If anybody ever told you that hard work and play have nothing to do with each other, then you can be certain he never went to game design school, and you can be equally certain he never heard of a “joystick”. Evidently, this applies to instructors as much as students. Not twenty minutes after introducing himself as the new Head of Game Design to the first-ever class of game designers at VFS, Dave Warfield could be found locked into position, thumbs on joystick, determined to beat the pants off a student playing Def Jam: Fight for NY.

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Recently, five talented students from the Maya and 3D Animation programs were awarded scholarships that extend their studies by a full term. The Festival Scholarship Award is given out once a term to high-achieving students, giving them two additional months to complete projects started during the year.

For 3D Department Head, Larry Bafia, the award is a testament to the students’ hard work and talent. “We look for projects that show exceptional merit,” says Mr Bafia, “Pieces that rise above the pack, show a high degree of professionalism and have world class appeal. It’s something that every CG student should strive for.”

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Amidst studying for a science degree in Aeronautical Engineering, Tyler Sigman always felt as though his heart was elsewhere. An interest in playing and designing video games occupied Tyler’s thumbs more than his professors would have liked, but ultimately he turned his love of gaming into a career after attending Game Design courses at VFS. “Even through school, I’ve always had some sort of game related project going on,” says Tyler, Backbone Entertainment’s newest game designer.

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