fmx/05: 10th International Conference on Animation, Effects, Realtime, and Content

April 27th to April 30th , 2005 / Stuttgart, Haus der Wirtschaft

fmx/05 - 10th International Conference on Animation, Effects, Realtime and Content. fmx continues its steady growth, having emerged as the leading event for Animation, Visual Effects and DCC (Digital Content Creation) in the German speaking area. Topics range from film and TV production, animation, effects and realtime to scientific applications, games and the latest software solutions. Not surprisingly, the four days of fmx are a must for the industry, the interested public and, of course, young professionals. fmx is famous for its easy-going atmosphere, which allows for plenty of communication between the audience and even renowned speakers. The organizers expect about 2,000 visitors a day, ranging from artists, technical directors, VFX supervisors and (post) production companies to animators and broadcasters and, obviously, students and young professionals.

The key aspects games and production are - as a result of their growing importance - taking up more slots in the program than last year. For computer-generated images and digital post production are no longer just stunning and a surplus value in themselves; they have turned into natural means that are broadly used in order to make a film more appealing and of course, lower its costs. Already in the near future the complete production process will have gone digital - and the DCC industry will have even more possibilities.

The most prominent speakers of fmx traditionally appear in the sections fmx/conference and fmx/essentials - renowned representatives from the DCC industry present their work on famous movies and TV productions as well as the latest technologies and trends in the realm of animation. This year’s line-up includes two speakers from Academy Award-winning productions: John Kahrs (Pixar) will be talking about The Incredibles - Best Animated Movie - and Peter Nofz (Sony Pictures Imageworks) about Spider-Man 2 - Best Visual Effects. fmx/conference comprises five fields: fmx/animation, fmx/effects, fmx/production, fmx/technologies and fmx/games:


fmx/conference:production

fmx/05 places special emphasis on production, in particular digital production.
Top-of-the-range representatives from film and television will be talking on the economic aspects of CGI and what possibilities the new techniques have to offer. The presentations on digital production were organized in close cooperation with the FFA German Film Board and are illustrated by detailed case studies from German and international productions.

Highlights from the program:
• Franz Kraus, Arri - "What is new in digital production?"
• Bernd Schulze, PICTORION das werk - "Digital Intermediate Workflows"
• Wolfgang Oppenrieder, ProSiebenSat1 - "TV-Movie Meets SFX"
• Karsten Aurich, Sabotage Films - "The Edukators"
• Norbert Preuss, Fanes Film - "About the Looking for and the Finding of Love, Bluthochzeit and others"
• Tom Fährmann, DoP - "The Miracle of Bern"
• Sascha Schwingel, Teamworx & Stephan Trojansky, Scanline - "Die Sturmflut und Dresden"

A second series of lectures will be focusing on film financing, addressing questions such as:
"Film Financing through film funds. Private Equity and filmfunding. Models - Structures - Possibilities. Keynote: Future structures of film financing".


fmx/conference - animation

Questions regarding production are also an important focus in the talks on animation. The series of talks on TV animation was conceptualized by Susanne Schosser, co-CEO of EM.Entertainment GmbH & Junior.TV GmbH & Co. KG:

Highlights from the program:
• Susanne Schosser, EM.Entertainment GmbH & Junior.TV GmbH & Co. KG - "Trends in TV Animation - How much innovation can the audience take?"
• Tanja Reichert-Facilides, Universum Film - "Animation boom in the movies - how do different markets react?"
• Oliver Schablitzki & Karen Mitrega, SuperRTL - "From Idea to series - from series to toy: Dragon Hunters & Hairy Scary"
• Kevin Geiger & Arthur Shek, Disney - "Chicken Little - Artistic and Technological Aspects of a Very Squash and Stretch-Style Animation"
• Michael Coldewey, CEO Trixter; Tom Fährmann DoP & Andreas Richter, Roxy Film - The Ghost of Canterville (TV production)
• Frédéric Thonet, DURAN Group - "A new pipeline for the 3D animated series Ugly Duckling and me"

As a special to celebrate our 10th anniversary, there will be a panel, "Digital Competence". Longstanding protagonists will discuss the animation and VFX scene of the German South West.


fmx/conference - effects

Good visual effects are still playing a crucial role in digital production. Depending on the individual film, tasks vary a lot - from the creation of a spectacular, phantastic world (Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow) to a historic, precise recreation of the past through what is termed invisible effects (the concentration camp in Fateless).

Highlights from the program:
• Rene Limberger, Sony Pictures Imageworks - "Aviator and The Polar Express".
• Malcolm Humphreys, Rising Sun Pictures - "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow"
• Thomas Zauner. Stephan Trojansky, Scanline - "Traumschiff Surprise Periode 1"
• Natascha Pfeiffer & Sven Martin, Elektrofilm - "Fateless, based on the Imre Kertész novel"
• David McNab, Director, Jim Radford, MPC - "Virtual History - The Secret Plot to Kill Hitler"


fmx/conference - games

We all know: computer games have been a skyrocketing industry for a while. What we are often less aware of is the fact that computer games are more and more style-shaping. With their specific aesthetics, they are on the verge of entering the movies. Being classic realtime applications, games today compete with movies - and are, at the same time, converging with them. fmx/05 examines this new trend in a series of talks and presentations, some of which have been organized in cooperation with the German chapter of the International Game Developers Association (IGDA).

Highlights from the program:
• Viktor Antonov, Valve - "Halflife 2"
• David Patch, Electronic Arts - "Sims 2"
• Sven Liebich, Phenomic - "Spellforce II"
• Noah Falstein, Game Developer - "Why is Interactive Narrative so Difficult? "
Expert in game development and production since 1980. Noah Falstein has been working for such renowned companies like Lucasfilm Games (today LucasArts Entertainment), The 3DOCompany and DreamWorks Interactive.
• Mikitaka Kurasawa, Robot Communications - "The Making of Onimusha 3 Opening Cinematics"
• Dag Frommhold, Trinigy - "Games vs. Movies: A technical perspective on realtime vs. non-realtime graphics"

In addition, fmx looks at a related area with immense potential: Mobile Entertainment.
Talks include:
• Mattew Costello - "Writing for Interactive Content"
Costello likes to work for special clients - from James Cameron's Digital Domain (for Titanic) and Bristish broadcasters BBC and Channel 4's interactive departments to the global players in the games industry.


fmx/conference - technologies

fmx/technologies report from reseach and development and highlight the latest trends and technologies. With:

• Daniel E. Wexler, NVIDIA - "Film Rendering on GPUs"
• Rene Limberger, Sony Pictures Imageworks - "Color and Lighting on The Polar Express"
• Rolf Mütze, PICTORION das werk - "Lighting and rendering for the Vanguard Animation Production Valiant"
• Torsten Reil, CEO NaturalMotion Ltd. - "Static vs. Dynamic Animation"
• Volker Helzle et al., Animationsinstitut - "Developing Tools for creating virtual actors"
The research project "Virtual Actors" is looking for new ways to automate facial animation in movies, video games and realtime applications. The project is funded by the State of Baden-Württemberg.

Another series of research talks was developed in cooperation with MFG Baden-Württemberg: "Visualization in Science and Industry - Trends in Visualization, Simulation and Virtual Reality". Scientists from universities and the industry provide insights into the varied and exciting applications of digital images - ranging from medicine, archaeology and material sciences to industrial processes in the automotive industry.



fmx/essentials

fmx/essentials offer a short pause in the high-speed world of the industry and an opportunity for reflecting issues touching the arts, society and content - taking their examples from groundbreaking movies.
This year‘s inspiring talks include:

• Keynote Richard Chuang, co-founder of PDI, today PDI/DreamWorks - "A unique perspective on 25 years of Animation"
• David Sproxton, Aardman Animations - "How do production techniques influence content? "
• Eric Roth, Head of the Visual Effects Society - "The Globalization of Visual Effects - Pre- and Post-Titanic"
• Mike Milne, Framestore CFC - "How do budgets influence workflow? "


fmx/forum

Besides the classic talks, fmx has always offered an ample workshop program. Here everything revolves around new trends and new software. With a clear emphasis on practical aspects - including the possibility of individual consolidation and trying out in hands-on areas.
Focal topics in fmx/forum are the latest developments of 3D animation, compositing, data nets, digital film, element replacement, color calibration, HD cutting, HD post production, motion capturing, project management, realtime visualization, game development and further education. Supported by HP, there will be "Hands-On with HP" - a workstations area where visitors can have a go at new software packages.

Companies represented in the workshops are:
• Adobe Systems
• Autodesk Media & Entertainment (formerly Discreet)
• NVIDIA
• Alias
• Hewlett-Packard
• Avid Technology
• Apple
• Dreamwalks

One highlight will be right at the beginning of the workshops - a panel by NVIDIA on developments in CGI:
• "Let's go surfing now....Big Wave Riding in the Production Pipeline"
With Eric Enderton, Senior Engineer, NVIDIA Digital Film Team; Alexander Fernandez, CEO, & Hector Fernandez, CCO, Streamline Studios; Joshua Kolden, President, Crack Creative; Torsten Reil, CEO, Natural Motion; Laura Dohrmann, NVIDIA

Autodesk Media & Entertainment and Avid Technology will be represented with suites of their own.
• Autodesk Media & Entertainment: making-ofs and free hands-on workshops for beginners, advanced and expert levels. Information and registration: EPark@yello-digital.com
• Avid Technology: hands-on workshops on Avid Xpress Studio and Softimage XSI as well as workshops on Avid DS Nitris.


Digging deep in the seminars
• Ed Hooks, Actor, acting trainer - "Acting for Animators"
• Jeanine Breaker, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, London - "Life Drawing for Animators"
• Sacha Bertram, idagrove entertainment - "VFX Producing"
• SAGASNET, European network for professionals involved in content development for interactive digital media - "Developing Interactive Narrative Content" - www.sagasnet.de
Registration and prices on www.fmx.de


fmx/talents

A talent for bringing together: fmx/talents are not only a platform for young professionals and graduates, they also offer the unique possibility to get in direct contact with decision-makers from the industry. The pleasure is mutual: the Recruiting Event as well as the European Talents have often initialized cooperation or realization of projects.

Whereas the Recruiting Event focuses on individual interviews, the European Talents offer selected young people the opportunity to pitch their projects in front of an international jury. So far, more than half of the presented projects proved so popular that they are currently being realized.

In addition to this, fmx/talents offer presentations by students and graduates who are working on exciting projects or have developed new technologies.

An integral part of fmx/talents is the Eyes & Ears Junior-Showcase. Traditionally on the first day of fmx, young professionals present their projects from media design and media arts, TV, film, web and sound design, scenography, promotion producing, and media marketing. The event is organized by Eyes & Ears of Europe. Association for the Design, Promotion and Marketing of Audiovisual Media in Europe. www.eeofe.org


fmx/realtime

Animation in realtime and its rapidly growing aesthetic possibilities play a key role in the current rapprochement / convergence of films and games. Whereas animation in interactive computer games is generated immediately - in realtime - in the computer, computer animation only shows its results after the lengthy rendering process. Small wonder that realtime animation is the dream of every animator. A dream getting closer and closer to coming true, thanks to rapid technical innovation.
In its section fmx/realtime, fmx/05, as one of the first big events, highlights this very young, advanced scene with presentations and discussions of machinimas, demos, cut scenes and flash movies.

Over a period of three days, the Realtime Film Festival is to provide ample information for anyone interested in the realtime phenomenon. On April 28, the Realtime Awards will be presented. Following a screening of all nominated films, prizes will be awarded in the four categories mentioned above. They are donated by Avid, Hewlett Packard, Macromedia and NVIDIA.

After the awards ceremony, the audience is invited to the big Realtime Party in the club Ciné Colibri, featuring VJs Pfadfinderei and DJ Crew Modeselektor from Berlin, with their spectacular blend of realtime visuals, flash animations and electronic music.


An additional three screenings will give the rare opportunity to view complete sections of these works:
• "Pimp my Byte" - Aaron Koenig presents a Best-of from Bitfilm Festival Hamburg
• Nicolas Léveillé is showing a "Best-of from scene.org Awards 2005"
• Matt Hullum, Rooster Teeth Productions, will present "Best of Red vs. Blue and The Strangerhood"

The presentations in the realtime sesssions provide in-depth information on the realtime scene. With:
• Pfadfinderei with their jitter-based realtime recording studio
• Lassi Tasarjärvi (author) will be talking about Scandinavia's very active demo scene as well as the difference between demos and media art.
• Matt Hullum, Rooster Teeth Productions - "Storytelling for machinimas"
Today, the former Hollywood-based visual effects producer distributes free videos through the internet. At fmx/05, he will be present his latest project: The Strangerhood, based on the Sims 2 computer game.


flashconference®

For the second time, Germany's oldest and biggest event on Macromedia's Flash is held at fmx. Possibly, the line-up of speakers is even more top-class than in the past.
Highlights from the program:
• Alexander Kähler & Sebastian Locker, PICTORION das werk - "Depeche Mode in 3D - The making of Depeche Mode's Music Video Clip Enjoy the Silence"
• Jens Schmidt, moccu - "Experiencing the internet - a journey through the worldwide web with breaks at the most innovative Flash applications to be found online"
• Holger Eggert, HS-2 //office for design - "Flash, Director, Video and a huge playground".
Presenting tricks on how to transfer programmed Flash animations easily to video.
• Mario Klingemann, codeazur - "The painter in the machine"
Famous through his weblog quasimondo, Flash artist Klingemann will be showing how to turn screen into canvas.

For more information please visit www.flashconference.de


animago AWARDS

Another very important partner of fmx is the leading German industry magazine DIGITAL PRODUCTION. The magazine organizes the animago AWARDS, by far the biggest and most distinguished competition for Digital Content Creation in the German-speaking area. Awards are given in the categories still, animation, compositing, games and interactive (including DVD design) - always differenciating between home-users, students and expert users.

The great award ceremony where the winners will be announced is bound to offer a lot of glamor - and even more animations. Don't miss this fascinating spectrum and best-of selection of the international 3D production. Provided you are one of the lucky ones to get a ticket...

Also in cooperation with DIGITAL PRODUCTION, the exhibition DCC/EXPO.