Debrief Graduate Exhibition 2025 – By Otago Polytechnic School of Design
We are proud to share the impressive work of our emerging designers from the School of Design at Otago Polytechnic. We are seeing flourishing work in game design and moving image as well as an impressive range of creative work in packaging, illustration, publication, branding and graphic design.
In 2025 students have produced outcomes for and with community and industry partners from around Aotearoa, with many engaging in industry-based internships. A growth in bicultural design capabilities and creative risk-taking confirms our belief that what will increasingly distinguish the world of design in the future are the human attributes of empathy, adaptability and creativity.
From students:
• Lots of opportunity to learn skills in class from everyone around you. (student)
• Having an exciting project on your portfolio that fits your quirkiness is nice.! (student)
From staff:
• Whakawhanaungatanga has been the kaupapa woven through this year’s design works and inspiring collaborative projects that reflect the values and voices of our communities.
• Debrief is my favourite part of the year – it’s a chance to celebrate the hard work and inspiration of our students, and as staff we get to see the fruits of three years of guidance and collaboration
• This cohort of students has been huge and fun. It’s great to see excellence emerging amongst our films and games students.
Students:
Oska Gosling
True Creative Agency, internship
As a kid, I’d spend hours at my dad’s workplace, surrounded by fashion posters and surf magazines; a world that shaped my design philosophy and sparked my curiosity to look deeper. That same curiosity led me back to Auckland, where I joined True Creative Agency for an internship to test my skills at an industry level. As soon as I met with the design team, I realised our values aligned: First, be undeniably true. Then, be truly undeniable. This was the first thing I learnt during my internship at True — to strip everything back, peel away the surface, and find my own tilt. I worked on various projects, ranging from social strategy and content creation to UI design, packaging, and printed collateral, each one refining my process and diversifying my abilities.
Peter Woodfield and Ben Ackerman (collaboration)
Out of the Box, illustrations
Sharing previously under-represented ideas and stories is a major factor in Out of the Box. The book features 25 biographies of disabled activists, adventurers and artists from New Zealand, each one with unique stories and experiences you may not have heard before.
We both drew and coloured like madmen, creating many iterations of each person to capture their likeness and story. We valued the accurate representation of people’s physical abilities and traits, paying careful attention to create the best image through thoughtful discussion and research. It has been very fun and fulfilling to see everything come together.
Peter: @plw.design
Ben: @ackers_draws
Lulu McIver
Workbook, student-led magazine
WORKBOOK magazine is an unfiltered, student-led publication, aiming to capture the energy of Otago Polytechnic School of Design. Produced entirely in our own Print Studio, it celebrates creativity and individuality through interviews, shared knowledge, and showcasing student work. Hands-on and collaborative, this project explores how design can strengthen our creative community and reflect our collective voice — messy, creative, and full of energy.
Lucienne Holtz
Hollow Mind, short film
Hollow Mind is a short film in which mental health is depicted through the horror genre. Tormented by terrifying visions, 15-year-old Grace struggles to separate reality from visions that invade her mind. As her world begins to unravel, she discovers the truth behind her torment. My objective for Hollow Mind was to create a film that brings together the skills and knowledge I have gained during my studies in the School of Design at Otago Polytechnic in a creatively impactful way. Inspiration was drawn from my own mental health journey to create a relatable and immersive experience for the audience.
To enhance the film a combination of other complimentary skills, including sound design, animation and visual effects, were utilised. These skills were key components in creating the eerie atmosphere of the horror genre, and play key storytelling roles in this film. My inspiration came from other films and media to achieve the ambience I was after, which included films from my childhood that still hold great meaning to me now. Hollow Mind signifies the start of a new chapter in my journey as a filmmaker. It has not only taught me industry skills, but also how much I have grown as a person and achieved these past three years.
Joey Milton
Haven Survival and Tidebound, games
Haven Survival showcases everything I’ve learned so far. Built in Unreal Engine 5, it’s a third/first-person open-world survival and crafting experience. Haven was intended to be both a technical challenge and a creative expression, showcasing my full range of skills from gameplay prototyping, environment design, lighting and materials to player experience and cinematics.
Tidebound is an ongoing collaborative indie game project being developed through TidalForged Studios here in Dunedin, set in a captivating pirate and sea mythos world, where you’re resurrected by Davy Jones himself to collect souls. It features a streamlined, easy-to-learn hack-and-slash combat system combined with powerful soul and water-themed abilities.
linkedin.com/company/tidalforgedstudios
artstation.com/joeymilton3
Ewan Lines-Cleland
Physics-based Interaction System
Hello! I’m a concept artist and design graduate from Victoria University and have just completed a Graduate Diploma in Communication (Games) at Otago Polytechnic. Video games have played a huge role in my life and this year has been a great opportunity to start building my dream tool as a way for me to give back to the game development community. My project has been focused around learning and building Visual Scripts in Unreal Engine to build a physics-based Interactive system, as an alternative to the classic “Click a button and something happens” system that most games use currently. I want players to have a more tangible and immersive experience while they play, and I want developers to have access to this tool and the ability to further add to and improve it.
Molly Grant
Downing Creative, internship
Interning at Downing was the perfect fit for me. The team made me feel so welcome and invested time in my learning. I gained confidence in both my social and software skills and stretched my creative abilities through experimenting with film and animation, whilst also extending my skillset in graphic design. I am beyond grateful for the experience I had as an intern and know these skills will lead me through my design journey ahead.
Madison Baker
Otago Polytechnic Marketing, internship
During my internship with Otago Polytechnic’s Marketing, Communications and Engagement team, I focused on creating both short-form and long-form video content that authentically captured student life. With no existing video style, I had creative freedom to shape the visual direction. My people-focused, purposeful approach aligned with the organisation’s values. Each video reflected Otago Polytechnic life, Dunedin culture, or informative content—using storytelling and design to build connection, highlight community, and share the student experience with empathy and impact.
Exhibition opening: 13th of November
Exhibition Open: 14- 20 November, 10 am – 4 pm daily
Location: The Hub, Otago Polytechnic, Forth Street Dunedin
