Miami, April 22, 2016- Nearly 50 students at Miami Dade College (MDC) will compete for an opportunity to have a short animated film released on Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Americas’ digital platforms and receive mentorship from Nickelodeon Latin America, when budding animators at MDC’s groundbreaking Miami Animation & Gaming International Complex (MAGIC) pitch their best ideas April 25-27. The top submissions will then be invited to present their idea Monday, May 2, at 1 p.m. before a panel of animation industry experts, including Nickelodeon Latin America creative and production executives where the individual with the best overall pitch will be selected.
“At MAGIC, our academic programs emphasize industry practices, and pitching a project is just part of the process,” explains Mauricio Ferrazza, MAGIC Chairperson. “When pitching a script, students must persuade our panel to go with their idea and tell us why.”
As part of VIMN America’s commitment to the community and partnering with local institutions like MDC’s MAGIC to foster local talent, the short will be produced in cooperation with VIMN’s recently opened Viacom International Studios in Miami. A production hub for all of its global brands, which include Nickelodeon Latin America, the Studios recently inaugurated its Play Plex Lab for the creation of short form content for all platforms. This project aims to be an incubator for ideas and projects that can help provide opportunities to showcase local talent and content.
Students enrolled in MAGIC’s Animation & Game Art program will pitch their final project April 25-27 to MAGIC faculty, staff, board members and guest industry professionals. “The Pitch” is part of MAGIC’s academic program, the project must be an original story, no longer than 15 minutes, and can be created using any type of animation.
Top ten pitches will be selected to advance to the next phase, when students will present to Nickelodeon Latin America executives, MAGIC faculty and staff on May 2. One or two projects will be selected to be mentored by a Nickelodeon creative team for a one-year period of production where creative and production meetings will be held at MAGIC on a regular basis.
The short animated movies produced during this collaboration will be released on VIMN America’s digital platforms and properties for an agreed period. The shorts will also be submitted to animation festivals.
WHAT: Miami Dade College’s MAGIC Students Compete for Opportunity for Viacom to Release Short Animated Film
WHEN: Monday, May 2, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
WHERE: Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus, Building 8, Room 8119 300 N.E. 2nd Ave