On Friday, April 17th, 2026, we had the pleasure of hosting the DMCT Awards at the Launchpad Summit, bringing together an incredible community of homegrown digital media talent from across Connecticut.
From the start of the day, the energy in the room was undeniable. The room was full of students eager to learn and industry professionals ready to connect and share their wisdom with the next generation of the digital media industry. During the summit, students heard from panels of professionals across the entertainment industry and participated in workshops and breakout sessions focused on sports, entertainment, music, leadership, content creation, and money.
Leading up to the event, more than 15 industry professionals gathered for our inaugural DMCT Judges’ Lunch, where they dedicated their time to review and evaluate this year’s submissions thoughtfully. With judges representing organizations and experience, including WWE, Marvel, and Emmy Award-winning professionals, to name a few. Their enthusiasm and commitment to the process showed just how meaningful this opportunity was for our student creators. Their commitment to the process and willingness to lend their expertise to celebrate emerging talent helped elevate the awards experience in a truly special way.
As the summit concluded with a powerful keynote from Rasheed Daniel, CEO of Team Sheed, the excitement carried directly into the DMCT Awards Ceremony, also hosted by Rasheed and his co-host, Emily Cancel, a Senior in UConn Stamford’s DMD Program. With over 70 submissions, this year’s DMCT Awards honored 14 recipients across all award categories.
Film, Video & Sound Production
- The Cinematic Excellence Award – For an exceptional film or video project that showcases top-notch storytelling, production, and technical execution
- Unscripted Excellence Award – Recognizing outstanding storytelling in unscripted media, including documentaries, social content, sports storytelling, and reality-style programming that captures authentic moments and real-world perspectives.
- Cinematography Excellence Award – For exceptional skill in visual storytelling through camera work, composition, lighting, and shot design, demonstrating a strong understanding of how cinematography enhances narrative and emotion
Motion Design & Animation
- The Animation Excellence Award- For the most visually stunning and innovative animation project that combines creativity and technical skill.
- Animated Graphics and Title Design – Honoring exceptional motion graphics or title sequences that showcase creativity, typography, design, and dynamic visual movement.
Game & Interactive Media Design
- The Interactive Innovator Award (Game Specific & Interactive specific) – For an outstanding game or interactive media project that pushes boundaries in user engagement and creativity.
Content Creation
- Digital Creator Award – Recognizing a creator who demonstrates innovation and originality in digital content, including branded or advertising work that effectively engages audiences through strong storytelling and creative execution.
- The Social Impact Creator Award – For digital projects that promote change and awareness.
- Authentic Voices Award – Honoring excellence in unscripted content, including documentaries, social campaigns, sports, and entertainment.
DMCT Challenges
- 48 Hour Film Challenge – The DMCT 48-Hour Film Challenge is a fast-paced weekend of creativity and collaboration that brings together student filmmakers CT. In just two days, teams take on the challenge of producing an original short film from start to finish, showcasing their talent, teamwork, and storytelling
- Anim8 in 48 – Anim8 in 48 is a fast-paced animation competition designed to push creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, and storytelling skills while working under real-world production pressure. Student teams have 48 hours to complete a 30-60 second animated short in just 48 hours. All teams receive the same theme simultaneously, and from that moment, they race the clock to develop a story, animate, render, edit, and deliver a portfolio-worthy animation.
Events like the LaunchPad Summit and DMCT Awards are about more than recognition; they are about building confidence, creating opportunity, and fostering a stronger creative community for the next generation of digital media professionals.
A huge thank you to our partners at LaunchPad and the CT Office of Film for their continued support in bringing DMCT events to life, as well as our dedicated judges, whose time and expertise made this experience possible. We’re also grateful to our student team, advisory board members from colleges across Connecticut, and of course, the talented students whose work and creativity are at the heart of this community.
2026 DMCT Award Winners
Film, Video & Sound Production
Cinematic Excellence – “The Heart of The Game” / Alexandra Maxwell
Unscripted Excellence – “Sketching the Dream” / Dorian Robinson
Cinematography Excellence – “Your Love is one of a Kind” / Mawin Belfort
Animation & Motion Design
Animation Excellence – Animation Excellence – “Heart of the Woods” / Edith Carson
Animated Graphics & Title Design – “Connected to Greatness: Welcome to UConn ITS” / Sophia Jortner
Game & Interactive Design
Interactive Innovator (Game) – ““Dine and Duel” / James Cioppa
Interactive Innovator (Design) – “Art Health Tracker” / Andrea Domingos
Content Creation
Digital Creator Excellence – “Sweet Tooth” / Davyd Medzhlumian
Authentic Voices – “The Classroom that Challenged America: The Prudence Crandall Story” / Alexandra Maxwell
Social Impact Creator – “Caroline House” / Chumani Heard
DMCT Challenges
48 Hour Film Challenge
Viewers’ Choice Award– “(Not) Alone” / ThreeJollys Production
Honorable Mention – “Chapter 28” – Blooming Soul Productions
Best Film – “Operation Wardrobe” / 2.5 Brains, 1 SD Card
Anim8 in 48
Best Animation – “Apple: United” by Design / Sophia Jortner
👉 View photos of this year’s award winners here: digitalmediact.com/DMCTAwards