Sony and THU have once again teamed to find and empower the next generation of creative minds; individuals and/or teams are invited to accept the challenge - submissions will be accepted October 8 - November 14.
Sony Group Corporation (Sony) and THU have once again joined forces to launch a global challenge to support young creators worldwide and to discover the next generation of creative minds in the digital entertainment industry. Last year, 1,638 total submissions were received from 105 countries.
Sony Talent League by THU is looking for submissions that mix creative fields, such as animation, film, games, VR, digital photography, music, multi-media, and so on. The aim of the challenge is to inspire young creators to go beyond their creative comfort zones, overcome their insecurities and stop doubting their talent.
The second edition of the challenge was launched this week at the THU Main Event 2021, held in Tróia, Portugal. Submissions will be accepted from October 8 – November 14 from creators between ages 18-35. Individuals, or groups with up to four team members can participate.
Three finalists will be empowered to get their ideas off the ground through 10 weeks of mentorships with renowned creators and industry legends, and a funding of up to 10.000€ per submission. The winning team will be awarded a full ride to THU’s next event (entry ticket, travel, accommodation, and food).
The jury and mentor panel includes Shuzo John Shiota, President & CEO of Polygon Pictures; Shuhei Yoshida, Head of Indies Initiative for Sony Interactive Entertainment; Sally Slade, Lead Engineer at Magnopus; David Prescott, SVP Creative Production; Kara Oropallo, Animation Production Manager, Consultant and Trainer; Scot Stafford, Composer, Sound Supervisor and Director; Kevin Young, Head of Creative Technology at The Mills’ London Studio; and Saraswathi Balgam, Writer, Director, and Creative Producer.
“Creators spend so much time wondering if they’re good enough, that sometimes they can miss out on incredible opportunities that could boost their creative journey,” explained THU founder André Luis. “That’s why Sony Talent League is so important: to empower creators and help them realize that their talent and their voice matters. THU and Sony share this same mission, and we strongly believe that the key to growth and success is to bring something meaningful to the community of talent.”
He continued, “Last year’s winner, creative director Dilruba Tayfun, and members of her team - assistant creative director Ruben de Haas, and UX designer & researcher Marie-Claire Springham - created ‘Togather,’ a platform that allows anyone to make and share custom digital brushes inspired by real-life objects.”
"Ask yourself what exactly it is that makes you think it isn’t for you?” asked Tayfun. “Is it the deadlines? The words used in the challenge? Thinking your idea is not good enough? You just might be looking for an excuse not to take that shot. If the first thing that comes to your mind is this isn’t for me, it might be worth thinking what I can take away from applying to this?”
Sony Talent League by THU – the details:
- Submissions: October 8, 2021 - November 14, 2021
- Participants: Apply individually or as part of a group (maximum of four team members).
- Eligibility: Creators aged between 18 and 35 years old from all areas of the digital entertainment industry including film, animation, games, music, VR, and more.
Prizes:
- Finalists: 10 weeks of mentorships and funding of up to 10.000€
- Winner: Full ride to THU’s next event (entry ticket, travel, accommodation, and food), and stage time to present the project there.
Mentors:
- Shuzo John Shiota (JP): President & CEO of Polygon Pictures, a Tokyo-based digital animation studio
- David Prescott (ZA): SVP Creative Production
- Kara Oropallo (US): Animation Production Manager, Consultant and Trainer
- Kevin Young (UK): Head of Creative Technology at The Mills’ London Studio
- Sally Slade (US): Lead Engineer at Magnopus in Los Angeles
- Saraswathi Balgam (IN): Writer, Director, and Creative Producer
- Scot Stafford (US): Composer, Sound Supervisor, and Director for animated films, episodes, shorts, and VR/AR
- Shuhei Yoshida (JP): Head of Indies Initiative for Sony Interactive Entertainment
Visit the official website for additional information.
Source: Sony Talent League
