San Jose, CA -- G-Technology announced the grand prize winner of its “Driven Creativity” 2012 awards competition. The highly competitive awards competition – a first of its kind for G-Technology in the U.S. – drew nearly 600 submissions from professionals and amateurs across the country in short film, photography, animation, GoPro Active and music categories.  Open from June 19 to Sept. 24, 2012, the competition was designed to recognize established and up-and-coming talent, with all entrants having an equal chance of winning, regardless of size and budget within each category.

Uri Lotan, Elizabeth McMahill and Adam Campbell,  computer animation students at Ringling College of Art and Design, are the grand prize winners and will receive $5,000, an innovative G-Technology 8TB G-RAID with Thunderbolt external storage solution and will have their work showcased at G-Technology’s gallery event for their winning animation, “The Ballad of Poisonberry Pete.” Entered in the amateur animation category, the piece is a witty cowboy pie Western that focuses on Poisonberry Pete, the baddest pie in the yeast who comes to town looking for trouble. Using clever pie puns, jokes and characters, this animation – from voicing, story, animation, lighting and rendering – is expertly executed.

“Winning this award truly solidifies the many reasons we have fought to keep our passion alive for so many years,” said Lotan. “We are incredibly grateful G-Technology offered artists like us a creative forum and the opportunity to showcase our work among the masses throughout the contest and gallery event in New York. We hope this win inspires other students and artists to keep their drive to succeed in the industry and to continue to do what they love.”