AI, Automation, Blockchain, ESports Among TopicsLOS ANGELES 19 December 2017 - The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) has announced the schedule for the 2018 HPA Tech Retreat , set for 19-23 February 2017. The Tech Retreat is an incomparable opportunity to meet and engage with well-known and emerging leaders in engineering, technology, creativity and business. The HPA Tech Retreat takes place in the Palm Springs area over the course of a week. Participants confer on future trends and technologies of the media and entertainment ecosystem while tackling issues of the present from fresh perspectives. The Tech Retreat offers unparalleled access to a wide range of in-depth information, facilitating a nuanced and informed view of industry trajectories. The Tech Retreat heads to a new venue this year, the JW Marriott Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, CA,
The retreat features five days of scheduled sessions, demonstrations and events including the separately ticketed HPA Tech Retreat eXtra (TR-X), to deliver a forward-looking perspective on an industry continuing a dynamic and rapid evolution. Over the course of the carefully curated week, important aspects of production, broadcast, post production, distribution and related endeavors for the media and entertainment landscape are explored. The sessions are decidedly non-commercial in nature; marketing submissions are not considered. From breakfast roundtables and sessions to dinners and fire-pit conversations, the schedule creates an environment conducive to the exchange of knowledge and information.
Mark Schubin, the Program Maestro of the HPA Tech Retreat, commented, This year's program might be the best ever, covering everything from fake news to direct-view screens in movie theaters. And that's not counting live VR, eSports, Pixar's approach to worldwide cultural differences everything from cinematographers to consumer electronics.
Seth Hallen, president of the HPA, noted, The HPA Tech Retreat is the de facto standard for in-depth exploration and thought provoking discussion for the technologies and trends impacting the media landscape. Once again, the program committee for the Super Session, the TR-X committee and our resident genius Mark Schubin have outdone themselves. It is at the HPA Tech Retreat that we meet and understand the rapidly changing world in which we live and work.
TR-X (Tech Retreat eXtra) returns for its second year, focusing on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in a separately ticketed half day session Monday, 20 February. The Tuesday Supersession, moderated by HPA past president Leon Silverman and HPA board member Jerry Pierce, kicks off the official Tech Retreat. Wednesday through Friday begin back-to-back sessions and panels, under the direction of program maestro Schubin. A diverse array of breakfast roundtable discussions, led by key industry experts, start the day on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings. The Innovation Zone returns Tuesday through Thursday, presenting the opportunity to explore emerging and innovating technologies from nearly 60 companies at the vanguard of the industry, with a special focus on VR/AR.
SPEAKERS AND SESSIONS
A complete 2018 HPA Tech Retreat program, with schedule and speakers' bios, is available here. Additional sessions and speakers will be announced. (Please note the final schedule is subject to change.)
Monday 19 February: TR-X
Separate registration required
A half day of targeted panels, speakers and interaction, this year focusing on one of the most important topics our industry faces, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Topics include:
AI Impact on Media & Entertainment: What is Changing and Why?
The Potential for Partnering with AI in the Creative Process
Novel AI Implementations: Real World AI Case Studies
Content Intelligence: AI & Marketing
Bleeding Edge M&E Research
Panel of Experts What Will Happen and When?
Tuesday 20 February: Supersession
It's Still Snowing and We're Just Making Bigger and Better Snowmen: a continuation in the exploration of workflow evolution
Expert led session focused on how content is produced across the widest spectrum of content creation - from spots to blockbusters. From live, streaming to fully synthetic films without any humans before the camera. Topics include: how many K's are OK, how bright is bright and how HDR changes the game (or does it?). Will ACES ace this test? Is it always going to be like this? The Supersession offers the attendees the opportunity to understand how complex content reaches audiences, and the importance of the process to careers and businesses.
Wednesday 21 February Highlights
Mark Schubin's Technology Year in Review
Jim Burger, Thompson Coburn LLP, Washington Update
IMF Central
Howard Lukk, SMPTE
Bruce Devlin, Mr MXF
Mark Harrison, Digital Production Partnership (DPP)
Andy Wilson, DPP
Andy Quested, BBC
Bill Baggelaar, Sony Pictures
Tomasz Witkowski, Visual Data Media Services
Juli n Fern ndez-Camp n, Tedial
Clyde Smith, Fox, North American Broadcasters Association, coordinator
Broadcasters Panel
Matthew Goldman, Ericsson, moderator
CES Review
Peter Putman, ROAM Consulting
Advanced Cinema
Jean-Philippe Jacquemin, Barco
Scott Daly, Dolby Laboratories
Gary Demos, Image Essence
Tony Davis, RealD
Pete Lud , Mission Rock Digital, coordinator
Thursday, 22 February Highlights
Flavors of HDR
Don Eklund, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Pat Griffis, Dolby Laboratories
Bill Mandel, Samsung
Andy Quested, BBC
Seth Hallen, Pixelogic and HPA, moderator
Establishing Metadata Guidelines for Downstream Image Presentation Management on Consumer Displays
Michael Chambliss, International Cinematographers Guild, moderator
ACES Update
Wolfgang Ruppel, RheiMain University of Applied Sciences
Annie Chang, Disney,
