Autodesk is sponsoring two upcoming competitions for students who are interested in 3D Modeling with an emphasis on visual effects.

The first contest is called the 10th Annual VES Awards. VES is the Visual Effects Society. They are an organization that represents visual effects artists, model makers, technologists, educators, producers, etc. from the entertainment industry. They have members involved in television, film, music videos, video games, and even commercials. They seek to bring members together to further develop and promote the art and science of visual effects. Students can submit “any media project that was created by a student or group of students while attending a recognized school.” The deadline to submit is November 30th. There is a $45 entry fee. Winners will receive recognition from VES as well as an award statue. The big draw to this competition is that lots of industry professionals belong to VES and many of the judges and people viewing the submitted projects are involved in the industry. It’s a great way for a student to get his or her foot in the door and make some connections. You can find more specific details about the VES awards here.

The second competition is called the CG Whiz Competition 2011. This competition has a category for Amateurs to submit to, which includes students who do not work within the industry. This competition is being put on by Escape Studios along with several sponsors including Autodesk. Escape Studios is a CG Academy where they teach hands-on workshops concerning the visual effects industry and the skills necessary to succeed. This competition’s deadline is November 12, 2011. Voting begins on November 14th, 2011. Winners will be announced in December. This competition offers several prizes. The top 3 winners for the Amateurs category all get free training courses with esteemed VFX firms. Much like the VES competition, the main draw here is industry exposure. It is an easy way to get your work seen by people involved in the industry and to make connections. You can read more details about the CG Whiz Competition here.

Both of these competitions provide a great opportunity for students who want to get a foot into the industry and who feel they have what it takes to be a great artist. These kinds of competitions are a great experience for students and the opportunities they present are priceless. If you’re a teacher and have students who do some outstanding work; encourage them to submit to these competitions. It could be the opportunity of a lifetime.

Students & Teachers interested in Autodesk: Studica offers Autodesk products and many other software choices such as Avid and Unity at educational discounts.

Author: Mark Philipp