Bachelor of Fine Arts (Props and Effects)

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (Props and Effects) at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) is a three-year degree that trains you to make the physical world of a production. You learn to build props, sculpt, mould, cast, work with foam and plastics, and create effects that read from the back row. The course sits inside a working drama school, so your work goes on stage and screen in student productions, not just into a folio.

Australian bachelor degrees are normally three years of full-time study, made up of units of study with credit points. NIDA delivers its vocational degrees in an intensive, production-based mode. You will spend most of your time in workshops and studios, with assessment tied to what you make for shows. The final year typically includes a major project or production role that acts as your capstone, where you take a design brief from concept through to opening night.

You will pick up skills in prop making, scenic art, mould making and casting, model making, and safe workshop practice. You will also learn to read a script and a design drawing, work to a deadline, and collaborate with directors, designers, actors and stage management. That last part matters as much as the craft. Props and effects is a team job, and the course is built around production schedules.

This degree suits school leavers and mature-age applicants who want to work with their hands and make things for performance. You do not need to be an actor. You need to show a portfolio or evidence of practical making ability, and you need to be ready for long days in a workshop. NIDA is in Sydney, and the industry you are training into is concentrated in Australian cities and in film and television production hubs. Graduates can apply for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream if they meet the Department of Home Affairs requirements. While studying, a student visa usually allows 48 hours of work per fortnight. Check the official CRICOS entry for this course, including tuition and English requirements, before you apply.

• Props maker or props buyer for theatre, film and television
• Scenic artist or set finisher
• Mould maker and caster for effects houses
• Model maker for production design and advertising
• Workshop assistant or supervisor in a performance venue
• Exhibition or display fabricator in museums and events
• Freelance maker supplying theatre companies, opera, ballet and screen productions across Australia