Lights, camera, premiere! Join us for the debut of our Bachelor of Art & Design students’ final-year short films, hitting the big screen at Academy Cinemas.
Thursday 19th November 2026 | 6.30pm - 9pm
Celebrate the next generation of 3D Animation & VFX talent, as our graduating students premiere their final-year short films at Media Design School at Strayer’s annual Film Festival.
Step onto the red carpet, before mingling with students, staff, friends, whānau and fellow creatives ahead of the main event. Make sure you check in and collect your souvenir ticket before doors open!
Then, take your seat for an exclusive screening of final-year short films from our Bachelor of Art & Design (3D Animation & VFX) students. Immerse yourself in their ambitious stories, characters and worlds brought to life on the big screen. United by the overarching theme of friendship, these films explore the connections, relationships and moments that make or break us - each through the unique lens of its creator.
These films are the culmination of years spent learning, experimenting, collaborating, and pushing creative boundaries. Each one reflects the unique perspective, technical skills and creative ambition our students have developed throughout their time at MDS - nd the work they’re ready to take into the world.
The evening will conclude with student awards presented to recognise standout projects, including an audience vote for ‘People’s Choice Award’.
Join us for a night of red-carpet glamour, big-screen storytelling and emerging creative talent as we celebrate our graduating filmmakers and the next chapter of their journey into industry.
Walk the red carpet. Meet the creatives. Take your seat for the premiere.
Free tickets available, RSVP below!
Event Schedule:
| Time | Activity |
| 6.30pm | Venue doors open. Guests arrive. |
| 6.45pm | Theatre doors open. Take your seat. |
| 7pm | MC welcome by Arien Hielkema |
| 7.15pm | Creator talk by Simon Heath & Leo Allan |
| 7.20pm | Screening of TP1 Film Trailer: Ming and the Warlord (0.58 mins) |
| 7.21pm | Screening of TP2 Short Films:
|
| 7.44pm | Awards & creator talks |
| 8.15pm | Post-event mixer |
| 9pm | Doors Close |
About the Films:
[Trailer] Ming and the Warlord
A young middle school student struggling to focus on her homework accidentally unleashes the ghost of an ancient warlord. Now, she must find a way to return him to the afterlife while interviewing the formidable general for the very history assignment that brought them together.
Running Time: 0.58 mins
Lunch Break
A hardworking construction robot’s simple lunch break is thrown into chaos when a mischievous seagull steals his food, forcing him into a determined and comedic chase to get it back.
Running Time: 4.04 mins
Director: Chooi Hao Xiang
Producer: Sebastian Loedijanto | Executive Producer: Manny Pĩna
Where The Carrots Go
An insidious farmer embarks with a cheerful crew of carrots to create herself a birthday surprise.
Running Time: 3.41 mins
Director: Lance Valete
Producer: Mikayla Lawrence | Executive Producer: Shaun Peyman
Knocking Invaders
An ageing squirrel wages a backyard war oblivious to the fact that her annoying neighbour is actually keeping a hidden danger at bay.
Running Time: 3.28 mins
Director: Jaye Starhire
Producer: Kai Wong-Sharma
Leftovers
In an apocalyptic world, a protective father enters a rural general store to find supplies for his sick daughter, only to encounter a sugar-obsessed kid, who forces him into a decision that will determine their lives.
Running Time: 3.26 mins
Director: Campbell Rae
Producer: Therese Luz Alimario | Executive Producer: Leo Allan, Shaun Peyman
Just Shy
In a cold neon-lit cyberpunk alleyway, a timid little robot must summon every ounce of courage to retrieve an item out of reach for his wheelchair-bound friend who depends on him.
Running Time: 4.37 mins
Director: Haofeng Joe
Producer: Talia Jade | Executive Producer: Mark Bowen, Shaun Peyman
Submerged
Two marine researchers in a crashed submarine must fight for the last oxygen tank in order to survive.
Running Time: 4.27 mins
Director: Nico Sarrot Masllorens
Producer: Perci Cowell | Executive Producer: Manuel Pĩna, Shaun Peyman
When
Where
Academy Cinemas
44 Lorne Street
Auckland CBD 1010
Arien Hielkema | MC
Arien is a creative technologies educator and 3D/VFX specialist with experience spanning academic leadership, animation, visual effects production, and industry practice. He has worked as an academic tutor and Head of School, and contributed to Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop as a Visual Effects Production Assistant with data-wrangling experience. Arien holds a Master of Creative Technologies from AUT.
Simon Heath | TP1 Director
Simon is a filmmaker, visual effects artist, and Senior Lecturer at Media Design School at Strayer, where he has taught students VFX since 2006.
He has most recently directed Ming and the Warlord, an animated short about a student who accidentally unleashes an ancient warlord's ghost. His other directing credits include the award-winning Crash Course and multiple 48Hours shorts. Two of his 3D animated entries both received recognition for Best Animation. Alongside his directing, he has worked extensively as a technical supervisor overseeing CG pipelines.
He recently completed a Master's in Design exploring the authenticity of AI, and approaches to combining traditional practical effects with modern tools.
Manny Pina | TP2 Producer
Manny is a graphic designer, motion designer, visual effects artist, and lecturer at Media Design School at Strayer (MDS), where he has been teaching since 2017, with more than a decade of experience in education and the creative industries.
Throughout his career, he has worked with brands like Discovery Channel, Nickelodeon, and HBO, alongside a diverse range of projects spanning video game visuals, television graphics, character animation, photography, and visual effects.
At MDS, he shares his experience across various creative disciplines as well as being involved in executive producing student-led short films.
Outside the office work, Manny is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, fitness instructor, and board game enthusiast, interests that he believes add perspective to his approach in the classroom.
Shaun Peyman | TP2 Producer
Beginning his career as a commercial interior designer during the 1990's and transitioning into digital creation as the machines took over, Shaun gravitated to film and visual effects, working in studios both in NZ and overseas. He has been a lecturer at Media Design School at Strayer since 2012 during which time he has overseen many of the team films and taught hundreds of students, many of whom have gone on to have successful careers in film and Visual Effects.
