Denis Kamioka (aka CISMA), of Japanese-Brazilian descent, moves from stop motion to 3D animation, then on to real images and back to motion graphics without any problems. Furthermore, he has become a specialist in finding a balance between visual impact and commercial instinct. This has led him to a successful career in advertising in Brazil, Spain, and across the globe. He defines himself as a storyteller equipped with the latest in film and graphic design tools. Cisma is a thinker, an instinctive artist and a problem solver for whom the creative process is the search for meaning, which only ends when the meaning is complete.

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Boa mistura, "good mixture" in Portuguese, was launched when 5 professionals decided to push their respective careers beyond the limit and mix design, advertising, architecture and engineering with a desire for social intervention to create a project about which they could feel proud. They discovered that the canvas was the street, and if they created the message and the colour, the light would in turn create the town and its people. Since then they have not stopped travelling the world to show their artwork, always to a positive reception. Luckily, they are also coming to leave their mark at MAD.

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Co-founder and chief editor at Smashing Magazine, one of the largest design and web design blogs in the world. Vitaly Friedman was born in Minsk, Belarus and has been living in Germany (currently in Freiburg) since age 16. He graduated in Computer Science and Mathematics and soon discovered his passion for typography, writing and design.

After working as a free-lance designer and programmer, Friedman co-founded Smashing Magazine, one of the largest on-line magazines on design and web development. Vitaly has also co-authored several books.

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Javier Jaén Benavides is a master of illustration. He can be found in Barcelona as well as in New York, can create unforgettable images as readily as he can provoke thoughts with his wry humour, as well acting as a social agitator, representing the Eiffel Tower with a clothes peg. His editorial work can be seen worldwide, from the New York Times to La Vanguardia, and from Madrid to the skies, thanks to his work for Vueling. Very soon he will be back in Madrid to give us his thoughts on the graphic creation scene.

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Ivan Castro was born in the late ‘70s in the suburbs of Barcelona. As a child, he developed an unusual interest for letterforms, drawing gothic letters and Superman’s S every now and then. Thirty years later, he earns his living doing practically the same thing; calligraphy. He combines his work as a calligrapher and graphic designer, with that of teaching in schools such us: Elisava, BAU and La Massana.

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DreamWorks was founded in 1994 by Jeffrey Katzenberg, David Geffen, and Steven Spielberg, and within a few years it became one of the largest entertainment companies in the world. An important part of its work is animated films —the company has produced over 30 titles, some of them among the highest grossing in history, such as the 'Shrek' franchise and 'How to Train Your Dragon'— and it is now a world leader in production. This year, DreamWorks visit MAD represented by Cassidy Curtis, one of DreamWorks’ bosses. Curtis is a specialist in 3D and character creation. He designs specific software and has extensive knowledge in the animation process. Curtis will talk about how to work in a large studio and will tell us about his experiences of the relationship between motion graphics and design.

Dreamworks  |  IMDB

This graphic artist from Bilbao began his career 22 years ago with the newspaper El Correo and has spent the last 7 years in Washington D.C. working at National Geographic’s headquarters. He has become one of the most recognised graphic designers in the world. Each of his projects is a culmination of months of research, sketching and testing, through which he looks to achieve the most comprehensive representation of the story that is to be told. The process includes models and the study of different points of view drawn from 100 people’s opinions about the approach. Finally, Fernando focuses on the artistic side of the project, using traditional and modern methods to produce a brilliant result. It will be a pleasure to learn from one of the masters of world infographic journalism.

National Geographic

Pepe Cruz Novillo is a pioneer of Spanish graphic design and a creator of many logos and brands that have become part of the daily lives of all who live in Spain, and increasingly those of people from around the world. From 1968, starting with those collectible matchboxes, Pyrenees Matches, his iconography has gradually come part of our daily lives. Cruz Novillo created well-known brands such as those of the PSOE, El Mundo, Repsol and Endesa. He won the 1997 National Design Award and is also a restless researcher who has turned his talent to other disciplines such as sculpture, architecture, and music ... or a combination of them all!

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This year MAD is delighted to welcome the fresh, bright and stylish art work of Sebas & Clim. This Uruguayan-Catalan pair of animators practice Motion Graphics with real passion, turning each project into a unique personal piece, full of meaning and personality. Moreover, we are extra lucky because Sebastián and Climent will be producing our titles, and at this opening we might unveil the secret to combining conceptual development and commercial success without breaking a sweat.

Website  |  Reel