Celebrating Passion, Creativity & Dedication!

Three lucky winners each scooped a $1,000 scholarship in a blog writing contest hosted by VTO.

This year candidates worldwide were challenged to write about Localization an exciting growth-industry. Subjects included “Voice talent”, “Video translation”, and “Voice-overs”.

“The entries were fun & creative with some fascinating industry highlights.”
– CEO, Simon Luckhurst.

Scholarship Winner #1: Low Mei Wen – Malaysia

Low Mei Wen, a student from University Putra Malaysia, shared practical wisdom in her blog with “5 Key Tips for Mastering Voice overs,” particularly accessible for beginners looking to refine their craft.

“I loved how Wen’s organized approach made her advice easy to follow and implement.”
– Digital Marketing Intern at VTO, Sofyani Tatipmaula

But Wen didn’t find the process easy. She struggled to condense her ideas into a concise and compelling narrative, and her lack of experience in voice-over recording added to the challenge.

“However, I didn’t let these obstacles deter me. Instead, I embraced them as opportunities for growth. I dedicated time to thorough research, delving into effective storytelling techniques and learning the fundamentals of website creation. Additionally, seeking feedback from peers proved invaluable in refining my approach and enhancing the quality of my submission,” she said.

Her hard work and perseverance paid off, resulting in a brilliant, insightful blog.

Wen will put her scholarship prize towards tuition fees, to ease the financial strains of pursuing an academic education. Astonishingly, she has been so inspired that she has taken the exciting decision to also pursue voice acting professionally!

“I envision utilizing a portion of the award to invest in voice-over equipment.”
– Entrant, Low Mei Wen

What a fantastic outcome!

Scholarship Winner #2: Nursena Arslan – Turkey

Nursena Arslan from Ankara University caught our attention with her dynamic and visually striking blog on voice talent in the gaming industry. Her presentation was as engaging as a video game itself with witty commentary on why AI can’t match human voice talent. Nursena’s blend of humour and valuable insights made her blog really stand out.

However, the process wasn’t without its challenges. Nursena shared how balancing the right amount of text with visuals was the toughest part.

“My tactic to overcome this kind of difficulty is to try to look at the product as a reader, not a creator. It assisted me so much in the process of editing the text and choosing the images,”
– Entrant, Nursena Arslan

Her eye for design truly brought her blog to life.

Nursena plans to use the scholarship to help fund her MA studies abroad, easing the financial burden on her family and allowing her to focus on her studies.

Best of luck with your studies Nursena!

Scholarship Winner #3: Rebecca Forler – Canada

Rebecca Forler from University of Toronto addressed a crucial topic with her blog on the importance of auto captions in video translation. Highlighting its positive impact on minority communities, including the deaf and LGBTQ+ community, Rebecca’s blog brings to light the essential role of accessibility in media.

Rebecca admitted she almost didn’t submit her blog due to burnout and lack of motivation after applying to other scholarships without success.

“I kept reminding myself of how much I would benefit on the off chance that I did win.
I also made sure to take lots of breaks while working on my submission so as
to not tire myself out too much and kept myself engaged by
improving the visual aspects of the article until it was pleasing to the eye.
It also helped that I was genuinely interested in the topic. I’m so thankful I didn’t give up!”
– Entrant, Rebecca Forler

The scholarship will go directly toward her university education, lightening her financial load and helping her focus on her studies.

Congratulations to the 2023/24 scholarship winners
– Nursena Arslan, Lo Mei Wen, and Rebecca Forler!

Their exceptional work exudes passion, creativity, and dedication.

As we continue to support emerging talent, we invite you to explore our top-notch voice-over, video translation, and localization services that bring projects to life with the same creativity demonstrated by our scholarship winners.

If you’re a student eager to make your mark, don’t miss the chance to apply for the 2024-2025 scholarships. Share your passion, showcase your talent, and join us in shaping the future of media!

Apply here for the 2024-2025 scholarships. Open to students worldwide!

• [Theme #1: “Voice Over”]
• [Theme #2: “Voice Talent”]
• [Theme #3: “Video Translation”]