HPA Sets 2027 Tech Retreat Theme Around a Changing Industry

The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) has announced the theme and program focus for the 2027 HPA Tech Retreat, which takes place Feb. 14-18, 2027, in La Quinta, Calif. Built on the idea that entertainment isn't shrinking but changing shape, the Retreat will bring together professionals who make, finish, deliver and preserve media for five days of programming on where the industry is heading and how its people can prepare.

HPA says storytelling continues to expand across film, television, games, live experiences and AI, while the economics behind them shift and production tools evolve faster than ever. Each day of the program addresses a key question facing the industry.

Everyone in our community is asking the same questions right now: Where is this industry going, and where do I fit? says Renard T. Jenkins, President, HPA. The Tech Retreat is where this industry stops guessing about the future and starts building it, together, in one room. This year's program is designed to give attendees a clear picture of what's changing, along with the knowledge and connections to help shape what comes next.

TR-X: From Story to World

TR-X, on Monday, Feb. 15, examines how stories become worlds that extend across formats. It will explore the people, pipelines and business models behind entertainment that extends well beyond a single release. Assets captured during production may be reused years later in games, live experiences or AI-driven characters, placing new demands on how productions are budgeted, staffed and contracted.

Sessions will follow a world from first concept to final sale. Our Budgets Aren't Ready for This will examine the planning and pipelines that reusable worlds require. Scan Once. Use Everywhere. will address the growth of 3D capture, including the Gaussian splats used to plan Jurassic World Rebirth. Who Owns the World? will look at rights, provenance and preservation as studios license characters to AI platforms, including Disney's agreement making more than 200 characters available on OpenAI's Sora.

Supersession

The Supersession, Help Me See and Build the Future, takes place Tuesday, Feb. 16, and is chaired by HPA founder Leon Silverman. Organized around questions the industry is asking now - where Hollywood is going, how new creators are building, where the money is moving and how to prepare - the day pairs Seers, who paint a picture of what's ahead, with Builders, who show what's already underway. It is aimed at executives as well as the artists, engineers and craftspeople wondering where their work goes next.

We're all in the same boat, in rocky seas, heading to a new world, and everyone is asking the same question: is there a place in it for me? says Silverman, Chair, Supersession Planning Committee. The industry isn't shrinking; it's changing shape. Nobody is going to discover you in this new world. You have to discover yourself. We want everyone in that room to leave seeing a future that includes them.

Additional Programming, Awards and Innovation Zone

The main program on Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 17-18, will cover the technologies, practices and people shaping the industry today. Details will be announced in the coming weeks. The Innovation Zone returns with its attendee-voted Best in Show award, and winners of the HPA Awards Innovation & Technology will be revealed at the Retreat. Nominees will be announced Jan. 15.

The HPA Tech Retreat drew more than 800 attendees in 2026. Attendance is capped, and the event is typically sold out. Sponsors are Google Cloud, Hexagon's Leica Geosystems, Microsoft, Puget Systems and Signiant, with Foundation Members AMD, Dolby and Sohonet. Registration is open at HPAonline.com.

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