by Sherri Hogan

Several Holland College Interactive Multimedia (IMM) students have been awarded top honors at Animediafest 2004, the Atlantic Canadian festival for student work in animation and new media.

The third annual festival, held from May 27 to 29 at the Truro Campus of the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC), had broad representation from media, design, and applied arts colleges across Atlantic Canada. The Student Success judges adjudicated submissions from Holland College; the College of the North Atlantic; New Brunswick Community College, Miramichi; and Nova Scotia Community College programs in Truro, Halifax, and Shelburne.

Holland College students Betty Calagoure and Marvin Sanchez were awarded second and third place in the Web Design portion of the competition. Their dynamic portfolio designs, created with Macromedia Flash, use motion to enhance the viewer's experience, and showcase the range of their web, graphic, and video work.

"I was quite pleased and surprised to have placed second in the Web Design category. This recognition is very encouraging as I start on my own web design contracting business," remarked prize winner Betty Calagoure. "The festival itself is a great opportunity for students to meet and talk to professionals working in our field of choice."

Fellow student, Shayli Vere, was awarded fourth place for Documentary Film, a category with a high number of quality submissions from the NSCC Screen Arts Program. Her submission, "What is the Island Way of Life?," was her first longform video piece, and judges remarked the originality of its statements about P.E.I. life and culture.

Shayli and Marvin were also awarded first and second place, respectively, by Technology PEI for the most innovative designs in the program's recent year-end showcase, "Media Expressions."

Marvin has been hired by the Charlottetown-based development firm, Lotus Media, and Betty is establishing herself as a home-based business. Shayli has been awarded Short Film Development support from Technology PEI and will begin shooting the film, "Katalina and the Elf," in mid-June. She has also begun independent work in the multimedia field, including video effects work for a B.C. film.