Studio JAAMS, comprised of senior MECA&D Animation & Game Art students Jakob Flores-Figueroa, Saami Murray, Allana Patterson, Grace Keane, and Mia Kashiwabara, recently participated in two film competitions.
First, they entered the Maine Film Association’s 72 Hour 2025 Fall Film Challenge to make a five-minute film over the course of three days. Their animated film, titled Little Speck’s Big Heist, centers on a tiny creature obsessed with shiny objects. Competing against seasoned, live-action film professionals, Studio JAAMS submitted the only animated film, which won the Audience Choice Award.
A few weeks later, the team entered the 24 HOURS Animation Contest for Students, a worldwide competition in which teams have one day to complete a 30-second animation based on a common prompt. After 24 hours of hard work, Studio JAAMS’ animation placed 41st out of over 700 entrants from 35 countries.
Of their studio, the group shares, “We make decisions together as a team and continually push ourselves to be the best artists and storytellers we can be. One of our top priorities when creating films is making sure everyone has fun and that every voice is heard. Each member of our team brings a unique perspective and skill that shines through in our animations.”