In addition to research and innovation, the integration of science and technology with humanities and society is a core mission of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC). For this purpose, NSTC and the Ministry of Culture (MOC) joined hands to hold the 11th HPC NCHC Animation Challenge, which was co-organized by NARLabs' National Center for High‑Performance Computing (NCHC) and the Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab (C-LAB) with cooperation from the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Hsinchu City. The HPC NCHC Animation Challenge aims to enhance cultural creativity with technology and enrich technology with culture, realizing cross-disciplinary integration of technology and the humanities.
The winners of the 11th HPC NCHC Animation Challenge were announced on Sept. 15, with works from National Taiwan University of the Arts championing all three categories: "FELIX" in the 3D Animation category, "There Are Ants in This Hotel" in the 2D Animation category, and "Diamond Animators" in the Innovative Media category.
The HPC NCHC Animation Challenge is the most representative competition in the field of animation and rendering in Taiwan, aiming to promote the development of digital technology and cultivate talented creators. This year, 204 teams and 706 individuals from college-level institutions and universities across Taiwan participated in the competition. Over its 11 years, the competition has totaled more than 850 teams and 4,000 participants. For the first time, students from California Institute of the Arts also participated, signifying that the HPC NCHC Animation Challenge is trending international and has become a benchmark for animation competitions.
This year's competition was divided into three categories: 3D Animation, 2D Animation, and Innovative Media. These categories reflect the categorization systems of large-scale international film festivals and competitions as well as the trend of complex technology applications; in this way, more diversified visual forms and special themes can be seen. The 3D Animation category was won by "FELIX" from National Taiwan University of the Arts. The work stars a protagonist whose heart and emotions are revealed through his journey transporting unknown packages. The rich art style and exquisite scenes present the audience with a poetic experience, winning this charming narrative work the unanimous favor of the judges.
This year, for the first time, a category for 2D Animation was added for 2D narrative works, making the HPC NCHC Animation Challenge as diversified as a major international film festival. The winner of this category was "There Are Ants in This Hotel" by National Taiwan University of the Arts. This work stood out for its film-like narrative style, which links three short stories through ants and has a distinctive and clear visual narrative.
The Innovative Media category was created to reflect the rising trend of hybrid technology applications. This year, more diverse forms of visual works have been adopted, including motion graphics (MG), games, virtual reality (VR), and mixed media. In the works submitted in this category, many trends in digital and creative media can be seen. In the end, the selected winner was "Diamond Animators" by National Taiwan University of the Arts, a motion graphics animation with outstanding rhythm and storyboards.
In addition, new Point Cloud Innovation Awards based on Hsinchu City's Point Cloud model were included this year to encourage participants to create digital works that blend old and new culture. Eight groups were awarded for their outstanding work, although first prize was not awarded.
The chief convener of the competition, Kuo Chia-Chen, who also heads the NCHC Visualization and Rendering Technology Division, explained that since the development of the Cloud GPU Render Farm in 2011, NCHC has combined the capabilities of domestic technology, art, and cultural fields to drive the application of technology in cultural industries and talent training. So far, the Render Farm has supported the creation of more than 700 Taiwanese animated films and videos. NCHC Director General Chang Chau-Lyan stated that the HPC NCHC Animation Challenge has successfully led to cooperation between industry, government, academia, and research sectors. This has created a positive cycle adding value to cross-domain creativity, passing down previous contestants' legacy to current contestants, and cultivating youth creativity, which is very helpful to the development of Taiwan's animation industry.
C-LAB Executive Director Hsieh Tsui-Yu expressed that through long-term sharing of industry and academic perspectives, NCHC can pROVide even more valuable advice to students, establish multi-channel training models, and promote seamless connections between campuses and industries. After the competition, the winning teams will continue to receive guidance for impROVing their works and participating in international competitions so as to connect with the international creative stage and increase Taiwan's global visibility.
