CSU, Chico News

California State University, Chico graduate Jeff Goolsby won top awards for his entry in the Mixed Media, Long Form category in the 12th Annual CSU Media Arts Festival competition. CSU, Channel Islands hosted the systemwide festival on Nov. 8, 9 and 10.

Goolsby won both the Rosebud Award, with a $500 prize, for best in his category, and Best of Show, with an additional $500 cash prize for his entry, an interactive DVD, “Been There.”

There were 179 entries representing 16 CSU campuses. Distinguished professors chose 40 student finalists, and a panel of media industry judges chose the award-winning works. The eight judges included Chuck Vinson, director of The Cosby Show, Phil Brown, director of photography for a variety of sitcoms, talk shows and game shows; and Barbara Roche, associate director of ABC Sports, Night Court and Nightline.

Two CSU, Chico computer animation students, Jacob Palmer and Brett Farley, won “Best Animation” for the piece “Balls of Snow,” a comical look at two battling snowmen. They received a $250 prize with their award. Palmer and Farley completed the final animation of their project at a CSU Summer Arts workshop coordinated by Rick Vertolli, computer science department and Instructional Media Center, CSU, Chico. The animation workshop gave students an opportunity to work with industry professionals.

Goolsby, a summer 2002 interdisciplinary master’s recipient, combined photography, videography, electronic music composition and short story writing. He composed, performed and recorded the music, took all the photographs, wrote the fiction and produced the animation. “Ninety percent of the project was done in the Electronic Music Studio in the Department of Music,” said Goolsby.

Goolsby describes his project, “Been There,” as “an attempt to redefine the relationship between user and technology. It is a multimedia ‘book’ of four songs and three short fiction pieces.” The stories are about the cultural displacement that happens when people travel or live in foreign countries. Goolsby said that “Been There” is intended as a media ‘book’ that one might take down from the shelf for an evening’s read.

Goolsby credits music professor Raymond Barker, co-director, Recording Arts, for his success. “It was Ray who mentored me and opened the doors for me throughout my master’s studies project. I could call him day or night when I was stuck, and he would always respond.”

Among the many other people Goolsby credits with support are the members of his master’s committee, Keith Seppanen, music department, Tom Welsh, communication design department, and Steve Metzger, English department.

The Media Arts Festival is part of the CSU Summer Arts Program. It was established in 1991 to showcase the best work in media arts of the California State University. In addition to the student competition and screenings, the festival also offers three days of seminars and events geared towards professional advancement for CSU students and faculty.

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This entry was posted on Friday, November 22nd, 2002 at 10:09 am and is filed under 2002 Fall.