The “24 HOURS Animation Contest for Students” is Open for Entries

The “24 HOURS Animation Contest for Students” is Open for Entries

September 24th, 2020

Jerry Beck

What could you animate in 24 hours? That’s the question students will be asking themselves for this year’s 24 HOURS: Animation Contest for Students. The 2020 contest will be hosted online, from Friday October 2nd to Saturday October 3rd. This free event challenges students around the world to compete in teams of five to produce a 30-second animated film in under 24 hours. Now in its 18th year, this challenge is hosted by animation professor, Aubry Mintz, at California State University, Long Beach.

The final 30-second films will be judged by a volunteer panel of esteemed animation professionals:

Galen Chu — Director at Blue Sky Studios.
Alessandra Sorrentino — Story Artist at Blue Sky Studios.
Karina Gazizova — Director on Wacky Races, Storyboard Artist on Teen Titans GO!, Technical Director at Studio RedFrog, France.
Mark Ackland — Storyboard Artist on Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Wander Over Yonder, and Mickey Mouse shorts.
Lesley Headrick — Director on Remy & Boo, Studio Creative Director on Paw Patrol.
Eric Calderon — Director of Development, Show Runner and Producer.
Alison Mann — VP Creative/Strategy at Sony Pictures Animation.

Interested in joining this year’s challenge?

Students can register their team of five online.

“This contest has expanded rapidly, adding more than 300 students each year to a growing list of participants,” said Aubry Mintz. “In 2019, there were 291 teams from 65 schools, in 11 countries — that’s 1455 students! The challenge has featured participants from Australia, Brazil, Canada, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Thailand, USA and the UK. In 2020, we have also registered teams from India and Taiwan!”

This year, industry supporters are getting behind this contest with additional prizes and funding efforts to support students in new ways. An example of these new initiatives is an equipment request program for underserved students, which will not only allow them to participate in this year’s 24 HOURS challenge, but provide tools to aid in their virtual learning and production of art. Eligible students are encouraged to apply to the program.

Still image from 2019’s runner-up entry, Facebook Peanut Butter Counter-Strike: Source, from Capilano University in Canada.

Curious to see the top-placing films from previous years? You can find a playlist of previous entries on YouTube.

How does it work?
As we are in the midst of a pandemic, we will allow all students to each work from home, but they must still register in teams of five. We still ask that each team have a faculty advisor from their home school. This ensures that all teams are currently students and that this contest falls in line with each school’s student learning outcomes. Teams at the same school are permitted to share faculty advisors.

All teams start at the exact same time, and submit a YouTube link of the completed films to the contest before the deadline, Saturday October 3rd at 4PM PST. Late submissions are not accepted. Teams need to plan ahead and troubleshoot issues, including unsent emails and broken YouTube links. Finished films will be judged by a panel of industry experts and prizes of more than $163,000 in value will be awarded to the top 5 teams.

Still image from 2019’s top-placed entry, asdfjkl.psd, from Rangsit University in Thailand.

How did it start?
In 2002 Aubry Mintz challenged his students to work through the night to see how much they could accomplish. Five students remained when the sun rose, and Mintz was impressed by what they were able to produce. 24 HOURS Animation Contest for Students was born, and Aubry Mintz decided to continue to offer this contest once a year to students in search of a challenge.

“It brings out the best in students,” said Aubry Mintz, after watching entries from 291 teams in 2019. “It pushes them to their limits but teaches them to make creative decisions in a severely limited time. Working with a team of five challenges artists to learn how to work collaboratively. Sometimes this creates tension and obstacles that the teams must work together to overcome. It’s a rapid speed lesson in animation production.”

“Although this contest sounds crazy — the model seems to work. The top films are as good as some completed student films that take over a year to produce. I think it’s their chance to set personal goals and work outside of the classroom structure on a creative project.”

For more questions about the contest, contact 24hourscontest@gmail.com, and please join the Facebook group and review the FAQs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/24hourscontest

Author
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Jerry Beck

Writer, cartoon producer and author of more than 15 books on animation history. A former studio exec with Nickelodeon and Disney; currently on the faculty at both CalArts in Valencia and Woodbury University in Burbank, California.