WHAT'S IN A STORY?
ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP
OPEN WINDOW has a maximum of 4 x 50% scholarships to award, which will cover 50% of the course fees per year for the full three-year degree.
- First year: 50% discount on first-year tuition fee (excl. Registration fee)
- Second year: 50% discount on 2nd-year tuition fee (excl. Registration fee)
- Third year: 50% discount on 3rd-year tuition fee (excl. Registration fee)
There is a maximum of one scholarship awarded for each of the four specialisation streams at Open Window:
ABOUT THE COMPETITION THEME
The Open Window is looking for a creative young leader in Visual Storytelling. Visual Storytelling is a skill that all four schools at The Open Window emphasise – and we want the creative leader to demonstrate their visual storytelling skills by responding to the theme: “What’s in a story?”
You are encouraged to share a glimpse into what you imagine is most intriguing about a story / short narrative. You could develop a story, and outline the elements in a submission. You could harness your imagination and reveal the true potential of storytelling through the power of imagination and creativity. In other words, we want you to reveal the true power of storytelling through your submission.
Some tips to keep in mind:
- Use your creative strengths to your advantage (What is your ‘creative superpower’? What format are you most comfortable using? What will give you a unique edge in your submission?)
- Go beyond single medium use, if you can (take photos, make short films, draw comics, etc. – but utilise the story / short narrative theme to your advantage in showcasing a full range of skills).
- Show your ability to be experimental and playful in your response.
Rules to continue on the scholarship programme for the second and third years:
- Students must complete 120 credits per year.
- Going into 2nd and 3rd year: students must achieve a minimum of 65% average across all subjects to maintain the scholarship package.
Please note that OW reserves the right to reduce the number of scholarships should the quality of the entries not be up to standard. All entrants are subject to the rules of the competition. Admission to OW programmes will be based on our standard admission requirements per programme. The scholarship will only be viable for candidates who meet Degree admission requirements.
WHAT TO ENTER
We want you to create a series of 4 images or frames inspired by the theme: ‘What’s in a story?’
You can use any format, any approach, or any visual medium – as long as you can submit a story of your own in response to ‘What’s in a story?’
Think of stop motion*, comics, photographs, typography, sound*, animation*, 3D objects, digital designs/illustrations, textiles, ceramics, film, etc. (But you are not limited to these approaches.)
*Please note that time-based entries should not exceed 30 seconds. Films or animations do not need to have 4 scene changes, but rather 4 events/moments that are linked by cause and effect.
The following needs to be submitted in order to be considered for the scholarship:
- Main Project (a series of 4 images/frames inspired by the theme)
- Project title (must be relevant to the theme)
- Rationale (200 words maximum, indicating how the project responds to the theme “What’s in a story?”)
- Project planning document (We are curious to see how you arrived at your final outcome, therefore you are required to submit your planning and revision process notes, which may include thumbnail sketches, layout considerations, behind-the-scenes images/videos, venue scouting images, or anything else that documents the planning and revision process)
- All applicants need to indicate their first and second choice in specialisation (selected from the 14 areas of specialisation OW has on offer) – these choices will be used to align you to the Streams at OW, of which only one scholarship can be awarded per stream)
SUBMISSION FORMATS ACCEPTED: MOV, MP4, JPG, PNG, PDF)
Kindly ensure that your file size for entry does not exceed 200 MB
* Please note: Open files or links to external videos (Youtube/Vimeo) will not be considered.
All artworks submitted must be the entrant’s own original work and must have been created in 2024, specifically for this competition and in direct response to the provided brief).
Existing projects or school portfolios will not be considered.
HOW TO ENTER
Step 1. Schedule an appointment with one of our Student Advisors to receive provisional acceptance for studying at Open Window, to verify if you meet the admission requirements for the 2025 intake.
Step 2. Familiarise yourself with the Competition Brief and Rules
Step 3. Only candidates who have received provisional acceptance to study at Open Window are eligible to enter the Scholarship competition at the button below.
JUDGING THE COMPETITION
All entries are subject to a selection process. Works will be judged based on the following 6 criteria:
- Concept (does the overall concept convey a response to the theme ‘What’s in a story?’)
- Story (does the narrative convey a sequential progression?)
- Creative use of medium (Is there evidence of ingenuity and/or innovative use of material?)
- Quality of craftsmanship (Does the entry convey technique, demonstrate skills, illustrate basic software knowledge, etc.?)
- Effort (Does the effort of the project match the reward? Was there effort in the execution? Was the project specifically developed for this brief, or was it a high school project submitted for this purpose?)
- Presentation (Does the entry convey care for the final presentation, is there a professionalism to the finish?)
Scholarships will be granted to individuals who meet our admission criteria and demonstrate exceptional artistic talent, creative thinking, and potential.
The OW Academic Committee will form the judging panel. OW is not obligated to award all bursaries.
The OW Academic Committee and the institution will not engage in providing feedback on entries submitted or scholarships awarded/not awarded.
