ACM Siggraph, the world’s preeminent authority on computer-generated imagery, has honoured Mark Shirra, a recent VFS graduate, by selecting his student film to screen at the Siggraph|2006 Computer Animation Festival.

Mark’s film A Great Big Robot From Outer Space Ate My Homework is typical amongst VFS 3D Animation & Visual Effects student films in that it was created in one year, yet is atypical in that it shows superior storytelling intuition, imaginative humour, and extreme technical skill – exactly the combination that Siggraph applauds. Out of the seven hundred and twenty six submissions to the festival, Robot was one of the 97 chosen to screen.

“Word is out that the Siggraph|2006 Computer Animation Festival is one of the premier venues for showcasing artistic talent in the film world,” says Terrence Masson, the Siggraph|2006 Computer Animation Festival Chair. “In fact, we witnessed a remarkable 25% increase in submissions from 2005 to 2006, and with that increase the competition amongst films is fierce. The bar of excellence has risen even higher and this year’s crop of accepted pieces is diverse, thought-provoking, and technically superb.”

The acceptance comes hot on the heels of Mark’s recent hiring at Pixar. Stay tuned to VFS.com for an upcoming story on all of Mark Shirra’s post-graduation adventures.