Successful IM Alums on Campus for iBradley Media Festival
05/04/2011 5:45 PM
High school and college students came from all over the state of Illinois this past weekend to display their creative works at the annual iBradley Media Festival.
The festival kicked off Friday, April 29, with master classes in animations and visual effects, game design, and web design. Six Department of Interactive Media Alumni from Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York taught the classes. In the evening, Sam Hull ’91 presented his feature length film, “Not Dead Yet.”
On Saturday, April 30, iBradley hosted more than 75 students, faculty, staff, and patrons that came to view the 146 submitted entries. According to Scott Cavanah, IM instructor and coordinator of the event, iBradley had entries from more schools than ever before, including seven colleges and six high schools, which contributed to the event’s success.
“I thought the event was better than it has ever been,” Cavanah said. “We had winners from colleges, universities, and high schools across the state in multiple categories. The level of work is definitely getting better and the word is getting out that not only does Bradley host such an event, but our department is turning out some very talented students doing amazing work.”
Over $600 in prizes was awarded for some very inspiring work in four categories
Among the winners was Bradley junior Matt Vroman, who won first place in the interactive category with an Android game called ‘Flyy.’ According to Vroman, ‘Flyy’ is a casual ‘zen’ obstacle-avoidance game that is similar to the popular Helicopter game. The player must tilt the phone to avoid hitting obstacles. Rings can be picked up along the way that can be used to destroy every obstacle on the screen.
After judging submissions, the festival ended with a panel discussion by the newly formed Interactive Media Alumni Board. The members, Chris Free ’06, Dave Look ’07, Dave Rogers ’06, Diana Hughes ’06, Joel Raabe ’06, and Renae Radford ’06, answered questions from the audience on various topics such as internships, work environments, and emerging trends in the field of media development.
“Being able to discuss the state of the industry with our returning alumni was definitely the most beneficial event at Bradley,” Vroman said. “With interactive media, a lot of jobs are on the coasts or in major cities. Having alumni return from places such as California and New York gives us a chance to pick their brains about current industry standards or changes that we might not have exposure to.”
Vroman knows the significance of events such as iBradley and its importance to the Department of Interactive Media.
“It’s extremely important for students to submit their work to festivals such as iBradley,” Vroman said. “Being able to have industry professionals look at and compare your work with others can really put things in perspective. Having the chance to win a prize for your work is nice, but the exposure you get just for submitting your work is what makes festivals like iBradley worthwhile.”