Centre for Digital Media

Say hello to our newest Pre-Master of Digital Media cohort! 👋

What better way to get to know each other than through some team-building activities featuring marshmallows and an alien visitor.

🎉 Please welcome our newest cohort! 🎉

You've embarked on your transformative MDM journey—from finding your way around campus to showcasing your incredible Design Jam projects—you've got an amazing adventure ahead of you.

Our alumni Marshall McCann and Mars Balisacan at Dusk Wave Arts have launched their exciting new game BARHEIM, a single-player, 3D Time Management Tower Defense where players experience the chaos of mixing drinks and maintaining a bar while defending themselves from thirsty Vikings!

Check out their game!

BARHEIM on Steam BARHEIM is a single-player, 3D Time Management Tower Defense where players experience the chaos of mixing drinks and maintaining a bar while defending themselves from thirsty Vikings!

Our students collaborated with Metro Vancouver to create a unique VR experience that immerses users in the region's essential yet unseen infrastructure, from water supply tunnels to waste facilities. Visit the Metro Vancouver section at the PNE from August 17 to September 2 and experience this innovative project firsthand!

Read the story: https://thecdm.ca/news/metrospective-vancouver-infrastructure-vr

After tons of hard work, our MDM students presented their final projects, showing off their product, experience working with their client, and the things they learned along the way. Check out their projects: thecdm.ca/program/industry-projects

Had a great BBQ with our partner Buffalo Buffalo!

We were invited to explore Amazon’s new Vancouver office! We toured the vibrant workspaces, enjoyed the rooftop basketball court, and heard stories from Amazon employees about their career journeys.

All smiles during our dog therapy session.

We just wrapped up our second user test, and it was incredible! This time, we welcomed a diverse group of industry pros, bringing fresh perspectives and valuable insights from various fields.

The goal was to fine-tune the different projects’ game mechanics, user interfaces, and overall player experiences, ensuring each project hits the mark with its intended audience.

Hear from our Pre-MDM faculty about how this technical communication program can empower you with the skills for a career in the digital and creative technology fields—and can help you get into the Master of Digital Media.

Pre-MDM Faculty Interview: Your Pathway to MDM We sat down with Pre-MDM faculty Jason Elliott and Dr. Aida Elisabeta Osian to talk about what makes Pre-MDM different, how students can use it as a direct pathway to the Master of Digital Media, and all the ways students will benefit from this program. Learn moreWhat is Pre-MDM? Who is it for?PreMD...

Had a wonderful workshop where we learned how to make bee salve. Lead by LoriAnn Bird, Indigenous Métis Herbalist and Educator from inHarmony inNature, we also participated in a sharing circle where we spoke about our backgrounds and learned about the benefits of plants in our area.

We are incredibly proud of Drake Dong's multiple International Design Awards! The IDA prizes include a Professional Gold Award and Emerging Product Designer of the Year!

We had an exciting tour of EA - Electronic Arts's Vancouver campus, which included an insightful panel talk and offered a unique firsthand look at one of the leading companies in the gaming industry. Big thanks to the EA team for sharing their insights and career journey with our students.

Congratulations to our C17 cohort on officially becoming Centre for Digital Media Alumni!

Master of Digital Media students collaborated with Providence Healthcare to design an app to help revolutionize communication in long-term care facilities. This innovative app aims to improve the quality of care and life for seniors by facilitating better communication between residents, caregivers, and families. Learn more: https://thecdm.ca/news/providence-healthcare-communication-oasis

A simulation is helping train technicians to change and repair EV batteries in a risk-free environment, helping to mitigate and lower the risk of injury.

Training EV Automative Technicians Using VR A virtual reality (VR) simulation is helping train technicians to change and repair EV batteries more safely. With Canada’s requirement that all new vehicles sold by 2035 must be zero emissions, EVs are only going to become increasingly ubiquitous on our roads. This means there is a growing need t...

Huge thanks to all our alumni who attended our first CDM Connect event! It was great to reconnect.

We also want to thank our wonderful panelists for sharing their career journeys with our students. Stay tuned for future alumni events!

Congratulations to our 8th cohort of Pre-MDM students who have successfully graduated! Our students came to Vancouver and immersed themselves in a new environment, learning the language and culture. They've experienced immense growth during the program and we wish them the best of luck in the future!

Students presented their client projects and reflected on the process as part of their Projects II course.

Projects II is an independent, semester-length team-based project working with an external client and/or collaborators. Students learn, experience, and execute iterative processes through team collaboration and prototype/proof of concept delivery.

The Pre-MDM students presented their final project simulations with the goal of creating an interactive co-op game to engage families with children in learn-through-play about the Indigenous contribution at Fort Langley.

The Pre-MDM simulated projects are based on practical tasks and involve field trips, role-playing clients, essential organizations, and cultural or historical landmarks while taking students through a realistic and agile project structure. This promotes teamwork, agile values, and enhances their verbal and non-verbal communication skills and pitching potential.

An Easter celebration at Centre for Digital Media.

We hosted a plant terrarium night where students created beautiful and creative terrariums. Check them out!

We're always hosting fun events for students to socialize and take a break from their industry projects.

Meet Frugi, a student venture project developing a platform to help Canadians save money on groceries. Students are encouraged to pursue a start-up idea in the MDM and are given guidance and mentorship from faculty. They also have access to the vast ecosystem of partners available at Centre for Digital Media that can provide mentorship and industry knowledge. Read the story: https://thecdm.ca/news/frugi-digital-grocery-comparison

It's the second term, which means real client projects! As the production phase is in full swing, students are testing and refining the product they have been building for the past 10 weeks.

Student team Metrospective conducted an on-site demo of their WIP product at Metro Vancouver, where multiple employees tested the prototype. The student team, composed of a set of developers, 2-3D artists, UX-UI designers, and product and project managers, developed a VR experience that showcases how Metro Vancouver’s infrastructures support the region and make the cities a more livable place.

🚀 Witness the future of storytelling unfold! Our Master of Digital Media students are showcasing their immersive interactive story prototypes, pushing the limits of creativity and tech. In the Visual Storytelling class, they've mastered every element – from affinity to interactivity – to bring these narratives to life. 💡✨

Pre-Master of Digital Media students got a wonderful tour of the UBC Library. A big shout out to Anne Olsen from Koerner Library and Sara Ellis from Arts and Visual Literacy who walked our students through the different resources they're able to access as Centre for Digital Media students.

Meet our alumnus Meghan Ang, who won the 2024 for Outstanding Visual Effects for her contributions to The Last of Us. Learn about her journey and what advice she has for students who want to break into this industry. Story in bio.

Students pitched their venture projects (a narrative based detective game and a rouge-lite game) to a panel of industry judges, presenting their concepts and business plan. As part of the MDM, students are encouraged to come up with their own venture and if their pitch is successful, they can pursue it with the support of faculty, industry connections, and the Centre for Digital Media ecosystem.

Let the stress melt away and cuddle with some bunnies! Our students were treated to some fluffy friends as part of our bunny therapy session.

Rabbitats

It's User Testing Day! Students showed off their prototypes and got feedback from students, staff, and faculty. This crucial process enables teams to iterate, validate their project, and get important information and suggestions from users.