Balloons of all shapes and sizes float in as the deadline closes for the first stage of the competition.

GREAT DESIGN: One of the interesting entries for the Creative Media Award 2009. The art competition is based on the Disney-Pixar movie Up.

SECONDARY school students from all around the country picked up their drawing tools, fired up their ­imaginations and drew imaginative hot-air balloons, in the hope of winning the Creative Media Award 2009.

A total of 1,600 students sent in their drawings between July 1 and 24 in stage one of the art contest which is based on this year’s Disney-Pixar animated film, Up. Successful entrants will qualify for the competition final that will take place later this month.

The Creative Media Award is organised by The Star In.Tech and The One Academy art school. It is supported by movie distributor Buena Vista Columbia Tristar and the Multimedia Development Corporation, ­caretaker of the MSC Malaysia initiative.

It is aimed at promoting the creative use of multimedia and targets secondary school students who dream of successful careers in graphics design and animation.

Bowie Saw, marketing executive for The One Academy, said the response to this year’s competition is overwhelming.

“Usually, we get about 600 to 700 entries. We got more than double that this year,” she said. “This is by far the best year for the Creative Media Award.”

Contest judges are going through the submissions and will be drawing up a shortlist of the students who qualify for the final.

The final, scheduled for Aug 29, is an on-the-spot art competition at The One Academy premises in Sunway, Selangor.

Prizes a-plenty

There are RM300,000 worth of scholarships and prizes up for grabs. Whoever wins the grand prize gets an RM50,000 scholarship from The One Academy, trophy, Acer Aspire 4730ZG notebook computer, Canon Ixus 100IS digital camera, CNI health hamper and Pipit gift pack worth RM750.

The second prize winner will win a RM30,000 scholarship from The One Academy, Canon Powershot A1100IS camera, CNI health hamper and Pipit gift pack worth RM500.

Make it to third place and you go home with a RM25,000 scholarship from The One Academy, a Canon Powershot AS70 camera, CNI health hamper and Pipit gift pack worth RM300.

In addition to that, the top three winners get certificates of excellence.

There are 10 consolation prizes under the Young Creative Achievers Award. Each comprises a scholarship worth RM18,000 from The One Academy, a Canon Pixma iP1980 printer, CNI health hamper, Pipit gift pack worth RM150, and certificate of ­excellence.

Also, there will be a lucky draw during the final, where one participant will win an Acer Aspire 4730ZG notebook PC.

Watch the movie

Up is Disney-Pixar’s first foray into 3D ­animation. Directed by Pete Docter, it will be playing in local cinemas (both in 3D and standard format) from Aug 20.

The long history of the Creative Media Award is linked to Pixar and Disney animation movies. Among these are A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe, Cars, Ratatouille, and Wall-E.

Pixar Animation Studios was formed in 1986 and was bought by Walt Disney Co in 2006.

The Creative Media Award competition began life in 1998 as the Digital Art and Design Award, aimed at promoting digital art.

In 2000, its name was changed to New Media Award to better reflect the fact that digital art was at that time a new media for graphics artists. Subsequently, that changed to its present name.

For more details, surf to www.creativemediaaward.com.my and keep reading your favourite IT pullout.