“Driving Test Gone Wrong? This Wild Animated Short Just Won Big!”
Lights, camera, student takeover! The 44th College Television Awards rolled out the red carpet on April 5, and one project put the “animated” in animated short: Student Accomplice, a wild ride of a film from Brigham Young University, sped away with the coveted Animation Series trophy — and, yes, a cool $3,000 prize to boot.
If you’ve ever thought your driving test was a high-stress ordeal, imagine it turning into a full-blown heist escape! That’s the pitch behind Student Accomplice, which combines comedic chaos with high-stakes action. The short film tells the story of a jittery teen girl taking her driving test, her stoic (and surprisingly unshakable) elderly examiner — and a surprise third passenger, aka a bank robber, who hijacks their test for his getaway mission. Cue the police chases, heart-pounding turns, and one examiner who still insists on evaluating turn signals.
Award-Winning Students, Emmy-Level Standards
Directed and written by Spencer Baird, and produced by Brielle Hansen, Student Accomplice has been making serious waves in the animation world. Not only did it charm the judges at the College Television Awards, but it also snagged the Bronze Medal for Animation at the 2024 Student Academy Awards and earned a nomination from the Visual Effects Society (VES) for Best VFX in a student project.
That’s right — it’s not just funny and action-packed, it’s technically stellar too. With a plot that feels like Fast & Furious meets Driver’s Ed, it’s no surprise this short zoomed ahead of the competition.
The College Television Awards, often dubbed the “Student Emmys,” are hosted annually by the Television Academy Foundation, and they’re a big deal in the world of student filmmaking. Open to both undergrad and grad students across the U.S., the awards are judged by actual Television Academy members — the same folks who vote for the Emmys. So, yes, the competition is fierce and the bar is Emmy-high.
The Animation Showdown
In the Animation Series category, three finalists made the cut — and the judges clearly had their work cut out for them. The other nominees, both from the powerhouse Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), were:
Le Charade – Directed, written, and produced by Erika Totoro
Time Flies – Produced and written by Morgan Eng, directed and co-written by LJ Burnett
Both projects brought artistry and heart to the screen, but Student Accomplice ultimately skidded into the winner’s circle — likely thanks to its brilliant blend of humor, suspense, top-tier animation, and an oh-so-relatable dose of test-day nerves.
A Speech Worth Streaming
The winning duo, Baird and Hansen, gave a heartfelt and grateful acceptance speech, available for viewing via the official College Television Awards channels. (Spoiler: They’re adorable and humble, and yes, they shout out their team.)
In a media landscape where student work can often go under the radar, Student Accomplice proves that great stories — even absurd, high-octane driving test ones — can come from anywhere, and anyone. And when paired with the right mix of humor, tension, and technical prowess, they can race their way to industry recognition.
What’s Next?
With its growing list of accolades, Student Accomplice is more than just a class project — it’s a calling card. And if this is the kind of creativity we’re seeing from today’s animation students, the future of storytelling looks both hilarious and heart-pounding.
So, buckle up — this is only the beginning.
