The Rookie Awards is an annual global contest that showcases the work of emerging artists, designers and creative professionals in the creative industries, namely 2D animation, 3D animation, concept art, game development, visual effects, architectural visualisation, motion graphics, immersive media, product design and virtual fashion. It is a platform that allows participants to share their work online with like-minded peers, exchange feedback, build connections and kick-start their career.
This year, the contest saw 5,517 entries from 521 schools across 106 countries participate. Participants were tasked to create an entry page that showcases their creative and technical abilities, providing a comprehensive explanation of how they created each project, and using supporting images, videos and text to bring their work to life. A judging panel of 152 industry professionals evaluated these entries, providing participants with valuable feedback and recognition that boosts their confidence to pursue their passion with even greater determination.
The exposure, experience and the opportunity to compete with artists from all around the world are extremely gratifying for the students who took part. Even more rewarding is when they manage to outperform all the others and emerge as the top achievers in their respective categories, as demonstrated by these two students from The One Academy.
The title of Rookie of the Year (Immersive Media) went to Tan Kai Ching for her work titled “Unfold: Beyond the Unknown”. It is a film promotion concept that incorporates extended interactive experiences and can be applied to any film, acting as a story recap and summarization of each character’s information. Tan demonstrated her project using Marvel Studios’ ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’, known for its complex and interconnected storylines with multiple films and TV series.
“Unfold: Beyond the Unknown” won Tan Kai Ching the Rookie of the Year (Immersive Media) title.
“Unfold: Beyond the Unknown” won Tan Kai Ching the Rookie of the Year (Immersive Media) title.
“’Unfold’ was born from my passion for movies and curiosity about what goes on behind the camera. It began with a focus on often-overlooked details, from end credits to teaser trailers, and eventually grew into a concept to guide the audience to experience movies in a new light and with a deeper appreciation,” explained Tan.
Blending smart design and augmented reality (AR) technology, moviegoers are able to use their mobile AR to scan and collect items during the interactive trailer that plays in the movie theatre. From the collected items, they can unfold information about the upcoming film and unlock post-movie experiences.
“I had moments of doubt when the project shifted from my initial vision. Luckily, I had amazing peers and lecturers who guided me. Their advice and support, combined with my unwavering commitment, shifted my perspective and boosted the project’s development,” Tan elaborated.
Ng Jo Ling won Game of the Year (Immersive Media) with her work “Night Blooms”.
Meanwhile, Ng Jo Ling emerged as the winner of the Game of the Year (Immersive Media) with her work “Night Blooms” – a multisensory interactive installation with water lilies floor projection mapping and night-blooming flowers light installation. It aims to inspire people to thrive and flourish even in the midst of their toughest, darkest moments, and motivates them to bloom like these exquisite flowers.
“My focus lies in delving into abstract and artistic projects infused with profound storytelling, crafting experiences that deeply resonate with users on an emotional level,” said Ng.
The interactive floor projection mapping concept enables the audience to step back, unwind and heal their inner souls, drawing on the symbolism of water lilies for rebirth and tranquillity. As the user walks around the pond, water lilies bloom and gather around, and hopping on water lily pads will trigger animations as well. Moreover, the audience can engage with the night-blooming flowers, experiencing shifting light effects as they step closer to the blossoms.
“Pursuing the Diploma in Digital Media Design programme not only equipped me with technical proficiency, but also nurtured a profound sense of purpose in me to harness the power of creative media to make a lasting impact on society and to continuously push the boundaries of artistic innovation,” Ng shared.
In addition to Tan Kai Ching and Ng Jo Ling, other students from The One Academy also made it as finalists, including Bong Ming Zi, who received the Highly Commended badge for his project “The HorRidge”. Great work to all the students who represented Malaysia on a global platform.
Ng Jo Ling won Game of the Year (Immersive Media) with her work “Night Blooms”.
Ng Jo Ling won Game of the Year (Immersive Media) with her work “Night Blooms”.
The One Academy is committed to providing the best art education programmes and continues to nurture its students passionately through its “Masters Train Masters” coaching philosophy, which has been practised for over 30 years, by providing diploma and degree courses in Advertising & Graphic Design, Digital Animation, Digital Media Design, Film Visual Effects, Interior Architecture & Design, Illustration, Fine Arts, Paris Fashion Design & Pattern Making, Computer Science & Game Design. For more information, visit www.toa.edu.my or call 03-7875 5510 or e-mail your enquiries to [email protected].
Online Education Fair 线上教育展
The One Academy of Communication Design
https://edufair.fsi.com.my/theone
