Entertainment
Preparatory Class
What is the Entertainment preparatory year?
As a gateway between a baccalauréat (or level 4 qualification) and training for careers in CG Animation and Special Effects, Video Game or Concept Art Illustration, the Entertainment preparatory year is particularly aimed at those who are certain of their career plans and want to get their foot in the door of the Entertainment industry as quickly as possible.
The Entertainment preparatory year is available in English at the Bordeaux, Lyon and Montpellier campuses.
The Entertainment Prep programme incorporates the fundamentals of the Design Prep programme in terms of artistic practice, and also offers additional courses that are more specific to the field of 3D animated film. It has been specifically designed for students who need to develop their drawing skills and their artistic culture so that they can follow the following years of the Professional Cycle in the best possible conditions.
The CG Animation & Special Effects Curriculum
(PRODUCTION OF GRADUATION SHORT FILMS)
Flight 666
Promotion 2023
Harmony
Promotion 2023
A Furry Escape
Promotion 2023
Pirate Fair
Promotion 2023
Je suis un Caillou / I am a Pebble
Promotion 2020
Swing to the Moon
Promotion 2022
Graine de Paresse
Promotion 2022
SENSES
Promotion 2019
Petite Faim
Promotion 2017
Catch It
Promotion 2015
Sweet Cocoon
Promotion 2014
. 
Monkey Symphony
Promotion 2013
Ex-ET
Promotion 2008
Their films are always nice surprises, with great messages in the background! Form yes, but not without substance. At ESMA this is not the case and this can be seen by following the evolution of the films over the years. This is proof of valuable teaching.
Lionel POUCHARD
Storyboard artist
word of alumni
This training gave me all the knowledge I needed to be a professional from the end of my studies: computer tools, the basics for all disciplines, rigour, perseverance and above all teamwork (key to success). The professors transmitted to us their passion for animation and the desire to always go further in our projects.
Elise CARRET
Marketing Animator – Illumination MacGuff
Promo: 2017
ESMA has a very strong background in animation cinema and that’s really what we’re looking for. This allows us to have specialized students, very focused on their careers. Students are passionate and highly motivated by what they do.
Erik SMITT
Director of photography at Pixar Animation Studios
The quality of the films is really palpable. Both technically and narratively, the scripts are developing and getting more complex year after year.
Shelley PAGE
Key Talent and Artist Liaison – DreamWorks, Aardman…
word of alumni
The training brought me a rigour that is very much appreciated in the studios. We’ve learned to be quick and efficient and that’s a big advantage when you’re starting out in the job market. I chose to specialise in rigging because I love that rigour. Each teacher has his or her own vision of things. It prepares us to juggle the different expectations we’ll have from other departments.
Elodie HOUARD
Rigger, Cinesite
Promo: 2013
Program
The Entertainment Prep course is based on the fundamentals of the Design Prep course offered by ESMA, giving students the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the various professions in the applied arts.
The course focuses on drawing, including anatomical studies and character design, and also offers modules more specific to the field of 3D Animation, such as digital processing, storyboarding, photography and sculpture.
As the first year of the CG Animation and Special Effects programme, the Entertainment Prep course helps students to acquire the basics of drawing, develop their artistic culture andencourage experimentation so that they can go into greater depth during the rest of the course.
Objectives & further studies
With courses in drawing, anatomy, visual arts and specific digital workshops, the Prépa Entertainment is ideal for revealing and enriching students’ creative potential.
Students gradually acquire the necessary maturity, gradually master the subtleties of drawing and build up a general and artistic culture that will serve as a foundation for the rest of their course.
Throughout the year, students will be assessed on the basis of continuous project and knowledge assessments, as well as a final assessment based on an end-of-year project with an oral presentation, which will enable us to evaluate the student’s achievements.
By the end of the Entertainment Prep course, students have developed a range of essential skills, giving them the keys to pursuing their career in CG Animation & Special Effects with confidence.
Students can also continue their studies in the Video Game or Illustration Concept Art courses also offered by ESMA.
English course – 3D Animation & Special Effects
The English version of the Entertainment Prep is available on the Lyon, Bordeaux and Montpellier campuses.
The English-language version of the Entertainment Prep is designed for non-French-speaking foreign students wishing to pursue the CG Animation and Special Effects course, also in English.
The programme, which combines French as a Foreign Language (FLE) classes and artistic training, has been specifically designed to enable students to familiarise themselves with linguistic tools and cultural references, while at the same time achieving a sufficient level of French language and culture (level A2) to interact and adapt in everyday situations.
