Every creative professional needs to learn how to survive the behind the screen pressure. The long nights where ideas have to become reality, fast!

At Maya Academy Of Advanced Creativity, we want our students to learn beyond technical skills. We want them to understand how to use those skills in real industry pressure. We wanted them to experience what the industry actually feels like.

Student life is calm. Production life isn’t.

This is exactly what MAAC 100 Hours event is all about! A creative sprint, where students had to think, create, shoot and execute like a real production team. No shortcuts. No slowing down. Just pure creativity and problem solving under pressure.

One movie. 100 hours. No pauses. Multiple teams gunning for winning title.

Somewhere between the retakes, edits, sleepless hours and last-minute fixes came the real outcome of the event, the success stories of students discovering what they’re truly capable of.

Here are the countless lessons our student picked up in the 100 hours.

Professional Collaboration

The 100 hours behind the screen event wasn’t just about making a film fast, it was about learning how creative teams survive the pressure together.

The challenge? Create a 20–25 second 3D animated short or a 1-minute mobile film in just 100 hours. It sounds simple till the clock starts ticking.

From the very first brainstorming session, students had to step into a professional set-up. During the event, they weren’t just classmates, they were a studio crew. They had to figure out who does what best. One person handled storyboarding, another focused on animation, someone took charge of editing and so on.

The event gave students a real taste of industry interaction, where collaboration matters just as much as creativity.  They learnt how to keep the project moving even when things got stressful.

The rewards attached to different milestones made the competition interesting. Every team wanted to be the first to crack the idea, finish the edit and deliver the best output.

Time Management

Most Institutions focus on teaching one software at a time, but the real creative industry doesn’t work that way. Deadlines overlap, revisions happen instantly and teams are expected to deliver quality work under pressure. That’s why the 100 Hours event at MAAC was created to feel less like a  classroom activity and more like a real studio experience, giving students a chance to work, collaborate and create under the energy and pressure of a professional studio.

The process began with pre-production, brainstorming ideas, scripting, storyboarding and creating assets. From there came production, where students worked on animation, modeling, texturing, lighting and rendering while racing against the clock. Finally came post-production, where editing, VFX integration, sound design and final output brought the entire film together

The challenge was not just about completing a project quickly. It was about learning how to prioritise tasks, manage time efficiently and stay creative even under pressure. Here, every hour matters and teamwork keeps the process moving.

Understand Animation Workflow

The event also gave students a practical understanding of how an animation pipeline works. Instead of learning isolated software skills, students experienced how every stage connects to the next within a project timeline. From brainstorming and storyboarding to modeling, animation, lighting, rendering and post-production, they understood how ideas move from concept to final output.

Recognition

One of the biggest takeaways from the event was leaving with something tangible. A project they could proudly add to their portfolio. In the creative industry showcasing your work matters just as much as learning the skill. Strong portfolios mean a better chance of unlocking a placement opportunity.

The challenge also kept students motivated through rewards and recognition at multiple stages of the event. From the fastest idea pitch to strong execution and teamwork, different milestones were celebrated throughout the 100 hours, building excitement and healthy competition among students.

The final awards and shields made the hustle even more rewarding.

Expert Mentorship and Masterclasses

While students pushed themselves through four intense days of non-stop creativity, MAAC mentors were right there with them at every step.

If a team got stuck at 3 a.m., there was always a mentor available to guide them. Whether it was solving a technical issue, refining an animation sequence or helping them overcome a creative block, mentors stayed on call throughout the event to ensure students always had support when they needed it the most.

Even before the challenge began, students attended masterclasses and quick recap sessions where they explored newer techniques in animation, 3D graphics and production workflows. These sessions helped them sharpen their existing skills while also learning practical techniques they could immediately apply during the project.

The event was a balance between creative independence and professional guidance.

With just 100 hours, we gave our students a real taste of the industry. It was an experience where passion met pressure and creativity met execution. At MAAC, we constantly strive to create experiences like these that push students beyond the classroom, helping them grow into creatives ready to take on the industry, one project at a time.

FAQs

1. What is MAAC’s 100 Hours event?

The 100 Hours event is a creative challenge for MAAC’s students. Teams of MAAC students compete with each other to create either a 20-25 second 3D animated short-film or a 1 minute mobile shortfilm in 100 hours. The event is designed to simulate real studio pressure and help students experience how creative teams work in the industry.

2. What skills do students learn during the event?

Apart from technical skills like animation, modeling, texturing, editing and VFX, students also learn teamwork, professional collaboration, time management, problem-solving and communication skills. The event helps students understand how to work under deadlines while managing a complete production pipeline.

3. How does the event prepare students for the creative Industry?

The event recreates a real production environment where students move through pre-production, production and post-production with strict deadlines. This gives them hands-on exposure to industry workflows, professional collaboration and creative execution under pressure.

4. Were students guided during the challenge?

MAAC mentors stayed available throughout the event to guide students when needed. Students also attend master classes before the event to sharpen their animation and 3D graphic skills.

5. What do students gain from participating in the 100 Hours Event?

Students leave the event with practical experience, stronger confidence and a completed project they can add to their portfolio. Along with recognition and awards, the event gives students a clearer understanding of what working in the creative industry actually feels like.