For the past five years, the Visual Effects Society has convened an annual summit for VFX industry professionals. Last year's summit was entitled "Evolution," in recognition of the rapidly evolving landscape of the visual effects industry.
This year's summit, dubbed "A New Reality," will take place on October 26 at the W Hotel in Hollywood.
The meeting will touch on the issues facing visual effects creatives and executives during this time of change, which is perhaps best summed up through excerpts from the July 2013 VES whitepaper, "The State of the Global VFX Industry 2013."
"The collection of challenges the visual effects industry faces relate to workflow, profit margins, business models and workforce issues that together have brought about a period of immense change, ranging in characterization from natural business evolution to turmoil."
"Though the difficulties of the effects industry have been evolving for a long time, additional forces have come into play that challenge facilities and artists more than ever before. The recent bankruptcy filings by Digital Domain Media Group and Rhythm & Hues brought the fragility of visual effects companies into public discussion…"
At the summit, Industry leaders who have weathered the storm will offer advice and insight. Executives and content creators seeking new ideas and projects will be on hand, along with information on opportunities for those interested in creating their own IP, content or apps.
Summit speakers include Cheryl Boone Isaacs, President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Bill Kroyer, Director of Digital Arts at Chapman University and Arnon Manor, VFX Production Executive at Columbia Pictures.
Breakfast roundtable discussions will also be available for attendees interested in conferring with their peers on a particular subject. Each roundtable will include a moderator who is an expert on the chosen topic.
Registration for the 2013 VES Summit is $295 for VES members and $395 for non-members. The discounted rate of $295 is also available to current ACM SIGGRAPH members. To register for the VES Summit as an ACM SIGGRAPH member, contact the ACM SIGGRAPH Web Content Manager for the affiliation discount code.
Non-members of ACM SIGGRAPH can obtain a one-year ACM SIGGRAPH membership online; $30 for students and $42 for professionals.
For attendees who wish to stay at the W Hollywood, rooms are available at a reduced rate. To reserve a room, call Ani Avanessian at 323-798-1417 and reference the VES Summit.
For more information, visit the Visual Effects Society website.