Open |
Humber is a publicly funded institution. International students graduating from a PGWP Eligible program at Humber are eligible to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit.
International applicants outside of Canada can apply through Humber International. Check out the step-by-step Admissions Road Map for helpful information and additional resources.
Upcoming Recruitment Events
Virtual Production Showcase
Do you want to tell stories with the latest virtual production technologies? Watch the video to learn more about what Virtual Production is and how this program can kickstart your story-telling career.
Every attempt is made to ensure that information contained on this website is current and accurate. Humber Polytechnic reserves the right to correct any error or omission, modify or cancel any course, program, fee, timetable or campus location at any time without prior notice or liability to users or any other Person.
