Animation team places 8th among 183 in 24-hour test

“Leaf Dogs,” by the MTSU Animation team “We Were Framed,” won eighth place at the 24 Hours Animation Contest.

Media Arts animation students won eighth place out of 183 international teams in this year’s 24 Hours Animation Contest.

The film, entitled “Leaf Dogs,” is an animated short created by team “We Were Framed” comprised of Alexandria “Zan” Dainwood, Josh Leedham, Josie Dowd, Andrew Demel and Rachel Hood.

The theme for this year’s contest, held in late October, was “One of these things is not like the other. One of these things does not belong.” Participants are kept on stand-by until the theme is announced on the morning of the competition. Then, the teams have a mere 24 hours to create their films.

Associate Professor Kevin McNulty, who also serves as the faculty adviser for the college’s ACM SIGGRAPH Student Chapter, says it’s not about winning.

“[The competition] is about learning what you’re made of and the experience you have with your teammates in the trenches,” McNulty says. “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.”

The department’s animation teams have participated in the 24 Hours Animation Contest for the past six years, placing multiple times and earning honorable mentions. This year, seven teams competed against other top animation programs, winning against schools such as Sheridan College, Ringling College of Art and Design, and a number of schools in California. The contest now includes seven countries, including the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Australia and Thailand.

To watch “Leaf Dogs,” click here. To learn more about our animation degree, click here.

The Department of Media Arts Animation program runs one of only 20 ACM SIGGRAPH student chapters in the world. The chapter is heavily involved in the annual SIGGRAPH conference, which will be held in Vancouver in 2018.