Run by the British Interactive Media Association, the hotly contested awards attract submissions from some of Britain’s biggest digital media, TV and film companies. This year alone, Stardotstar is up against the BBC, MSN, Honda and Nike for its four possible awards. Stardotstar is in the running for the awards thanks to two highly innovative landscape interpretation projects. The first, Quantum Sheep and the Wonderful 'Wolds, is an action-packed interactive game that features a time travelling sheep. Young visitors to the Cotswolds can play the game in situ, thanks to a series of bespoke Cotswold stone-clad kiosks. As they play, they can learn more about the wildlife and landscape that surround them, and how human intervention has changed both over the past 6,000 years. The second project is hearmanchester.com, an audio tour of Manchester fronted by punk singer and music pundit, John Robb. Commissioned by Manchester City Council, the audio tours can be accessed online via a PC or MP3 player, or listened to on site via an iPhone or 3G mobile. This enables visitors to create their own guided tour around the Rochdale Canal area of the city centre, and discover more about Manchester's fascinating past.What makes Stardotstar’s nominations particularly impressive is the relatively small size of the company. Unlike its larger competitors, Stardotstar has a dedicated team of just five staff. Together, this close-knit group combine technical know-how with creative innovation to deliver products that are worthy of the awards the company has been shortlisted for. Stardotstar is no stranger to receiving national praise. In 2007, it swiped three BIMA awards, beating the likes of Channel 4, the BBC and MTV, while in previous years the company has been part of a BAFTA award-winning team at Channel 4. The company’s client list is equally impressive, and includes the BBC, Channel 4, 3i, GMPTE, Astra Zeneca and the Department of Transport. ‘Because we invent and create everything from corporate web applications and educational games to cross-platform projects, we’re able to come up with products that exactly fit the requirements of each job,’ explains Business Development Manager, Gareth Langley of the company’s unique approach. ‘Not only that, but by focusing directly at the end user we create happy, engaged users and delighted clients, too.' The awards will be announced on 27 November at a ceremony at the Bloomsbury Club, London.
