The Computer Animation Festival, celebrating its 40th year, just released a sneak peak into the amazing content that will be present this year in Anaheim. The Festival is recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a qualifying festival. Since 1999, several works originally presented in the Computer Animation Festival have been nominated for or have received a "Best Animated Short" Academy Award. This year’s selections will be featured during the Computer Animation Festival through a series of daily Festival Screenings and the iconic Electronic Theater, allowing attendees to get a glimpse behind the making of computer-generated effects, visualizations, and animations.
“Every piece in the festival has something that made it stand out from the 40 hours of content submitted for this year’s show,” says Jason RM Smith, SIGGRAPH 2013 Computer Animation Festival Chair. “There's no other venue in the world comparable to the Computer Animation Festival; each year we're honored by the amazing number of high-quality entries and every year the show grows. This year we're screening 10% more content; as the quality continues to improve it becomes increasingly difficult to select the best of the best."
For more details on the program, click here.
The 42nd International Conference and Exhibition on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques
27 June 2013
Updated Real-Time Live! Preview Video Released
"Celebrating its 5th Anniversary, Real-Time Live! 2013 is a can't miss, one night only event at SIGGRAPH," said Abe Wiley, Real-Time Live! Chair from AMD. "This year's show is as diverse as ever and attendees will have their minds blown by live, interactive demonstrations of the latest advancements in photorealistic facial animation, medical visualization, crowd simulation, hair rendering, massive destruction, real-time cinematics, and more!"
Each live presentation lasts less than 10 minutes, and is presented by the artists and engineers who produced the work.
For even more details, click here.
25 June 2013
SIGGRAPH 2013 Highlights Accomplishments in Computer Graphics
SIGGRAPH Dailies is a show celebrating excellence in computer graphics, showcasing images and short animations of extraordinary power and beauty. It is a fast-paced event where each presenter has less than two minutes to show an animation and describe their work.
There is an immense variety of stunning imagery showcased at Dailies. Hearing the artist tell the story behind their work is what makes Dailies extra special. Attendees may hear an entertaining tale about a tight deadline, or a thought provoking discussion about a clever technique used to make incredibly complex imagery.
“Dailies is a whole evening of "behind the scenes" stories. Not only do you see outstanding imagery, but you also hear the stories from the artists who did the work: the challenges, clever tricks, or even how they were personally affected by the work,” said Mark Elendt, SIGGRAPH 2013 Dailies Chair from Side Effects Software Inc. “With 45 different stories, it makes for a very fast-paced and exciting evening. There really is no other place where you can experience this kind of event.”
Seating for the live show is limited and will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. View the Dailies YouTube video below:
Specific highlights include:
The Octopus And The Geisha
Presenter: Edward Dawson-Taylor, EDJFX
What began as a technical and creative personal project, to create an eerie underwater short film with tentacles, took me to creating one of my proudest works and ended up being used as a music video and visuals for a band I have loved for over 15 years!
World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria Cinematic Intro
Presenter: Marc Messenger, Blizzard Entertainment
For this cinematic intro, the Blizzard Film Department explored a heightened level of stylization that influenced everything from character design and animation to environments, effects, and lighting.
Animator-Friendly Simulation - Rigging for Deep Dance
Presenter: Georg Schneider
Rigs that give animators the ability to use simulation at the beginning of the animation process and continue working on the result as if it had been animated by hand.
Sleddin'
Presenters: John Pettingill, Kelly Kin, Junze Zhou, Texas A&M University
In this short film, a daring boy sleds down a towering mountain. After crashing, he discovers that reality was not quite what it seemed. His adventure is a metaphor for larger-than-life experiences. These moments, often created in our childhood, depend on our perspective.
Monsters University: Art's Groom and Simulation Setup
Laura Beth Albright, Pixar Animation Studios
For "Monsters University," the stylized design and unusual animation requirements of a new character, Art, presented unique challenges for grooming, shading, and simulation, which required custom solutions.
Visit the website for a list of Dailies contributors.
There is an immense variety of stunning imagery showcased at Dailies. Hearing the artist tell the story behind their work is what makes Dailies extra special. Attendees may hear an entertaining tale about a tight deadline, or a thought provoking discussion about a clever technique used to make incredibly complex imagery.
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| Mark Elendt |
Seating for the live show is limited and will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. View the Dailies YouTube video below:
Specific highlights include:
The Octopus And The Geisha
Presenter: Edward Dawson-Taylor, EDJFX
World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria Cinematic Intro
Presenter: Marc Messenger, Blizzard Entertainment
Animator-Friendly Simulation - Rigging for Deep Dance
Presenter: Georg Schneider
Sleddin'
Presenters: John Pettingill, Kelly Kin, Junze Zhou, Texas A&M University
Monsters University: Art's Groom and Simulation Setup
Laura Beth Albright, Pixar Animation Studios
For "Monsters University," the stylized design and unusual animation requirements of a new character, Art, presented unique challenges for grooming, shading, and simulation, which required custom solutions.
Visit the website for a list of Dailies contributors.
23 June 2013
Get Geeked! SIGGRAPH 2013 Releases Emerging Technologies Preview Video
SIGGRAPH 2013 just released its newest preview video ... .this one profiling the amazing experiences in Emerging Technologies. Learn how attendees will be able to interact with the latest systems before they become hot topics in
mainstream media and blogs. Emerging Technologies presents innovative
technologies and applications in several fields, from displays and input
devices to collaborative environments and robotics, and technologies
that apply to film and game production.
You can learn more by clicking here or just watch the video below:
You can learn more by clicking here or just watch the video below:
21 June 2013
SIGGRAPH 2013 Showcases the Latest Real-Time Developments
Real-Time Live! is the premier showcase for the latest trends and techniques for pushing the boundaries of interactive visuals. As part of the Computer Animation Festival, an international jury selects submissions from a diverse array of industries to create a fast-paced, 90-minute show of cutting-edge, aesthetically stimulating real-time work.
"Celebrating its 5th Anniversary, Real-Time Live! 2013 is a can't miss, one night only event at SIGGRAPH," said Abe Wiley, Real-Time Live! Chair from AMD. "This year's show is as diverse as ever and attendees will have their minds blown by live, interactive demonstrations of the latest advancements in photorealistic facial animation, medical visualization, crowd simulation, hair rendering, massive destruction, real-time cinematics, and more!"
Each live presentation lasts less than 10 minutes, and is presented by the artists and engineers who produced the work.
SIGGRAPH 2013 Real-Time Live! Highlights:
Digital Ira: High-Resolution Facial Performance Playback
Graham Fyffe, USC Institute for Creative Technologies; Jorge Jimenez, Activision, Inc.; Oleg Alexander, Jay Busch, Paul Graham, Borom Tunwattanapong, Koki Nagano, Ryosuke Ichikari, Paul Debevec, Andrew Jones, USC Institute for Creative Technologies; Javier von der Pahlen; Etienne Danvoye; Bernardo Antoniazzi; Michael Eheler; Zbynek Kysela, Activision, Inc.; Curtis Beeson; Steve Burke; Mark Daly, NVIDIA Corporation
Video performance capture drives a facial blendshape model made from high-resolution facial scans that are compressed and realistically rendered in a reproducible game-ready pipeline designed for current-generation PCs and next-generation consoles.
Butterfly Effect
Renaldas Zioma, Unity Technologies
Unreal Engine 4 Infiltrator Demonstration
Dana Cowley, Brian Karis, Epic Games, Inc.
Square
Thomas Mann, Still; Daniel Szymanski; Andreas Rose, Framefield GmbH; Wolf Budgenhagen, Still
17 June 2013
SIGGRAPH 2013 Unveils Riveting Final Lineup of Production Sessions
SIGGRAPH 2013, 21 -25 July at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, released the final lineup of 15 Production Sessions to be featured at this year’s conference. These Production Sessions are part of the overall Computer Animation Festival, which is open to the public and accessible for as little as $150.
“There’s only one place where the world’s best creative and technical people converge for a week of exchanging industry know-how and ideas that helps everyone push the boundaries of what is possible forward,” says Jerome Solomon, SIGGRAPH 2013 Production Sessions Chair from Cogswell College. “These incredible production sessions are just one example of what is so great about SIGGRAPH and makes it so unique.”
The Computer Animation Festival, chaired this year by Jason R.M. Smith, is recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a qualifying festival. Since 1999, several works originally presented in the Computer Animation Festival have been nominated for or have received a "Best Animated Short" Academy Award. This year’s selections will be featured during the Computer Animation Festival through a series of daily Festival Screenings and the iconic Electronic Theater, allowing attendees to get a glimpse behind the making of computer generated effects, visualizations, and animations
In all there will be 15 Production Sessions. Here is the full lineup:
Warner Brothers Presents the VFX for 'Man of Steel'
Tuesday, 7/23, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
The Visual Effects teams from MPC, Weta Digital, Double Negative, Scanline and LookFX will each provide a unique insight into their work on Man of Steel. This session is designed to highlight signature moments from the film and show how creative contributions came from around the globe to help deliver one of the year's most exciting films. The final Q&A with all five vfx studios is not to be missed.
Panelists:
• Dan Lemmon - Visual Effects Supervisor, Weta Digital
• Guillaume Rocheron - Visual Effects Supervisor, MPC
• Ged Wright - Visual Effects Supervisor, Double Negative
• Stephan Trojansky, President/Sr. VFX Supervisor, Scanline VFX
• Max Ivins - Visual Effects Supervisor, LOOK Effects
Blue Sky Studios Presents: The Fantastical World of Epic
Wednesday, 7/24, 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM
At Blue Sky Studios we have always taken inspiration from nature, and that is certainly true of our latest movie, Epic. For example, the armor of the Leafmen was inspired by the multi-segmented exoskeleton of crickets. Their costumes use iris petals instead of muslin fabric, and thistle down instead of tulle. Looking at real-world physics, Leafmen could jump more than twice their height, and their sense of time would be sped up by the change of scale, which was taken into consideration during animation. Along with that, the selective use of a wider-than-usual lens package helped us tell a story about a seemingly distant and fantastical world that feels right at your fingertips. We plan to show this process, along with portions of Epic, which demonstrate these points. We will show some of the reference material that designers and animators used as inspiration and how our cinematography was carefully mapped out in order to better serve our story-telling endeavor.
Panelists:
• Mike Knapp, Art Director
• Galen Chu, Supervising Animator
• Renato Falcão, Cinematographer
TM and © 2013 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved.
Photo Credit: Blue Sky Studios
The Making of Pixar's "The Blue Umbrella"
Sunday, 7/21, 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM
A screening of Pixar’s "The Blue Umbrella" will be followed by a "Making-of" presentation with the director Saschka Unseld. He will retrace his journey from discovery of the idea all the way through the Pixar story process and onto the big screen. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the artistry and technology that went into every frame and then re-watch "The Blue Umbrella" with new eyes.
Panelist:
• Saschka Unseld, Director of The Blue Umbrella
Industrial Light & Magic Presents: The Visual Effects of "Star Trek Into Darkness"
Tuesday, 7/23, 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Visual Effects Supervisor Roger Guyett and the team from ILM discuss the visual effects challenges overcome for the intergalactic manhunt portrayed in J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek Into Darkness”. From the on-set approach to the effects work to constructing a Starfleet and building and destroying future San Francisco and London, the panelists will cover the creative solutions developed for the film.
Panelists:
• Roger Guyett, Visual Effects Supervisor / Second Unit Director
• Paul Kavanagh, Animation Supervisor
Rhythm & Hues Studios presents: How to bake a Pi
Thursday, 7/25, 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM
Get a first-hand look at the story behind the stunning, Oscar-winning visuals of Life of Pi as Rhythm & Hues takes you on a journey from script to screen through a world of vast oceans, carnivorous islands, flying fish, bioluminescent jellyfish, whales and tigers. Leaders from the visual effects team will discuss in detail how they attempted to tackle the project, share the hard lessons learned along the way and explain the complex process used to seamlessly combine live-action with extensive digital environments and hand-crafted character animation in a fully-stereo pipeline that required a total rethink of much of the traditional vfx process.
The Open Source Swimming Hole; C’mon In The Water’s Fine^h^h^h^h Murky
Sunday, 21 July, 2 pm -3:30 pm
Open Source Software (OSS) has become an integral piece of the ever-expanding Animation and Visual Effects industry. With OSS firmly implemented into many studios’ production and development pipelines, what has been gained? Professionals within these fields will discuss the challenges and benefits of using OSS, reflecting on how the industry has changed as a result. They will look back on their own innovations that have become widespread within the community, in addition to revealing what future developments are in the works.
The panelists represent a community of developers and enthusiasts who encourage open collaboration, as they share their thoughts and experiences with the world.
Topics Include:
• What are some legality challenges that arise when implementing OSS into a company’s pipeline?
• The benefits and disadvantages between closed source and open source software
• The future of OSS in various studio settings
• Updates and new developments from the panelists
Panelists:
• Rob Bredow, Sony Pictures Imageworks
• Andrew Pearce, DreamWorks Animation
• Bill Polson, Pixar Animation Studios
• Ton Roosendaal, Blender Foundation
• Kevin Gambrel, Disney Animation Studios
The Visual Effects of Marvel’s ‘Iron Man 3’
Wednesday, 7/24, 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
In Marvel's “Iron Man 3,” from Director Shane Black, brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man goes on a harrowing quest to find the enemy who has destroyed his personal world. Marvel Studios, Digital Domain, Scanline VFX, and Weta Digital take SIGGRAPH audiences through their VFX journey as they created some of the movie’s most heart-stopping moments – the house attack sequence, the dramatic ‘barrel of monkeys’ sky rescue and the climactic final battle.
Panelists:
• Victoria Alonso, EVP of Visual Effects and Post Production, Marvel Studios / Executive Producer Iron Man 3
• Christopher Townsend, VFX Supervisor, ‘Iron Man 3’
• Guy Williams, VFX Supervisor, Weta Digital
• Geoff Baumann, CG Supervisor, Digital Domain
• Bryan Grill, VFX Supervisor, Scanline VFX
DreamWorks Animation Presents: A Journey to the Croodaceous
Wednesday, 7/24, 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
A behind-the-scenes look at DreamWorks Animation's hit film "The Croods" directed by Chris Sanders and Kirk DeMicco. The session explores the artistic and technical challenges of bringing uniquely designed, appealing, gritty and at times dangerous prehistoric characters, creatures and environments to life, all with the ultimate goal of delivering an insightful emotional family journey set against a pending natural disaster. The artistic leadership of the film will talk about the aesthetic decisions made along with the technical and workflow innovations necessary to accomplish the film.
Panelists:
• Chris Sanders, Director
• Matt Baer, Head of Effects
• Mark Edwards, Head of Lighting
• Damon Crowe, Character Effects Supervisor
Walt Disney Animation Studios Presents "Frozen": The Craft of Character and Cold
Tuesday, 7/23, 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM
The team from Walt Disney Animation Studios gives a first-time, behind-the-scenes look at the their November 27, 2013 film, "Frozen". Attendees will learn how the team of artists and technologists created the film's characters through visual development, rigging, animation and advanced rendering tools and discover how the elements of cold - ice, snow and frost - were brought to life through new simulation techniques.
OLM Digital Presents the Anime Spirit: From Pokémon, Pac-Man to live action films
Wednesday, 7/24, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Anime has gained great popularity in the world for its unique expressiveness in contrast to western animation. OLM Digital, a digital production company in Tokyo, keeps trying new anime styles, making the Pokémon movies over 15 years. This session presents the company’s various works in 2D/3D hybrid anime, 3DCG, S3D anime and live action films. The showcase focuses on how the anime spirit of OLM Digital is put into various visual forms. The brand-new Pac-Man animated TV series, which is a collaborative work with Sprite Animation Studios, is also one of the highlights of this session.
Panelists:
• Yasuhiro Mikami, CGI Director OLM Digital
• Masashi Kobayashi, CGI Producer OLM Digital
• Moto Sakakibara, CEO and Creative Director Sprite Animation Studios
• Ken Anjyo, R&D supervisor OLM Digital
LAIKA Presents: The Seamless Fusion of Stop-Motion and Visual Effects Technologies in LAIKA's Feature Films
Wednesday, 7/24, 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM
LAIKA, the Oregon-based animation studio behind the remarkable features ParaNorman (2012), Coraline (2009) and The Boxtrolls (in theaters 26 September 2014) has inspired audiences -- and industry professionals -- with an unprecedented visual artistry. Animators breathe life into meticulously hand-crafted puppets while visual effects artists seamlessly enhance the performance with cutting-edge technologies. This unparalleled fusion of stop- motion and computer graphics has garnered the studio two Oscar nominations and worldwide acclaim. In this session, Georgina Hayns and Brian McLean address the key interdependent and collaborative relationships between these uniquely different but critically important departments.
The presentation will address the following:
• The use of Maya and Zbrush to enhance practical sculpts;
• 3D Printed material and subsurface scattering to allow puppet builders to break free of previous design limitations;
• The advancements in color 3D printing and the enabling of puppet builders to evolve beyond prior design limitations;
• The use of in-house developed silicones which enable character performance previously unseen in stop-motion animation;
• The utilization of 3D Printers to pre-vis puppet construction issues and control how practical materials perform;
• The use of laser cutting fabrics to enhance the design and functionality of the puppets costumes.
• Production puppets will be displayed during the presentation.
Panelists:
• Georgina Hayns, Creative Supervisor, Puppet Fabrication
• Brian McLean, Director of Rapid Prototype.
Sony Pictures Imageworks Presents: Take a Journey Down the Yellow Brick Road
Tuesday, 7/23, 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks, under the direction of VFX supervisor Scott Stokdyk, created the majority of the visual effects for Disney's OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL. As a cinematic prequel to L. Frank Baum’s first book “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” the film explores the backstory of the wizard character. The goal of the film was to create a beautiful stylized environment for the land of Oz and bring to life computer graphics characters that accompany Oz on his journey, including Finley the monkey, the porcelain China Girl, and various creatures that surprise them along the way.
Scare School 101: The Making of Disney•Pixar's "Monsters University"
Thursday, 7/25, 12:45 PM - 2:15 PM
The filmmaking team will guide attendees through the production process of the summer 2013 Disney•Pixar film, "Monsters University". Twelve years after the original film, see how creators rebuilt the Monster world; updated familiar characters into college-age versions of themselves; designed, built and lit a campus fit for a monster; and populated the university with a student body of diverse, unique and terrifying monster types.
Storytelling through Stereography Industry Panel
Monday, 7/22, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
This panel brings together the Stereoscopic supervisors from some of the leading studios in the computer animation industry to discuss the artistry of the Stereo process and to show how storytelling is enhanced through the use of stereo.
From the beginning, stereography has been seen as either a gimmick, a trend, or a technical process done in post production. But now, stereography has moved into the filmmakers tool belt – filmmakers have begun using stereography to raise and lower the emotional temperature of a film in the same way as lighting, color, composition, and the choice of lens.
In this panel we will discuss the varied approaches that each studio has used. We will discuss our individual philosophies and our interactions with the directors in the execution of each of our films. We will present specific examples from recent movies.
Panelists:
• Dan Abramovich, Stereo Supervisor, Blue Sky Studios
• Robert Neuman, Stereo Supervisor; Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Joshua Hollander, Director of 3D Production, Pixar Animation Studios
• Rob Engle, Freelance Stereo Supervisor
• Gil Zimmerman, Head of Layout, DreamWorks Animation
'Cancel the Apocalypse' – Industrial Light & Magic Presents: The Visual Effects of “Pacific Rim”
Tuesday, 7/23, 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM
From aliens that threaten Earth’s very existence to massive human-piloted robots, this panel will discuss the wide-ranging scope of Industrial Light & Magic’s effects work on Guillermo del Toro’s science fiction epic “Pacific Rim.” The artists will cover creative and technical challenges overcome in the areas of asset development, character animation, lighting, digital environments, advanced fluid simulation work and more.
Panelists:
• John Knoll – Visual Effects Supervisor
• Hal Hickel – Animation Supervisor
 |
| Jerome Solomon |
The Computer Animation Festival, chaired this year by Jason R.M. Smith, is recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a qualifying festival. Since 1999, several works originally presented in the Computer Animation Festival have been nominated for or have received a "Best Animated Short" Academy Award. This year’s selections will be featured during the Computer Animation Festival through a series of daily Festival Screenings and the iconic Electronic Theater, allowing attendees to get a glimpse behind the making of computer generated effects, visualizations, and animations
In all there will be 15 Production Sessions. Here is the full lineup:
Warner Brothers Presents the VFX for 'Man of Steel'
Tuesday, 7/23, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
 |
| © 2013 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and Legendary Pictures Funding, LLC |
Panelists:
• Dan Lemmon - Visual Effects Supervisor, Weta Digital
• Guillaume Rocheron - Visual Effects Supervisor, MPC
• Ged Wright - Visual Effects Supervisor, Double Negative
• Stephan Trojansky, President/Sr. VFX Supervisor, Scanline VFX
• Max Ivins - Visual Effects Supervisor, LOOK Effects
Blue Sky Studios Presents: The Fantastical World of Epic
Wednesday, 7/24, 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM
 |
| TM and © 2013 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. Photo Credit: Blue Sky Studios |
Panelists:
• Mike Knapp, Art Director
• Galen Chu, Supervising Animator
• Renato Falcão, Cinematographer
TM and © 2013 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved.
Photo Credit: Blue Sky Studios
The Making of Pixar's "The Blue Umbrella"
Sunday, 7/21, 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM
 |
| © Disney•Pixar. All rights reserved |
Panelist:
• Saschka Unseld, Director of The Blue Umbrella
Industrial Light & Magic Presents: The Visual Effects of "Star Trek Into Darkness"
Tuesday, 7/23, 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
 |
| Copyright/Image credit: © 2013 Paramount Pictures. image courtesy of Industrial Light & Magic/Paramount Pictures |
Panelists:
• Roger Guyett, Visual Effects Supervisor / Second Unit Director
• Paul Kavanagh, Animation Supervisor
Rhythm & Hues Studios presents: How to bake a Pi
Thursday, 7/25, 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM
 |
| Image credit: © 2012 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. Courtesy Rhythm & Hues Studios. |
The Open Source Swimming Hole; C’mon In The Water’s Fine^h^h^h^h Murky
Sunday, 21 July, 2 pm -3:30 pm
Open Source Software (OSS) has become an integral piece of the ever-expanding Animation and Visual Effects industry. With OSS firmly implemented into many studios’ production and development pipelines, what has been gained? Professionals within these fields will discuss the challenges and benefits of using OSS, reflecting on how the industry has changed as a result. They will look back on their own innovations that have become widespread within the community, in addition to revealing what future developments are in the works.
The panelists represent a community of developers and enthusiasts who encourage open collaboration, as they share their thoughts and experiences with the world.
Topics Include:
• What are some legality challenges that arise when implementing OSS into a company’s pipeline?
• The benefits and disadvantages between closed source and open source software
• The future of OSS in various studio settings
• Updates and new developments from the panelists
Panelists:
• Rob Bredow, Sony Pictures Imageworks
• Andrew Pearce, DreamWorks Animation
• Bill Polson, Pixar Animation Studios
• Ton Roosendaal, Blender Foundation
• Kevin Gambrel, Disney Animation Studios
The Visual Effects of Marvel’s ‘Iron Man 3’
Wednesday, 7/24, 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
 |
| Image Credit: Marvel's "Iron Man 3"still photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2013 Marvel |
Panelists:
• Victoria Alonso, EVP of Visual Effects and Post Production, Marvel Studios / Executive Producer Iron Man 3
• Christopher Townsend, VFX Supervisor, ‘Iron Man 3’
• Guy Williams, VFX Supervisor, Weta Digital
• Geoff Baumann, CG Supervisor, Digital Domain
• Bryan Grill, VFX Supervisor, Scanline VFX
DreamWorks Animation Presents: A Journey to the Croodaceous
Wednesday, 7/24, 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
 |
| Copyright: © 2013 DreamWorks Animation. All Rights Reserved. |
Panelists:
• Chris Sanders, Director
• Matt Baer, Head of Effects
• Mark Edwards, Head of Lighting
• Damon Crowe, Character Effects Supervisor
Walt Disney Animation Studios Presents "Frozen": The Craft of Character and Cold
Tuesday, 7/23, 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM
 |
| Copyright/ImageCredit: © 2012 Disney |
OLM Digital Presents the Anime Spirit: From Pokémon, Pac-Man to live action films
Wednesday, 7/24, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
 |
| Image Copyrights: ©Nintendo•Creatures•GAME FREAK•TV Tokyo•ShoPro•JR Kikaku ©Pokémon ©2012 PIKACHU PROJECT ©2012 NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. ©2012 CAPCOM / "Ace Attorney" FILM PARTNERS |
Panelists:
• Yasuhiro Mikami, CGI Director OLM Digital
• Masashi Kobayashi, CGI Producer OLM Digital
• Moto Sakakibara, CEO and Creative Director Sprite Animation Studios
• Ken Anjyo, R&D supervisor OLM Digital
LAIKA Presents: The Seamless Fusion of Stop-Motion and Visual Effects Technologies in LAIKA's Feature Films
Wednesday, 7/24, 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM
 |
| Image Credit: LAIKA, Inc. |
The presentation will address the following:
• The use of Maya and Zbrush to enhance practical sculpts;
• 3D Printed material and subsurface scattering to allow puppet builders to break free of previous design limitations;
• The advancements in color 3D printing and the enabling of puppet builders to evolve beyond prior design limitations;
• The use of in-house developed silicones which enable character performance previously unseen in stop-motion animation;
• The utilization of 3D Printers to pre-vis puppet construction issues and control how practical materials perform;
• The use of laser cutting fabrics to enhance the design and functionality of the puppets costumes.
• Production puppets will be displayed during the presentation.
Panelists:
• Georgina Hayns, Creative Supervisor, Puppet Fabrication
• Brian McLean, Director of Rapid Prototype.
Sony Pictures Imageworks Presents: Take a Journey Down the Yellow Brick Road
Tuesday, 7/23, 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM
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| © 2013 Disney Enterprises Inc. |
Scare School 101: The Making of Disney•Pixar's "Monsters University"
Thursday, 7/25, 12:45 PM - 2:15 PM
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| Copyright/ImageCredit: ©Disney•Pixar |
Storytelling through Stereography Industry Panel
Monday, 7/22, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
 |
| Image copyright: Marco Barragan |
From the beginning, stereography has been seen as either a gimmick, a trend, or a technical process done in post production. But now, stereography has moved into the filmmakers tool belt – filmmakers have begun using stereography to raise and lower the emotional temperature of a film in the same way as lighting, color, composition, and the choice of lens.
In this panel we will discuss the varied approaches that each studio has used. We will discuss our individual philosophies and our interactions with the directors in the execution of each of our films. We will present specific examples from recent movies.
Panelists:
• Dan Abramovich, Stereo Supervisor, Blue Sky Studios
• Robert Neuman, Stereo Supervisor; Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Joshua Hollander, Director of 3D Production, Pixar Animation Studios
• Rob Engle, Freelance Stereo Supervisor
• Gil Zimmerman, Head of Layout, DreamWorks Animation
'Cancel the Apocalypse' – Industrial Light & Magic Presents: The Visual Effects of “Pacific Rim”
Tuesday, 7/23, 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM
 |
| Image copyright - © 2013 Warner Bros. Courtesy of Industrial Light & Magic. |
Panelists:
• John Knoll – Visual Effects Supervisor
• Hal Hickel – Animation Supervisor
14 June 2013
SIGGRAPH 2013 Partners with Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Keynote Session
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| Please click to enlarge image. |
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| Marc Davis |
The panel, entitled "Giants’ First Steps", will explore the student works and early careers of the participating directors. Clips from their student films will be shown as part of the session. Among the panel participants are several Oscar recipients and nominees including:
• Pete Docter
• Eric Goldberg
• Kevin Lima
• Mike Mitchell
• Chris Sanders
• Henry Selick
• David Silverman
• Kirk Wise
• Moderator: Randy Haberkamp, Managing Director of Programing, Education and Preservation, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
For detailed biographies on the directors, click here.
“SIGGRAPH is thrilled to establish such a great collaboration with the Academy and to welcome an amazing line up of directors to our conference,” says Mk Haley, SIGGRAPH 2013 Conference Chair from Disney Research. “Having such remarkable talent and experience in one room, on one stage may never happen again. It is certain to be a thrilling Keynote Session and especially fitting that we recognize Marc Davis's great legacy and these invited guests at our 40th annual conference.”
Haberkamp adds, “It’s always fascinating to see the early student work of a filmmaker we’ve come to admire, and the Academy hopes these glimpses into our panelists first steps will be as inspiring to future filmmakers as Marc Davis’s work is to animation fans everywhere.”
The Academy's first Marc Davis Lecture took place in 1994 with Davis himself, one of Disney’s “Nine Old Men,” as the inaugural participant in this lecture named in his honor. The Marc Davis Lecture was established to provide a forum for film animators and other experts in the craft to share their experiences as well as to explore with colleagues the challenges of creating animation for the screen.
Davis’ association with Walt Disney and the Disney Studio began in 1935. Among the characters to whom Davis gave shape and life were Bambi, Brier Rabbit, Cinderella, Tinkerbell, Maleficent and Cruella DeVil. He also did extensive preliminary work on a number of the attractions featured at the New York World’s Fair, Disneyland, Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland, including “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “It’s a Small World” and “The Haunted Mansion.”
Marc Davis died in Los Angeles after a brief illness on 12 January 2000, at the age of 86. His work continues to inspire new generations of artists.
11 June 2013
Q&A with Mark Elendt, SIGGRAPH 2013 Dailies Chair
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| Mark Elendt |
You can read about this achievement here on the Side Effects Software website.
To those new to SIGGRAPH, here are the details on SIGGRAPH Dailies:
"This celebration of excellence in computer graphics showcases images and short animations of extraordinary power and beauty. Each presenter has one minute to present an animation and describe the work. The format is very similar to Technical Papers Fast Forward, except there is no talk later in the week.
Dailies is where you will be astounded by sheer excellence in modeling, shading, animation, lighting, effects, and more. Where you can participate in the vibrant production culture that surrounds presenting and reviewing work that was completed despite seemingly endless obstacles."
The Dailies take place on Wednesday during conference week from approximately6pm - 8pm.
Click below to watch the Dailies 2013 preview video.
Why do you think the Dailies program has caught on?
Though it's relatively new, I personally feel that Dailies is one of the most exciting SIGGRAPH programs and I think it really strikes a chord with a lot of the SIGGRAPH attendees.
I mean, I've always really enjoyed the other programs at SIGGRAPH, particularly the technical programs. But one thing I particularly enjoyed was the "how we did this" clips shown by big studios at the Electronic Theatre. I really enjoyed watching how all the different components come together to make a single complex shot in a movie.
Dailies is a whole evening of "behind the scenes" stories. Not only do you see outstanding imagery, but you also hear the stories from the artists who did the work: the challenges, clever tricks, or even how they were personally affected by the work. With 45 different stories told in a space of about 90 minutes, it makes for a very fast-paced and exciting evening.
If you think about it, there really is no other place where you can experience this kind of event.
What motivated you to want to be the Chair?
I have been a SIGGRAPH volunteer for many years and was fortunate to be around when the first Dailies program was rolled out by Pixar's Bill Polson. Bill's explanation of Dailies really captured my imagination. Electronic Theatre shows the final product and Production Sessions give us an in-depth look into the process, but Dailies is the only place at SIGGRAPH where we get to hear from the artist who actually did the work. I guess my motivation to be Chair was that I wanted to step up and help this fledgling program off the ground.
How did you pick your Jury?
This year, I was really fortunate to get a great jury of industry professionals together to review the material. It was a very small group of very talented individuals from Dreamworks, Pixar, Microsoft Games and Rhythm and Hues. I felt that to avoid conflicts of interest, it was essential to select jurors with different talents from across different studios. Of course, it was also important to choose people with production experience, jurors who knew what it was like to work in the trenches.
Editor's note: To view the Dailies jury, click here.
What was your biggest challenge this year?
Though the Dailies program has gained popularity among attendees, there has actually been a slight downward trend in the number of submissions. So my biggest challenge this year was to try to bolster the number of submissions. In many ways, 2013 was a challenging year for film production, but even so, I was happy to see the number of submissions increase.
What should people expect this year....any highlights?
With 45 unique presentations by 45 different artists, all crammed into about 90 minutes, it's going to be a frantic, fast-paced roller coaster of an evening. There's a huge variety of content - from fantastic student work to talks by top studios. Along with the stunning imagery, what really stands out at Dailies are the stories behind the work. There are a couple of very special pieces, but I'd prefer not to give away any spoilers.
What does it take to get accepted to Dailies?
There are two components to a Dailies submission. The first is the work itself. The second, and often more important component, is the story behind the work. With a good story and compelling imagery, you have a shoe-in submission for Dailies.
As a Canadian, are you surprised at how well SIGGRAPH 2011 did in Vancouver and are you excited to go back?
2011 was the first time SIGGRAPH was held outside the United States and as a Canadian, I was thrilled to see it come to Vancouver. Not only is Vancouver a picturesque location, the whole graphics community really pitched in to make SIGGRAPH 2011 a magical experience.
In my 20+ years of SIGGRAPH, Vancouver 2011 stands out as an exceptional conference and I can't tell you how delighted I was to hear that SIGGRAPH is going back in 2014. Though my expectations are set pretty high, I don't think I'll be disappointed, eh?
What has been your biggest career honor?
When I'm not volunteering for SIGGRAPH, I build animation and rendering tools for Side Effects Software. I'm always blown away to see how talented artists can use (and sometimes abuse) the tools I make to create such amazing imagery. But the single biggest career honour would have to be my Technical Academy Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, recognizing my contributions to the film industry (BTW, there's an extra 'u' in honour in Canada).
Editor's note: Watch Mark accept his Technical Academy Award by clicking here.
05 June 2013
European Directors Win Majority of SIGGRAPH 2013 Computer Animation Festival Honors
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| Jason R.M. Smith |
“Every piece in the festival has something that made it stand out from the 40 hours of content submitted for this year’s show,” says Jason RM Smith, SIGGRAPH 2013 Computer Animation Festival Chair. “There's no other venue in the world comparable to the Computer Animation Festival; each year we're honored by the amazing number of high-quality entries and every year the show grows. This year we're screening 10% more content; as the quality continues to improve it becomes increasingly difficult to select the best of the best."
The Computer Animation Festival, celebrating its 40th year, is recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a qualifying festival. Since 1999, several works originally presented in the Computer Animation Festival have been nominated for or have received a "Best Animated Short" Academy Award. This year’s selections will be featured during the Computer Animation Festival through a series of daily Festival Screenings and the iconic Electronic Theater, allowing attendees to get a glimpse behind the making of computer-generated effects, visualizations, and animations.
BEST IN SHOW AWARD
À la Française
Directed by Morrigane Boyer, Julien Hazebroucq, Ren Hsien Hsu, Emmanuelle Leleu, and William Lorton, France
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| Click on image to enlarge. |
JURY AWARD
Lost Senses
Directed by Marcin Wasilewski, Poland
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| Click on image to enlarge. |
BEST STUDENT PROJECT
Rollin' Safari
Directed by Kyra Buschor, Anna Habermehl, and Constantin Paeplow, Germany
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| Click on image to enlarge. |
BEST STUDENT PROJECT RUNNERS-UP
Sleddin'
Directed by John Pettingill, Texas A&M University, United States of America
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| Click on image to enlarge. |
Harald
Directed by Moritz Schneider, Germany
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| Click on image to enlarge. |
Editor's note: SIGGRAPH 2013 images are available to authorized news media representatives. To request access, please contact the SIGGRAPH 2013 Media Office via e-mail at media@siggraph.org
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