‘Game of Thrones,’ Netflix VFX Among Those to Be Featured in SIGGRAPH Production Talks
VFX pros behind the final season of “Game of Thrones,” the blockbuster film “Avengers: Endgame,” Pixar’s upcoming “Toy Story 4,” last year’s Oscar-winning “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” Netflix series, including “Stranger Things,” and more will give SIGGRAPH 2019 attendees a behind-the-scenes look at their work during the conference’s Production Sessions. There will even be a session about what it was like filming a VR project in space.
SIGGRAPH will hold a total of 11 sessions during the week of the conference, July 28- Aug. 1, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
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Visual effects supervisors from Weta Digital, Image Engine, Scanline and Pixomondo will talk about the more than 3,000 VFX shots created for each episode of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” Season 8, featuring dragons, large-scale environments and epic battles, setting a new standard for TV VFX.
SIGGRAPH’s keynote speaker, Marvel’s Victoria Alonso, is among the panelists talking about the visual effects challenges posed by “Avengers: Endgame,” the most recent installment in the blockbuster franchise.
For the first time at SIGGRAPH, VFX teams for streaming giant Netflix’s original series “Stranger Things,” “The Umbrella Academy” and “A Series of Unfortunate Events” will discuss their work. Prior to the conference, SIGGRAPH will release a podcast with the Netflix panelists as a preview of the session. SIGGRAPH releases one to two new episodes a month. Visit SIGGRAPH’s Spotlight website for more information.
In addition, speakers from immersive entertainment shop Felix & Paul Studios, NASA and the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space will talk about making “Space Explorers: Life in Orbit,” a VR project shot on the International Space Station.
Creating the interactive world of BioWare’s online multiplayer action role-playing game “Anthem” will also be featured in a Production Session.
Other Production Sessions include “Disney Presents: The Making of ‘The Lion King,'” “‘How to Train Your Dragon:’ The Hidden What?,” “‘First Man:’ Redefining In-Camera FX” and “‘Alita: Battle Angel’ — The Art of Being Human.”
In addition to the sessions, a gallery featuring costumes, artwork, props and memorabilia from Pixar, Netflix, Felix & Paul Studios, DreamWorks Animation and Marvel Studios, will be on display at the Production Gallery, open daily during the conference week for those with an Experience badge or above. Production Sessions are available to attendees with Select Conference, Full Conference or Full Conference Platinum badges.
“Every year, SIGGRAPH Production Sessions leave participants feeling inspired, energized and ready to push new boundaries. As the computer graphics industry evolves and continues to reinvent itself, old methods have faded in favor of an environment of openness, blurred boundary lines, and unparalleled depth of creative collaboration among studios around the world,” said Derrick Nau, SIGGRAPH 2019 Production Sessions Chair. “I think our 2019 programming reflects this modern momentum, and I’m so excited for all of our featured creators to share their stories. Choosing less than a dozen was tough, but I think we have excellent representation of the current breadth of graphics across film, television, VR and games.”
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