Multimedia Oscars 2020: student videos journey through a dream room

On December 9, 2020, the Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism hosted the “Oscars”, giving awards in the following categories: Best Picture, Best Story and Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Soundtrack and Best Scenography. 

97 students in the first-year multimedia class submitted videos to be considered for the awards.

Contract Instructor Adriana Ross runs the course, which introduces first-year students to an array of multimedia techniques in architectural representation such as collage, Photoshop, video-making, architectural drawing and photography. 

This year, students were asked to explore the theme of the “Dream Room,” taking inspiration from surrealism and science-fiction films. Students received prompts such as: Is it a room where you can dream, or your dreams are inside a room? Or the dream is inside the drawing, inside another drawing, inside another one…?

The student videos were judged by a jury comprised of Adjunct Professor Claudio Sgarbi, Contract Instructor Emelie Descrochers-Turgeon, Professor Federica Goffi, and 2020 Master of Architecture graduate Michael Yoshimura.

See below the list of winners, their videos and the jury comments!

 

Best Film Editing – Kayla Wallace: Look Within

The Jury was impressed with the beauty and technical quality of the animation. The transitions between scenes were both thoughtful and playful – and allowed the viewer to be immersed in the dream world. The films exceptional quality to detail and strong visual narratives were a pleasure to watch!

Best Visual Effects – Darion Dillabaugh: The Two Worlds

The film’s narrative combined elements of comedy and atmosphere which were expertly collaged together. The visual effects were beautifully constructed in distinguishing and blurring the thresholds between the “Two Worlds”. 

Best Soundtrack – Jillian Foebel: Trapped in Time

The Academy was impressed by this movie for its impeccable soundtrack, the visual quality of the drawings, the mixture of different architectural representations (section, perspectives, elevation), but also the great consideration of rhythm and storytelling. The expression of time passing and repetition so characteristic of our present times was well executed, bravo!

Best Scenography – Stephanie Opdebeeck: Architecture 101

The judges noted the Wes Anderson-esque quality of the film with its fantastic attention to the composition, colours and perspective in each of the scenes. The colourful sets, the playful transitions, and the tripartite rhythm proved that simple but carefully composed elements can be so effective in telling a story! 

Best Story and Screenplay – Chris Cheng: The Gallery

In this excellent video an unnamed character takes us into the story of the creation of a masterpiece, guided by a lonely eye. We are drawn into a gallery where a character passes in front of a series of drawings (Chris’s own drawings, hung on the wall one after the other), in the search for a masterpiece. The animation and graphics of this video are outstanding.

 

Best Picture – Shayan Haghighi Baghal: Trapped

A stunning animation of drawings and renderings takes us into a dream story, one door after another, into the furthest recesses of dreams embedded within other dreams. Weaving the cuts together is the power of a soundtrack that tells the story of falling into the depth of an unknown dream.