The Rookies
The Oscars for creative students has launched – have you entered yet?
Call for entries for this year’s new student CG awards contest
We want to create a clear path for all students to get some feedback and become comfortable with showcasing their work
Alwyn Hunt , co-founder, The Rookies
The hosts of the CG Student Awards have launched a new international awards scheme, covering more categories than ever before. Dubbed the ‘Oscars for creative students’, The Rookies is a platform for talented students to launch their careers, network with the creative industry’s top studios and connect with the next generation of creative minds.
In its new format, the scheme builds on its heritage of VFX, animation and next-gen gaming to add a further nine prize divisions that focus on the most competitive artistic industries – from illustration to virtual reality. The goal of the The Rookies, explains co-founder Alwyn Hunt, is to create a bridge that joins schools with studios. “We want to create a clear path for all students to get some feedback and become comfortable with showcasing their work to the world,” he says.
Getting your work noticed
If you’re a graduating student, one of the main reasons to start preparing your entry is to get your work directly in front of the judges. “There are some big names in there, and you never know what opportunities could arise from being in the right place at the right time,” says Alwyn.
“The point is to get yourself out there, show your work at all levels of completion, and start a dialogue with both people in the industry. Oh, and there is a massive bounty of prizes and paid studio internships up for grabs,” he adds. So, what’s the key to getting yourself noticed by the judges? “I’m looking for quality over quantity, and a focus on the discipline they’re aiming to work in – but also just pride and care,” says Rookies judge and game artist Justin Mohlman. “I want to see someone who takes the time to flex their creative and technical muscles on focused projects, and displays them
in a cohesive way with basic design principles in play. Things like composition, colour theory and scale are often overlooked, as well as adding character to an asset or scene.”
“I want to look at a submission asset, whether it’s a big hulking monster, sci-fi robot or a simple chair, and know where it’s been and the purpose it served. The little details of a simple scratch or wear in a material are big wins in my opinion,” Justin enthuses.
Winners will be propelled into the industry, strewn all over the internet and get a red carpet introduction into their career of choice. “Aside from the prizes and internships, the bottom line is that the winners get some serious recognition at an industry level,” Alwyn points out. “They instantly get some street credibility and take a few massive steps up the career ladder.” “It opened so many doors for me,” says past winner Sheree Chuang. “I was invited by Rising Sun Pictures to take their in-house compositing course and they hired me as a junior lighter for the feature film, Gods of Egypt.”
Garrick Rawlingson, who also won an internship – which turned into a job – agrees. “I went from living in London to New Zealand, from an advertising company to one of the VFX world leaders. I’m lucky enough to learn from the best every day.”
More opportunities
The full 12 categories for The Rookies are: Architecture & Visualisation, Fashion Design, Game Design & Development, Graphic Design, Illustration & Concept Art, Industrial Design, Interior Design, Photography, Virtual Reality, Visual Effects & Animation, and Web & Application Design. Importantly, there isn’t an entry fee – so there are no barriers to submitting work.
Since 2009, when the CG Student Awards began, the scheme has given away over $ 900,000 USD in prizes and 74 paid internships. That’s set to rise with the launch of The Rookies.
“We’re expanding our reach because there are so many talented students out there studying all sorts of amazing creative and technical skills,” says Alwyn. “We wanted to make sure they got some exposure too. People can submit illustration and concept art, all the way up to virtual reality and even robotics.” The Rookies is open now, deadline for entries is 29th May 2016. For more information head to the website: www.therookies.co