SIGGRAPH, Always a Great Show
06/08/2013
I am now trying to decompress - finally. But before I do, I wanted to provide some of my thoughts and observations from the show. And then I will get ready to reset the calendar for next years event in Vancouver.
Saturday, June 20 After a whopping four hours of sleep, I left my house for the airport at 4:30 am. The heat wave was still blanketing the East Coast, and the outside temperature was 85 degrees in New Hampshire! After an uneventful flight (thank God!) I arrived in Anaheim to a nice, cool day - at least the heat and mugginess did not follow me.
After a meeting, it was time to do the annual CGW Get Connected! Event for the SIGGRAPH Student Volunteers. This marks the sixth time CGW has done this event, and this year there were approximately 300 students in the room to hear presentations by our all-star panel: Jenny Fulle, founder of The Creative-Cartel; John DesJardin, visual effects supervisor; Bobby Podesta, CCO of ToyTalk (formerly of Pixar), and Guy Williams, visual effects supervisor at Weta Digital. These people have worked on a ton of tentpole films: The Matrix, Ghost Rider, Surfs Up, Spider-Man, Stuart Little, Batman Returns, A Bugs Life, Monsters, Inc., Toy Story, Mission Impossible: II, The Lord of the Rings, I, Robot, King Kong, Iron Man 3, The Avengers, The Hunger Games, and more. These industry rock stars discussed their personal journeys within the visual effects realm, providing advice and information that is sure to help the students in their own journeys. The students were attentive and embraced the opportunity to hear from these experts. Afterward, they had the chance to ask the panel questions in a Q&A that, as always, had to be cut short due to time. But, despite their busy schedules (John DJ DesJardin had driven up to the session directly from Comic-Con, then drove back after the presentation), the presenters stayed until the last students question was answered after the students approached the stage following the session. My thanks goes out to them for graciously giving their time back to the students!
At the Get Connected! Session, CGW raffled off a ton of prizes, including a DreamColor monitor (from HP) and three high-end graphics cards (one from Nvidia and two from AMD). Plus, we had a bunch of other items from Weta, The Creative-Cartel, and Sony Pictures, including DVDs and cool swag from the new Smurfs movie! Then the students were treated to a pizza party co-sponsored by CGW.
Sunday, July 21 SIGGRAPH held its third Business Symposium, which started early Sunday morning and lasted until about dinnertime. CGW long-time contributor Evan Hirsch (Executive Creative Director, Engine Co. 4) served as this years Business Symposium Chair. The Symposium is geared to higher-level execs and studio heads. To encourage open discussion, only a handful of select press were invited, including me. The daylong event featured discussion on platforms and content creation/delivery. A really dynamic speaker was Captain Thomas Chaby, executive officer of the Naval Special Warfare Center who discussed disruption on the battlefield - with the takeaway obviously being dealing with unplanned events in this industry. There were other discussions, too. But there were two items of particular interest. The first encouraged attendees to stay linked together via IntroNetworks. Providing the information was Mark Sylvester, CEO of IntroNetworks. In case that name sounds familiar, it is. He was a co-founder of Wavefront Technologies. Attendees were encouraged to use the community-building software, given to them free of charge for the year. The other was a mentoring program, and the execs in the room were encouraged to mentor or become mentorees; SIGGRAPH attendees were also prompted to sign up, so that matches could be found, pairing up those with common interests and objectives. What a fantastic idea!
Monday, July 22 The day started when I met with HP in their suite at the hotel. The company was showing off their latest Z Workstation: the HP Z230, in a tower offering and a small form factor. Pricing starts at $999 for quad-core configurations, and they are expected to be available this month. HP also showed off the first professional monitors of the new Z Display family: the HP Z22i, Z23i and Z24i IPS Displays.
I then zipped to the pressroom to get my badge. En route to the keynote, I stopped at a stand that had My first SIGGRAPH was ribbons. I found mine (1998, Orlando). Then I dashed to the keynote. Wow! How fabulous it was to take a trip down memory lane with giants in the film industry. They were there to share their experiences and early work - really early work, most of which was their student films.
I then had a speed dating session with vendors outside the pressroom. It was kind of nice not having to run around the show floor to various booths. Instead, I sat at a table and they played musical vendor, rotating in and out. Imagination Technologies provided sneak previews of its Caustic Visualizer for Maya and Max, and discussed its developments in raytraced graphics. PipelineFX talked about Qube 6.5, its renderfarm management software, released recently. Chaos Group continued to impress with its V-Ray renderer. Also impressive was Fabric Engine. I got a small preview of what they were doing last year, and it was
LINK: | http://www.cgw.com/Press-Center/News/2013/SIGGRAPH-Always-a-Great-Show... |
See more stories from cwg |
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet Appoints Santiago Solanas as CEO to Lead Next Era of Growth and Innovation
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet and Veritone Reach Agreement to Distribute, Transact and Monetize Media Archives
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
18/05/2024
If Bundling Is Back, What's the Ideal Bundle?
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. Bundling is back in a big way, with all the major streaming companies and many pay TV operators exploring ways to simplify the consumer experie...
18/05/2024
FCC to Vote on LPTV Rules during June Open Meeting
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the June Open Commission Meeting schedule...
18/05/2024
Matthews Launches New Multipurpose Grip Rail Telescopic Grid Pipe Solution
Matthews Studio Equipment has introduced Grip Rail, which the company said offers a better way to mount equipment on location, in the studio, or on the fly....
18/05/2024
IAB Tech Labs, Google Partner on New First Party Data Solution
In a notable development in the industry-wide effort to address privacy concerns while improving efficacy of marketing efforts in a cookieless ad landscape, IAB...
18/05/2024
TV Tech Weekly Product Wrap-Up
Missed any of our product coverage during your busy week? The TV Tech weekly product and services news wrap-up provides links to all of our coverage from May 13...
18/05/2024
DHD Elevates the Art of Podcast Production
DHD Elevates the Art of Podcast Production Brie Clayton May 17, 2024 0 Comments Hero image: the DHD DX2 base and expansion modules Latest-generation ...
17/05/2024
Aerojet Rocketdyne's Camden Site Leverages Modernization Investments to Accelerate Solid Rocket Motor Production
Aerojet Rocketdyne has worked to modernize facilities at its Camden, Arkansas, l...
17/05/2024
FCC Plans to Revise LPTV Rules
The FCC has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would revise rules governing low power TV stations (LPTV) in a number of areas, including online ...
17/05/2024
Demystifying Post-Production: Introducing Cinema 4D Particles Week 4
Demystifying Post-Production: Introducing Cinema 4D Particles Week 4 Brie Clayton May 17, 2024 0 Comments With the spring release of Maxon One, we...
17/05/2024
Takashi Yamazaki Film Godzilla Minus One Graded with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Takashi Yamazaki Film Godzilla Minus One Graded with DaVinci Resolve Studio Brie Clayton May 17, 2024 0 Comments Hero image credit: 2023 TOHO CO., LT...
17/05/2024
Sterling Event Group Streamlines Live Event Productions with AJA
Sterling Event Group Streamlines Live Event Productions with AJA Brie Clayton May 17, 2024 0 Comments Live event productions only happen once, which ...
17/05/2024
Meet the product manager
Muster Ngobi, product manager at LYNX Technik tells TVBEurope how the ever-evolving media industry provides a truly dynamic working environment By Matthew Corr...
17/05/2024
TV, Streaming Schedule for 2024 NFL Regular Season Is Released
NEW YORK As declines in linear TV viewing make the ongoing popularity of live sports, particularly football, central to financial success of the TV industry, th...
17/05/2024
Netflix Ad Tier Hits 40M Monthly Active Users
During Netflixs second Upfront presentation to advertisers, Amy Reinhard, Netflix's president of advertising, walked advertisers through the continued growt...
17/05/2024
Scripps Promotes Jeff Kiernan to VP, Local News
CINCINNATI The E.W. Scripps Company has added to its leadership team for news by promoting Jeff Kiernan a veteran journalist and general manager of Scripps'...
17/05/2024
Survey: New Disney-Fox-WBD Sports Streamer May Hurt Pay TV Sub Counts
Top executives from Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery have consistently insisted that their joint venture to launch the Venu Sports streaming bundle in the...
17/05/2024
Caitlin Clark's WNBA Debut Set Viewing Records
ESPN has announced that its coverage of Caitlin Clark's WNBA debut in the Indiana Fever versus the Connecticut Sun season opener was the most-watched WNBA g...
17/05/2024
ATEM Mini Extreme ISO switcher and Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K
ATEM Mini Extreme ISO switcher and Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K Brie Clayton May 16, 2024 0 Comments Blackmagic Design announced today that Yoic...
17/05/2024
Pixomondo's Virtual Production Academy Expands with Programs at Sony PCL, Vook, and Vancouver Film School
Pixomondo's Virtual Production Academy Expands with Programs at Sony PCL, Vo...
17/05/2024
WBD Upfront Show Offers Peeks at House of the Dragon,' White Lotus,' Biden-Trump Debate
The Warner Bros. Discovery upfront presentation took place Wednesday, May 15 at ...
17/05/2024
The Black Keys, Jelly Roll, Kate Hudson Set To Perform on The Voice' Finale
Season 25 of The Voice wraps on NBC Tuesday, May 21, with performances from The Black Keys, Jelly Roll, Kate Hudson, Lainey Wilson, Muni Long, Thomas Rhett and ...
17/05/2024
CNN Boss Mark Thompson's Plan Includes More News in More Categories on More Devices (Upfronts)
New CNN CEO Mark Thompson spelled out his plan for the struggling news network d...
17/05/2024
Netflix To Launch In-House Advertising Tech Platform
Netflix, a newcomer to the advertising business, said it plans to launch an in-house advertising technology platform....
17/05/2024
Netflix Plots TV Takeover at Upfront Presentation
Netflix shared some programming projects at an upfront presentation in New York. Those include the basketball-themed comedy series Running Point, a Mindy Kaling...
17/05/2024
Plex Geek Week Sale Offers 20% Off Plex Lifetime Pass
Plex is offering movie and music collectors a 20% discount off its Lifetime Plex Pass as part of its Geek Week sale....
17/05/2024
GroupM Names Toby Jenner as President, GroupM Clients
Giant media buyer GroupM said it named Toby Jenner as global president, Group M Clients, a new position at the company....
17/05/2024
Clients of Independent Agencies Boost Programmatic Buying
Smaller advertisers are increasingly buying connected TV programmatically, according to a new report from FreeWheel, Comcast's ad-tech unit....
17/05/2024
TCLtvPlus Adds Streaming Music Channels From Vevo
TCLtvPlus, the streaming app on smart TVs made by TCL, has added live linear channel from music-video programmer Vevo....
17/05/2024
StackAdapt Adopts Data From Samba TV for Programmatic Campaigns
StackAdapt said it made a deal to integrate data from Samba TV into its programmatic advertising platform....
17/05/2024
Tonight on House of Zwide: Dorothy is blown away by Ona's sketches for her wedding dress
Tonight on House of Zwide: Dorothy is blown away by Ona's sketches for her w...
17/05/2024
Tonight on Scandal: Dintle has a visit from her past that leaves her very unsettled
Tonight on Scandal: Dintle has a visit from her past that leaves her very unsett...
17/05/2024
Save Time and Money with WO Traffic v24.0
WO Traffic provides a solid foundation from which stations can manage, execute, and scale end-to-end ad trafficking and sales, both today and into the future. W...
17/05/2024
Broadcast Innovation in India: How AI and Automated Production Helps Smaller Sports Grow
Broadcast Innovation in India: How AI and Automated Production Helps Smaller Spo...
17/05/2024
SVG Sports Cloud Production Forum Gives Refresher Course on Cloud-Based Tools, Ecosystem
SVG Sports Cloud Production Forum Gives Refresher Course on Cloud-Based Tools, E...
17/05/2024
WNBA Tip-Off 2024: Scripps Sports Constructs New Studio for Second Season of WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION
WNBA Tip-Off 2024: Scripps Sports Constructs New Studio for Second Season of WNB...
17/05/2024
SVG College Summit 2024: Auburn's War Eagle Productions Breaks Down How They Produce Live Gymnastics Broadcasts
SVG College Summit 2024: Auburn's War Eagle Productions Breaks Down How They...
17/05/2024
Netflix & Shondaland Announce the Song List and Soundtrack for 'Bridgerton' Season 3: Part 1
Back to All News Netflix & Shondaland Announce the Song List and Soundtrack for...
17/05/2024
Skeem Saam: Thursday's episode, 16 May 2024 [video]
Skeem Saam: Thursday's episode, 16 May 2024 [video]Missed an episode of Skeem Saam? No problem! Watch the latest episode of your favourite South African soa...
17/05/2024
Prison Journalism: Letter to my mothers
Prison Journalism: Letter to my mothersThabo Mthembu was incarcerated in Pollsmoor Prison from 2014 to 2019. Read Thabo's story by Thabo Mthembu 17-05-20...
17/05/2024
Paul McCartney becomes UK's first billionaire musician
Paul McCartney becomes UK's first billionaire musicianMusic icon Paul McCartney has become the UK's first billionaire musician, according to the Sunday ...
17/05/2024
Tonight on Smoke and Mirrors: Sakhile advises Tiny against sabotaging Petunia
Tonight on Smoke and Mirrors: Sakhile advises Tiny against sabotaging PetuniaDon't miss Friday, 17 May's riveting episode of South African soapie Smoke ...
17/05/2024
RT'S Operation Transformation comes to a close after 17 seasons
RT has today announced that Operation Transformation (OT) is to end after 17 seasons. As series come to an end each year, RT undertakes an editorial review to...
17/05/2024
Studio One: Your Binaural Beats Lab
By Craig Anderton When I heard about binaural beats, I was interested-I like beats, and I'm into binaural audio. But this has nothing to do with either o...
17/05/2024
May 16, 2024
Scripps Research chemist Donna Blackmond elected to the Royal Society of the U.K. Blackmond's wide-ranging work has shaped origin of life theories, our unde...
16/05/2024
Power Provokes Vital Questions About the Role of Police
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 18: Director Yance Ford introduces the Power premiere at Library Center Theatre. (Photo by Chad Salvador/Shutterstock for Sundance F...
16/05/2024
Mental Health Matters: Embrace Self-Care With These Audiobook and Podcast Listens
May is Mental Health Awareness month, a time to recognize those living with ment...
16/05/2024
ABC and SBS bring digital radio (DAB+) services to the Gold Coast
ABC and SBS bring digital radio (DAB ) services to the Gold Coast 15 May, 2024 Media releases ABC and SBS today announced that audiences on the Gold Coast ...
16/05/2024
Clear-Com Communication Solutions Enhance Oregon State University's PRAx Building
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({...