2019 Electronic Arts thesis “Recoiled” demonstrates excellence both home and abroad
At the end of spring semester 2018, when the juniors in the electronic arts program (EA) took a seat in Associate Professor Bryan “Colby” Jenning’s ART 300 course to begin brainstorming and ultimately pitching their ideas for their collaborative and interdisciplinary senior thesis project, they couldn’t have conceived of what was to come. The electronic arts program is a selective, interdisciplinary major which primarily combines the resources, expertise, and knowledge from the departments of music, art and design, and media, journalism and film.
Come fall of 2018, during their ART/MED 498 course, this talented team of students (Claire Grim, Shalom Simmons, Kersten Schatz, Shelby Corley, Brandon Huddleston, and Matthew Fuller), had gone from the blank page to a scripted project, which was “greenlit” for production. At the time, this project had the working title of “Coiled.” Throughout the following year, with the help of Jennings and fellow faculty members Mark Biggs and Andrew Twibell, who are credited as executive producers of the project, and a long list of student artists, musicians, and creatives from other departments within The College of Arts and Letters, this exceptional team transformed “Coiled” into the incredibly touching 3D animated short film “Recoiled.”
“‘Recoiled’ is further proof that the work done in the College of Arts and Letters, and at Missouri State, is competitive on a global scale.” — Andrew Twibell
Awards recognition for “Recoiled”
In the short time since its completion, “Recoiled” has been submitted to short film festivals and competitions all over the globe. To date, it has been chosen by the International Inter University Short Film Festival (IIUSFF), a partnership of the Dhaka University Film Society (DUFS) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as an Official Selection of the 11th IIUSFF Top 200 films out of 1,401 submissions from 100 different countries. It will also be screening on Oct. 7, 2019 at 3:15 p.m. in the Galileu Galiei Theatre at the Gávea Planetário (Rua Vice-Governador Rubens Bernardo, 100 – Gavea, Rio de Janeiro – RJ 22451-070 BRAZIL) as an official selection of the 15th Anim!Arte – International Student Animation Festival of Brazil as an Official Selection of their International Students – Maxi (for entrants 18 and over), Programme 07.
“From a faculty standpoint, students learning to navigate the creative process is just as important as the end result, but of course it’s nice for that result to be recognized,” said Andrew Twibell, EA coordinator and assistant professor in MJF.
And recognized as exemplary work it certainly is, both within the Missouri State community and all over the world.
“Recoiled is an excellent example of the extraordinary work created by students in the electronic arts program,” expressed Dr. Shawn T. Wahl, dean of the College of Arts and Letters.
For students seeking a major in the EA program, they should feel both encouraged and excited that they are coming up in a time of such innovation and creativity within their field of study. Though, they should certainly anticipate a rigorous and challenging experience.
On the topic of “Recoiled” and how it is impacting the electronic arts program, Twibell continued, “Recoiled is further proof that the work done in the College of Arts and Letters, and at Missouri State, is competitive on a global scale. We have high expectations for our students, and they continually exceed them. So we’ll continue to set the bar higher — we know they can reach it.”
Andrew Twibell currently serves as the program coordinator for the EA program, which is a selective, interdisciplinary major in the College of Arts and Letters between the departments of music, MJF and A&D that was established in 1998.