Games Academy and Animation students shine at The Rookies
12 September 2025
Five students from Falmouth’s Games Academy and School of Film and Television have reached the finals stage of The Rookies, an international awards platform celebrating emerging talent in games, animation, visual effects and design.
Game Art BA students Jack Ferrari and Izzy Foo, Computing for Games BSc student Louis Ashton and Animation BA graduates Faith Evans and Taiah Hay were all named finalists. Their achievements place them among some of the most promising early-career artists and developers worldwide.
We caught up with the students to find out more about their projects and the recognition.
Iz Foo – Environment Art projects
You’re just finishing second year and already a finalist at The Rookies. How does it feel to have your work recognised at this level so early in your journey?
It truly feels unreal. I didn’t realise it at first – I found out through a friend texting me congratulations while I was folding the washing. I’ve worked hard to improve over my second year, but I never imagined the payoff would be recognition like this. I’m grateful to the judges for seeing potential in my work.
Can you tell us a bit about the concept behind your entry?
Both pieces in my entry aimed to provoke curiosity. I wanted viewers to feel a sense of “what just happened?” and to leave them with unanswered questions. I love storytelling through environments; a setting can add so much depth, history and foreshadowing. That’s something I’m continuing to develop as I move into third year.
How did you tailor your submission for industry expectations?
I focused on showing a varied skillset and process, but kept it concise. I used only my larger environment pieces because they demonstrated employable skills. Quality over quantity felt like the right approach.
How did the Game Art BA course and Games Academy staff support you?
The open briefs have allowed me to pursue the techniques I’m curious about. The staff have been incredibly supportive, patient, and generous with their knowledge. And a shout out to the security team, who are always locking up while I’m frantically finishing for the day!
Links
Louis Ashton – Break: The Game
What is Break: The Game?
It’s a misadventure game where you play as a retro 2D fighting character stranded in an unreleased 3D dungeon. Your only guide is a sarcastic undead narrator, and your only tool is your fists. The fun comes from breaking puzzles in ways that were not intended.
Why do you think it stood out to The Rookies judges?
Our ambition. Comedy and meta-design are tough to pull off in games, but thanks to our team’s writing and design, we managed it. The laughter we got at the Falmouth Games Expo was the moment we knew it had worked!
What were the creative challenges?
The biggest challenge was making the 2D and 3D art styles clash in a deliberate way. We wanted a stark contrast. The fists are bright and pixelated, while the dungeon is dark and detailed, and that disharmony became central to the game’s identity.
How did the team make sure every voice was heard?
Kodie Holland and I helped lead, but the real strength was that every team member’s ideas made it into the game. You can see everyone’s fingerprints on the final product.
Any staff shout-outs?
Joseph Walton-Rivers was a fantastic supervisor. He helped us refine scope, guided us through challenges, and always had a programming pun at the ready.
Links
Jack Ferrari – Spiderwick Manor and El Dorado
How did it feel to become a double finalist?
Completely unexpected. Even entering was daunting, because the standard at The Rookies is so high. To be recognised in two categories, including one partnered with leading game developer Remedy Entertainment, was overwhelming and rewarding.
Tell us about your projects.
Spiderwick Manor was part of a second-year module, where I recreated an environment from a film. I loved sleuthing out Victorian props to add character.
El Dorado was a self-led brief. My first idea lacked direction, so I reworked the concept around the “Dorado Fish” and golden mythology. That shift unlocked the project, letting me explore new workflows like animation.
What did you learn from the experience?
It taught me not to hold onto an idea too tightly. Sometimes going back and reframing a project makes it far stronger.
How has being part of the Games Academy helped your practice to develop?
I had no prior game art experience before coming here, but the course gave me the foundations I needed. The support of staff and peers has been invaluable, and I’m excited to push my skills further in my final year.
Links
Faith Evans & Taiah Hay – Night of the Living Fish
Responses from Taiah
How did it feel to have your work recognised in The Rookies Draft?
It was kind of surreal. I thought we’d get lost in the sea of student films that apply to The Rookies and I was overall just proud that we had finished the film, so to have it recognised was a really nice reward for all the hard work. It can feel nebulous when you put your work out there, and you don’t always see returns or acknowledgements. What I’ve learned is to remember the achievement of actually completing the thing. Recognition is great, but finishing months or years of hard work is an achievement in itself.
Night of the Living Fish has such a distinctive title and concept. Can you tell us how the idea first came about?
A lot of my ideas come from doodles or conversations with friends, and this one came from a chat I was having with Cerys, my assistant director, about where the best place to die would be so that your ghost was entertained. I said I’d want to be at an aquarium. From there we got chatting about ghost fish and thought it would be fun to make a film about them. The title is a not-so-smart play on Night of the Living Dead – it just got the point across quickly.
The story explores themes of loss, friendship, and a touch of the occult. Why did you want to tell this story in particular?
We thought those emotions were universal. Most people remember the death of their first pet or loved one. It’s a reality check when you’re young, and the strong emotions that come with it felt worth exploring in animation, but in a light-hearted way. For me, the main theme is struggling to let go. I was making this film in the last year of my degree and wasn’t ready to give it all up, so making it was a way of putting that anxiety to rest.
You worked with a team of around 20 students. What was it like to collaborate on such a big project?
I was honoured that so many people wanted to work with me. It was scary knowing people were relying on me, but my team was supportive and made learning how to be in a leadership role easier. The lecturers were encouraging, gave us regular feedback, and helped keep our momentum going. They really pushed us to make the best film we could.
Links
Draft successes
Alongside the finalists, several other Games Academy students were recognised in The Rookies Draft:
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