Digital Media Showcase

The 2024 District Digital Media Showcase will be presented virtually on Thursday, May 23rd, 2024 at 6:30pm.

The fifteenth annual Digital Media Showcase features student work created in digital media classes throughout the Sweetwater Union High School District. Student work in photography, graphic design, and video are all celebrated. Industry professionals judge the student submissions and awards are given to the top entries!

Entry Deadline is Friday, April 19, 2024

Digital Media Showcase Entry Guidelines:

  1. Follow the File Naming Instructions. Teachers screen and select best work before submitting.
  2. Complete the Online Entry Form for each submission.
  3. Teachers submit work electronically.

Teachers may submit entries using designated Google Drive folders, please contact Steve Exum if you need assistance.

Teachers may submit up to 15  entries per class period and a maximum of 4 per student provided they are in different subcategories. Please screen content and select quality work.

For group projects, the teacher and the team leader submit the entry in representation of the group. By submitting it is concluded that all group members have been advised of the entry and all agree to submit. Only one prize per group will be awarded.

Submission to the show grants permission for the images to be used to promote and advertise the arts in our schools.

File Naming Instructions:

Name your files with the following conventions. ALL ARE REQUIRED. No Spaces in File Name, use hyphens (-)

  • List the two character Category.
    For example V1 for video documentary
  • List the three character School Name. 
    For example CPH for Castle Park High
  • List the Teacher Last Name.
    For example Exum for Steve Exum
  • List Student Name. 
    (No spaces or hyphens in name but capitalize first and last name.)
  • List Title Name. 
    (Short tile please.)
  • Make sure the File Extension is included. 
    For example: .jpg, .mp3, .mov
  • Example of a correct file name:
    • V1-CPH-TeacherLastName-JoeStudent-CoolVideo.mov
    • Note: Use hyphens (-) in between, no underscores (_)

Divisions

There are two divisions:

  • MIDDLE/JUNIOR HIGH for students in grades 7 and 8
  • HIGH SCHOOL for students in grades 9, 10, 11, and 12

Video Category

All video submissions must be no longer than 5 minutes. Submit entries as uncompressed data files in .mov, .mp4, .m4v, or .avi, format through Google Drive.

  • V1 VIDEO – DOCUMENTARY
    Informational material which documents a story or event.
  • V2 VIDEO – JOURNALISM
    Reporting timely news, such as a real or fictitious event.
  • V3 VIDEO – LIVE-ACTION NARRATIVE
    Tells an original story, including actors portraying characters. No longer than 12 minutes.
  • V4 VIDEO – STOP ACTION
    Contains all or most visual elements created through the use of stop action photography sequencing.
  • V5 VIDEO – EXPERIMENTAL
    Any work that doesn’t fall into any other category.
  • V6 VIDEO – OMMERCIAL
    A 30-60 second video commercials.
  • V7 VIDEO – PSA
    A 30-60 second public service announcement.
  • V8 VIDEO – MUSIC VIDEO
    A compilation of still or action images that tell a story through music.
  • V9 VIDEO – NEWS PRODUCTION
    School news show including anchoring, set production, editing, etc. Teacher’s name in File Name.

Sound/Music Category

Discontinued.

Digital Design Category

Digital Design submissions need to be provided uncompressed in a freely-accessible file format such as .jpg, .eps, .swf, .pdf, etc.
(Note: .jpg is preferred for D1, D2, D5, and D6.)

  • D1 DIGITAL DESIGN – DIGITAL ILLUSTRATION – VECTOR
    Digital work created with Vector based software created on a computer.
  • D2 DIGITAL DESIGN – DIGITAL ILLUSTRATION – PIXEL
    Digital digital work created through manipulation with stock imagery composites on a computer.
  • D3 DIGITAL DESIGN – WEB DESIGN – CODED
    Web-based pages created through the writing of code such as HTML and CSS.
  • D4 DIGITAL DESIGN – WEB DESIGN – TEMPLATE
    Websites created from populating pre-made templates like Weebly or Wix and others.
  • D5 DIGITAL DESIGN – PUBLICATION
    Booklets, Menus, Brochure, etc..
  • D6 DIGITAL DESIGN – IDENTITY 
    Logo Design, Stationary Package Design, Signage etc.
  • D7 DIGITAL DESIGN – ADVERTISING/PSA
    Magazine ads, Posters, Flyers etc.
  • D8 DIGITAL DESIGN – ANIMATION – GIF
  • D9 DIGITAL DESIGN – ANIMATION – FRAME BY FRAME

Photography Category

Digital Design submissions need to be provided in a freely-accessible file format such as .jpg, or .png.

  • P1 PHOTOGRAPHY – COLOR
    Open color photography category. (no portraits)
  • P2 PHOTOGRAPHY – BLACK & WHITE
    Open black and white photography category. (no portraits)
  • P3 PHOTOGRAPHY – PORTRAITS
    Open to color and black and white portrait photography
  • P4 PHOTOGRAPHY – DIGITAL MANIPULATION
    Open to digital photos altered through photo editing software.
    Consists of original source imagery.
  • P5 PHOTOGRAPHY – PHOTO ESSAY/SERIES
    Open to photos related to each other by subject, technique, or purpose. Please combine photo series as one photo collage.
  • P6 PHOTOGRAPHY – DOCUMENTARY/PHOTOJOURNALISM
    Open to documentary based subject matter. Must include caption and 100 word minimum statement on the topic.
  • P7 PHOTOGRAPHY – MOTION/SPORTS
    Open to sports/action photography.
  • P8 PHOTOGRAPHY – NATURE
    Open to nature based photography both landscape and animal.
  • P9 PHOTOGRAPHY – THEME: “GRATITUDE”
    Open to a single photograph, series/collage, and write a 4-5 sentence (min) paragraph explaining the subject matter; what are you grateful for.

Teachers

List of Digital Media Teachers at each school site.

2022 DMS entries.

2023 DMS entries.

Resources