Five SIGGRAPH 2020 sessions to see next week

The Mandalorian, The Irishman, Spies in Disguise, a history of PDI and more.

SIGGRAPH 2020, virtual-style, is in full swing. This past week has involved on-demand sessions, with the upcoming week a chance to see some live online presentations and participate in Q&As. Here’s a look at just some of the VFX and animation-related talks on offer (I am also helping moderate a few of them).

1. ILM Presents “This is the Way” – The Making of Mandalorian

Tuesday, 25 August 2020, 2pm – 3:30pm (Q&A 3:00pm – 3:30pm)
Panelists: Richard Bluff, Landis Fields, Abby Keller, Hayden Jones, Rachel Rose

Certainly, virtual production is on the tip of everyone’s tongue right now, and this surely looks like a fun way to spend a while immersing yourself with ILM about the new LED walls and real-time rendering techniques used on The Mandalorian.

2. ILM Presents: Making “The Irishman”

Wednesday, 26 August 2020, 12pm – 1pm (Q&A 1pm – 1.30pm)
Panelists: Pablo Helman, Leandro Estebecorena, Stephane Grabli

The VFX Oscar-nominated film used a markerless approach to de-ageing its principal actors. The behind the scenes of this filming technique are incredible. I’m helping to moderate the Q&A.

3. Q&A: Cool FX Stuff – Live Action VFX

Thursday 27 August, 9am- 9.30am

You can already watch this selection of Talks on-demand, but on Thursday at 9am, a bunch of the presenters will be online to discuss their sessions with attendees:
– Creating the Looking Glass Mask on HBO’s ‘Watchmen'(MARZ)
– It’s Raining Squids! – Simulating a Rain of Dissolving Squids for ‘Watchmen’ (Hybride)
– Case Study on Using a Parallel Pipeline and USD to Build Creatures (Rodeo)

4. PDI The Beginning – Reflecting on the Inception of PDI 40 Years Ago

Friday, 28 August 2020, 10am – 11am
Contributors: Glenn Entis, Carl Rosendahl, Richard Chuang

Here’s the description of this panel, which sounds so great: ‘The three founders of PDI reunite to reflect on the journey of creating a computer animation studio 40 years ago. PDI eventually became PDI/DreamWorks, leaving a legacy of works from TV graphics, commercials, visual effects, and feature animation.’

5. Spies in Disguise: the Art of Stealth and Sterling, Lance Sterling

Thursday, 27 August 2020, 3:30pm – 4:15pm (Q&A 4:15pm – 5pm)
Panelists: Michael Knapp, Matt Simmons, Sabine Heller, James Williams, Elvira Pinkhas, Jeeyun Sung

Blue Sky Studios pulled out all stops to make Spies in Disguise, and you’re going to hear a lot of previously un-discussed things about the making of the animated film. I’m on board to help moderate, too.

Here’s how to register for SIGGRAPH 2020.