By Debra Kaufman
Earlier this year, HPA board member Mark Chiolis, Mobile TV Group director of business development, heard a story of an extreme sports production that piqued his interest. Uncle Toad's was shooting the world's top snowboarders in the remote backcountry of the Canadian Rockies for the Natural Selection snowboarding competition, he says. Uncle Toad's creative director/senior producer, Chris Steblay, described how the team had to helicopter everyone to the production site dangerous terrain for snowboarders and crew. There, in sometimes harsh weather, the production team used live racing drone chase cameras and wireless technologies to document every second of the snowboarders' aerial feats.
That led Chiolis to pursue Extreme Production as the theme of this year's TR-X (Tech Retreat Extra). Chiolis, who, with HPA board member Craig German, Crafty Apes VFX chief executive, has spearheaded this HPA Tech Retreat event since 2018, noted that Uncle Toad's production was an inspiration to dive deeply into what we mean when we say, extreme production'. TR-X 2024, Chiolis says, will feature multiple examples that represent a wide range of extreme productions.
The opening keynote will be IMAX Post/DKP founders David Keighley and Patricia Keighley, talking about their crucial work on director Christopher Nolan's 70mm Oppenheimer. Chiolis notes that, among other details, IMAX had to create expanded reels because no one had ever done a three-hour 70mm projection before. David and Patricia will talk about everything they went through with [Christopher] Nolan to get everything captured, produced, distributed and exhibited, he says. So many people have wanted to see the movie in IMAX and, by the time we're at TR-X, global box office will likely reach $1 billion.
Next on the agenda is a look at The Grand Tour, a global motoring program streaming on Prime Video since 2016, presented by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May, produced by Andy Wilman and directed by Phil Churchward. An exceptionally challenging show to make, The Grand Tour includes two movie length specials as well as the making of pieces. With far flung locations in difficult to shoot countries, the storylines involve outlandish and extravagant stunts. The production demands the cinematography remain at an extremely high standard while constantly on the move with no script to rely upon. Amazon MGM Studios Director and WW Head of Unscripted Production, John Holmes, will appear at TR-X where he will moderate a conversation with Churchward and Wilman, joining by satellite from the U.K, who will discuss the challenges of bringing these productions together.
At last year's TR-X, Chiolis and German organized a panel of Young Entertainment Professionals (YEPs) to hear about their nascent careers and expectations for their futures in the media/entertainment industry. They're the next generation of our industry, says Chiolis. One of the takeaways from last year was that there are numerous YEPs at the Retreat and we encourage attendees to introduce themselves to them. You could be a potential mentor now - and one day, they may be hiring you. For TR-X 2024, YEP Eric Mahoney, who works at Paramount, and YEP alumna Nikki Jee are co-producing and moderating a panel on some of the extreme productions that this group of YEPs is already working on.
HPA's TRX breaks even its own exciting boundaries with a look at the immersive art of Refik Anadol, says Chiolis. Anadol creates what he calls AI data paintings and sculptures. In these creations, which combine architecture, art and technology, Anadol uses datasets to paint unique multi-sensory immersive environments. The Arca Museum in Denmark just closed an exhibit of Anadol's Nature's Dream display. He's doing data-driven, machine-learning algorithms to create abstract dream-like environments displayed on screens, Chiolis says. The work he does to get there is, in my opinion, extreme, and we're going to show the behind-the-scenes of what it takes to get it completed and displayed. A moderated case study will include Anadol, joining by video, as well as Google Cloud's global lead for the entertainment industry Buzz Hayes and Gunpowder owner Tom Taylor, who worked with the artist. Anadol's work is also scheduled to be displayed throughout the Tech Retreat.
In another session, independent producer Jackee Chang will describe the perils of getting a small crew and gear into (and out of) Vietnam to cover the Russian gang involvement in human trafficking. Chiolis noted she will not only go into the details of this extreme production but also talk about what she could do differently today.
Sports Video Group chief editor Jason Dachman will be moderating a panel on extreme sports productions, says Chiolis. And, we're not done. We expect to add two more slots will in the next month.
This is Chiolis' sixth year producing HPA Tech Retreat's TR-X. HPA is an all-volunteer organization and everyone on the board is doing something, he says. It was my choice to produce TR-X and I very much enjoy it. Even so, he foresees the day that he will hand the baton to a younger group of HPA board members. You'll see new faces, he promises.
Registration to the 2024 HPA Tech Retreat is open now to members, and the general public soon at HPATechRetreat.com. HPA Tech Retreat will take place from February 18-22 in Rancho Mirage, California. The TR-X session will be Monday, February 19, from 1:00-5:45 pm PT.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
02/03/2026
NBC Sports selected Imaginary Forces to create the main title sequence for the M...
02/03/2026
The NFL announces the launch of the NFL Draft Innovation Challenge, a new crowds...
02/03/2026
The World Teleport Association (WTA) has named Skyline Communications' DataMiner SatOps solution as a finalist for the 2026 Teleport Technology of the Year ...
02/03/2026
Ventum Tech announces a strategic partnership with Pixotope, a real-time graphic...
02/03/2026
Victory , a free, ad-supported sports streaming service, announces the launch of...
02/03/2026
Global powerhouse Delta Goodrem to represent Australia at this year's Eurovi...
02/03/2026
SBS brings together prominent voices to discuss rising social division and seek ...
02/03/2026
NITV Unveils Wednesday Night Sport Night
Media releases
A Midweek Hub for Blak Sport
Flagship NRL program Over The Black Dot moves to Wednesdays at 9:30pm
...
02/03/2026
Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates FR1-FR3 carrier aggregation, advancing 6G readiness Rohde & Schwarz and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. have reached another pivotal ...
02/03/2026
MELBOURNE, Fla., March 2, 2026 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) today announc...
02/03/2026
Harvey Norman tops New Zealand's biggest ad spenders as retail leads and telcos and beverages sure Auckland March 3, 2026 - Nielsen's New Zealand'...
02/03/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, and Arqit Quantum Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQQ, A...
02/03/2026
Advanced Systems Group, LLC (ASG), a technology and services provider for media creatives and content owners, has appointed Jody Boatwright as Chief Strategy Of...
02/03/2026
Lightware, an industry leader in signal management, is reinforcing its commitment to simplifying complex AV environments with the continued evolution of its TPN...
02/03/2026
ZEISS Cinema opens its doors to an exclusive screening, filmmakers Q&A and hands-on showcase of the new ZEISS Aatma lens family on Tuesday, March 10, 6:00-9:00 ...
02/03/2026
To expand the creative potential of the compact Astera QuikBeam, DoPchoice introduces the SNAPBAG Round. The new light-shaping accessory transforms the powerfu...
02/03/2026
Douglas Dubler
On a rooftop in New York City, veteran photographer Douglas Dubler watched the sun's angle shift across the urban landscape, his internal cl...
02/03/2026
ZEISS is expanding its Otus ML lens family with the introduction of the new ZEISS Otus ML 1.4/35. This manual-focus lens is designed for photographers who live ...
02/03/2026
Matthews Studio Equipment now offers the new Dinkum Systems White FlexiMount and Phone Mount Kit, a compact, highly adaptable setup for mobile content creation...
02/03/2026
Luxembourg, February 26, 2026 - SES and Africa Mobile Network (AMN) have expande...
02/03/2026
02 03 2026 - Media release Ausfilm and Screen Australia launch joint UK market initiative
Ausfilm and Screen Australia have announced Partner with Australia (...
02/03/2026
Monday 2 March 2026
Saturday Night Live UK announces writing team
L-R: Jonno Johnson; Charlie Skelton; Celya AB; Omar Badawy; Gr inne Maguire; Laura Claxton; ...
02/03/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils the Trailer for 53 Sundays, the New Film by Cesc Gay
Entertainment
02 March 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Dis...
28/02/2026
With two features seen in Formula 1 coverage, the broadcaster aims to bring view...
28/02/2026
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth addresses a crowd of approximately 1,500 L3Harris employees in Camden, Arkansas, as part of his Arsenal of Freedom tour....
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Berklee Presents Mambo Mania: Eguie Castrillo and the Berklee All-Stars Big Band...
28/02/2026
Berklee Announces Two New Summer Programs in Los Angeles The Berklee Music Business Program and Electronic Music Production and Sound Design Workshop bring imme...
28/02/2026
AI-RAN is moving from lab to field, showing that a software-defined approach is ...
28/02/2026
Autonomous networks - intelligent, self-managing telecommunications operations -...
28/02/2026
Back to All News
Final Trailer for BEASTARS Final Season Part 2' Roars Tow...
28/02/2026
New way to intentionally discover molecular glues could expand drug discovery Scripps Research scientists and colleagues show how drugs that eliminate certain d...
27/02/2026
The E.W. Scripps Company names Oliver Gray as Vice President, Network Sports and...
27/02/2026
The Gotham Sports App, the exclusive direct-to-consumer streaming home of MSG Networks and the YES Network, is now available for purchase through Prime Video fo...
27/02/2026
ESPN and the Horizon League announce a new multi-year, multi-platform media rights agreement, continuing a 38-year collaboration that began with the 1988 Midwes...
27/02/2026
At the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas, NETGEAR will highlight its new switch models and major updates to its Engage Controller software. The company's network d...
27/02/2026
Riedel Communications announces that Fondazione Teatro alla Scala has deployed a...
27/02/2026
Lyuno specializes in media localization, including translation, dubbing, subtitling, and voice-over services for a wide array of entertainment content. The comp...
27/02/2026
Chyron Weather 2.3, the latest edition of Chyron's weather visualization suite for broadcasters and meteorologists, recently launched.
The release includes...
27/02/2026
Telestream, which concentrates in media workflow technologies, announces expanded practical AI enhancements across its Vantage, Vantage Cloud, EDC, Stanza, and ...
By Debra Kaufman
