At the 2022 HPA Tech Retreat, the Innovation Zone will be curated by James Blevins, who for the last three years has co-chaired the HPA NET committee. I was asked to take what I bring to the NET lunches to help find more of the innovation crowd, he said. In his role programming events for NET, Blevins has had a chance to bring a wide variety of innovators to speak to HPA members, and he plans to bring some of them to show their technology in the Innovation Zone. Blevins, who recently served as a post-production supervisor on The Mandalorian, has also worked with a wide range of innovators through his work at Lucasfilm, Netflix and The Walt Disney Company.
The Tech Retreat Innovation Zone typically features about 50 companies, which have been vetted by the organizers. This year is more competitive than ever, in part due to the pandemic. With the closure of in-person conferences, a lot of companies haven't had the chance for the kind of in-person exchanges that happen at the Tech Retreat, Blevins notes. They're eager to get back together. In addition to touching base with veteran participants, he adds, they also look at Supersession participants who often are working with interesting new technologies.
The Innovation Zone is a plugfest, a place to collaborate, says Blevins. He points out, for example, that three companies for the upcoming event have already indicated an interest in being placed in adjacent booths to show how their products work as a pipeline. That's exactly what we want, he says. Innovation is happening really fast. It's important to bring some of the companies spearheading these changes to the Tech Retreat. We need to make those connections and help each other get through the challenges ahead.
NFTs (non-fungible tokens), new virtual production and cloud tools and a new approach to photogrammetry are among the innovations that will be highlighted there; Blevins hints that we'll also see a surprising technology from another company that is taking a low profile until the Zone opens.
For those who wonder what NFTs are doing at a motion imaging conference, Blevins has the answer. NFTs are a bit of an eyebrow-raiser, he admits. Some people think of NFTs only as collectibles, but it is actually bringing in new storytellers. One interesting company is creating unique animated characters with NFTs. People are beginning to wrap an entire world with NFTs They start on the web and create stories that might become a game - or anything else that a story engenders. It branches out from the web to advertising, marketing and whatever else sticks.
He points out that virtual real estate is another nascent creative endeavor. There are venues being recreated virtually such as the Hollywood Bowl, owned by the Hollywood Bowl, he says. Now, it becomes entertainment when people can play at the Bowl in a virtual world and audiences can attend. He points to a variety of metaverses being created, some of them attached to brands. The Innovation Zone will include a company with a new approach to photogrammetry.
There will be familiar faces in the Zone as well. There are some companies that are always there, as they evolve their services and offerings, he says. They are healthy, vibrant companies that are still innovating. He points to the creation of new toolsets for the production/post in the cloud and virtual production. This is the meat and potatoes of what we need now, he says. Everyone has a lot of questions about these two burgeoning fields, and a lot of the answers aren't obvious. We'll see companies in the Innovation Zone showing tools that aggregate the processes of virtual production to work quickly and efficiently. Regarding the cloud, Blevins notes that people need not just tools but the scale and support for those tools. This is happening now, he said, pointing to Arch Platform Technologies, which was just honored with an HPA Engineering Excellence Award and will be part of the event's Supersession. Arch is enabling and supporting people working globally and independently.
Even with the addition of strict COVID protocols for the entire event, the experience of attending the Innovation Zone will be much the same, with lots of chances to network and greet old friends. I want new friends to be made, new relationships to be created, says Blevins. I want ideas to form and new partnerships to form.
There's also the conversations we haven't been able to hold because impulse isn't accommodated in a Zoom meeting, he adds. I want all those impulses to come out so that by the time you leave the Innovation Zone, your brain is whirring and you're happy to be engaged.
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
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, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
04/05/2024
NEW YORK As the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off in May, Nielsen has released an extensive new report diving into their media habits with data sh...
04/05/2024
PHILADELPHIA As National Military Appreciation Month gets underway, Comcast has announced several new initiatives to help veterans, service members, and their f...
04/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled...
04/05/2024
The Broadband Forum has announced major enhancements to key 5G convergence standards that the group said will help advance next-generation applications, improve...
04/05/2024
Spotify Wrapped Campaign Spot Graded With DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Blackmagic Design today announced that Colorist M...
04/05/2024
Three Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards An additional eight alums and two current students performed in nominated productions.
...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 3, 2024
Enha...
03/05/2024
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company
By Jenny Priestley
Published: M...
03/05/2024
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
Visit LiveU at Stand D30
With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
03/05/2024
NEW YORK CBS has declared that it will finish the 2023-24 season as Americas Most-Watched Network in primetime for the 16th consecutive season....
03/05/2024
A new survey indicates that U.S. businesses and consumers had an overall positive attitude towards their technology spending plans in the first quarter of 2024,...
03/05/2024
Sony and Apollo Global Management have sent an offer letter to Paramount Global's board of directors making an $26 billion all cash offer for Paramount Glob...
03/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Charlie Cubbon chief operating officer (COO) and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO for the U.K., U.S., Australia and the Middle Eas...
03/05/2024
Final 2024 Season Games to Air Saturdays on WRAL at 10:30am in May, Championship on June 1
Taping for the final episodes of the 2024 season of WRAL-TV's Br...
03/05/2024
Estrella MediaCo said it is expanding its connected TV portfolio by launching three new channels with Curiosity that will first appear on Samsung TV Plus....
At the 2022 HPA Tech Retreat, the Innovation Zone will be curated by James Blevins, who for the last three years has co-chaired the HPA NET committee. I was asked to take what I bring to the NET lunches to help find more of the innovation crowd, he said. In his role programming events for NET, Blevins has had a chance to bring a wide variety of innovators to speak to HPA members, and he plans to bring some of them to show their technology in the Innovation Zone. Blevins, who recently served as a post-production supervisor on The Mandalorian, has also worked with a wide range of innovators through his work at Lucasfilm, Netflix and The Walt Disney Company. 
