When you give talented PNCA students just 48 hours to create a new concept from scratch, the results stretch the imagination. PNCA’s first-ever student-organized Pitch Jam challenged teams to come up with concepts and art for the next big graphic novel, animated show, or video game and turn it into a concise set of slides to sell the idea to a panel of judges.
These so-called “pitch bibles” are at the heart of real-world creative production work and are a key tool for any creative professional who wants to work in film, television, or video game design. It’s not just enough to have a good idea — a good pitch bible has to capture the audience from the very first slide. Through illustrations and writing, the documents communicate plot and conceptual elements, develop main characters, and bring the setting of the story to life.
At PNCA, hands-on experiences like Pitch Jam give students the chance to practice industry-standard skills in a supportive environment before they enter the professional world.
Student event organizers Ashley Pham BFA’27 and Vasili Price BA’27 were inspired by PNCA’s Animation Jam, a popular contest where students create short films over two days. They sought to create a space for illustration students to explore collaboration while practicing important skills. The majority of participants in this year’s Pitch Jam were Illustration majors, but students from Animated Arts, Graphic Design, and Painting & Drawing also joined in.
“We wanted students to work together in a team, have fun, and learn skills that are often overlooked but important to an illustrator’s repertoire, like formatting text, creative and technical writing, and public speaking,” Pham said. “It was also a nice bonus for students to walk away from the event with new ideas, new pieces for their portfolios, and a fresh perspective on collaborative and community-geared art-making.”
Fueled by ample caffeine and little sleep, the teams produced visions of magical schools, underwater cities, space carnivals, remote islands, and speakeasies. At the end of the 48 hours, teams presented six completed pitch bibles to a panel of judges made up of working professionals from the PNCA illustration faculty, who awarded prizes like Best Character Design and Best Narrative.
Pitch Jam and Animation Jam exemplify PNCA’s commitment to bridging academic learning with professional practice. By creating opportunities for students to develop both their artistic vision and their ability to communicate that vision effectively, PNCA prepares graduates to thrive in competitive creative industries where pitching and collaboration are essential to success.
“PNCA has community in its foundations and core, and this event was a direct result of that sense of community,” Pham said. “It was magical to sit in the awards ceremony and see how many faculty members, community members, and students had come to support their fellow sloths’ work. We hope to see it become an annual tradition.”
Top photo credit: concept art from "Xing’s Hypothesis of Magic," Produced by Ashley “Arthur” Pham, Vasili Price, and Seven Meave.
