Search For A Star | Games VFX Finalists 2024
The assessments have been completed and we have our finalists selection for this year’s Search For A Star and Rising Star challenges in Games VFX!
Our vfx category is designed to help students create a high level portfolio project based on a studio brief and workflow, and then getting industry feedback from our assessment team of studio devs from across the industry. The highest achievers are invited to meet and interview with a panel of professionals from across the games industry.
While vfx has always been one of the least subscribed categories, largely due to the small amount of universities and colleges that put any focus on vfx for games, it’s a vitally important area that requires a great mix of technical and creative skills.
Previously the low participation meant that we’d combine both tiers for the finals, but this year we’re happy to have a full complement of finalists for the Search For A Star tier! It does oddly mean that we only have one Rising Star finalist this year, but with all finalists achieving excellent scores and impressing the assessors, it’s only fair for all six to get their invite to the final interviews.
We’ll be interviewing all the finalists and revealing the winners of this year’s challenges at our Search For A Star finals day, taking place on April 4th in Sheffield.
We’ve had a range of fantastic submissions this year, so let’s take a look at the projects that have taken these high achieving students into this year’s finals!
Search for a Star 2024
Students in their final year of a degree or in postgraduate study
Alex Konosonoks
Staffordshire University
Alex created a multi-part magic effect that perfectly encapsulates the “It’s full of stars” theme, drawing in a mix of different aspects to create the full sequence.
Alex impressed our assessors with their research and documentation, backed up by some good technical skills across a complex and challenging project.
See Alex’s portfolio here: https://www.artstation.com/alekon
Faith Hamill
Falmouth University
Static Shock
Faith’s ranged lighting attack merges into an electrical control AoE effect, incorporating multiple elements with a lot of good consideration around purpose and game use.
Assessors were impressed by the planning and research that went into the project, creating a great foundation upon which to develop a strong vfx sequence.
See Faith’s portfolio here: https://www.artstation.com/faithhamill/
Joseph Stanley
Futureworks
Lightning Burst
Continuing the “Weatherbending” theme, Joseph’s sequence starts with a single raindrop, merging into a cyclone and through to a lightning strike finish.
Our assessors scored Joseph’s project very highly across all criteria, with particular note to the excellent research and documentation, and the polished final product.
See Joseph’s portfolio here: https://www.artstation.com/josephstanley
Mishel Soghoyan
University of Hertfordshire
Astral Pool
Also taking on the “It’s full of stars” theme, Mishel created a portal sequence with great visuals combined with a really effective colour palette.
Assessors loved the creative aspects of the project, with the strong fundamentals shown in development leading to great outcomes in multiple areas across the sequence.
See Mishel’s portfolio here: https://www.artstation.com/vishalem
Rohith Guruvayurappan
Anglia Ruskin University
Frostflare Explosion
Rohith created an impressively complex sequence comprising multiple parts, both learning and showing off a multitude of different skills across vfx.
Our assessors were impressed by the amount of varied aspects to the project and how it was achieved in the time, showing off a lot of different but complementary technical skills in the process.
See Rohith’s portfolio reel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUm9qYxKBZQ
Rising Star 2024
Undergraduate students not yet in their final year, or at college/school level
Evan Goddard
Futureworks
Water Puddle Character Effect
Evan took on the challenge with an ambitious project to create an amorphous player transition sequence, incorporating additional control and movement effects for the player character.
Our assessors were really impressed by this first attempt at a games VFX project, particularly the great mix of creative and technical skills coming together to produce an imaginative and effective action mechanic.
