Workshop - User interface common questions and problems
2023-03-10 11:00 - 13:00 UTC | MAGIC Open Lab – Building 8, Room 8108, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States

Art of Tech – Speaker’s Series with Ben Kvalo, Games Publishing & Marketing Leader at Netflix
2023-03-15 12:00 - 14:00 UTC | MAGIC Screening Room – Building 8, Room 8106, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States
MAGIC’s Art of Tech series empowers, elevates and inspires innovation within the growing digital technologies industry. The speaker series brings together a wide spectrum of executive level professionals in the areas of Computer Animation, Gaming, Visual Effects, Motion Graphics, Virtual and Augmented Reality.
Our guest speaker for this edition of “Art of Tech” is Ben Kvalo, Games Publiishing & Marketing Leader at Netflix
Ben Kvalo
Ben Kvalo is a leader in the entertainment & games industry focused on innovation in the industry, creating better culture, and improving experiences. Entertainment is Ben’s career, having worked in games, film, Esports, and radio. After starting his career in radio, he transitioned into gaming as a Project manager, working for 2K for 6 years. There he worked on over 100 AAA and AA titles for every major games platform. After he went over to Blizzard entertainment where he became the product manager for Esports marketing. He was responsible for launching, and scheduling BlizzCon for that year. He also recieved an award that year for Best Esports Festival from Fest X in 2018. After his succes he started a new career at Netflix as their Sr. Campaign Operations Manager for film and marketing for the streaming giant. In the the last 5 years he has moved over from films to globally launch Games at Netflix from its infancy. He worked alongside engineering, creative production, and early management to launch the Netflix Games platform. He is responsible for building and managing publishing workflows, cross-functional communication, marketing strategy & planning, and brand integration. Ben has been credited in over 100 game titles and involved in over 50 films

Workshop - Get Your Resume, LinkedIn and Portfolio Ready
2023-03-24 11:00 - 13:00 UTC | MAGIC Open Lab – Building 8, Room 8108, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States
Portfolio resumes showcase samples of your work and achievements alongside standard resume information. Creatives and other professionals use this type of resume to promote themselves during application processes and impress hiring managers. If you are applying for jobs that require this type of resume, learning how to create one can help you provide more details about your professional competence and accomplishments and help increase your chances of getting hired.
If you are applying for a job or moving to a four year institution to persue a BA degree, you should attend this workshop.

MDC MAGIC + FIU Articulation Agreement Information Session
2023-03-30 12:00 - 14:00 UTC | MAGIC Screening Room – Building 8, Room 8106, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States
MDC MAGIC + FIU Articulation Agreement Information Session
Florida International University’s Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media will host an information session fto provide information about the transfer pathway for MDC graduates of the Associate in Science (AS) in Animation and Game Art or the AS in Game Development and Design to pursue a Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree in Digital Communication and Media at FIU. Please make sure to attend this event if you’re interested in transferring to FIU to continue your studies.
Professor Laura Kurtzberg, co-Director of the Lee Caplin Immersive Studio for Altered Reality, Mr. Frank Villa from FIU Admissions and Ms. Rachel Vanderford, our communications strategist, will be joining Susan Jacobson, PhD in the presentation. Agenda:

Welcome and curriculum overview – Dr. Susan Jacobson
Why FIU? Location, facilities, iSTAR, student life – Prof. Laura Kurtzberg
Who Is Lee Caplin? – Rachel Vanderford
Applying to FIU – Frank Villa
Q&A

The Agreement
Miami Dade College (MDC) and Florida International University (FIU) signed an articulation agreement that creates a seamless transfer pathway for MDC graduates of the Associate in Science (AS) in Animation and Game Art or the AS in Game Development and Design to pursue a Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree in Digital Communication and Media at FIU. Both MDC and FIU recognize the significant roles they each play as exemplars evolving successful transfer pathways, which have positively impacted student outcomes.
Students pursuing the AS degree at the Miami Animation & Gaming International Complex would matriculate at MDC for 4 semesters. Upon successful completion of the AS degree at MDC, MDC graduates would seamlessly enroll at FIU to complete the remaining 4 semesters of the BS in Digital Communication and Media. MDC students who transition to FIU under the terms of the Agreement will be required to complete any remaining General Education requirements at FIU or through approved accelerated credit mechanisms. MDC students must meet FIU’s transfer admission criteria for the catalog year when they first enrolled at MDC. MDC students must successfully complete the Foreign Language Graduation Requirement prior to enrolling at FIU. In addition to meeting FIU’s transfer admission criteria, students seeking admission to the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media, must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.85.
FIU will accept major-specific courses completed at MDC to count toward the BS in Digital Communication and Media. Students are allowed no more than 12 credits of lower-division courses to count toward upper-division requirements, as stipulated by the Accrediting Council in Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media’s accrediting agency.

Both Animation & Game Art and Game Development & Design transfer maps to FIU are available for review by clicking here: MAGIC + FIU TRANSFER MAPS. For more information and further details about this agreement and transferring to FIU, please contact us at (305) 237-3560

The Pitch Event
2023-04-03 10:00 - 14:00 UTC | MAGIC Incubator – Building 8, Room 8119, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States
What’s your idea?
Short-films, video games or immersive simulations are produced at MAGIC as a capstone project during the second academic year. All students are granted the opportunity to pitch an idea for a project. Selection is based on having an original idea, strong and defined characters, production feasibility and the potential to elevate MDC MAGIC and our community through its message.
Selected projects are then paired with executives and professionals from animation studios currently partnering with MAGIC as part of our mentorship program. Visit MAGIC’s YouTube Page to watch all students’ projects created and produced at the Miami Animation & Gaming International Complex.

The Pitch Event – Industry @ MAGIC
2023-04-05 10:00 - 14:00 UTC | MAGIC Incubator – Building 8, Room 8119, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States

Career & Internship Day @ MAGIC
2023-04-14 10:00 - 15:00 UTC | MAGIC Open Lab – Building 8, Room 8108, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States
The MAGIC Career & Internship Day will takes place on April 7th, 2023. Employers interview students for job and internship opportunities in-person. Get your portfolio ready! For more information please contact Nicole Garay at (305) 237-3560.

2023 MAGIC Premiere Night
2023-04-26 18:00 - 21:00 UTC | MAGIC Screening Room – Building 8, Room 8106, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States
Class of 2023 Animated Short-Films and Video Games. This event is by invitation only.

MAGIC Summer Camp - Character Animation with Maya
2023-06-26 08:00 - 2023-06-30 17:00 UTC | Miami Animation & Gaming International Complex @ MDC, 315 NE 2nd Ave - Building 8, Miami, FL, 33132, United States
Animation Camp
Students ages 14-19 will get an introduction to character design and animation using Autodesk® Maya®, the application used by top video game development and film studios. Skills development will focus on the use of Autodesk ”Maya” and Adobe Photoshop. This class is project based; students will have the opportunity to complete a portfolio of their own animation. Pre-Requisite: Basic computer skills. Check in from 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. get acquainted with equipment, meet and greet. From 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.– students can stay on premises and work on labs while waiting for pick-up. Drop-off and Pick-Up at Building 8, first floor. Camp location: Wolfson Campus.
Week #2: Class 6/26/23 – 6/30/23 MTuWThF 9:00 am—3:00 pm $0
Character Animation with Maya: Using Autodesk Maya, you’ll learn how to bring characters to life, using lighting, settings, and camera angles. We’ll teach you a workflow that will take pre-rigged models and animate them in a short sequence that tells a story. Using Autodesk Maya, you’ll learn how to bring characters to life, using lighting, settings, and camera angles. We’ll teach you a workflow that will take pre-rigged models and animate them in a short sequence that tells a story. Ref Number: 8271
Registration will open March 15th, 2023

FALL New Student Orientation - Mandatory
2023-08-18 13:00 - 15:00 UTC | MAGIC Screening Room – Building 8, Room 8106, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States

Workshop - Figure Drawing
2023-09-08 11:00 - 13:00 UTC | MAGIC Open Lab – Building 8, Room 8108, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States
Facilitated by Shona Rose.

Workshop - Texturing in Maya
2023-10-06 11:00 - 13:00 UTC | MAGIC Open Lab – Building 8, Room 8108, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States

Town Hall - October
2023-10-11 08:00 - 17:00 UTC | MAGIC Incubator – Building 8, Room 8119, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States

Student Portfolio Review with Netflix & Unity
2023-10-20 13:00 - 17:00 UTC | MAGIC Open Lab – Building 8, Room 8108, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States

2023 MAGIC Halloween Hackathon
2023-10-20 18:00 - 2023-10-21 18:00 UTC | Miami Dade College – Chapman Center, Building 3, 300 NE 2nd Avenue, MIAMI, FL, 33132, United States
Date and Time
Friday, October 20th, 2023 at 6:00 PM EDT to
Saturday, October 21st, 2023 at 6:00 PM EDT
Registration Ends On October 15, 2023 at 11:59 PM EDT
FREE to all students
Location
Miami-Dade College Wolfson Campus
Building 3 – Room 3210 (Chapman Conference Center)
245 NE 4th Street, Miami, FL
Wolfson Campus Map & Directions
Metro Mover Station: College Bayside
Guest Judges
Elbert Perez – Senior Partner Engineer at Unity
Denise Mendez – Principal Software Engineer @ Microsoft Mixed Reality
Prizes
1st Place for VR/AR Category (Team of 4)
(4) Meta Quest 2 — Advanced All-In-One Virtual Reality Headset — 256 GB
1st Place for 2D/3D Game Dev Category (Team of 4)
(4) Nintendo Switch
1st Place for Animation Category (Team of 4)
(4) Valve Steam Deck, HDMI, 64 GB

The 2023 MAGIC Halloween Hackathon will be held from October 20th, 2023 at 6:00 pm to October 21st, 2023 at 6:00 pm. It’s a 24-hour event hosted by the MDC MAGIC Club at the Wolfson campus in downtown Miami. This live event invites high school and college students from all educational insitutions in South Florida to create a game, animation or an immersive simulations within 24 hours to foster creativity and community in Miami. Food, drinks and activities will be provided to all participants and amazing prizes for best projects. Please register for the event by filling out the form below. This event is FREE to all students.

Join the MAGIC Halloween Hackthon on Discord

2023 MAGIC Halloween Pizza Party
2023-10-31 15:00 - 19:00 UTC | MAGIC Screening Room – Building 8, Room 8106, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States
Join us for MAGIC’s Halloween Pizza Party. Students will get to interact with other students and faculty. There will be a Halloween Costume & Art Contest and a Halloween/Horror screening.
Costume Contest & Halloween Art Work Contest with Special Prizes
ART WORK CONTEST
Submission date for Art Work: Oct 24th, 2023
Art Work Criteria:

Halloween Themed Art Work (PG 13)
Still Image
HD: 1920 X 1080
Resolution: 72-300 dpi

Selection of winner: The Art Work winner will be selected by a vote from the MAGIC Staff on September 31st and announced at the end of event.
COSTUME CONTEST

Costume contest sign up (sign in sheet) upon arrival at event

Selection of winner: The Costume winner will be selected by the MAGIC Halloween committee and announced at the end of event.
***

Art of Tech Speaker's Series
2023-11-08 11:00 - 14:00 UTC | MAGIC Screening Room – Building 8, Room 8106, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States

The 22nd Annual Animation Show of Shows at MAGIC
2023-11-14 12:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | MAGIC Screening Room – Building 8, Room 8106, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States
After a two-year Covid hiatus, the ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS returns to theaters and campuses across North America this fall. This (90 minute) 22nd edition comprises 10 films — nine recent, along with one restored classic — which deal with both the anxieties and hopes of a world faced with a seemingly endless series of existential crises. All are inventive, their tone ranges from the whimsical to the profound; their techniques, from stop-motion to hand-drawn to computer-aided.
Animation is a natural medium for dealing with abstract ideas and deeply felt concerns, and the ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS has always strived to scour the world for the most affecting and engaging films, says founder and curator Ron Diamond. While the recent films were conceived and some finished, before the Covid lockdowns, all but the most abstract display a concern with the ways in which we are all interconnected…or sadly alienated from our sense of human connection.This general issue appears in many forms and styles: While “Beyond Noh” cleverly shows the prevalence of masks through all cultures, and “Rain” humorously explores the dangers of groupthink, “Ties” takes the notion of connectedness from the metaphorical to the actual. The nine new films come from Europe, Asia, and North America. The program culminates with a striking restored 4K digital remaster by the Academy Film Archive of Frederic Back’s classic 1987 Oscar-winner, “The Man Who Planted Trees.” As a bonus, an exhibition of original production art from the films listed below will be presented at selected art house theaters and on college and university campuses. the ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS is funded by major studios, companies, schools, and hundreds of animation lovers around the world.

This year’s films are:

Beyond Noh — Patrick Smith/Kaori Ishida (U.S./Japan) – 3m55s, 1.78, color, Stop Motion Animation, No dialogue, US & Japan, 2020.
Empty Places — Geoffroy de Crecy (France) – 8m49s, 1.78, color, 3D computer animation, No dialogue, France, 2020.
Beseder (Good and Better) — Gil Alkabetz (Germany) – 4m23s, Aspect Ratio,1.77, color, 2D hand drawn animation, Hebrew (subtitled English)
Zoizoglyphe — Jeanne Apergis (France) – 7m44s, minimal color, 2D hand drawn animation, France, 2021.
Rain (Deszcz) — Piotr Milczarek (Poland) – 5m13s, 1.78, color, 2D Hand Drawn Animation, no dialogue, Poland, 2020
Average Happiness — Maja Gehrig (Switzerland) – 7m03s, 1.78, color, 2D Hand Drawn Animation, No dialogue, Switzerland, 2019
Aurora — Jo Meuris (U.S.) – 5m15s,1.77, color, 2D hand drawn animation, US, 2020.
Yes-People — Gísli Darri Halldórsson (Iceland) – 8m35s,1.77, color, 3D computer graphics animation, US, 2019.
Ties –– Dina Velikovskaya (Germany/Russia) – 7m36s, 1.85, color, Stop Motion replacement animation, Germany / Russia 2019.
The Man Who Planted Trees — Frederic Back (Canada) – 30m8s, 1.33, color, 2D Hand drawn, Canada, 1987

Town Hall - November
2023-11-30 12:00 - 14:00 UTC | MAGIC Incubator – Building 8, Room 8119, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States

MDC Esports - Club Rush
2024-01-10 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | Esports Wolfson Campus – Building 1, Room 1157, 300 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, 33132, United States
Esports will have a booth set up to answer any questions about the club, sign up potential members and promote our social media and future events.

MDC Esports - Super Smash Bros Tryouts
2024-01-19 12:00 - 16:00 UTC | Esports Wolfson Campus – Building 1, Room 1157, 300 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, 33132, United States
Students will compete for spots on MDC Esports Super Smash Bros Team. Their skills and techniques will be assessed and evaluated with Club Leads. We will determine if they are eligible to join the team.

MDC Esports - Open House/ Club Meeting
2024-01-22 12:00 - 15:00 UTC | Esports Wolfson Campus – Building 1, Room 1157, 300 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, 33132, United States
These events are split into two. The Open House event will be for any Miami Dade college students wanting to come explore the Esports room. Students can visit for a short time to ask questions and get to know the club members. The Club meeting is right after the Open House so we can discuss and ask members if they are interested in any events in the upcoming months and answer any follow up questions or concerns.
12:00pm – 2:00pm (Open House); 2:00pm – 3:00pm (Club Meeting)

Town Hall – February
2024-02-07 12:00 - 14:00 UTC | MAGIC Screening Room – Building 8, Room 8106, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States
Students currently enrolled in the MAGIC program, or a MAGIC faculty or staff member will have the chance to voice their opinions, concerns, or suggestions to improve our academic program.
This special session will be moderated by Ms. Soraya Rojas and Ms. Nicole Garay in Room 8106. We hope to see you then.

Lynn University @ MAGIC
2024-02-14 12:00 - 14:00 UTC | MAGIC Screening Room – Building 8, Room 8106, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States
Join Lynn University for an opportunity to meet with the Dean and faculty from the College of Communication and Design, Cesar Santalo and Kevin Kao. You will have the opportunity to hear about the different trajectories you can complete with a bachelor’s degree at Lynn University and have your frequently asked questions answered by admission counselor, Rose Llanos, to help make the transfer admission process as seamless as possible.

College of Communication and Design – Academic Programs

Computer Animation (B.F.A.)
Film Production (B.F.A.)
Graphic Design (B.F.A.)
Visual Art and Design (B.F.A.)
Advertising and Public Relations (B.A.)

Speakers:
Dean Cesar Santalo, College of Communication and Design
Kevin Kao, Faculty
Rose Llanos, Admission Counselor
Website: https://www.lynn.edu/academics/colleges/communication-and-design

Workshop - Basics to ZBrush, Part 1
2024-03-01 12:00 - 14:00 UTC | MAGIC Open Lab – Building 8, Room 8108, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States
Introduciton to ZBrush, by Daniel Ozuna. In this in-person workshop, Daniel will cover:

Starting a sculpt
Saving/Loading a sculpt
How to move around
Brushes
Masking
Selecting

ESPORTS - Tekken Match Event
2024-03-14 13:00 - 17:00 UTC | Esports Wolfson Campus – Building 1, Room 1157, 300 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, 33132, United States
Come join us for a paid Tekken Mini Tourney! This Tourney is open to anyone to compete, only $5 cash entry. Show off your fighting skills and prove yourself the Wolfson Tekken Champion!

Workshop - Miami Animation Incentive Program Registration & Profile
2024-03-15 12:00 - 14:00 UTC | MAGIC Open Lab – Building 8, Room 8108, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States
Animation Incentive Program for Miami Animation Talent
The Miami Media Film Market (MMFM), CAMACOL, in collaboration with CareerSource South Florida and the Miami Animation & Gaming International Complex (MAGIC) at Miami-Dade College (MDC), is launching an innovative program to link our next generation of animation/gaming professionals, with animation companies worldwide.
The objective of this animation and training incentive program is to create jobs and opportunities for talented, emerging Miami gaming and animation professionals who are financially challenged. The program will provide participants with free, hands-on skills training and grant them the opportunity to work on local, national or international animation, gaming and visual effects projects. Training will be provided at MDC’s MAGIC. Work will be performed remotely, or onsite with local companies.
How to Submit Your Portfolio
Animators and Game Developers residing in the City of Miami can submit their portfolios and resume on the animation incentive program website: Creatives & Professionals. For further information, please contatct: info@creativesmiami.com

The Workshop at MAGIC
Join us on Friday, March 15th at noon at the Miami Dade College’s Miami Animation & Gaming International Complex to learn about this exciting program for local talent, how to be part of it, how to submit your portolio and how the program works. Patricia Arias and Jose Luis Martinez, Founder and Co-Founder at the Miami Media and Film Market, will be at MAGIC to present the program and answer questions on ways y0u can participate.
For further information about the Miami Animation Incentive Program, please contact info@creativesmiami.com
Key Benefit for Employers

Financial incentive based on a reimbursement of the animator salary which is estimated to range between approximately 40% to 75% for the first 12 to 24 weeks of employment (This is Subject to negotiation with our workforce training partners).
Employers choose talent for their project from a talented, educated, pool of Miami based animators.
Ability to provide on-the-job training (OJT) / supervision either on-site or remotely.
Program is designed to increase productivity and improve workforce quality.
No-cost additional skills training at MDC Magic for qualified Miami based animators. Skills training is provided by CAMACOL through the City of Miami’s ARPA program. The skills training at Miami Dade College is for City of Miami Residents.

ESPORTS - Just Dance
2024-03-19 11:00 - 13:00 UTC | Esports Wolfson Campus – Building 1, Room 1157, 300 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, 33132, United States
Come and dance your way into Spring Break! Celebrate women in music with a fun Just Dance event!

MDC MAGIC + FIU Articulation Agreement Information Session
2024-03-20 12:00 - 14:00 UTC | MAGIC Screening Room – Building 8, Room 8106, 315 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL, 33132, United States
MDC MAGIC + FIU Articulation Agreement Information Session
Florida International University’s Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media will host an information session fto provide information about the transfer pathway for MDC graduates of the Associate in Science (AS) in Animation and Game Art or the AS in Game Development and Design to pursue a Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree in Digital Communication and Media at FIU. Please make sure to attend this event if you’re interested in transferring to FIU to continue your studies.

The Agreement
Miami Dade College (MDC) and Florida International University (FIU) signed an articulation agreement that creates a seamless transfer pathway for MDC graduates of the Associate in Science (AS) in Animation and Game Art or the AS in Game Development and Design to pursue a Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree in Digital Communication and Media at FIU. Both MDC and FIU recognize the significant roles they each play as exemplars evolving successful transfer pathways, which have positively impacted student outcomes.
Students pursuing the AS degree at the Miami Animation & Gaming International Complex would matriculate at MDC for 4 semesters. Upon successful completion of the AS degree at MDC, MDC graduates would seamlessly enroll at FIU to complete the remaining 4 semesters of the BS in Digital Communication and Media. MDC students who transition to FIU under the terms of the Agreement will be required to complete any remaining General Education requirements at FIU or through approved accelerated credit mechanisms. MDC students must meet FIU’s transfer admission criteria for the catalog year when they first enrolled at MDC. MDC students must successfully complete the Foreign Language Graduation Requirement prior to enrolling at FIU. In addition to meeting FIU’s transfer admission criteria, students seeking admission to the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media, must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.85.
FIU will accept major-specific courses completed at MDC to count toward the BS in Digital Communication and Media. Students are allowed no more than 12 credits of lower-division courses to count toward upper-division requirements, as stipulated by the Accrediting Council in Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media’s accrediting agency.

Both Animation & Game Art and Game Development & Design transfer maps to FIU are available for review by clicking here: MAGIC + FIU TRANSFER MAPS. For more information and further details about this agreement and transferring to FIU, please contact us at (305) 237-3560

ESPORTS - NACE Valorant Match MDC VA vs TAMIU Dustdevils Maroon
2024-03-20 19:00 - 21:00 UTC | Esports Wolfson Campus – Building 1, Room 1157, 300 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, 33132, United States
It’s time for the Spring 2024 NACE Starleague Open Premier! Come support our Valorant team! Watch the match on stream at https://www.twitch.tv/esports_mdc
