
The HPA Tech Retreat Supersession committee has announced that the highly anticipated 2025 HPA Tech Retreat Supersession-guided by working industry leaders and visionaries-will focus on the evolving role of humans in AI-driven production and post. The multifaceted topic represents both significant opportunities and complex challenges vital to the industry's future. The 30th anniversary of the HPA Tech Retreat takes place from February 16 through 20, 2025 at The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage, California. The Supersession takes place on Tuesday, February 18.
A renowned predictor of emerging trends and technologies, the Supersession offers a glimpse into the entertainment industry's future. The transformative day explores the shifting roles of human talent across business and creative functions, from the back office to the screening room and the varied steps in between. Panels featuring over 30 industry leaders run parallel to Live Without a Net, a groundbreaking day-long demonstration from industry visionaries showcasing AI's potential to enhance, not replace, human creativity. In-depth discussions, case studies, and demonstrations- including operational applications, business analytics, creative process tools, and content monetization- showcase how AI can enhance (rather than replace) human creativity and expertise. The HPA Tech Retreat Supersession continues its tradition of interactive, thought-provoking showcases, demonstrating AI's capabilities in post-production workflows.
SCHEDULE OVERVIEW
Live Without a Net: AI & Creativity Use Cases
During an expert-led day moderated by Rachel Joy Victor (FBRC,) this day-long session explores the transformative potential of AI tools in post-production. Professionals in animation/rigging, video editing, and visual effects tackle tasks that traditionally take days, and attempt to complete them within a single day using AI-driven tools. AI-driven analytics for marketing strategies and predicting industry trends; strategic decision-making insights powered by AI; cutting-edge scriptwriting tools, visual effects, and post-production. The session looks at how AI fosters a symbiotic relationship between technology and human creativity.
Embracing Evolution: The Evolving Human Role in an AI World
Renard Jenkins (I2A2 Technologies)
As AI has become increasingly integrated into media and entertainment production, concerns emerge regarding the role of humans in this evolving landscape. How will these tools be utilized? Where is the appropriate boundary between AI-generated content and human creativity? Should such a distinction be drawn? Can new processes demonstrate the seamless integration of AI and human capabilities? How can individuals prepare for this technological transformation? What are the implications for human practitioners in the media and entertainment industry? A comprehensive and up-to-date overview of AI implementation in media and entertainment, emphasizing the continued significance of human integration within the production ecosystem and exploring the evolving roles of humans in conjunction with technological advancements.
Reality vs Fantasy: The Current State of AI and VFX
Barbara Ford Grant, (Media and Entertainment Executive/Filmmaker)
AI is having a major impact on the VFX creation process, but what are the implications now and where will VFX artists and producers leverage this powerful tool in future workflows.
AI and Animation
Lin Tam (Writer-Director-Producer)
How AI can streamline workflows and unlock new creative possibilities with storyboarding, character design, voice synthesis, and animation rendering, lip syncing, rendering and more to provide a clear roadmap for studios and creators to leverage these tools efficiently and inspire filmmakers and animators to adopt AI-driven solutions while maintaining creative control and artistic vision.
MovieLabs 2030 Greenlight: Making the Vision Real for Creatives
Mark Turner (MovieLabs), Jim Helman (MovieLabs), Daniel Lucas (MovieLabs), Chris Vienneau (MovieLabs), Christina Lee Storm (Asher XR), Erik Weaver (Entertainment Technology Center)
MovieLabs will demonstrate how the 2030 Vision delivers significant benefits to the creative community today and in the future. This session will feature how leading media and technology companies utilize the principles of the 2030 Vision, the MovieLabs Ontology for Media Creation, and AI to drive secure, interoperable, software-defined workflows in pre-production, production and post.
Provenance and How It's Critical to Creativity
Chris Bennett (Dolby), Dave Davis (Protege Media)
An overview of a set of principles that will unlock data for AI model builders to improve their products and also open up new opportunities for the content owners who make that possible.
Insider Keynote: What We Can Learn from the Music Industry
AI & Filmmaking: A Director's Perspectives
David Slade (Director)
The director of feature films including Hard Candy, 30 Days of Night, and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and television episodes from Breaking Bad and Black Mirror, David brings a deep understanding of the creative process and technology. He'll share his unique perspectives on the creative use of AI and will showcase some of his work.
Artificial Intelligence Policy and Intellectual Property: Where are we going from here?
Karyn Temple, (MPA)
An overview of the current landscape of AI policies and their implications for intellectual property (IP) protections in the media and entertainment industry. Critical questions such as IP issues in the US vs internationally, emerging standards and best practices for content creators will be addressed and valuable insights into key considerations for creators.
Unleashing the Storyteller
Jagger Waters, (Curious Refuge)
An award-winning filmmaker and the fir
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/08/2026
COW Jobs: Lead Generation Representative - Animation Services
Brie Clayton July 31, 2026
0 Comments
Lead Generation Representative - Animation Service...
01/08/2026
Emilie Lowe Shoots Award Winning Short Film Where Dead Things Grow with Blackmag...
01/08/2026
Early Registration Opens for the 2026 SMPTE Media Technology Summit
Brie Clayton July 31, 2026
0 Comments
Initial Program Announced Alongside New Medi...
31/07/2026
With an emphasis on local, the league is looking beyond the initial four teams t...
31/07/2026
The 2026 Sundance Institute Directors Lab fellows in Estes Park, Colorado (Photo by Gabe Rovick)
Dear Friends,
This has been an extraordinary year for our ar...
31/07/2026
Offers 360-degree sound placement in any DAW
Audiocube have just announced the launch of a new plug-in that embeds a complete 3D acoustic environment inside...
31/07/2026
10 new Chinese C-Pop voices introduced
While Sonarworks are best known to many for their room-correction software, their product range also includes an inno...
31/07/2026
Reimagines the vintage BBD sound character
PSPaudioware have now officially launched the new delay plug-in that they were previewing at GearExpo UK. Said to...
31/07/2026
The Savannah Bananas has built its reputation on refusing to play baseball by traditional rules, and the team's production arm Banana Ball TV (BTV) has draf...
31/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
31/07/2026
SMPTE, the home for media professionals, technologists and engineers, today opened early registration for the 2026 Media Technology Summit (MTS) and announced i...
31/07/2026
Clear-Com announced that Central Christian Church has transformed communication across its live production operations by implementing Clear-Com's LQ Seri...
31/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
31/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
31/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
31/07/2026
IBC has unveiled the finalists for the IBC2026 Innovation Awards, recognising collaborative projects from around the world that solve real-world challenges and ...
31/07/2026
From focus puller to colourist
Caroline Shawley July 30, 2026
0 Comments
Ana Mar a Ormaza shares her story of instinct, storytelling and finding a cre...
31/07/2026
Amazon Prime Documentary Andata e Ritorno Relies on Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton July 30, 2026
0 Comments
DaVinci Resolve Studio and Blackmagic Clou...
31/07/2026
Krotos Launches Video to Sound Plugin for DaVinci Resolve
Brie Clayton July 30, 2026
0 Comments
AI-assisted workflow helps editors add synchronized, p...
31/07/2026
Athletics, Camogie, the Dublin Horse Show, the FAI Cup, Golf, Hockey, the UEFA C...
31/07/2026
Luxembourg, July 31, 2026 - Pursuant to the liquidity contract entered into by SES with BNP Paribas as of 7 April 2026, please see the below update on the progr...
31/07/2026
Luxembourg, July 31, 2026 - SES today published a restatement of its FY2025 EU Taxonomy (Article 8) disclosure. The restatement updates the FY2025 EU Taxonomy d...
31/07/2026
RT Commercial has today announced Mercedes-Benz Ireland will return as the offi...
31/07/2026
RT Supporting the Arts is delighted to spotlight a diverse range of arts, culture and heritage events taking place across Ireland this August. From major festi...
30/07/2026
CP Communications provided RF audio, RF video, communications, RF coordination, ...
30/07/2026
OpenDrives has been included in CRN's 2026 Storage 100 list in the Software-Defined Storage category. The annual list, selected by the CRN editorial team, r...
30/07/2026
LATAM Airlines has selected SES to provide multi-orbit inflight connectivity to its fleet of Airbus and Embraer aircraft. More than 60 aircraft - including Airb...
30/07/2026
Tagboard has launched the Producer API, an open interface that allows key commands in Tagboard's live production environment to be triggered from external d...
30/07/2026
FOX Sports and the New York Racing Association (NYRA) have announced a multi-year agreement with Del Mar Thoroughbred Club that will make FOX Sports the exclusi...
30/07/2026
ABC Commercial has launched four free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels on LG Smart TVs across North America, Great Britain, and select countrie...
30/07/2026
The Six Kings Slam exhibition tennis tournament will return to Riyadh on October 21, 22, and 24, streaming live on Netflix at no additional cost to subscribers....
30/07/2026
Central Christian Church in Mt. Vernon, Illinois has deployed Clear-Com's LQ...
30/07/2026
Blackmagic Design has released the UltraStudio Express 3G family, a pair of USB4 capture and playback devices compatible with Mac, Windows, and Linux computers ...
30/07/2026
ESPN has reached a media rights agreement with the Women's Pro Baseball League (WPBL), making ESPN the national streaming home of the league's 2026 seas...
30/07/2026
Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and the Professional Fighters League (PFL) have announced a merger that will operate under the MVP banner. PFL CEO John Martin wi...
30/07/2026
The Columbus Blue Jackets will simulcast all game broadcasts across television and radio beginning with the 2026-27 NHL season. Under the new format, the televi...
30/07/2026
TMRW Sports has selected Populous as architect for a purpose-built stadium for its professional flag football league, being developed in partnership with the NF...
30/07/2026
SiriusXM has announced SiriusXM Sports Pass, a new subscription plan launching September 1 that bundles the company's sports audio programming into a single...
30/07/2026
Leagues, broadcasters, and technologists gather to tackle cloud economics, distr...
30/07/2026
A major player in the cloud-based solutions, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has conti...
30/07/2026
The NBA will provide production for all local game broadcasts, including pregame and postgame coverage...