In June 2014, Jonathan Lynch graduated from the Loyalist College Animation program. In addition to a three-year advanced diploma, he is starting his new career with an exciting edge. This May Jonathan was the recipient of the Interaction and Gaming Award at Digifest in Toronto.
Digifest is an international festival that celebrates digital creativity by bringing together industry, academics and the public. It’s a showcase for groundbreaking creations and trending content in digital media, art, design and technology. One of the festival’s events is the Student Showcase, which features the best student works in the categories of Integrated Media, Social Innovation, Interaction and Gaming, Visual Art and Design, Animation and Moving Image, and Beyond the Screen. Jonathan received the Interaction and Gaming Award for Seeds of Yggdrasil (Ig-dra-sill), a 3D action video game of his creation.
“Visitors to my booth at Digifest were astonished that I completed this project on my own – the others were projects created by teams from colleges and universities across Ontario,” said Jonathan. “The great strength of the Loyalist Animation program is the way they prepare students for every aspect of the development pipeline. Having a specialization is important, as you need to know where you fit within a team, but it was the generalist knowledge of the production process that enabled me to build my project from scratch. In an actual studio, this understanding of the process from concept to product makes Loyalist graduates strong additions to any team.”
Digifest hosted the “Best of the Best” student showcase at the George Brown College waterfront campus with 40 projects from 13 post-secondary institutions. The participating schools included: Brock University, Centennial College, Durham College, George Brown College, Humber College, Loyalist College, Mohawk College, OCAD University, Ryerson University, Seneca College, Sheridan College, University of Waterloo and York University.
“Receiving this award was certainly a good feeling – a confirmation that the previous five months of hard work had resulted in something I could show and be proud of,” he added. “When bench-marking your work against seasoned professionals, it’s easy for a student to feel intimidated. Because of the help and support of my professors, I felt that I was prepared to represent myself, and the Loyalist program, at Digifest.
“I am working hard to pursue a career in animation or game development. My project, Seeds of Yggdrasil, acts as a proof of concept for a larger title I am continuing to develop. This Digifest award is great for getting my name, and the name of my game, into the industry.”
Animators help build apps, make movies and bring video games to life. In Loyalist’s Animation program you can specialize in character animation, 2D/ 3D animation, gaming, visual effects, computer graphics, web design or mobile applications. Graduates hold positions at exciting places which include: Nelvana, Jellyfish Pictures, Prime Focus, Funcom, Arc Productions and Research in Motion. Visit loyalistcollege.com and click on the Animation Student Work tab. Discover the creative ways that students are learning to apply their vivid imaginations and artistic abilities to a diverse and rewarding industry.