Essential Feature
Students head to the
BAFTAs
TWO students from Priestley College will
walk the red carpet after being nominated
for BAFTAs.
Runcorn’s Joni Ashton and Declan
Metcalfe, who have both just completed
their Computer Games Design BTEC
Extended Diploma, are finalists in
the BAFTA Young Game Designers
competition.
They will attend a ceremony at BAFTA’s
headquarters in Piccadilly where they
will walk the red carpet and see their
games displayed.
“I can’t believe it,” said Joni, who is 18
and a former pupil at The Heath.
“It’s amazing to be nominated and
something incredible to look forward
to.”
BAFTA said just 40 young hopefuls,
who were selected by a jury of industry
experts, will attend the ceremony. The
competition aims to inspire the game
designers and makers of the future by
giving them the chance to develop their
concepts with industry professionals.
H a r v e y
Elliott, Chair
of the BAFTA
G a m e s
Committee,
said: “The
quality
of
entrants to
the BAFTA
40
YGD competition
increases
every
year,
and
this
year’s
finalists
are amongst the
best young game
designers in the
country.”
Declan, formerly of
Cardinal Newman
Catholic
High
School, said: “To
make the finals of
such a prestigious competition feels like
a huge achievement. It really does make
me want to achieve even greater things
within the industry.”
Declan’s game concept is called ‘Plate
Defenders’ and involves the player
defending and cleaning plates using antigerm tower defences. The germs evolve
making progressive stages of the game
more difficult.
Jellyfish was Joni’s vision and his main
character’s quest was to return to his
family negotiating explosive mines en
route. It uses the players’ own music to
set the rhythm of the game.
Priestley College introduced a Computer
Games Design course four years ago and
has seen two successful cohorts go on to
further studies and careers.
Both Declan and Joni secured triple
distinction star in their BTEC results
when they were announced earlier this
month.
Priestley Tutor Matt Wilson said: “I am
extremely proud of both of them and
they thoroughly deserve this recognition.
To have one student from Priestley
nominated for a BAFTA is incredible, but
two is unbelievable.”
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