MADFEST will welcome more than 300 area high school students from 20 different schools to the campus of West Liberty University from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Friday, April 11. Most events take place in the WLU Media Arts Center.

Students can take part in media art workshops, professional presentations and student competitions with prizes. There also will be a special session at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, when Mike Gasaway, guest juror and Hollywood animator, will meet exclusively with current WLU students to discuss the professional field of media art.

Both WLU students and high school students have entered their work in MADFEST, though they compete in two separate competitions. High School students from the following schools in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia are participating in this tear’s event:

Pennsylvania: Avella High School, Cornerstone Christian Prep Academy, Elizabeth Forward High School, Frazier and Penn Foster Cyber School

Ohio: Barnesville, Buckeye Local High School, Glen Oak High School, Hilliard Davidson Indian Creek High School, Monroe Central High School, Union Local High School and Frontier Local.

West Virginia: Brooke High School, Buckhannon Upshur High School, Calhoun County High School, Cameron High School, Magnolia High School, Martinsburg Ravenswood High School, Spring Mills, Tyler Consolidated, Webster County High School, Wheeling Park and Woodrow Wilson High School.

MADFEST student art projects fall into the following categories:

• Short Film – Fictional stories written and produced by the student (or group of no more than three students).
• Digital Imaging – Original art created using digital processes, collage, vector graphics, photography, scanned objects or textures.
• Electronic Music – Original compositions, up to five minutes in length.
• Animation – Original animated project, including stop motion projects, vector animations, cartoons, interactive pieces or games.
• Illustration – Original illustration using digital and/or traditional techniques.
• Mixed Media – Original static mixed media piece, including variety of traditional or non-traditional media.
• Multimedia – Original dynamic multimedia piece, composed of video, animation, photography, sound, illustration and type.
• Interactive – Web design, mobile apps, interactive music applications or Interactive storytelling.
• Photography – Traditional or digital original photography with minimal digital post-production.
• Graphic Design – The visual communication of ideas to convey a message, primarily through the display of typography and/or images.
• Audio Documentary – Non-fiction audio stories recorded and produced by one or two students.
• Video Documentary – Non-fiction video stories recorded and produced by up to three students.

Entries will be judged by a panel of media arts professionals and all winners are acknowledged during the MADFEST awards ceremony. Prizes for winners include gift cards, iPads, and West Liberty University scholarships.

For more information, please visit westliberty.edu/madfest or contact Associate Professor of Art Jim Haizlett, MADFEST Director at madfest@westliberty.edu or 304.336.8077.