It’s SIGGRAPH time again!
We’re excited to once again participate in the world’s largest conference for Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques, hosted by ACM SIGGRAPH!
This year’s event is happening in Los Angeles, California as well as virtually August 6 – 10. Our DNEG and DNEG Animation teams will be attending in full force, and offering a jam-packed line-up of presentations, panels and events!
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xSTUDIO — An Open Source Playback and Review Application | Talk
Ted Waine (Expert Software Developer), Al Crate (Senior Software Developer) & Chas Jarrett (Creative Director)
Sunday, August 6, 3:45 PM – 4:07 PM PDT | Room 403 AB
We present xSTUDIO, a new open source playback and review tool developed by DNEG. Developed as a solution for the very real review and approval requirements of today, xSTUDIO has been built with an open and adaptable framework to also meet the requirements of tomorrow.
Jigsaw: Graphical Representation for Big Data Management in Digital Film Production | Talk
Clement Jovet (Senior Software Developer) & Samuel Melamed (Software Development Manager)
Sunday, August 6, 5:13 PM – 5:35 PM PDT | Room 403 AB
Digital film productions rely on large-asset data sets to coordinate the composition of filmed and computer-generated content. Jigsaw is a data management system used to organize, process, and distribute a wide range of asset data throughout a global pipeline. To date, Jigsaw has been used in over 300 shows.
Nimona: Creating a Large Simulated Monster with Style | Talk
Zhujun Bamboo Wung (Lead Effects Artist) & Ted Ty (Global Head of Character Animation & Animation Director, Nimona)
Monday, August 7, 3:45 PM – 4:07 PM PDT | Room 515 B
The creation of the uniquely stylized, large-scale monster in the film Nimona presented a number of unique visual and technical challenges. The DNEG Animation team discusses how they achieved the look, how it differed from what was done at BlueSky Studios and how they stayed true to the design aesthetics.
Heart, Sweat and Tears: Nimona’s Journey to the Screen | Production Session
Anthony Kemp (Digital Producer), Avril Hug (Lead Surfacing Artist), Johan Dekker (Motion Graphics Supervisor), Zhujun Bamboo Wang (Lead Effects Artist) & Ted Ty (Global Head of Character Animation & Animation Director, Nimona)
Wednesday, August 9, 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM PDT | West Hall B
METALLLLLLLLLL! Nimona is here! And the journey from best-selling graphic novel to full-length animated feature was an adventure on par with our namesake’s. Join the DNEG Animation team as they talk through the experience of picking up a special film with tender hearts and hands from Blue Sky Studios, and carrying it through to the finish line.
Our chosen family will share the triumphs, woes, and snafus that the heroic task required, including a hand-crafted pipeline and a team of 500 incredibly talented artists worldwide. From the construction of a sweeping techno-medieval city full of flying carriages and advanced MGFX to accentuated character performances, wimple simulation, and yes, whale snot. This brings us to the epic third act that required everything from everyone, but especially our FX team. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
This is a story about guts, glory, transformation, and most of all – as reflected in our very on-the-nose show code – HEART.
Don’t miss this!The presenters will also be available for a Meet and Greet with attendees 15 minutes after the conclusion of the session. The Meet and Greet will take place just outside the doors of the session room. |
Find us at Booth JF23 to meet our DNEG & DNEG Animation teams!
Tuesday, August 8, 10 AM – 6 PM PDT
Wednesday, August 9, 10 AM – 2 PM PDT
ASWF Open Source Days: Making xSTUDIO a Cross-Platform Reality
Ted Waine (Expert Software Developer)
Sunday, August 6, 5:10 PM – 5:40 PM PDT | JW Marriott Plaza I/II/III
xSTUDIO was originally written purely on the Linux platform, though cross platform support for MacOS and Windows was always a goal for the project. Teams from Epic Games and Ahead recently collaborated with xSTUDIO developers to make the xSTUDIO codebase fully build and runtime compatible with MS Windows. In this discussion we will talk about the motivations behind this project, the build and packaging technology used and the shortcuts learned.
SIGGRAPH BoF: ASWF Open Review Initiative Discussion
Ted Waine (Expert Software Developer)
Monday, August 7, 2:00 PM – 2:50 PM PDT | JW Marriott in Plaza III
DNEG’s Ted Waine (Expert Software Developer) joins a panel discussion about the playback, review and approval landscape, and the Open Review Initiative’s mission to build a unified, open source toolset. This BoF is part of Academy Software Foundation’s Open Source Days.
SIGGRAPH BoF: xSTUDIO Community BoF
Ted Waine (Expert Software Developer)
Monday, August 7th, 3:00 PM – 3:50 PM PDT | JW Marriott in Plaza III
Join the xSTUDIO Technical Steering Committee for a progress update, demos and roadmap discussion.
Metal! How Nimona Harnessed Globally Distributed Creativity with SyncSketch
Anthony Kemp (Digital Producer)
Tuesday, August 8, 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM PDT | Unity Meeting Suite 406 AB
In this session, learn how the DNEG Animation Nimona team conceptualized and collaborated faster and more easily with SyncSketch. Get a high-level overview of how DNEG Animation set up a handcrafted pipeline and streamlined their review workflows to deliver Nimona to the screen, from ideation to approval – even with a globally distributed team. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Nimona, including how the team accomplished the vast techno-medieval city with its advanced MGFX, detailed wimple simulation, and the shapeshifting animated character performances everyone’s talking about.
The VFX of The Last of Us: Crafting a Post-Apocalyptic World
Melaina Mace (CG Supervisor)
Wednesday, August 9, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM PDT | SideFX Houdini Hive Theatre, Room 304C
Join DNEG’s CG Supervisor Melaina Mace for an in-depth look at the creative and technical process behind bringing the post-apocalyptic world of The Last of Us to life through visual effects. Melaina will discuss the VFX tools and techniques used to create the photorealistic environments for the show. From Austin to Boston to Salt Lake City and Jackson Hole – the DNEG team grew ivy, constructed skylines, built mountains and destroyed buildings. Don’t miss this opportunity to go behind-the-scenes and discover the VFX work that made HBO’s The Last of Us a visual masterpiece.
Pixar RenderMan Art & Science Fair: Shine Bright Like Nimona
Markus Kurtz (VP of Animation Technology)
Wednesday, August 9, 8:00 – 8:10 PM PDT | The Belasco Theater
Join Markus Kurtz, the VP of Animation Technology at DNEG Animation, for a quick overview of the look and lighting of Nimona during the Feature Presentation at Pixar’s RenderMan Art & Science Fair!
For more information about SIGGRAPH and how to attend, click here. See you there!
Good to know!
Throughout the conference, we’ll be posting live updates on our Twitter and Instagram channels (that’s @dneg and @dneganimation). Make sure to follow us there to stay up-to-date about everything!