Some of the biggest names in digital media will be fighting to be named best in the business at a new awards ceremony.

The shortlist for the first annual Digital Media Awards: South (the DiMAS) has been announced and features some of Sussex’s finest web agencies, games studios, animation and digital TV companies, and freelancers.

A total of 144 entries were received from 95 companies and individuals. The shortlist was drawn up by a panel of judges representing leading figures operating in the digital media field including the BBC, Endemol, New Media Age, Channel 4 and the University of Sussex.

Phil Jones, managing director of Wired Sussex, which organised the DiMAS, said: “Both the quality and quantity of entries received testifies to the huge pool of digital media talent that we have here in the South.

“We’re delighted with the strength of the resulting shortlists and think any of them would make worthy winners.

“The region’s creative spark is a national asset and these awards reflect that strength.”

The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Brighton on November 27.

  • The Argus is sponsoring the People’s Choice award and readers can vote for who they want to win right up to the event itself.

To vote, go to www.theargus.co.uk/dimas.

The awards shortlist

Best Use of Animation

Littleloud with Transformers for Paramount
LSM with Modern Toss animation for Channel 4
Zeroh.net with Fighterplane by The Pangs Kerb with Experiment 23

Best blog

Zen Bullets
Code Rant
Nixon McInnes

Outstanding Digital Design

NCSoft with Discover Lineage II
Littleloud with Bow Street Runner
e-platforms with jeremy-hoye.com

Strongest Community

Flash Brighton Users Group
Kidney Patient Guide (Cogapp)
My Brighton and Hove

Digital Collaboration

Blast Theory
BarCamp Brighton
£5 apps

Digital Marketing

Worth with Nigel’s Green Web Awards
Kerb with Stack da Police
Fresh Egg with Tropical Sky

User Experience

Cogapp with The British Museum
Madgex with Third Sector Jobs
DotCo with Designerpaint.co.uk

Breakthrough Business

FatDrop
Kineo
Good Spa Guide

Best in E-Learning

Brightwave – for Virgin
Digital Brain – for DB Primary
Purple Media – for Royal Bank of Scotland

Gamesindustry.biz Games Studio of the Year

Zoe Mode
Relentless
Black Rock

Farm Freelancer of the Year

Jonathan Aizlewood
Sarah Bird
Bevan Stephens

People's Choice - sponsored by The Argus

Buy Once Give Twice
Buzz (Relentless Software)
Eurogamer
New Brighton (Second Life)
The Werks