Please read this information carefully, as our categories and entry requirements have changed
The Student Interactive Multimedia and Emerging Technologies Competition recognizes excellence in content creation and visual storytelling that demonstrates creativity and innovation in interactive, multimedia and emerging technology.
“Interactive” entries should involve active participation by the intended audience, allowing the user to have some control over the engagement experience. “Multimedia” entries should incorporate two or more different types of media to accomplish a communication goal. “Emerging Technology” entries may include but are not limited to virtual, augmented or mixed reality; games; transmedia; geo apps; or other projects that employ emerging technologies and delivery systems in significant ways.
Examples of entries in this competition may include but are not limited to:
- Websites
- Virtual or augmented reality
- 360-degree imagery
- Electronic games
- Social media content
- Mobile or desktop apps
- Kiosks
The genre of the content accepted in this competition is not restricted. Examples of content may include but are not limited to news, strategic communication, sports, narratives, promotional or marketing content, religious, documentary, games and entertainment, simulations, or other content.
Any content that may be difficult to locate online, such as private URLs or social media posts, or that requires the use of specialty hardware or software, may require the entrant to create materials to showcase the work. Content such as video walkthroughs, screenshots, etc., should be uploaded with the entry as detailed in the competition submission requirements below.
The intention of this competition is to review and reward student creative work. The categories are intended for students who are authors and/or hands-on producers of projects; projects utilizing professionals, or professional in-house or external production entities to create content may not enter this competition. All categories in this competition are intended for projects created by students without the involvement of faculty, except as logistical support. If faculty had the primary production role, the projects should be submitted to the Mixed category of the faculty competition. If faculty were involved in the entry, please pay careful attention to the portion of the entry form requesting information about the contributions of faculty and provide detail about their role in the entry description.
If you are uncertain if your entry is appropriate for this competition, please don’t hesitate to contact the chair of this competition.
Social Media – This category accepts entries of campaigns, series or individual posts published on social media platforms, either public or private. Media content, including text, audio, video, graphics, images, animation, interactive polls, etc., would likely be part of these entries; often, the most successful entries incorporate 2 or more types of media content.
Examples of entries in this category include but are not limited to:
- Influencer or content creator material
- Breaking news and other journalistic content
- Promotional content
- Stories or campaigns containing public service content
Entries comprised primarily of audio or video content without other media or significant interaction should be entered in the Festival of Media Arts Audio or Video competitions or competitions related to the genre of the piece, even if the entry originally premiered on a social platform; examples are podcasts or long-form, horizontal videos.
Multimedia Storytelling – This category accepts entries of any stand-alone or embedded visual story incorporating multiple media, delivered via any interactive platform in an interactive way. Media content, such as text, audio, video, graphics, photos and/or animation, would likely be part of these entries.
Entries in this category may be published on a website or app that is or is not owned by the entrant, including one that is based on a template. The most successful entries incorporate more than 2 types of media content. Examples of entries in this category include but are not limited to:
- news stories incorporating text, video, photos and audio
- photo essays incorporating digital photos, user navigation, text, and animated captions
- documentaries sites incorporating text, video and interactive infographics
Entries comprised primarily of audio content or video content without other media or significant interaction should be entered in the Festival of Media Arts Audio or Video competitions, or competitions related to the genre of the piece, even if the entry originally premiered on an interactive platform.
Website – This category accepts entries of any website or microsite developed to deliver interactive content serving a specific community, client, topic or need. Entries in this category may be template/theme based only if significant and effective modifications have been made to the aesthetic and interactive components of the template/theme. It is recommended that template-based entries include screenshots of the original template and other relevant information to illustrate customization. Responsive websites should be entered in this category. Videos and other multimedia elements contained within an entry will be judged, but only with regard to their contribution to the entire presentation.
Interactive Reality – This category accepts entries that create immersive, interactive realities, including but not limited to virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, or 360 photo/video production. This category may be appropriate for an entry utilizing mobile and wearable technology if the technology is required to provide functionality. Examples of entries in the category include but are not limited to:
- 360-degree virtual tours
- Location-based experiences
- AR/VR video games
- Documentary or narrative storytelling experiences
Content created for wearable technology that does not provide an immersive or interactive sense of reality is likely better suited to the Mobile/Apps category of this competition.
Mobile/Apps – This category accepts entries that have been created exclusively for a mobile device or that are located in an out-of-home situation. In addition to phones and tablets, mobile devices might include wearable technology such as watches, glasses, or headsets, in addition to placed-based technology, like kiosks, displays, simulators, or a combination of technologies. Examples of entries in the category include but are not limited to:
- A smartphone app providing a guided tour based on geo location or QR codes
- A tablet game
- A kiosk in a museum or gallery
- Progressive web applications intended for smartphone/tablets
- An interactive video display advertisement/billboard
Responsive websites intended to be viewed in a mobile browser should be entered in the Website category of this competition. Apps or other mobile development projects that create an immersive or altered sense of reality may be better suited to the Interactive Reality category.
Emerging Media & Technology – This category is suitable for any developing technology and/or media innovation that doesn’t fit the categories above. This includes but is not limited to games, transmedia, fixed media menu systems, interactive graphics or other projects that employ emerging technologies, media and delivery systems in significant, innovative ways.
If you are uncertain which category is appropriate for your entry, please don’t hesitate to contact the chair of this competition.
Submission Requirements:
Submissions should not be changed, except for required content updates, between December 15, 2024, and February 15, 2025.
It is recommended that any submission that might not be easily evaluated by IMET judges also include an online video, website or other such material showcasing the project in use, including interactive elements, screenshots and other relevant information; this includes but isn’t limited to any content that may be difficult to locate online, such as private URLs or social media posts, or that requires the use of specialty hardware or software. In the entry description field of the entry form, the entrant must state that this additional content represents the entry but isn’t the entry itself. Additionally, the entrant must upload a signed statement from a sponsoring faculty member or university administrator attesting to the functionality of the entry. Please don’t hesitate to contact the chair of the competition if you have questions or need clarification about this recommendation.
If you have questions about your entry, please don’t hesitate to contact the chair of this competition:
Todd O’Neil
Middle Tennessee State University
Please read the Student Competition Rules to verify that your entry meets all eligibility requirements for submission.