The beginning of the year 2024 marked a significant milestone for students from the Digital Media and Digital Animation courses, as they embarked on an unforgettable 3-day Team Building Camp. This event, inspired by the Scout’s Jamboree and Martial Arts Camp, was not just any ordinary bonding trip. It was a carefully designed experience aimed at enabling students to reset and grow, both individually and as a team.
Students from both the Digital Media and Digital Animation committees, along with their lecturers, worked tirelessly to set up engaging and fun activities. Their hard work ensured that the camp was not only educational but also fun and memorable. The camp was sored with laughter and joy throughout the day!
At the camp, students were put into groups with people they didn’t know before. This setup was a great way for everyone to learn how to meet new friends, understand different ways of thinking, and figure out how to cooperate to achieve their goals. As they spent time together, doing activities and sitting around the campfire, these strangers became friends. They learned a lot about trusting each other and the importance of teamwork. This part of the camp showed how bringing different people together can turn into something special, creating new friendships and a strong sense of team spirit.
Upon arrival, students were divided into groups, embarking on their first task: to create a unique group identity. This involved designing a flag and taking on responsibilities that challenged their communication skills, teamwork, and accountability. These initial activities set the tone for what was to be a transformative experience.
Over the course of the camp, students were put to the test through various pressure-filled and unexpected challenges. These activities were designed to push them out of their comfort zones and encourage them to work together to overcome obstacles. The daily tasks assigned to each group further promoted a sense of responsibility and unity among the members.
The camp concluded on a high note, with every group having faced and overcome numerous challenges. The sense of achievement was palpable, and the experiences gained were invaluable. Students left the camp not just with memories, but with improved leadership skills, a resilient attitude, an empowered mindset, and a focus on discipline.
As the sun set on a day filled with challenges and learning, the night brought with it a different kind of warmth and joy. The students, having navigated through the day’s activities, gathered around a campfire they had started themselves. This moment was not just about enjoying the flickering flames but about coming together as a community to celebrate their achievements and the bonds they had formed.
A big thank you goes out to all the student committee members and lecturers who worked tirelessly to make the Team Building Camp a success. It’s truly impressive how professionally the students led and managed the entire event, showcasing their ability to handle responsibilities with great skill and dedication.
Special gratitude is extended to the student commitee, Amelia Chong Tsui Tong, Chay Jek Kean, Lam Weng En, Muhammad Loqman Hakim, and Tan Ji Kean for their exceptional leadership and commitment.
Their efforts ensured that the camp was not only enjoyable but also a meaningful experience for everyone involved. Their professionalism and dedication set a high standard and played a crucial role in the success of the camp, making it a memorable experience for all participants.
This Team Building Camp was more than just an event; it was a journey towards self-improvement and unity. The lessons learned and the bonds formed will undoubtedly serve the students well in their future endeavours, both academic and personal. As they return to their regular routines, they carry with them the spirit of teamwork and the knowledge that together, they can face and overcome any challenge that comes their way.
The Midnight Alley is a final year exhibition by the students of DDM212. This exhibition delves into the depths of fear and explores its psychological effects and impact on mental health. The event showcases immersive horror experiences filled with eerie interactions and jump-scares, shedding light on social and mental issues from various perspectives. Check out the recap video of the Day 1 launch below!
It was intense isn’t it? DDM212 consist of six students with great teamwork spirit. They’ve transformed the 4th floor of Dasein Academy into a haunted alley by resetting the entire mood with lighting props and sound to create an whole new immersive experience the moment visitors came out from the lobby lift.
What is most impressive is that they manage to attract and estimated of ~400 unique visitors during the first week of launch! Over the span of 2 weeks, the exhibitions has attracted not just students and staff within Dasein Academy, but also industry players, community and students from other university such as Sunway University and Malaysia Institute of Art.
Digital Media students from Sunway University have taken the initiative of visiting the Midnight Alley exhibition to learn and share knowledge together. On the last day of the Midnight Alley exhibition, we were visited by students from the Malaysia Institute of Art!
Here are the previews of the six exhibitions from The Midnight Alley
The Midnight Alley | Interactive Website by Loh Hui Yi
Loh Hui Yi is an innovative UI/UX designer with a passion for visual storytelling through web design. She developed a website to facilitate the entire exhibition, incorporating a booking and navigation system. However, she believed that merely showcasing a website on a laptop or mobile phone within the exhibition space lacked excitement. As a solution, she opted to use a hand-tracking sensor, Leap Motion, and project the website onto a wall, transforming the wall into an interactive touch screen. This method also enables her to incorporate sound jumpscare elements along with auditory sensory experiences, allowing the audience to fully immerse themselves and gain an exceptional firsthand understanding of the exhibition.
Dark Descent | Interactive Sensory Experience by Bernice Lee Kah Wai
Bernice Lee is an adventurous interactive designer, often overwhelmed by her innovative ideas. For her installation, she decided to construct a haunted house tailored for the visually impaired. How does that work? Curious, isn’t it? While what typically comes to mind in a haunted house are jumpscares and scary visuals, Bernice raises a compelling question: What invokes fear in the visually impaired? Her goal is to raise awareness of the struggles and fears faced by the visually impaired in their daily lives.
In her haunted house, she engages different types of sensory experiences, from touch and sound to light. Yes, light (fun fact: did you know that not all visually impaired individuals see complete darkness? They can still perceive some forms of light). Using Arduino and various sensors, she enables the audience to trigger different sensory outputs, surprising and engaging them. Many screams were heard emanating from the booth, audible even from another floor.
Doors | Virtual Reality Experience by Chan Ann Ni
“Doors” is a Virtual Reality project by Chan Ann Ni, designed to allow the audience to immerse themselves in the exhibition space through another world using VR technology. Chan Ann Ni specializes in 3D and video production, and she utilises her skills to design immersive virtual surroundings to engage the audience fully. “Doors” has successfully achieved its goal of reflecting the theme of the event, challenging the audience to confront their fears and understand how psychology can impact one’s experiences. Many screams were heard from her booth, indicating the intense engagement and impact of her work. Thankfully, nobody wet their pants.
Toys Terror |Augmented Realisty (AR) Experience by January Lim Jia Yin
“Toy Terrors” is an Augmented Reality (AR) experience installation created by Lim Jia Yin, whose passion is bringing inanimate objects to life. She has carefully designed a physical setup to resemble a child’s room, complete with mood lighting to create an immersive atmosphere. Utilizing AR technology, she enables users to interact with content within a mixed reality environment. As a 3D designer at heart, Jia Yin delights in working with 3D animations and modeling, focusing on making them interactive to engage the audience effectively. Her installation not only showcases her technical skill but also her ability to blend technology with storytelling, inviting visitors to experience a familiar space transformed into an interactive adventure of animated wonders. Through “Toy Terrors,” Jia Yin turns everyday toys into characters of an engaging narrative that unfolds around the audience in real-time.
Nightmare Clowning |Interactive Motion Design by Stella Pua Pei Ling
Have you ever heard of coulrophobia? Coulrophobia is the fear of clowns, which many people believe is not a real psychological fear. This misconception is precisely the point Stella Pua Pei Ling aims to address. She herself is fond of clowns and was surprised to discover that some individuals have a genuine fear of them. Motivated by this, she decided to delve deeper into coulrophobia. Her objective is to educate and raise awareness about this uncommon phobia.
Stella Pua is a talented motion designer with a passion for character design and animation. In her project, she employs motion design to animate her own clown characters and creates an interactive projection mapping by using a projector and touch sensors. This setup allows the audience to interact directly with her animations, providing an engaging and educational experience. Through her work, Pua Pei Ling seeks to bridge the gap between fear and understanding, using her artistic skills to bring a new perspective on coulrophobia.
The Slaughter House | Interactive Illustration by Sky Wong Wei Jung
Sky Wong is a creative illustrator with a passion for bringing his drawings to life, specializing in creating illustrations with soul. He has always been a huge animal lover, with a particular fondness for cats. In fact, his love for cats surpasses almost everything else. Have I also mentioned that he loves cats a lot?
In his project, Sky Wong aims to raise awareness about the issue of animal poaching and to discourage the purchase of poached products. Aligning with the theme of Fear in this exhibition, he has crafted eerie illustrations of poached animals to enable the audience to feel the pain and fear these animals endure. Sky Wong uses props and sensors to immerse the audience in the memories of these poached animals, allowing them to visualize the different stages of suffering these animals go through.
In conclusion, this exhibition has been a tremendous success, attracting attention from students, industry professionals, and potential high school students with a keen interest in Digital Media. The event and exhibition’s success can be attributed to the exceptional teamwork and synergy among the team members. Their collaborative efforts have not only showcased their individual talents but also highlighted the collective strength and creativity of the group. This synergy has been a key factor in creating an engaging and impactful exhibition that resonates with a diverse audience, setting a benchmark for future events in the field of Digital Media.
And lastly, the team would like to thank everyone who has visited and supported The Midnight Alley.
On December 21, 2023, Dasein Digital Media organised an exciting field trip for 35 students to explore the Immersio 2023 exhibition at Muzium Telekom in Kuala Lumpur. This vibrant event, put organised by Filamen, showcased the creativity of over 20 new media artists who transformed the museum with digital art and interactive installations.
The students found inspiration for their future projects as they navigated through the installations and artworks. A special shoutout goes to our lecturer, KC Tan, who guided the students throughout the entire exhibition. KC Tan, not only a lecturer but also a contributing artist.
During the tour, KC Tan shared valuable insights and tips on the exhibited works, enhancing the students’ understanding and appreciation of the art installations.
The field trip turned out to be both educational and enjoyable, thanks to the engaging atmosphere created by the talented artists and community.
Echoes of the Mind: A Journey Within is the first collaborative art exhibition with Digital Media & Fine Art programme. Digital Media students had the opportunity to craft digital art installations as fine art pieces, aiming to convey a powerful message of the theme, ‘memory’.
Video credit: Yap Wai Leong
Sincerest thanks to Bakat Mahasiswa for graciously funding this project and Mr. Kim Ng from Fine Art Department for providing the opportunity for the Digital Media students.
A big thanks to everyone who came to explore how memories, legacies, and life experiences can shape our self-conception, motivation, and perspectives through the creative and contemplative expressions of our students in this meaningful art exhibition of sculptures, installations, and video projections.
We were also extremely fortunate to have Abdul Shakir from Filamen to visit our exhibition. His visit meant a lot as he offered valuable feedback and advice to our students. He also shared in-depth knowledge about Digital Fine Art in Malaysia.
Special thanks to, Kim Ng, Kheng Wai Sei Hon, Xing Kai, Wai Leong & Mouz Chin for making this exhibition a successful one
Last September, Batch DDM211 launched their final year exhibition called Natroverse. This exhibition was all about preserving nature, honoring tradition, and celebrating culture. Each student poured their heart into designing and building installations that embodied this beautiful theme. The event took place from September 12 to 25, 2023, and the reception was unbelievable! Here’s a recap video of the exhibition.
The event turned out to be a huge success, drawing in not just fellow students and lecturers but also industry experts eager to witness the installations. What made it even more special was the presence of notable guests: YB Teresa Kok and YB Tuan Ng Sze Han honored the exhibition with their visit during the 28th Dasein Grand Opening, adding to the excitement and motivation of the participating students.
Natorverse was a collection of five remarkable installations.
Point Odyssey by Mouz Chin
This interactive installation aims to raise environmental awareness through immersive visual representations. It creates a surreal landscape and prompts reflection on our relationship with nature often overlooked despite its proximity. The beauty of the forest and nature are preserved through digitalisation by reconstructing the forest by using point clouds. The installation allows scenes within the landscape to be disrupted by people’s movements. The concept illustrates how the seemingly gentle touch of human hands has the potential to harm and destroy the natural environment, especially forests.
Kancil Award 2023 -Digital Craft – Interaction Design (Bronze)
Cultural Magician by Wee Jun Jie
Cultural Magician is an audiovisual installation that showcases the sounds of traditional musical instruments from different ethnic backgrounds. It is combined with sounds, foods, and technology. It is a celebration of culture, innovation, and the power of sensory engagement. It invites visitors to connect with the country’s heritage in a way that transcends traditional boundaries, creating an appreciation impression for Malaysia’s diverse sound patchwork.
Kancil Award 2023 – Best Use of Cultural Insights (Bronze)
Draw Fantasia by Tan Ivan
The concept is to encourage people to express their creativity by colouring in paper representations of five endangered Malaysian animals. This hands-on activity fosters an emotional connection, and when the drawings are scanned, the memory of the experience is enhanced
ClimaIslet by Low Zhong
Climaislet is an immersive floor projection mapping installation that incorporates captivating, visual elements, and interactive features, all seamlessly operated through a leap motion controller. The project envisions an island plagued by pollution and grappling with environmental challenges. It seeks to promote education, raise awareness and emphasise the detrimental impact of industrial pollution on the environment.
EcoTraits by Shawn Wong
EcoTraits offers an engaging experience through an interactive personality test. Users can take the test on a platform, answering questions to uncover their personality traits. Once they finish, a sequence of animation and laser scanning effect will reveale a flower that symbolises their unique personality through an animated presentation.
Each installation not only captured the essence of the theme but also sparked conversations about the importance of preserving our natural world and honoring our rich cultural heritage.
Natorverse wasn’t just an exhibition—it was a celebration of passion, creativity, and the profound connection between humanity and our environment. The impact of this showcase will undoubtedly linger, inspiring future students and visitors to continue exploring, cherishing, and protecting our planet and traditions.
Our talented Digital Media students and alumni, guided by our dedicated lecturers, have made us proud once again!
We are thrilled to announce that four groups of these creative minds have been selected as finalists to showcase their extraordinary work for the Immersio’s Outdoor Projection Mapping at George Town Festival!
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to George Town Festival and Filamen for this incredible opportunity.
This project was guided by our dear lecturer, Wong Si Ying, and here’s an inspiring story to share about the journey alongside the students involved.
So, this was how everything began. It didn’t matter if they came together just for a class trip or because they really wanted to create something they could be proud of. I really treasure the time I spent with this lively group. The vibe in the class was great – they were more like siblings than competitors. They worked together, discussed assignments, and helped each other out.
Photo Credit: Wong Si YIng
The story continues as they got a detailed assignment brief and started working on it. Even though they didn’t know much about 3D software, I showed them some tutorials, they looked up help on YouTube, and we sat down to solve problems together. Some of them got stuck at the planning stage, so we walked around and talked it out. Another group was more independent – most of the time, I just needed to make sure their work was polished. Despite being new to it all, they kept pushing themselves to do better and explore new possibilities.
In the week before the deadline, they formed a group to book a place to stay in Penang. Once they were done with the assignment, the group lit up with discussions about good places to eat. And guess what? Both groups got selected. That was really exciting news for them. I could see how happy they were when their work was put up on the building for photos and videos. They did a really great job. But remember, this is just the start – don’t hang around in that happy feeling for too long. Keep moving forward, keep trying new things, and keep those friendships going strong.
Wong Si Ying
Photo credit: Wong Xing Kai
Team: Shine Chan Ann Ni, January Lim Jia Yin, Loh Hui Yi
Team: The Dreamers Bernice Lee Kah Wai, Stella Pua Pei Ling, Sky Wong Wei Jun
Team: One Shot Production Ting Ee Vern (Alumni), Tey Yun Nee (Alumni), Yeong Ke Xin (Alumni), Chang Sook Yin (Lecturer), Wong Xing Kai (Lecturer)
Team: Seeing Arterlier Wong Si Ying (Lecturer), Lim Ching Xian (Alumni), Nah Wei Hau (Alumni)
