Magic: The Gathering鈥檚 latest campaign, 鈥淏eginnings,鈥 leans into 鈥90s nostalgia, following one man鈥檚 journey with the iconic tabletop and digital card game. Director Jordan Bahat of Golden LA has unveiled a new, extended cut of this poignant short film, offering a fresh perspective to this heartfelt story. Re-released just in time for the holidays, 鈥淏eginnings鈥 invites legacy players to introduce the game to a new generation while reconnecting with their own roots.
This long-form ad tells the story of a boy鈥檚 connection to Magic: The Gathering from the mid-鈥90s to the present day - with the game featured across multiple milestones in a coming-of-age journey. After purchasing his first pack at a local card shop, Magic: The Gathering sparks friendships, connections, and community as our hero grows into adulthood, even sharing the digital game with his infant daughter. Jordan masterfully directs a large cast of actors, with some characters played by multiple performers as the story spans decades. The result is a comprehensive narrative, making 鈥淏eginnings鈥 feel like a rich mosaic of memories.
Through cinematic nuance and naturalistic performances, 鈥淏eginnings鈥 evokes a precise sense of place and time and is bolstered by an evocative musical score. Golden LA handled all aspects of the project from initial ideation to script development, production, post, and finishing, creating a holistic creative and production process for Magic: The Gathering and the larger team at Hasbro, Inc.
Director Jordan Bahat of Golden LA remarked, 鈥淚 grew up in the same timeline as the story and loved personalizing this world. We even shot at a few locations I grew up around. Everyone at the brand is a genuine lifelong fan of the game鈥攁nd the game itself is built on world-building and storytelling鈥攕o they鈥檙e natural collaborators who bring inspiring ideas to the table. It鈥檚 clear that Magic: The Gathering is much more than a game to so many, and I hope we were able to authentically represent the depth of connection fans have built with MTG.鈥
鈥淲e are all film school dropouts in one form or another, so being asked and entrusted to tell an endearing story for a brand is a genuine highlight,鈥 says Matthew Marquis, managing director of Golden LA. 鈥淎s a company, we embrace the holistic creative and production process. It's always been Golden LA鈥檚 DNA, and being able to execute it on this level was both exciting and gratifying.鈥