Navigating the Rookies Awards: Your School's Guide to Success
The Rookie Awards is your institution's gateway to global recognition, career advancement, and industry connections. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the essential stages of understanding and utilising the Rookies Awards to ensure your students shine on The Rookies platform.
Are you ready to unlock a world of opportunities for your students in the creative industries? The Rookie Awards is your institution's gateway to global recognition, career advancement, and industry connections. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the essential stages of understanding and utilising the Rookies Awards to ensure your students shine on this prestigious platform.
Rookie Awards
Are you an aspiring student, self-taught artist, or hobbyist with a passion for games, animation, visual effects, immersive media, motion graphics, 3D visualisation and similar creative industries? Then the Rookie Awards is the perfect platform for you to showcase your talent.
Stage 1: Introduction to The Rookies Awards
The Rookies Awards is not just another competition; it's a transformative platform that celebrates emerging talent in the creative industries. Picture an international stage where students from around the world converge to showcase their creative brilliance as they embark on the career stage of their journey. From Visual Effects to Architecture Visualisation, from Game Development to Digital Fashion, the Rookies Awards caters to a wide spectrum of categories, ensuring that every student's passion finds a place to shine.
Key Dates
The Rookie Awards is an annual event that has the same dates every year:
- Open for Entries 7 March.
- Closed for Entries 1 June
- Finalists announced 9th July
- Winners announced 27th July
The Rules
Entrants must be at least 18 years of age or older, and have no more than one year of professional industry experience at the time of the contest’s closing date, which is June 1, 2023, working in the fields of 2D Animation, 3D Animation, Concept Art, Game Development, Visual Effects, Architectural Visualisation, Motion Graphics, Immersive Media, Product Design or Virtual Fashion.
Click to view detailed Eligibility Rules
Minimum Age:
Entrants must be at least 18 years of age or older.
Maximum Industry Experience:
Entrants must have no more than one year of professional industry experience at the time of the contest’s closing date, which is June 1, 2023, working in the fields of 2D Animation, 3D Animation, Concept Art, Game Development, Visual Effects, Architectural Visualisation, Motion Graphics, Immersive Media, Product Design or Virtual Fashion.
Definition of Professional Industry Experience: Professional industry experience is defined as experience gained by working in a professional environment, such as a studio or agency, as a paid employee or independent contractor, or experience gained by working on projects for clients or customers.
Related Industry Experience: Entrants with a maximum of 3 years of professional experience in industries that are similar or related to the contest categories may be considered for eligibility at the discretion of the Rookie Awards team. Related industries are those that involve skills or techniques that are transferable or applicable to the fields of 2D Animation, 3D Animation, Concept Art, Game Development, Visual Effects, Architectural Visualization, Motion Graphics, Immersive Media, Product Design, or Virtual Fashion.
Example: A professional Graphic Designer with 3 years of experience, but has no 3D Animation industry experience, may be considered for eligibility if our team determines that their skills and experience do not give them an unfair advantage over other entrants.
Exclusion of Internships and Work Experience:
Internships and work experience do not count towards the total experience.
Verification of Experience:
All finalists must be prepared to verify their experience to confirm eligibility to participate in the competition. Verification may include providing evidence of prior employment, such as a signed letter from an employer or a copy of a contract.
Misrepresentation of Experience:
Entrants who are found to have misrepresented their experience or provided false information during the verification process will be disqualified from the competition.
Stage 2: Why It Matters for Your School
Participating in the Rookies Awards isn't just about individual achievement; it's about elevating your institution's profile. When your students excel, your school gains recognition as a nurturing ground for creative brilliance. The Rookies Global School Rankings take into account your students' performance, making this a chance to secure your school's position among industry leaders.
In addition to this highly acclaimed industry status and marketing opportunity, there is simply no better way to promote your school that with badges, trophies and accolades awarded for your excellence in education and your ability to prepare students for careers in creative industries.
Benefits to your School
Increased visibility and reputation: Being ranked in a prestigious school ranking can give a school more visibility and enhance its reputation, which can attract potential students and increase enrollment.
Competitive advantage: Appearing in a top school ranking can give a school a competitive advantage over other schools in the same category or region, as it can showcase the school's quality, excellence and success.
Fundraising and partnerships: High rankings can also help schools to attract funding and partnerships, as investors and organisations are often interested in supporting schools that have achieved notable success and recognition.
Benefits to your Students
Industry Ranking: Our panel of expert judges review every entrant and rank them based on their skills related to their chosen field of interest.
Recognition: Entrants, finalists and winners receive recognition from leading professionals in the industry, putting their work in front of potential employers and a global audience of followers.
Career opportunities: Countless past winners have gone on to secure internships and job offers from our partner companies, launching incredible careers in creative industries.
Stage 3: Navigating the Categories
The Rookies Awards cover a vast array of categories. This diversity ensures that every student's unique talent finds a place to shine. With 5 main Contest Groups to choose from, this contest has something for everyone. Whether you’re an individual artist or a team, you’re sure to find a category that inspires you.
- Rookie of the Year - 10 categories open to individual artists to showcase their specific industry based skills.
- Film of the Year - 3 individual/team based categories for artists working on films.
- Game of the Year - 3 individual/team based categories for artists working on games.
- Career Opportunities - Various opportunities provided by production studios with online and in-person opportunities.
Stage 4: Expert Judging and Valuable Feedback
The Rookies Awards are evaluated by industry professionals who have walked the path your students aspire to follow. This means your students receive not only recognition but also constructive feedback from the very experts they admire. It's a rare chance for personal growth and skill enhancement.
Stage 5: Showcasing Student Excellence
Winning is fantastic, but it's not the only path to success. Every finalist and winner receives widespread exposure through The Rookies' extensive online presence and social media channels. This exposure can lead to networking opportunities, collaborations, and industry connections that can shape their careers.
Don't take our word for it, here are just a few of our favourite stories from students that entered the Rookie Awards.
Stage 6: How to Get Started
- Spread the Word: Introduce your students to the Rookies Awards. Share the incredible opportunities it offers, and encourage them to participate.
- Identify Talents: Help your students identify their strengths and the categories that resonate with their skills.
- Prepare Submissions: Guide them through the submission process. Ensure their projects are polished, well-documented, and align with category requirements.
- Seek Feedback: Encourage them to seek peer and mentor feedback before submitting. Constructive input can lead to refined work.
- Submission Deadline: Ensure your students are aware of submission deadlines and provide them with ample time to prepare.
- Empower Creativity: Remind your students that this is their chance to showcase their unique vision. Encourage experimentation and creativity.
- Embrace the Journey: Whether they win or not, the journey itself is transformative. It builds confidence, refines skills, and connects them with a global network of creatives.
Stage 7: Success Beyond Awards
Remember, the Rookies Awards isn't a one-off event. It's part of a broader journey. Encourage your students to continue participating in The Rookies' community, contests, and editorial opportunities. This ongoing engagement can lead to career-defining moments.
