MTSU Places Top Ten in 24-Hours Animation Contest

For the past six years, MTSU’s Animation teams have participated in the 24-Hours Animation Contest, placing multiple times and earning honorable mentions along the way. This year seven teams from MTSU competed against other top animation schools in the 15th annual 24-Hours Animation Contest.

Team ‘We Were Framed’, comprised of Alexandria “Zan” Dainwood, Josh Leedham, Josie Dowd, Andrew Demel, and Rachel Hood secured their place in the top ten with their whimsical short film, “Leaf Dogs”. The team placed 8th out of 183 teams from around the world!

Part of what separates the 24-Hours Contest from others is the fact that the participants are kept on stand-by until the prompt is announced on the morning of the competition. From there, they have a mere 24 hours to create their short films. This prevents competitors from pre-planning their concepts and creates the need for quick thinking and creativity. This year, teams were given the prompt “One of these things is not like the other. One of these things does not belong.”

Here is MTSU’s top placing entry, “Leaf Dogs”, by team ‘We Were Framed’…

Not only is the contest a fun experience for students, it is also a great skill development tool. It is one that allows students to work as a team while testing their skills in an incredibly high-pressure situation. They are expected to think fast, problem solve, and get creative with their choices in order to meet their intense 24-Hour deadline.

Animation Professor, Kevin McNulty stated, “It’s not about winning. It’s about learning what you’re made of and the experience you have with your teammates in the trenches. Despite the fatigue their minds and bodies take, students come back year after year because it’s so much fun for them. For me personally, my favorite part isn’t the destination, it’s the journey.”

If you’d like to check out the other team’s entries and the prompt announcement, you can visit the official 2017 24-Hours Animation Contest playlist!