SIGGRAPH 2021 Conference Overview (360)

SIGGRAPH 2021 - UPDATES

 

(copyright Siggraph)

 https://s2021.siggraph.org/

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, SIGGRAPH 2021 will be held as a virtual-only event.

https://s2021.siggraph.org/about-the-conference/ 

 The conference was originally scheduled to take place 1–5 August at the Los Angeles Convention Center. I can't help but see the wisdom of erring on the side of caution.

Technology enables us, and encapsulates us at the same time. Humanity can cope with disasters, but the nature of media in general still calls for people getting together in general. Hopefully, after we find some positive resolution to the Covid crisis, my concern is a that the technology owners will have and even tighter control over us. 

More independent contractors and less employees with health and retirement benefits. Personally, I've tried to keep home and work environments separate. Those days may be over, at least for the current, and upcoming generation of animators and digital artists.

SIGGRAPH 2019: Fast, interpolationless character animation through “ephe...

https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3306307.3328165

SIGGRAPH 2019 Computer Animation Festival: Electronic Theater

                                         
One Night Only: Don’t Miss the SIGGRAPH 2019 Computer Animation Festival Electronic Theater.

Microsoft Theater, located in L.A. LIVE, on Monday, 29 July at 6:30 pm.

https://blog.siggraph.org/2019/06/one-night-only-dont-miss-the-siggraph-2019-computer-animation-festival-electronic-theater.html/

SIGGRAPH 2019 Keynote Speaker Victoria Alonso from Marvel Studios

First rumblings of Siggraph, which will be in L.A. this summer.

Being a comic book geek, I'm kind of anxious to hear one of the keynote speakers, Victoria Alonso, Executive Vice President of Production for Marvel Studios.

 

(photo copyright Siggraph)

From her bio in the first link below, Alonso started at Digital Domain, then joined Marvel as Executive Vice President of Visual Effects. She has won awards from the Visual Effects Society (VES), and the Harold Lloyd Award from the Advanced Imaging Society.

No info yet on the time or date of her talk.

The main dates for Siggraph I've found are from Sun, Jul 28, 2019 to Thu, Aug 1, 2019.

Will try to update more asap.
 

UPDATE: Victoria Alonso is scheduled to speak Monday, July 29, 2:00 - 3:15 PM.

Special thanks to Ginger Alford for the info!

https://s2019.siggraph.org/conference/programs-events/keynote-session/?fbclid=IwAR3z1lhDp0cOmGdTezMNUmKfVlfRqOzE9lLN3cfAXMUTWN7nXh3ZVEEQJC0

https://s2019.siggraph.org/ 

https://blog.siggraph.org/

SIGGRAPH 2018 Computer Animation Festival Electronic Theater

Star Wars: A Look Back with ILM Veteran Jeff Light

http://blog.siggraph.org/2015/12/star-wars-look-back.html/

Siggraph 2015

Didn't get there in time for any seminars or movies, but lots of learning opportunities for students to make their own toys, robots, gadgets, etc. Young people are doing more with laser cutters and 3D printers.

 

Also demos on more total immersion with virtual reality systems. The vendor floor was smaller than usual, but the Foundry, Autodesk , Mocha and some pipeline system companies were there.

Summer Vacation

Or, what I didn't do this summer. So far. I fell way behind on animation news, technology and art in general. I did get to see the Superman display at Cleveland Hopkins airport back in June.

                                              (Superman copyright DC/Time Warner)

The biggest drama in June before my summer trip was having our new PC crash. I mean, totally dead, just a black screen with a cursor. The boot sector was totally corrupted. And the kicker was it was our only Toon Boom Storyboard Pro station at the Animation Guild computer lab.

Finally managed to copy the files using the command prompt, and then reformat the disk. What a nightmare. All the "home remedy" advice for repairing the boot sector, and avoiding reinstalling everything never panned out. I was biting my nails making sure everyone's files made it off safely before I wiped out the drive.

I think I know what caused it, but I can't go into here. I'll get on ordering backup drives to soften the blow next time. Got to spend a week at my dad's place north of Toronto.

I also got my parents old PC and laptop running again, with some vital help from my brother. I'm still a bit disgusted with all the electronics people are hauling up to their cabins. Fortunately, the local township seems conscientious about recycling. Saw a couple old PC's at the transfer station last year.

Blew off Comic-Con and Siggraph. I need something else to inspire me. Tired of the same old thing.

Here's what I started this spring. I'm not sure how it's going to turn out.
http://kenroskosanimationthesis.blogspot.com/

Ah yes, and someone "kidnapped" the Rocky and Bullwinkle statue from Sunset Blvd. Taken in for repairs they say, but it may never be returned to that fabled spot. You can read more about it here.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/animationscoop/bullwinkle-statue-removed

Go away for awhile and L.A. just falls apart!

Siggraph Sketch 2008

Something I left at the Disney booth at Siggraph 2008. My email is on it.
Lord only knows what will happen to my little butterfly-girl.

Leaner and Meaner Siggraph this year. The display floor seemed smaller. Was feeling nauseous and run down this week, missed a lot of cool talks.

Kept running back and forth, but everyone does that. For a minute, I thought I was in the San Diego convention center. Need another break, but I just got back from a trip.

Siggraph 2007

Trip to Canada, then to Siggraph. Just glad to get home in one piece.