The people behind The Stratton Prize scholarship have some big ideas for it, including making it bigger in both reach and dollars.
The annual scholarship, sponsored by Birmingham-based
The Stratton Foundation, awards $2,000 to a
College for Creative Studies student studying digital media art and technology. The winner must integrate art with virtual world technology and create computer rendered video, known as
machinima.
The first winner was a Detroit Renaissance High School graduate who created a video using lyrics and music composed by
Liz Larin, owner of Bona Dea Music. Her video can be seen
here.
This year the foundation is looking at letting applicants focus on visualizing poetry. "It may be different than what we had in 2009," says Douglas Stratton, president of The Stratton Foundation. "We're working on it. Sky is the limit on creativity."
The foundation is also looking at extending the scholarship to Michigan State University, which has its own machinima club. If that happens, the amount awarded each year would increase, perhaps even double, Stratton says.
Source: Douglas Stratton, president of The Stratton Foundation
Writer: Jon Zemke