36°50′33″S 174°45′25″E / 36.84249°S 174.75688°E
Motto | Turn your passion into a career |
---|---|
Type | Private |
Established | 1998 |
Location | |
Campus | Urban |
Affiliations | Torrens University Australia |
Website | mediadesignschool |
Media Design School is a private tertiary institution that provides specialist industry training in 3D animation and visual effects,[1] game art,[2] game programming,[3] graphic and motion design,[4] digital media artificial intelligence,[5] and creative advertising.[6] It is currently the most awarded private tertiary provider in New Zealand for digital and creative technology qualifications.[7] In 2022, the school was also ranked as New Zealand's #1 and world's #10 Animation School by Animation Career Review,[8] and among the top three creative media and entertainment schools in the Southern Hemisphere by The Rookies.[9]
The school is located in central Auckland, New Zealand and was established in 1998. Its qualifications are approved by New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). It offers courses from Level 6 and 7 diplomas through to Level 8 and 9 postgraduate certificates and a Masters programme.[10]
Media Design School is the only tertiary institute in New Zealand where students can develop for PlayStation platforms with console development kits, due to an exclusive partnership with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.[11] Graduates have gone on to work at a variety of game development studios,[12] such as PikPok, Bohemia Interactive, Rainbite, Grinding Gear Games, Gameloft, EA Digital Illusions CE, RocketWerkz and CerebralFix. Ninja Kiwi, who developed the popular Bloons Tower Defense game, was also founded by a graduate of the game development course.
The joint game development department also runs an annual national initiative called Girls in Games, focused on providing experience in programming and game art for high-school aged female students based in the North Island.[13]
In 2015, Media Design School Studios was established as the first games focused accelerator programme in a New Zealand tertiary institution.[14] This programme has resulted in commercial releases such as Split (Itsfine Games),[15] Dolly (MA Studios)[16] and Tons of Guns (Voidworks)[17] on Valve's Steam platform.
Media Design School was ranked one of the worlds top 10 animation schools by Animation Career Review in 2022.[18]
Student short films and productions have received major international accolades, with titles such as Accidents, Blunders and Calamities being awarded Best Animated Film at San Diego Comic-Con's independent film festival in 2016.[19]
Graduates from the program have been employed by Weta Digital to work on blockbuster projects such as Avatar and The Lord of the Rings,[20] and other animation studios such as Pūkeko Pictures and Oktober.
Notable productions include:
The AdSchool at Media Design School was named fourth best creative school of the decade by YoungGuns Awards, which recognises the world's hottest creative talent under the age of thirty.[31]
Kate Humphries, program director, was the recipient of the inaugural Comms Council Outstanding Achievement Award at the 2024 AXIS Awards for her impact on creative careers and outcomes in Aotearoa.[32]
Media Design School's Wynyard Quarter campus was officially opened in 2021. Some key building features include recycled rainwater for the living wall, solar panels, and carparks with electric vehicle charging points.[33]
In 2022, the campus was awarded a 6 Green Star NZ - Education Built v3 certified rating. The project was awarded a total of 76 points from NZGBC.[34]