NextGen, in partnership with the creative brand mayamada, is thrilled to announce the successful completion of an exciting two-week remote work experience project for Level 4 and 5 students at The Sheffield College. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in mayamada's venture into the video game space, with NextGen students contributing their talent and creativity to help visualise the studio’s captivating stories within the world of gaming.
Founded in London, mayamada believes in the power of creativity to make our world a more productive, engaging, and fun place to be. Their mission is to inspire creativity in others and build a world of diverse characters and stories through their imaginative manga, digital content and inclusive community-based events. Keen on exploring the gaming industry, they joined forces with NextGen to bring their stories to life in interactive formats.
Under the guidance of mayamada's Co-Founder Nigel Twumasi and Creative Director Tazziii, students were assigned one of their captivating stories, and had the freedom to choose between creating a 2D or 3D game prototype, or an animatic for a cutscene or trailer. The projects required delivering various elements, such as characters, environments, and a pitch to present their concept at the end of the two weeks.
The project provided an excellent opportunity for the students to showcase their skills, work in teams, and gain hands-on experience in game development and animation. Throughout the project, students remained committed to staying true to mayamada's intellectual property, ensuring that their creations fit into their rich and immersive universe.
The students had regular online feedback sessions with the team over the two weeks, which played a crucial role in refining their work as they got ready to pitch their concepts.
Reflecting on the collaboration, Nigel Twumasi, Co-founder of mayamada, said:
"Being part of this work experience project gave us a great opportunity to engage with young people looking to enter the creative industries and support their continued development of both technical and soft skills as they worked on our commercial IP.
We were really impressed with the eagerness they took to our universe and the way they were able to take our characters from manga pages into the video game medium in such cool ways!"
Sam Webster, Operations Manager at NextGen, said:
"Following a very successful work experience project last year hosted by Orthors, we were really excited to bring this new collaboration with mayamada to The Sheffield College. It was inspiring to see how the students worked in response to this new challenge, we were seriously impressed by the students' passion and commitment to the project. Their innovative ideas and artistic flair truly captured the spirit of mayamada's world!
“The two weeks provided students with a unique and invaluable experience in the world of game development and animation. The partnership has allowed them to unleash their creativity and talents, elevating their skills and preparing them for promising careers in the creative industry. Thank you to Nigel and Tazziii for this opportunity."
The project culminated in a final presentation on the 29th of June, where Nigel and Tazziii visited students at The Sheffield College to hear their compelling pitches. The students showcased their projects, which demonstrated a deep understanding of their brand, stories, and characters, as shown by the work below:
Above: Hot Lunch Game Demo Reel by BR Studios - James, Cort, Josh, Jak, and Josh
Above: Samurai Chef Gameplay Demo by James and Jack
With the success of this collaboration, both NextGen and mayamada reaffirmed their commitment to fostering partnerships between education and creative brands in Games, Animation and VFX. The project showcased the power of merging industry engagement and real-world experience to deepen understanding, build technical and professional skills, and inspire young people that will go on to be the future talent in the creative industries.
Are you ready to unlock the true potential of your students and prepare them for a thriving future in the creative industry? Partner with NextGen today and provide your students with unparalleled opportunities that will set them apart from the rest.
NextGen offers dynamic work experience projects in collaboration with renowned studios and creative brands, empowering students to delve into the world of games, animation, and VFX. By joining forces with NextGen, your college can provide students with the chance to elevate their educational journey and propel them towards rewarding careers in the creative industry.
For more information simply send us an email and we’ll be in touch.