Being inside during the splendor of Vancouver’s brief summer might seem insane but not to the high-tech group of teens looking to make their mark in B.C.’s vibrant digital media industry.

On Friday, 20 Metro Vancouver high school students will present their video game prototypes to the public following three weeks at the first ever Tomorrow’s Masters of Digital Media Program summer boot camp.

"I want to get familiar with all the different types of technology out there while showing how sociable I can be and what kind of leader I can be," said Justin Chee, 18, who was a teacher’s assistant for the camp.

Chee is determined to develop a career based in the arts, whether it be traditional or digital media. Being an animator or a game designer would be pretty sweet, he says.

The camp, held at the Centre for Digital Media at the Great Northern Way campus downtown, is taught by the faculty in Canada’s only digital Master’s program offered by the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, BC Institute of Technology and Emily Carr. The 20- month graduate degree is the only one in the world that students can earn from four universities.

Sponsored in large part by Electronic Arts, the Master’s program and the camp aim to attract the next generation of game designers. B.C. is a digital hot spot with more than 15,000 employees in the industry.

The future for gaming is full of possibilities, says Chee. He believes games in the future will be less restrictive, allowing gamers to have more control over the storyline and characters.

During the summer camp, students have been designing a video game, from concept to application.

Video games are a source of controversy, with parents and teachers blaming them for violent behaviour and obesity.

Justin admitted that creating such addictive video games keeps millions of people inside on their couch rather than outside experiencing life, but he also praised innovative products like Nintendo’s Wii which forces gamers to be physically active.

Anyone interested in learning more about the camp or seeing its outcomes can attend the presentations at the Great Northern Way campus in downtown at 4 p.m.