“Refresh” has once again found success after winning the Water Day Film Festival.

Senior animation majors Sean Cruse of Melville, N.Y., Ben Kroll of Mount Lake Park, Md., and Matthew Weener of Hudsonville, Mich., took first place in the first-ever Water Day Film Festival for their stop-motion short “Refresh.” The festival was hosted by Water.org, a nonprofit organization that strives to provide access to safe water and sanitation in communities in Africa, South Asia and Central America.

“Refresh” deals with the disparity between people who are privileged and those who live without. Without delving into politics in any way, the film simply asks audiences to take a hard look at how people use limited resources and if there is any way to help those with less.

“I came up with the idea after feeling a need in my heart to help those without clean water,” Cruse said. “Water is essential for life, and I believe in Jesus’ teachings to help those in need.”

“Refresh” was shown in multiple film festivals last year including the Toronto International Student Animation Festival, the Stop Motion Magazine Film Festival in Los Angeles, Calif., the Philadelphia Film & Animation Festival, the Tallgrass Film Festival in Wichita, Kan., and the Columbus International Film & Video Festival in Columbus, Ohio.

“Making festival pieces was one of the goals we set for ourselves when building the digital media arts program,” said Steve Leeper, associate professor of digital media arts.

“The Minstrel and the Duck,” a four-minute, stop-motion animation film created by Prof. Stephen Leeper, associate professor of digital media arts, along with students in the animation production studio class, was named the Best Short College Student Animation for Claymation in the “Kidz Filmz Fest.”

The festival is presented with the Garden State Film Festival & Algonquin Arts Theater to provide educational enhancement, an outlet for creativity, and enrichment through the presentation of films that are the very finest in entertainment by children and for children. The festival screens independent films from around the globe and presents them annually at Algonquin Arts Theatre as a as well as hands on workshops, educational programming and a place where kids can present original work and enjoy the best of  what the medium of film has to offer.

Forester Films’ “The Tiger’s Gift,” a short children’s animation created by 2010 animation graduates Jimi Bonogofsky and Josh Addessi, has won Best Animated Film in the 2012 Sundial Film Festival in Redding California.

Through its beautiful animation it tells the story of a baby who came to live in the jungle, and all the animals present him with extravagant gifts in his honor.

The tiger’s modest gift, a gourd that rattles, turns out to be the best gift of all. In the past, the film was also recognized when it was chosen to appear in the 27th annual Chicago International Children’s Film Festival.

“What Remains” a senior film project by 2011 graduates, won a silver award at 2012 Fort Wayne American Advertising Federation’s Addy Awards on Feb. 19. It was the only student animation to do so in the entire ceremony. HU hopes to become a college member AAF by fall 2012.

“What Remains” tells the story of a lone survivor on Earth scavenging the ruins of his civilization, desperate to find other survivors.

As you might recall, “What Remains” was recognized in 2011 when it was chosen for screening at the 28th annual Chicago International Children’s Film Festival.

The film was created by Andrew Martin, a 2011 animation and computer science graduate from Eaton, Ohio; Chad Bierdeman, a 2011 animation graduate from Albion, N.Y.; Pete Molinero, a 2011 animation graduate from Potsdam, N.Y.; Joel Bullis, a 2011 animation graduate from Bel Air, Md.; Drew Vosburg, a 2011 animation graduate from Anderson, Ind.; and Jesse Nelson, a 2011 animation graduate from Gladstone, Mo.

“Sail Away,” a 25-minute drama has premiered at the Cinema Center in Fort Wayne. Telling the story of two people, different in every way, who find that a model ship brings them together in an unexpected way, the film pulls at the heartstrings of anyone who has ever lost a friend but found a new one right next door.

“I think there’s something for everyone in this story,” said director Daniel Evans. “The main thing is that you can find a friend anywhere.” Based on the story by senior animation major Katie Eder, “Sail Away” is the culmination of a semester-long project by four senior film students, Evans, Alyson Eddy, Joel Cooper and Miles Allen. The film is the largest project taken on by any of these students. It was shot on the university campus as well as in the Huntington community. Scenes were also shot on location in Michigan.

“To film, edit and post a short movie in one semester at this caliber is a huge undertaking and demonstrates their hard work and dedication to the craft,” said Dr. Lance Clark, professor of digital media arts film and communication. “I am so proud of what they have accomplished through the filmmaking process. One of the great things about our seniors is that they reach out to the underclassmen who are able to serve as crew. In a way, these students are paying it forward and helping groom the next generation of great storytellers within our digital media arts department. I have a great feeling about this film, and I believe it will do well over this next year.”

In developing the film, the seniors used a 24-member crew comprised of freshmen through seniors in the digital media arts program. “It went beyond what I expected,” Cooper said about the scope of the project. “It’s been really worth it, though.”

Starring in the film are Fort Wayne resident Larry Wiley as Arthur Trebish and Huntington resident William Borland as young Elliot Graham. HU First Lady Chris Dowden also made a special appearance as the nosy neighbor, Mrs. Burson.

“Sail Away” will have three more screenings at the Cinema Center over the next few weeks so check their website for calendar details.

“What Remains,”senior film project from the 2011 graduates of animation program was chosen for screening at the 28th annual Chicago International Children’s Film Festival.

“What Remains” marks the fifth film that the HU digital media arts department has produced that will be screened in competition for this festival.

“This honor tells us that the curriculum we’ve designed and implemented over the last few years is working. It takes a period of time for a program like ours to begin producing solid films, and ‘What Remains’ is one of a hand-full of films showing up in festivals this year that affirms our efforts as a department,” said Steve Leeper, associate professor of digital media arts at Huntington University.

The film tells the story of a lone survivor on Earth scavenging the ruins of his civilization, desperate to find other survivors.

“The inspiration behind the story was derived from themes dear to each of the team members, including themes such as hope, the joy in the journey, change and love,” said Andrew Martin, a member of the film’s crew and a 2011 animation and computerscience graduate from Eaton, Ohio. “This truly was a culminating experience in the animation studies for our team. The experience also encouraged the team to push the limits on what a senior project in the digital media arts department should be.”

Members of the team included Martin, Chad Bierdeman, a 2011 animation graduate from Albion, N.Y., Pete Molinero, a 2011 animation graduate from Potsdam, N.Y., Joel Bullis, a 2011 animation graduate from Bel Air, Md., Drew Vosburg, a 2011 animation graduate from Anderson, Ind., and Jesse Nelson, a 2011 animation graduate from Gladstone, Mo.

The team plans to attend the festival scheduled for Oct. 21-30 and will be joined by HU’s digital media arts faculty and current students.

“The Minstrel and the Duck,” a four-minute, stop-motion animation film created by Prof. Stephen Leeper, associate professor of digital media arts, along with students in the animation production studio class is off to South Africa to show at this year’s Moving Things Film Festival. The film will be shown as part of the “Short Films for Everyone” screening.

“The Minstrel and the Duck,” has also been accepted into the 8th Annual Animation Block Party 2011 festival in Brooklyn, N.Y. “This is the first New York block party festival that a film from Huntington has ever been accepted into,” Leeper said. “It’s nice to know audiences beyond HU also like the film.” Animation Block Party is the largest animation film festival on the East Coast. It is dedicated to screening the world’s best professional, student and independent work of all genres.

From a selection pool of more than 650 applicants, “The Minstrel and the Duck” made the final cut to be one of 100 films featured during the New York festival and tells the story of a cheerful but hungry traveling Minstrel who attempts to befriend an unscrupulous duck at the expense of his dinner. It’s only a matter of time before the minstrel’s patience is worn thin, and he decides to make a change to the menu.

The project, directed by Leeper and HU alum Luke Nimtze (2009 animation) began back in 2007 when Leeper and nine other students came up with the concept and plot of the story. Over the past four years, 25 students enrolled in the animation production studio class have taken on various roles and tasks to see the project through to completion.