MSA Digital Arts & Animation scored in the top 10 percent in the 24-hours Animation Contest for Students October 3. The two teams out of the six from MSA participating came in 73rd place and 80th place out of 750 teams, beating out over 600 college and university teams. If you place in the top 160 teams (out of 750), it’s considered a big deal!
Of the high school teams competing, MSA’s top teams came in 12th and 16th out of 65! The results are stunning, especially considering this is the program’s third year competing and one of the top two teams was comprised of four freshman (or first-year animators) and one junior!
This contest is both a fun and stressful challenge because students must work through the night to finish their short animations on time.
“I’m so unbelievably proud! …of all my students, actually, not just the ones who placed! They are sleep deprived; they’re under a strict deadline; and they have to navigate and negotiate the different personalities and creative opinions/differences of their team mates,” says teacher (and contest chef) Howard Gersh, who donned his Star Wars apron and kept the waffles coming during the all-nighter.
See the results by clicking team titles to view on the 30-second animations on YouTube:
Placing 73rd: Team Howie the Glorf:
Skye Brown, Remi Devora-McCardle, Eli Mayberry, Spence Peterson, Alex Rodgers
Placing 80th: Team Night Forces:
Skylar Johnson, Poppy Laidlaw, Gemma Mennucci, Max Miller, Myla Simmons
Team Straight Blanchin’:
Charlie French, Rowan Greenwood, Dasha Hirai, Gus Ludewig (alum), Conor McLaughlin (alum)
Didn’t place, but strong contenders
Team Elden Bling:
Finlay Davies, Chase Moarefi, Max Pugh, Sam Pugh, Milo Schoenbohm
Didn’t place, but strong contenders
Team Caffeine Maxing:
Maya Hamamjian, Avery McDermott, Ellie Reid, Lenore Schulz, Thomas Shetz
Didn’t place, but strong contenders
Team Silly Squad:
Khloe Almas, Star Carlin, Molly Deloach, Jae Valentine, Juniper Valentine
Didn’t place, but strong contender