I have been asked, "What is SIGGRAPH?" by many up here in Hollywood North, and it's not just my mom asking this question. I give them the general spiel that it is a conference and exhibition supporting the new technologies behind computer graphics and interactive techniques, but what most people don't know is it is also a chance to see the latest and greatest in animated films. It is where art and technology meet - it is the future.
Some people ask how it differs from Comicon? I would like to think that SIGGRAPH is the "behind-the-scenes" look at how everything is made. Generally speaking, there wouldn't be a Comicon without a SIGGRAPH. I also don't expect to see anyone dressed up as a Storm Trooper at SIGGRAPH, although you never know! I'm telling you now, it won't be me.
Even if you don't consider yourself a techie, or perhaps you even struggle to set your alarm clock properly, SIGGRAPH is a chance to learn a little bit, or a lot, about this progressive industry. It is spectacular to see what the next generation holds and how art fits into the ever-changing world of technology.
Stay tuned for my daily blog posts on all things SIGGRAPH!
Stephanie Hungerford has been working within the multi-media realm of film and television for the last five years. She started at Twentieth Century Fox in Los Angeles and now works at Rainmaker Entertainment (www.rainmaker.com) in Vancouver.