The 18^th anniversary celebrations of Creative Multimedia Academy and Creative Multimedia College of Fine Arts were held amidst great fanfare on Sunday, the 2^nd of October, 2016. It was an eagerly anticipated day.. coming as it did, after many postponements due to a string of unavoidable developments including the torrential rains. The venue wore a festive look and the excitement was palpable. Students and staff anxiously awaited the arrival of the special guests and were eager to get started with the celebrations. It was certainly the most awaited day in the 18-year long history of Creative Multimedia’s Anniversary celebrations.

5.00 p.m. The special guests arrived at the appointed time with a rousing reception being accorded to them by students and staff. As is customary and in line with the belief that light symbolizes knowledge, the celebrations commenced on a traditional note with the guests lighting the lamp to commemorate the 18^th anniversary celebrations.

What followed was a magical evening of enlightenment and entertainment in equal measure. A team of students captivated the audience with brilliant cultural programs. Ms Keerthika, HR Manager at Firefly Studios took to the dais and inspired students in her inimitable style. Speaking at length on the importance of positivity, perseverance and passion to one’s success, she urged students to follow their dreams and said: “Quitting should never be an option. Most people are influenced by the negative talk around and succumb to these pressures. Those who can withstand such challenges and work passionately are sure to enjoy the fruits of success. Believe in your dreams and work consistently till you achieve your goals. Don’t follow money in the early stages of your career. Focus on improving your skills and create a niche for yourselves. Money will automatically follow.” She punctuated her talk with invaluable advice to students on career building. She signed off with a riveting presentation on the latest show reel of Firefly studio’s work featuring the war epic Baahubali, provoking a thunderous applause from students.

The technical team of Firefly comprising Mr. Arun Kumar Look Development Lead and Mr. Trinadh Rao Comp Lead, both proud alumni of Creative Multimedia took to the stage as special guests and engaged students and staff of Creative Multimedia in a Q&A session. They responded patiently to a volley of questions from enthusiastic students on a range of subject and career related queries. Nostalgic about their alma mater, they recollected fond memories of their time as students at Creative Multimedia and thanked the CEO Rajasekhar Buggaveeti for his support in helping them build their careers.

Mr. Rajat Ojha, another esteemed guest for the day and CEO of The Awesome Games Studio, presented a scintillating demo reel. The students were awe-struck by the high quality of the graphics and responded with a thundering applause. Mr. Ojha exclaimed: “The first VR game for XBOX was created in this very city Hyderabad. We are living in the city which introduced Bahubali to the world and it is a matter of immense pride for every Hyderabadi.” He spoke at length on the current trends influencing the gaming industry and dwelt on the overwhelming importance of creative freedom for artists in the gaming pipeline, citing the progressive work environment at The Awesome Games Studio. Offering tips to enthusiasts passionate about a future in gaming, he stressed on the importance of creating a demo reel as the first step, and elaborated on the difference between Gaming and Animation show reels which demand different presentation content and styles. He was all fire and brimstone as he responded eagerly to students who had many questions for him.