FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
30 July, 2001

For further information:
Sheila Hoffmeyer/Ann Kilhoffer-Reichert
+1.312.644.6610 x5811
+1.312.245.1083 fax
media-s2001@siggraph.org

SIGGRAPH 2001 Announces Special Sessions...
Virtual Stars, Masters of the Game, Web3D RoundUP, Sensapolooza: A Guided Tour of the New Silicon Senses, and 2001 in 2001: How a Film Inspired Our Future

(Chicago, IL) - ACM SIGGRAPH today announced the special sessions for SIGGRAPH 2001, the 28th International Conference on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques, being held 12 - 17 August at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, California. The five special sessions are Virtual Stars, Masters of the Game, Web3D Roundup, Sensapolooza: A Guided Tour of the New Silicon Senses, and 2001 in 2001: How a Film Inspired Our Future.

"The SIGGRAPH 2001 Special Sessions line up provides a unique look at the future of various digital technologies, their implementations, as well as their implications," said Kathryn Saunders, Public Domain Experience Design and SIGGRAPH 2001 Panels chair. "The session formats are exciting and different, and bound to appeal to our conference attendees."

A brief overview of each of the five SIGGRAPH 2001 Special Sessions:

Virtual Stars
Monday, 13 August 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Visual effects supervisors at Sony Pictures Imageworks and Rhythm & Hues Studios discuss creation of photo-realistic digital characters for leading roles in films. This session provides a rare look at the evolving technical and artistic capability that has dramatically expanded filmmakers' boundaries: creation of digital characters with dynamic personalities and an unparalleled level of realism, seamlessly integrated into a live-action environment. Individual presentations will be followed by a roundtable discussion.

Masters of the Game
Wednesday, 15 August 12:30 - 2 PM
Winners of Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Interactive Achievement Awards offer a behind-the-scenes look at some of the world's leading games and the people who created them. The award winners speak about the games, their sources of inspiration, their multi-disclipinary teams, and how they created the magic that earned them awards for excellence in art direction, animation, game-play engineering, visual engineering, sound design, musical composition, and character and story development.

Web3D Roundup
Wednesday, 15 August 7:30 - 9 PM
The interactive event for interactive content. Web3D content developers and toolmakers demonstrate the latest technology and applications in a fast-paced shootout. The audience selects the best of the best from over 25 pre-selected presenters.

Sensapolooza: A Guided Tour of the New Silicon Senses
Thursday, 16 August 6 - 8 PM
Sensory explorers describe a future where computing strategies and digital devices enhance, heighten, and repair the human sensorium. This special session is a combination of talk show and television cooking program, with a Greek chorus attached. Six guests (one for each of the five senses and one for the sixth sense, mind) demonstrate leading-edge technologies that show how the human sensorium is being augmented with sophisticated computer chips. During and after the demos, members of the Greek chorus contribute their own observations and comments.

2001 in 2001: How a Film Inspired Our Future
Friday, 17 August 12:30 - 2 PM
In 1968, Stanley Kubrick created a motion picture that did much more than tell a story. "2001" defined the future and our place in it, inspired a generation of artists and filmmakers, and created a new perspective of the world. In this very special session, industry veterans, historians, and visionaries explore Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" and how its influence will extend far into the 21st century.

If you would like more information on the SIGGRAPH 2001 Special Sessions, see www.siggraph.org/s2001. Or contact Ann Kilhoffer-Reichert, SIGGRAPH 2001 Media Relations, +1.858.581.3330, or ann_reichert@siggraph.org.

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SIGGRAPH 2001 will bring over 40,000 computer graphics and interactive technology professionals from six continents to Los Angeles for the week-long conference. A comprehensive technical program and special events focusing on research, art, animation, and interactive technologies are planned. SIGGRAPH 2001 includes a three-day exhibition of products and services for the computer graphics and interactive marketplace from 14-16 August 2001. ACM SIGGRAPH, the leading professional society for computer graphics and interactive techniques, sponsors SIGGRAPH 2001. Information on ACM SIGGRAPH membership and other conferences and activities can be found at www.siggraph.org.