Auteur! Auteur! Student Work at the 2017 NYIT Animation and Film Festival

Photo: Students, jurors, and faculty members at this year’s NYIT Animation and Film Festival

A New York City businessman sits alone by a fountain contemplating his gregarious colleagues from afar. His isolation sets the stage for Shredding, a film by communication arts students Cyrielle Salley, Shane Ramjutton, and Luke Clinton, which won Best of Show (film) at the 2017 NYIT Film and Animation Festival. While Shredding focuses on the inner voice of its antisocial protagonist, Best of Show (animation) winner Cash 4 Clones heads in a completely different direction. In their film, B.F.A. students Brian Lau, David Peccerelli, and Stephen Ramnarine take on the wacky world of TV infomercials. But the product they’re shilling isn’t a magic mop or a miracle face cream—it’s a clone, a “for hire” stuntman that can be designed to replicate any celebrity. Purchasers just better hope he does what he’s told…

The projects were just two of the 38 entries from undergraduate and graduate students in communication arts and digital arts and design showcased at the festival. In addition to students, faculty members, and family and friends, the packed house at NYIT Auditorium on Broadway also included a jury of experts who provided students with feedback and chose the winners.

“This year’s festival featured many strong submissions from the M.F.A. program, especially students who came to New York from the Communications University of China,” said Yuko Oda, associate professor of digital art and design. “However, it was incredible that the Best of Show in Animation went to B.F.A. seniors. Overall, the students received many positive comments and accolades from the jury.”

The annual festival is hosted by NYIT College of Arts and Sciences and co-chaired by Oda and Paul Demonte, adjunct instructor for communication arts. Jurors included computer graphic artists and animators Josh Planz, Theerawat Khajornkhanphet (TK) (M.F.A. ’14), and Yuliya Lanina for digital art and design entries, and John Didato, editor at Sesame Workshop, and Alex DiMambro, freelance producer and owner of Elroy Media, for communication arts entries.