SIGGRAPH 2021 Conference Overview (360)

Nvidia's massive GTC 2021 press conference in 17 minutes

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.

Entertainment in the Pandemic Age

From LinkedIn contact Jay Francis: It looks like Disney is able to look ahead, and Disney Plus is getting the lion's share of the Mouse's resources.

In other words - Covid-19 is not going away. At least not anytime soon.

This is still a gamble for Disney since the Covid-19 lock down has kneecapped their usual moneymakers: theme parks, cruises and movie theater attendance. But on the surface, this shift makes sense.

 https://www.fastcompany.com/90566231/disney-plus-streaming-covid-19?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss?cid=search

  https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/12/business/media/disney-streaming-reorganization.html?auth=login-google

 https://theconversation.com/no-blockbusters-how-covid-19-has-worsened-the-fraught-relationship-between-cinemas-and-distributors-147622 

 So, after voting in this vital election, keep your masks clean, and keep that popcorn popping as you curl up with your favorite media device this winter.

Maker Walk LA - behind the scenes in DTLA

Just found out, need to tune in to twitter or instagram.

https://makeitinla.org/makerwalk/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2Ty5rjHVyE

https://www.kpfk.org/archives/

Is CGI Getting Worse?

Good commentary by Center Row.

Discord - the Uber/Facebook/Kickstarter of Animation?

The next big change in animation?
The future of animation?
Meet Discord - the Uber/Facebook/Kickstarter of Animation

https://discordapp.com/

While designed as an online app for gamers, I met a student who was doing animation for the new animated TV project "Hazbin Hotel". It looks like it's being funded and managed through this system. I didn't ask, out of manners, how they were being paid. I'm wondering if this could sidestep the entire current studio system. I'm just concerned that labor is being managed this way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeOWxqYp80A
 (Caution - adult themed material)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discord_(software)

Here's my animation history rant in a nutshell:

 First, the Zoetrope invented by William E. Lincoln,
Next, animation drawn with pencil and paper, shot on black and white film,
Then acetate cels, shot in color,

Next, animated features,
Multiplane cameras,

TV limited animation,

Then came the first computer animation made with old military technology,

Soon, video games,
The internet and world wide web,

Next animated features Tron, Toy Story,

Massive layoffs of traditional artists - "Learn Maya"

Virtual reality and Augmented Reality

Games and animation for smartphones,

Plus, streaming new media.

And now, Discord.

Not that Discord!

Are you ready for what's next?

T-Mobile and Sprint merger

Well, I only just found out about the T-Mobile and Sprint merger at a St. Patrick's Day party.
Another merger, and I feel like we're being boxed in, and losing our choices.
And it's more dough for a privileged few.
No mention on the usual news sources.

https://www.cnet.com/news/t-mobile-and-sprint-are-merging-heres-everything-you-need-to-know/

https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/14/18223819/t-mobile-sprint-merger-regulators-congress-hearing

https://www.wired.com/story/t-mobile-sprint-merger-is-scrambling-telecom-politics/

https://consumerist.com/2014/02/12/why-sprints-case-for-t-mobile-merger-is-logical-but-bad-for-consumers/

How to Fix the Future by Andrew Keen

Managed to catch this on KPFK; Ralph Nader interviews author Andrew Keen.

https://ralphnaderradiohour.com/how-to-fix-the-future/

 (from Technological Threat, directed by Bill Kroyer 1988)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096238/

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32508662-how-to-fix-the-future

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/WesternAnimation/TechnologicalThreat

The Little Bummer Droid

Just getting a quick sketch down.

The Holiday rush has begun, at least for me.

My concern is "Digital Dickensian-ism":

We are at a point where not having the latest phone or gadget not only means a loss of status, but a threat to health and safety as well. If a cell tower goes down, can the public still get vital information on wildfires or hurricanes threatening their town? There's still battery powered radios, but who really keeps one? My upbringing has helped me try to tread as lightly on the Earth as I can. (And I still hang to a lot of old tech to pinch a penny.) But it is tech that media manufacturers and telecom companies don't want to deal with anymore. My point is that we should be able live with whatever level of technology we want, and actually need. I'm still impressed by the Amish back East!

I hope the world can heal, and get past its rage and madness in 2019.

Best,

Ken R.

Animate In Virtual Reality with Disney's PoseVR

Saw this article on Cartoon Brew; worth passing along. https://www.cartoonbrew.com/disney/disneys-posevr-is-a-mind-blowing-tool-that-lets-you-animate-in-vr-166721.html

CTN Expo 2018

 It's November, and the rock concert of all animation conferences will be here again at the Burbank Marriott Hotel. Various Schools, Lectures, Seminars, Book Sellers, Artists, Celebrities, and the Big Studios will be there to celebrate the Animation Industry. I hope you can enjoy it.

https://www.ctnanimationexpo.com/

 https://www.facebook.com/ctnanimationexpo/

(my photo from CTN 2015, characters copyright Disney)

Slamdance DIG - A Showcase of Interactive Art

https://showcase.slamdance.com/DIG

Hello Blog, health and finance issues kept me away for awhile. But I was able to make it downtown Friday for the Slamdance Digital Interactive Game seminar at the L.A. Artist collective in St. Vincent Court. The subject of the discussion was about how information and storytelling are coming together into a new art form. Guest speakers included Chadwick Turner from Tailspin, Bryan Davis, founder of Lost Spirits distillery, Ray Mosco "VR Evangelist and Artist/Animator Sasha Samochina from NASA's "The Studio" at JPL. The host was Dekker Dreyer.

Forgot to mention how Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality will become more and more commonplace. Will update this article asap.

E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo 2018 - Digital Village 90.7 KPFK

 Ric and Doran discuss high tech topics on their radio show, Digital Village. They also have Britney from Game Talk Live give a review of the E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo 2018.

Topics include:

The end of Net Neutrality

Tesla

AT&T/TimeWarner Merger

Uber pedestrian fatality
More female players, animators and game characters

With apologies, you have to search for Digital Village's latest show on KPFK's audio archive page.

https://archive.kpfk.org/index.php

https://www.e3expo.com/

Fortnite is reported to be the big game right now from Epic Games.

https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/en-US/buy-now/standard

L.A. ACM SIGGRAPH - An Evening at the Technicolor Experience Center

 As an animation artist originally from the traditional pencil and paper world, I felt like I was in a classic James Bond movie when I visited the Technicolor Experience Center in Los Angeles. This was back on Tuesday May 8th, 2018


I must admit, VR headsets I've tried a few years ago gave me headaches and eyestrain, not to mention motion sickness. But the headsets at Technicolor seemed to agree with me, and the motion simulation chair worked in a very smooth, but dynamic way. The sensation of flying was pretty convincing. I was placed in the Alien: Covenant in Utero, a virtual reality experience. Not for the squeamish.

http://tec.technicolor.com/projects/alien-covenant-utero

It looks like VR games can be downloaded same as  downloading a movie, or any other video game. For Oculus, Vive and Stlan? Playstation? I'll try to clarify and update this ASAP.

Digitally insert an actor into a scene when their schedule prevents them from being filmed during a production.

VR stage for filming and tracking at Tecnincolor. The camera rig transmits its angle and position to Technicolor's tracking system. This can be matched up with the original camera's motion data.

Augmented Reality: objects from a video can appear to be in the room with you, if you have the AR app on your phone or tablet.

The reason is jobs, jobs, jobs! This is where the future is. Will update, correct and try to flesh out more details on this post soon.

Many thanks to L.A. ACM SIGGRAPH, and the staff at the Technicolor Experience Center!

http://tec.technicolor.com/about

 http://la.siggraph.org/events/title/evening-technicolor-experience-center

http://la.siggraph.org/

Technicolor Experience Center
3237 South La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90016

(323) 648-3619

VR: Game Changer. Virtual Reality on NPR

Can VR be used for more than just blasting bad guys? Joshua Johnson hosts the show "1A" where he interviews Stamford professor Jeremy Bailenson, and discusses his new book "Experience on Demand". Tune in and find out!

https://www.scpr.org/programs/1A/2018/05/07/59796/