A multimedia competition known as the Sparky Award just opened the floodgates for student project submissions.
There is one major difference between the Sparky Award and the BYU Final Cut competitions: the Sparky Award is open to all types of media.
Shay Allen, the Media Lab supervisor, feels that while programs like BYU Final Cut are excellent they limit who can participate.
Allen said the Sparky Award competition will accept film projects but they also allow submissions of graphic art, audiophile projects, photography and most things media related.
There will be several awards and prizes given to the participants in the competition, including the main Sparky Award, the Stinkin’ Funny award, the Flippin’ Coolest award, the Best Idea/Concept award and the Audience Choice award.
Allen also noted that students are welcome to use previous class projects or create new projects as submissions. He added that the Media Lab offers classes that use more advanced computers and media equipment.
“The Media Lab is a creative space that people can go to to access the tools they need,” Allen said.
Bob Hill, a Media Lab employee, said the whole idea for the Sparky Award came from a desire to offer everyday students a chance to compete.
“Most of the people that come here do it for fun,” said Hill, referring to the lab at the HBLL.
Hill also said the Sparky Award is a chance for the Media Lab to invite students to use their equipment and become more aware of the services they have to offer students.
“There is so much potential, and no one really knows it exists,” said Hill.
However, he also said the competition is a fun outlet for everyday students looking to display their work.
The award ceremony will act similarly to a film festival and will show screenings of the student submissions. The ceremony will take place Dec. 7 with a small cost of entry associated.
The Sparky Award multimedia competition will accept submissions now until Nov. 18. Project entries can be done individually or as a group.
To submit an entry, students need to go to sparkyawards.weebly.com and list the project under their name or their group leader’s name.
