Speedwalker Designs

Last month, several DI students worked together on a t-shirt design for the local band, Speedwalker, to help promote them for a spot at the 2014 Tachevah Block Party. Shirt sales went so well that guitarist and CCHS teacher Glenn Keskey decided to donate 100% of the profits to the students in support for their upcoming SkillsUSA California competition in April.

Check out Speedwalker on ReverbNation!

2014 Desert AdFed Award

 Congratulations to DI seniors Tracy Sanchez and Mayra Garcia for their texting while driving campaign earning 1st Place and $3,000 from the American Advertising Federation of the Desert! They were honored on stage at the 2014 Addy Awards at The Show at Agua Caliente Resort and provided the opportunity to mingle with local advertising creatives from the greater Palm Springs area. 

This year's contest asked students from each Coachella Valley high school to design an advertising campaign around the theme and create one print and one electronic media piece with a unifying design. The top three awarded students will have their work shared with the community via their respected media outlets. The DI students will see their billboard displayed with the help of Lamar Outdoor Advertising and their video shown on local television.

A Return to Gnomon (and Beyond!)

In May 2011, DATA made it's first visit to the Gnomon School of Visual Effects in Hollywood. As graduating seniors reflected on experiences in their fours years in the Academy, they frequently mentioned that visiting this specialty school was a true highlight in their high school career.

Three years later, DATA returned to Gnomon with nearly 100 excited 8th and 9th grade students interested in digital arts. Beyond sharing this experience with an entirely new group of students considering careers in the AME industry, this trip was made even more special with an additional stop to visit the space shuttle Endeavor at the California Space Center. 

Especially interesting to students was

• Seeing an amazing collection of skill sets using a range of animation and software tools
• Visiting the original site of where Technicolor film processing occurred (RE: Wizard of Oz)
• A video game arcade as a 'research lab'
• Seeing how art and design skills can be applied to a high-end career
• Learning about student summer workshops
• The materials, cost, and fact that the shuttle was 'Made in California' by hand!

Hot Purple Modern Photography

On February 15th, 16th, 17th, 22nd and 23rd, DATA DI students once again ran a solar powered green screen studio with Hot Purple Energy. This time the event was during Modernism Week in downtown Palm Springs.

Students shot tethered into Aperture and used Photoshop to composite images onto some very "Palm Springs" backgrounds. The energy for the studio, live band, charging station, and old school pinball games were collected from roof top cells and routed to mobile solar generator.

Student Photo Hits Modernism

Congratulations to DATA senior, Jennifer Varela, for her photograph of the Modernism Show booth being selected for articles in both the Hollywood Reporter and Architectural Digest!

"It was great working with local filmmaker, Vincent Sassone, to shoot stills for the grand opening of Modernism Week. Its super exciting seeing my photography recognized this way and I'm looking forward to working more with local designers in this industry."

-Jennifer Varela