MEDIA ARTS GAMES CENTER MAKING MAGIC WITH RIT FOR AND. Professor & Founder, School of Interactive Games & Media

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1 MAKING MAGIC WITH RIT For more information on how you can make MAGIC, please contact: Paul Harris Senior Director of Corporate Relations Andrew Phelps Founding Director, RIT MAGIC Center Professor & Founder, School of Interactive Games & Media FOR CENTER MEDIA ARTS GAMES FOR CENTER MEDIA ARTS GAMES CREATIVITY AND INTERACTION 2014 Rochester Institute of Technology. All rights reserved. Rochester Institute of Technology One Lomb Memorial Drive Rochester, NY CREATIVITY AND INTERACTION

2 ArtistDesigner in Residence Program An artistdesigner in residence program will bring additional energy and vitality to the MAGIC Center while giving students exceptional first-hand knowledge of what the expectations of interactive digital media professionals are. Such a program will also enable students to further hone their knowledge, skills and abilities as they prepare for what lies beyond their academic careers. Students exercise control over their work making the artist sdesigner s role as that of mentor, facilitator and technical advisor on important technical and artistic skills and concepts. Design Challenges At the MAGIC Center, we firmly believe that we learn by making things. Holding student contests that can award prizes of value and meaning to the creative community are wonderful opportunities to immerse students in the development process. Such prizes include funds to pursue additional projects; travel and support funds for presentations on the national or international stage, entrance or publishing fees depending on the nature of the work, or software, hardware, or materials for additional development and testing, among several possibilities. Additionally, select design challenges give RIT students a sense of what the fast-paced, competitive environment of creating digital media within given specifications and timelines is like and what it takes to be truly successful. Sponsored Projects & Workshops The MAGIC Center sometimes undertakes funded work from outside corporations and organizations, particularly when it can engage in helping clients re-envision solutions or design for the future. Such projects are completed under faculty guidance by the Center s students, thereby giving students additional hands-on experience on applied, real-world projects. The Center also looks to host digital media workshops for the industry as well as local and K 12 communities; expanding the university s reach while also furthering our commitment to the region and enriching the learning opportunities for future generations and potential student applicants. What is MAGIC? Opened in the fall 2013, MAGIC the Center for Media, Arts, Games, Interaction and Creativity was created to help RIT students, faculty and staff reach their innovative potential in the burgeoning field of digital media, including games, apps, films, software, and digital media of all varieties. With the ultimate goal of helping students realize their entrepreneurial spirit, the MAGIC Center is comprised of two distinct but related parts: the RIT Laboratory for Media, Arts, Games, Interaction and Creativity and MAGIC Spell Studios. The RIT Laboratory for Media, Arts, Games, Interaction and Creativity A university-wide research and development laboratory, the RIT Laboratory for Media, Arts, Games, Interaction and Creativity is a cross-disciplinary hub where students, faculty and staff researchers, artists, developers and practitioners come together to create, contextualize, and apply new knowledge to digital media. This work crosses a multitude of related fields and disciplines, including not only science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), but also their intersection with the arts and humanities. The lab acts as the intellectual and creative home for affiliated faculty from within the School of Interactive Games and Media as well as faculty affiliates from across the university, who are advising and mentoring students in a broadly multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary context. MAGIC Spell Studios MAGIC Spell Studios is a production studio that helps students, faculty and staff as they bring their ideas from prototype to commercial production in the marketplace. Projects in the studio are aligned with the university in a way that allows owners to make creative products without some of the traditional challenges that come with owning a company and engaging with third-party publishers. The commercial production side of the MAGIC Center also allows RIT to employ the financial concepts that make digital media studios work by embedding a production studio directly into the student experience, MAGIC Spell Studios provides true professional exposure and understanding, which enriches the business acumen necessary for startup entrepreneurs to successfully nurture and grow their ideas to successful entities. Imagine Create Innovate Iterate Refine Publish Critique Learn Make your mark. Make MAGIC.

3 MAKING MAGIC WITH RIT MAGIC Opportunities Become a Founding Partner of the MAGIC Center with your gift to any one of the following creative and innovative opportunity areas: Endowed Director Position By endowing the Office of the Director, the university is in a position to maintain the direction and the consistent vision of the Center for the future. The Center needs a strong guiding hand in all academic and professional decisions associated with the MAGIC Center to ensure its continued success as the cross-cutting research and development center it is meant to be. The Office of the Director is additionally responsible for the MAGIC Speaker Series, guests to the campus that engage our students and faculty, forging relationships with partners and supporters world-wide, and identifying, developing, and executing opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to engage in research and entrepreneurial activities. The Office of the Director is the key component that drives all aspects of MAGIC Center activity. MAGIC Facilities Fund The creation of digital media can t occur without state-of-the-art facilities than enable design, development, production, and critique. The MAGIC Center has several outstanding needs for facilities as we continue to grow and realize the potential of the unique convergence that is occurring between games, computer animation, interactive media, and motion graphics, among others. Such needs include a 4K digital theater for students to view and critique their work in these emerging formats; a materials science lab to explore material definitions and their re-creation in digital environments and simulations; an advanced rendering farm to allow for the creation of films and animations employing the latest technologies and visual effects; and a multi-purpose facility that allows for green screen filming, motion capture, and augmented reality experimentation. Photo by Myers Creative Imaging Part research lab, part production studio, the MAGIC Center supports projects large and small through all stages of the creative and development process. MAGIC in the Making MAGIC Spell Studios acts as a pre-incubator that enables and facilitates the publication of student work and product development such that upon graduation, students will already have a product in the market, and may have formed their own studio prior to graduating. This changes the game in terms of providing opportunities for entrepreneurial activity and resources for startup activity: students aren t forced to choose at graduation between just beginning a startup versus taking a position at an established studio. Rather, the choice will be whether or not to continue to invest and engage in a startup that has emerged during their years at RIT that is here in Rochester, and to create second, third, or fourth products for the market after proven experiences are already established. RIT is strongly committed to supporting and engaging high quality students in the study of advanced technology but also recruiting and anchoring these highly sought-after students in the greater Rochester area. Over the past few years, RIT has emerged as a national and international leader in film and animation, 3D graphics, and game design and development. The animation programs have produced Academy Award winners and graduate talent for Hollywood and other sectors of the industry. The Game Design and Development programs have been ranked in the top 5 in the country by the Princeton Review, and have similarly produced award winners and talent the world over, including alumni that are leaders at major studios such as Microsoft, Valve, Electronic Arts and Activision, to name just a few.

4 RIT Rankings and Awards #1 Student Incubator in the United States Ranked 4 th in Top Schools for Video Game Design for 2013 as ranked by the Princeton Review Ranked 11 th among World s 25 Best Design Schools in 2012 Microsoft XNA Creators Award in 2007 Team of three RIT alumni shared Academy Award for Best Visual Effects: Life of Pi Team of five RIT alumni shared Academy Award for Feature Animation: Frozen Recognition as an Adobe Partner By Design School, with the MAGIC Center Director serving on the PBD Board of Advisors Through the MAGIC Center, RIT has the potential to grow these programs significantly beyond their current state without reducing the quality of the overall academic experience. To help realize this potential, RIT s MAGIC Center is at the core of these activities, and acts as the catalyst to more effectively engage and mentor these students in activities likely to have sustained impact on not only the students themselves but also on the university, the various industries they relate to, and the Rochester region at large. The current shift to mobile devices and more broadly consumed content has had a profound effect on the studio model that drives these thriving industries: while large, monolithic studios still exist, there are many smaller studios and organizations that are springing up at each stage of the production process that are more agile but still highly successful. Other areas of the country have capitalized on this shift and courted these independent developers with great success: cities such as Boston, Austin and others have become hubs of such activity. There are several examples of start-up companies already in the Rochester region that have emerged in concert with the growth of the academic programs at RIT, including: Darkwind Media, a game development studio founded by RIT alumni, which produces AAA content on XBOX and other platforms, as well as third-party ports and technologies with clients such as Unity, Activision, Ubisoft and other Second Avenue Learning, a major recipient of department of education grants for educational games, and a recipient of START-UP NY funding Workinman Interactive which is bringing work from New York City to the region from Nickelodeon and Disney, among numerous other clients But this is just the beginning of the vast number of amazing opportunities that can be made available for RIT students.

5 Alumni Impact The greater Rochester area definitely has the opportunity to become a hub for startups and established companies that want to pursue gaming and other media industries. Rochester has the infrastructure to support these businesses as well as the affordability. RIT continues to encourage entrepreneurship and support startup studios, which should offer ample opportunity for the graduates coming out of the programs at RIT to create growth in the region. Darkwind would like to be a part of that growth by offering our experience as a startup studio to those that are following a similar path. Additionally, there could be many opportunities for us to hire external local startups for support on various projects which is a necessary first step towards stability in the early stages of business growth. We believe that turning Rochester into a hub for these studios would be beneficial for everyone as it would facilitate idea sharing, work sharing, and help create the creative culture that the gaming industry thrives on. Darkwind Media Co-founders Colin Doody 08, 10, Game Design & Development Matthew Mikuszewski 07, New Media Interactive Development IMPACT

6 Student Impact I m studying Illustration but I guess you can say I adopted game design by accident when Gary Porter 15 (Game Design & Development) and I decided to tackle a project of our own. It s been interesting to discover the ways that I can take what I ve learned in one area and apply it to another. If our project works out, I d love to pursue other game development projects. I m still working out what a dream job for me entails; there are a thousand things I d love to try. But being my own boss? I can dig it! The thought of having my own studio sounds real cool and I believe I have the entrepreneurial drive to make it happen. Dan Plate 15 Illustration I was given a Nintendo Entertainment System when I was very young and it acted as a gateway to a new console or two from every generation as I grew up. When my childish aspirations of becoming an astronaut or archeologist dissolved, I realized that I would love to make video games for a living. My dream job is to create a studio with my buddy Dan Plate 15 (Illustration) after graduation so that we can complete our current game and hopefully, many games after that. It takes a lot of self-motivation and unpaid work, but it will be worth it. The future I just want to continue making games that I enjoy creating and that others enjoy playing for as long as I can. Gary Porter 15 Game Design & Development Their project has been funded and is being published through MAGIC Spell Studios.

7 MAKING MAGIC WITH RIT I ve always had a passion for video games. I love talking about them and playing them, but I didn t really think about making them until freshman year of high school. Since then, that has been my dream. It was Kingdom Hearts that finally made me think about making games. I idolized Tetsuya Nomura, the creator, because his work spanned game design, art and story writing which are all the things that I love doing. I have always dreamt of working in a field where I could combine my creative abilities with my love of technology. RIT has this incredible game design program and an environment that encourages student teams and collaboration. I really enjoy making video games with other students. Amanda Imperial 15 Game Design & Development I was inspired to study game design and development primarily because I wanted to figure out how to further the field and find a way to combine philosophical ideals with game design. Owning my own studio is a dream of mine not for the sake of owning it but being able to have an entity in which my team and I will be able to see our innovative ideas to completion; where we are freer to take on the projects we are most interested in pursuing. Blake Gross 14 Game Design & Development

8 Computers have been a part of my life since I was a toddler. I have always been fascinated with computers and the fact that one set of hardware can be used to create millions of digital experiences. Whether it is through playing a game or an educational website, there are endless possibilities to what a computer can do for you. I hope to one day be able to combine my love of music with my technology career. Right now, I am in the early stages of creating a music social media site. RIT is the right environment for me to be able to do that. Nate Perry 15 New Media Interactive Development HOW CAN YOU BE PART OF THE SOLUTION? Believe in MAGIC your support of RIT s MAGIC Center will have an ever-lasting impact on the innovative, creative and entrepreneurial students working in a multidisciplinary way with other equally talented students to not only imagine the possibilities but to also realize the possibilities. Together, we can continue to produce the amazing talent that drives the gaming, applications and software industries around the world and grow our student companies to unimaginable success with roots and futures here in Rochester and RIT at the core.

9 The Need The MAGIC Center in its present form cannot scale up largely for many of the same issues that limit growth in the academic programs specifically capital resources and physical footprint. The university has already invested deeply in both the academic programs and the MAGIC Center, most recently with renovations to existing facilities to support the academic laboratories for the programs and a new, small-scale facility for the Center. However to maximize the impact that the MAGIC Center can make, the current constraints must be alleviated to fulfill its mission, the MAGIC Center requires more physical space, equipment, and infrastructure to more effectively serve as a catalyst for business development by integrating the academic programs with the Center across the university. The university has recently proposed the creation of a facility on the RIT campus will house a combination of studio space, academic laboratories, digital media production facilities, classrooms, and mentoring facilities to support the various programs; coupled with renovations to RIT facilities in downtown Rochester that will act as satellite studios to on-campus activity and as incubators for student-founded production studio type activity. This strategy utilizes a satellite studio model to drive activity from the academic programs on campus to commercial activity off campus, through the MAGIC Center and associated entities. Such facilities would allow RIT to link together: The academic programs core to MAGIC with other key programs across discipline The studio and high-tech experimental facilities needed for advanced technology development Off-campus commercially viable startup activities in concert with on-campus initiatives Partner corporations and other organizations working in collaboration with faculty, staff and student entrepreneurs ON RIT CAMPUS ROCHESTER DOWNTOWN AREA Film, Video & Animation (Academic Program) Game Design & Development (Academic Program) MAGIC Production Studio Facility (NEW FACILITY) RIT MAGIC Center (Research & Development) MAGIC Studio Incubator (NEW RENOVATION) New studios and regional businesses The potential to grow well beyond the university s current support exists and with your investment in the innovators of tomorrow, we can build mutually beneficial partnerships and realize the dream that IS MAGIC.

10 MAKING MAGIC WITH RIT MAGIC Opportunities Become a Founding Partner of the MAGIC Center with your gift to any one of the following creative and innovative opportunity areas: Endowed Director Position By endowing the Office of the Director, the university is in a position to maintain the direction and the consistent vision of the Center for the future. The Center needs a strong guiding hand in all academic and professional decisions associated with the MAGIC Center to ensure its continued success as the cross-cutting research and development center it is meant to be. The Office of the Director is additionally responsible for the MAGIC Speaker Series, guests to the campus that engage our students and faculty, forging relationships with partners and supporters worldwide, and identifying, developing, and executing opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to engage in research and entrepreneurial activities. The Office of the Director is the key component that drives all aspects of MAGIC Center activity. MAGIC Facilities Fund The creation of digital media can t occur without state-of-the-art facilities than enable design, development, production, and critique. The MAGIC Center has several outstanding needs for facilities as we continue to grow and realize the potential of the unique convergence that is occurring between games, computer animation, interactive media, and motion graphics, among others. Such needs include a 4K digital theater for students to view and critique their work in these emerging formats; a materials science lab to explore material definitions and their re-creation in digital environments and simulations; an advanced rendering farm to allow for the creation of films and animations employing the latest technologies and visual effects; and a multi-purpose facility that allows for green screen filming, motion capture, and augmented reality experimentation. Photo by Myers Creative Imaging Part research lab, part production studio, the MAGIC Center supports projects large and small through all stages of the creative and development process. MAGIC in the Making MAGIC Spell Studios acts as a pre-incubator that enables and facilitates the publication of student work and product development such that upon graduation, students will already have a product in the market, and may have formed their own studio prior to graduating. This changes the game in terms of providing opportunities for entrepreneurial activity and resources for startup activity: students aren t forced to choose at graduation between just beginning a startup versus taking a position at an established studio. Rather, the choice will be whether or not to continue to invest and engage in a startup that has emerged during their years at RIT that is here in Rochester, and to create second, third, or fourth products for the market after proven experiences are already established. RIT is strongly committed to supporting and engaging high quality students in the study of advanced technology but also recruiting and anchoring these highly sought-after students in the greater Rochester area. Over the past few years, RIT has emerged as a national and international leader in film and animation, 3D graphics, and game design and development. The animation programs have produced Academy Award winners and graduate talent for Hollywood and other sectors of the industry. The Game Design and Development programs have been ranked in the top 5 in the country by the Princeton Review, and have similarly produced award winners and talent the world over, including alumni that are leaders at major studios such as Microsoft, Valve, Electronic Arts and Activision, to name just a few.

11 ArtistDesigner in Residence Program An artistdesigner in residence program will bring additional energy and vitality to the MAGIC Center while giving students exceptional firsthand knowledge of what the expectations of interactive digital media professionals are. Such a program will also enable students to further hone their knowledge, skills and abilities as they prepare for what lies beyond their academic careers. Students exercise control over their work making the artist sdesigner s role as that of mentor, facilitator and technical advisor on important technical and artistic skills and concepts. Design Challenges At the MAGIC Center, we firmly believe that we learn by making things. Holding student contests that can award prizes of value and meaning to the creative community are wonderful opportunities to immerse students in the development process. Such prizes include funds to pursue additional projects; travel and support funds for presentations on the national or international stage, entrance or publishing fees depending on the nature of the work, or software, hardware, or materials for additional development and testing, among several possibilities. Additionally, select design challenges give RIT students a sense of what the fast-paced, competitive environment of creating digital media within given specifications and timelines is like and what it takes to be truly successful. Sponsored Projects & Workshops The MAGIC Center sometimes undertakes funded work from outside corporations and organizations, particularly when it can engage in helping clients re-envision solutions or design for the future. Such projects are completed under faculty guidance by the Center s students, thereby giving students additional hands-on experience on applied, real-world projects. The Center also looks to host digital media workshops for the industry as well as local and K 12 communities; expanding the university s reach while also furthering our commitment to the region and enriching the learning opportunities for future generations and potential student applicants. What is MAGIC? Opened in the fall 2013, MAGIC the Center for Media, Arts, Games, Interaction and Creativity was created to help RIT students, faculty and staff reach their innovative potential in the burgeoning field of digital media, including games, apps, films, software, and digital media of all varieties. With the ultimate goal of helping students realize their entrepreneurial spirit, the MAGIC Center is comprised of two distinct but related parts: the RIT Laboratory for Media, Arts, Games, Interaction and Creativity and MAGIC Spell Studios. The RIT Laboratory for Media, Arts, Games, Interaction and Creativity A non-profit university-wide research and development laboratory, the RIT Laboratory for Media, Arts, Games, Interaction and Creativity is a cross-disciplinary hub where students, faculty and staff researchers, artists, developers and practitioners come together to create, contextualize, and apply new knowledge to digital media. This work crosses a multitude of related fields and disciplines, including not only science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), but also their intersection with the arts and humanities. The lab acts as the intellectual and creative home for affiliated faculty from within the School of Interactive Games and Media as well as faculty affiliates from across the university, who are advising and mentoring students in a broadly multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary context. MAGIC Spell Studios MAGIC Spell Studios is a production studio that helps students, faculty and staff as they bring their ideas from prototype to commercial production in the marketplace. Projects in the studio are aligned with the university in a way that allows owners to make creative products without some of the traditional challenges that come with owning a company and engaging with third-party publishers. The commercial production side of the MAGIC Center also allows RIT to employ the financial concepts that make digital media studios work by embedding a production studio directly into the student experience, MAGIC Spell Studios provides true professional exposure and understanding, which enriches the business acumen necessary for startup entrepreneurs to successfully nurture and grow their ideas to successful entities. Imagine Create Innovate Iterate Refine Publish Critique Learn Make your mark. Make MAGIC.

12 MAKING MAGIC WITH RIT For more information on how you can make MAGIC, please contact: Paul Harris Andrew Phelps Senior Director of Corporate Relations Founding Director, RIT MAGIC Center Professor & Founder, School of Interactive Games & Media FOR CENTER MEDIA ARTS GAMES FOR CENTER MEDIA ARTS GAMES CREATIVITY AND INTERACTION 2014 Rochester Institute of Technology. All rights reserved. Rochester Institute of Technology One Lomb Memorial Drive Rochester, NY CREATIVITY AND INTERACTION