PREVISUALIZATION &VIRTUAL PRODUCTION

TWO DAY CONFERENCE FEBRUARY 24-25, 2011

Screen Industries STUDIO 1, PINEWOOD TORONTO STUDIOS Research and Training Centre WELCOME TO SIRT’S PREVISUALIZATION AND VIRTUAL PRODUCTION CONFERENCE

A MESSAGE A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF SHERIDAN COLLEGE OF THE SIRT CENTRE Welcome to Ontario’s first Previsualization and Previsualization and virtual production are Virtual Production: BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER key areas of research, capacity building and conference organized by the Screen Industries skills development at the SIRT Centre. We’re Research and Training (SIRT) Centre. SIRT was working with many of Ontario’s technology, established a year ago at Pinewood Toronto production content and service companies to Studios to broaden Sheridan’s presence in the further innovation, and are coordinating our development of research capacity, knowledge efforts with those of key international groups dissemination and innovation in Ontario’s such as the Previsualization Society to ensure screen-based industries. Ontario remains at the forefront of global technological and business developments. SIRT is a natural extension of Sheridan’s Locally, we’re partnering with our conference curriculum excellence and international reputation in , live-action co-sponsors FilmOntario, CASO, DGC – Ontario, I.A.T.S.E. 667 and Pinewood storytelling and digital design. The Centre works with academic and industry Toronto Studios to foster excellence and capacity building in these areas. partners, such as the sponsors of this conference, to address present and future production challenges and to identify areas where technological Many people from these organizations are sitting on panels at this and business innovation can be rapidly translated into new jobs and conference. We’d like to thank them and other presenters for their increased capacity. participation and willingness to share their expertise. In addition, we’d like to acknowledge the Ontario Media Development Corporation for its funding We’re excited about the conference as it brings together a variety support, which has not only enabled this conference to take place, but has of sponsoring organizations with interests in these fields, as well as also been a catalyst for the establishment of the SIRT Centre. international, Canadian and Ontario-based experts. We look forward to the collective wisdom of our distinguished conference speakers and we Previsualization and virtual production are both ultimately about people anticipate a dynamic exchange of ideas, techniques and experiences among working with technology and with other people. Evolving roles and conference participants. responsibilities and new skill requirements impact our daily lives as we collaborate to tell stories and engage audiences. We hope this conference will give participants the insight, impetus and connections to help them move forward in their creative work.

Jeff Zabudsky, Ph.D. John Helliker President and CEO Director Sheridan College Screen Industries Research and Training Centre

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One key goal of the conference is to generate a common basis for communication and collaboration among live action and animation/ creative, technical and administrative personnel – among those from film, television and interactive/game sectors. A single stream of panels and presentations with integrated technology demos will ensure that all attendees come away with a common experience and a basis for collaborative discussion.

3 PREVISUALIZATION AND VIRTUAL CONFERENCE PRODUCTION CONFERENCE: SCHEDULE FEBRUARY 24 AND 25, 2011

Virtual Production is also increasingly being 10:35 – 11:30 A.M. recognized as a distinct process with the Working Smart: The Impact of Previs PREVISUALIZATION appearance of new credits for the virtual art on Crew Roles, Responsibilities and FEBRUARY 24 department and the virtual cinematographer Interactions among others. This introductory address will outline work in these areas by two joint committees that Previsualization is an interactive process whereby have been established by a broad spectrum of directors, cinematographers, production designers, groups from the Hollywood production community. visual effects artists, producers and others 8 – 9 A.M. work through technical and creative aspects of KEYNOTE SPEAKER: David Morin, Chair, Joint Technology production planning. What are the implications of Registration and Continental Breakfast Subcommittee on Virtual Production (American Society of Cinematographers/Art Directors Guild of America/Visual Effects these developments for your role in the production 9 A.M. – 9:10 A.M. Society/International Cinematographers Guild/Previsualization process? How can you become part of the Society/Producers Guild of America) Welcome and Introduction: international group of screen industry professionals John Helliker, Director, SIRT Centre shaping the future application of these processes? 9:45 – 10:30 A.M. PANELISTS: Brian Pohl, Previsualization Supervisor, Founding Sarah Ker-Hornell, Executive Director By Design: Previsualization Throughout Member, Previsualization Society; Darren Cranford, President, & CEO, FilmOntario the Production Cycle Keyframe Digital; John Courte, Senior Houdini Artist, Side Effects Software; Bob Munroe, Visual Effects Supervisor/Second Unit 9:10 – 9:40 A.M. How can new digital technologies foster economic Director, Splice, Dolphin Tale (in post-production) efficiencies and enhance the creative development Previsualization and Virtual Production: of a project? This question is being pushed to From Here to There 11:35 A.M. – 12:15 P.M. the forefront by technological developments and Shaping Your Future: Professional Check the credits on projects and you’ll see that economic realities that are putting downward Development Needs for Previsualization previsualization is increasingly recognized as a pressure on budgets and tightening production and Virtual Production part of the process. But even when not credited schedules. With the all-digital workflows of to a particular individual or team, it’s affecting the HD and digital cinema cameras and real-time As technologies, workflows and production way people work and collaborate. Described as “a generation of CG performances and camerawork, relationships change with incorporation of collaborative process that generates preliminary the ability to visualize elements of a production previsualization and virtual production practices, versions of shots or sequences, predominantly using before final decisions are made is increasingly what are the professional development 3D animation tools and a virtual environment,” attainable. How is previsualization being used to requirements? How can today’s top artistic, previsualization enables the production team meet the challenges and opportunities of today’s technical and management personnel best prepare to “visually explore creative ideas, plan technical production environment? themselves to take control of these processes and solutions, and communicate a shared vision for help shape their development and application to PANELISTS: Ron Frankel, Founder of Proof Inc., and Co-Chair of meet today’s and future production needs? efficient production.“* the joint Committee on Previsualization of the American Society of Cinematographers/Art Directors Guild/Visual Effects Society; PANELISTS: Brian Pohl, Founding Member, *From ASC-ADG-VES Joint Technology Committee Founding Member, Previsualization Society; Aaron Weintraub, Previsualization Society; Parag Havalder, Research Supervisor, Sony Visual Effects Supervisor, Co-founder, Mr. X; Dan May, Co-Founder, on Previsualization Pictures Imageworks Previsualization Supervisor, Painting Practice

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12:30 – 1:45 P.M. 3 – 3:25 P.M. of smart assets in Houdini to previsualize a feature Lunch and Networking Previsualization for Stereoscopic 3D: film shoot. A Case Study PRESENTERS: Paul Salvini, CTO, Side Effects Software; Robert Magee, Product Marketing Manager, Side Effects Software 2 – 2:20 P.M. This presentation will explain how previsualization Case Studies in Previsualization: was used in pre-production and principal Resident Evil: Afterlife 4:30 – 5 P.M. photography for Starz Animation’s new hybrid SIRT Previs Research Demo: Integration of A presentation on the use of previsualization short, Lovebirds. To meet tight budget and Game and Film Technologies in the production of Resident Evil: Afterlife, this schedule constraints Starz used stereoscopic previs year’s Golden Reel Award winner as Canada’s techniques extensively to solve technical and The convergence of film, TV and gaming highest grossing domestic feature. Join Producer production challenges proactively and to minimize technologies and business models is a featured Don Carmody and VFX Supervisor Dennis Berardi, creative exploration on set. Decisions regarding set panel topic on Day Two. Today’s technology demo President of Mr. X in this conversation on the role of design and construction, camera rigging, shooting offers a brief overview of a SIRT research project previsualization in the most successful production schedules, and stereo cinematography were mostly developing custom software linkages to integrate in Canadian feature film history. driven by data gathered in the previs process. animation and camerawork from Vicon motion- capture equipment and digital visual effects from PRESENTERS: Don Carmody (Producer, Silent Hill, Chicago, Lovebirds is an innovative new hybrid stereoscopic Houdini within the Unreal game engine. This Resident Evil: Afterlife); Dennis Berardi (VFX Supervisor, TRON: short being produced by Starz Animation Toronto Legacy, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Resident Evil: Afterlife) real-time visualization is in the early stages of in collaboration with the 3DFlic initiative, a development, but has implications for previs and collaboration between leading filmmakers and 2:30 – 2:50 P.M. virtual production in film, TV, and gaming. top research scientists to bring a new stereoscopic Case Studies In Previsualization: experience to the screen. PANELISTS: Avrim Katzman, Sheridan College; Lesley Northam, Previsualization within Commercial University of Waterloo; Michael Irwin, SIRT Centre Production PRESENTER: Rob Burton, VP of Technology, Starz Animation, Toronto Join Painting Practice’s Dan May, a hybrid artist of 5:45 P.M. Cocktail Reception and Social Networking the digital age, with one foot in the Art Department 3:35 – 4:20 P.M. and the other in Visual Effects. Dan will discuss the Virtual Using Smart Assets Complimentary hot and cold appetizers and varying role that previsualization has played in the cash bar. production of commercials, with specific examples Working with applications, from the work of his company Painting Practice. technical artists work with many assets such as Sponsored by CASO. geometry, textures, motion data and more. These PRESENTER: Dan May, Co-Founder, Previsualization Supervisor, assets live separately from each other and only in Painting Practices. the hands of a professional can they be set up and deployed. With smart assets, these pieces can be pre-rigged and packaged then used by artists who don’t have an in-depth knowledge of computer graphics. In this presentation, Paul Salvini, CTO at Side Effects Software will introduce you to the use

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8 – 9 A.M. over a number of productions. Case studies in this Registration and Continental Breakfast talk will include the comprehensive challenges on projects such as Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, VIRTUAL 9 – 9:10 A.M. Zemeckis’s Beowulf, Warner Brother’s production PRODUCTION Welcome: Edith Myers, Managing of Watchmen, etc. Director, Pinewood Toronto Studios To realize Tim Burton’s vision of Alice in Wonderland, FEBRUARY 25 Imageworks had to research/develop technologies 9:10 – 9:50 A.M. to capture photography on set, set up pipelines Developments in Virtual Production to deliver over 2,400 shots with complex This panel focuses on emerging trends in environments, rich characters and virtual worlds, virtual production given significant impetus by as well as conversion of the project into stereo. At the technological developments and publicity the same time, since this was a live action capture, surrounding their use in Avatar. “As a starting point, Imageworks had to maintain a low acquisition virtual production is defined as ‘computer graphics footprint on set. On the other hand, projects such on stage’, or the process of shooting a movie with as Beowulf allowed Imageworks to have a more real-time computer graphics, either for all-CG active onset involvement resulting in a refined movies (such as A Christmas Carol) or visual effects control while delivering final digital renderings movies with live action (such as Avatar).”* of virtual actors in virtual environments. This talk will discuss the challenges in virtual productions * As defined by the Joint Technology Committee and will showcase the technologies and solutions on Virtual Production that were developed and used by SONY Pictures PANELISTS: Jason Walter, Virtual Production Team Consultant, Imageworks to bring many prominent visual effects Autodesk; Bret Culp, Visual Effects Producer/Supervisor, Starz and animation projects to a successful completion. Animation Toronto; Dan May, Co‑Founder, Previsualization Supervisor, Painting Practice PRESENTER: Parag Havaldar, Ph.D., Software R&D Supervisor, 10 – 10:50 A.M. Previsualization and Virtual 11 – 11:40 A.M. Productions at Sony Pictures Imageworks Virtual Production: An Approach to Collaborative Storytelling Sony Pictures Imageworks has been involved in a variety of visual effects and animation Virtual production technologies and workflows can productions, which start with on-set data capture, impact the process from pre-production through previsualization and final post-production of real post in a variety of ways. As with previsualization, and virtual worlds with real and virtual characters. the process can impact both the relationships This talk will showcase technologies, challenges and among the key creative and financial personnel solutions that the Imageworks team accomplished involved in a production and their ability to

6 Screen Industries Research and Training Centre Screen Industries Research and Training Centre effectively apply their skills and experience. graphics performance to provide filmmakers with 4 – 4:15 P.M. This presentation will consider approaches to feedback similar to that of a live-action shoot. One 3D Models for the Masses virtual production with a particular focus on its of the main technologies being employed is motion implications for collaboration within production capture. Representatives of Vicon, a world leader in XYZ RGB is one of the top 3D scanning companies departments and between key creative personnel. optical motion-capture systems, will demonstrate in the world, producing digital doubles for actors and 3D objects for major feature film projects PRESENTER: Ron Frankel, Founder, Proof Inc. how their system – which was developed in collaboration with Autodesk – is being used for including , The Lord of the Rings, and Resident Evil: Afterlife. In this demonstration Helmut 11:50 A.M. – 12:30 P.M. virtual cinematography and animation within a pipeline for previs and virtual production. will describe and demonstrate the results that can Convergence: Virtual Production be achieved through the use of his company’s new Technologies in Film, TV and Gaming PRESENTERS: Jimmy Corvan, Jeff Beavers, inexpensive on line service, Scanner-Killer, that Jarrod Kozeal, Vicon Executives and creative leads from game and film/ allows for the creation of high quality 3D models that can potentially be used by smaller studios and television companies will discuss the convergence 3 – 3:50 P.M. individuals needing to create 3D models. of film, television and game projects within today’s Animating Your Performance: multi-platform delivery environment. What do The Actor’s Role in Virtual Production PRESENTER: Helmut Kungl, Founder and CEO, XYZ RGB people mean by “convergence” and how is it affecting different sectors of the entertainment Motion capture is a software and hardware-based 4:25 – 5:15 P.M. process that transfers an actor’s performance to a industry? Panelists will discuss how projects are A Virtual Production Workflow: digital character, and can also record the movement developed with multiple delivery platforms in Autodesk Pipeline mind, how digital assets are shared as part of the of cameras, props and set pieces. Motion capture business model, and how a convergence strategy of acting (whether for feature films or games) is This talk will review a virtual production test drama impacts technology choices and traditional project generally referred to as performance capture. This recently completed by the Autodesk consulting development cycles. panel will look at how this process affects the team. The project was used to help explore virtual actor’s preparation and on-set work. What are the production/cinematographic workflows and develop PANELISTS: Jim Laird, CFO, Bedlam Games; Lui Francisco, consulting services around the process. Autodesk Artistic Director, Bedlam Games; Steve Hoban, Founder, Producer, approaches to performance capture and the skill Copperheart Entertainment sets required by the actor engaged in a motion collaborated with SIRT to acquire motion data and capture shoot? Where is technology heading perform virtual cinematography. This session will MODERATOR: Jennie Punter, Entertainment Industry Journalist in terms of the role of the actor in the virtual provide an overview of the project, a technical summary, lessons learned, current results and next 12:30 – 1:50 P.M. production process? This session is sponsored by ACTRA Toronto. steps. Performance capture and voices by David Lunch and Networking Ferry and Sean Lawrence, with the participation of ACTRA Toronto. 2 – 2:50 P.M. Technology/Workflow Demo: PRESENTER: Jason Walter, Autodesk Media and Entertainment Consulting Team Real‑Time Scene-Blocking and Virtual Cinematography Using Motion Capture PANELISTS: David Footman, Scripted Event Director, Ubisoft NOTE: All panelists, moderators and speakers are subject Toronto; Dusan Dukic, Actor, Assassin’s Creed; Lisa Ryder, Actor, to change. Virtual Production is an immersive process Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda combining gaming technologies and real-time MODERATOR: David Sparrow, Actor, ACTRA National Councillor

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Keynote Speaker: base in Los Angeles, where he chairs industry in the industry. efforts centered on the analysis of new In 2001 Dennis founded Mr. X, a world- DAVID MORIN workflows in the motion picture industry. is Chair of the renowned animation and visual effects studio, Joint Technology Speakers/Panelists: which now employs over 130 artists and technicians. Partnering with some of the most Subcommittee on Virtual JEFF BEAVERS received an MS in talented directors and producers of our time, Production, a joint effort Biomechanics from the Dennis has been responsible for inspiring his of six Hollywood‑based University of Oregon team to create stunning, out-of-this-world organizations: the where he performed visuals, provoking effects and giving life to the American Society of motion capture on most imaginative concepts that consistently Cinematographers (ASC), the Art Director’s people suffering from draw people to the theatres in droves. Guild (ADG), the Visual Effects Society (VES), walking disabilities. the Previsualization Society, the Producers Using very similar motion With over 50 films to his credit, Berardi’s most Guild of America (PGA), and the International capture techniques and recent projects include: TRON Legacy (2010), Cinematographers Guild (ICG). David is also tools, he later found his true calling to be in Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010), Scott Pilgrim past co-chair of the ASC-ADG-VES Joint Animation and Visual Effects. His in-depth vs the World (2010), Hot Tub Time Machine Technology Subcommittee on Previsualization. knowledge of techniques in recording human (2010), Fast & Furious (2009) Eastern Promises David earned a B.Sc.A. in computer science physiology and biomechanics properties (2007), currently in production with The Three from Laval University in 1982 and followed have proven to be a huge asset to VFX and Musketeers (2012), Hanna (2011), The Vow with the International School of Computer animation studios alike. Jeff is now Vicon (2012) and Silent Hill:Revelation3D (2011). Motion System’s VFX Business Development Animation program (Sheridan College) in 1990. ROB BURTON serves Manager based out of Los Angeles. In 1991 he joined Softimage, then a start-up, as VP of Technology at where he participated in the early development DENNIS BERARDI, President / VFX Starz Animation Toronto of motion capture and 3D software, and later supervisor and founder of Mr. X studios, has where he directs pipeline opened the Softimage office in Santa Monica, a love for creative storytelling that’s been development and R&D. California. David led the Special Projects impacting the big As a 30+ year veteran of Group as Director when Softimage became screen for 20 years. the VFX and Animation part of Microsoft, and as Vice-President when The combination of his industry and having Softimage became part of Avid Technology. In exceptional creativity, held similar posts at Dream Quest Images 2000 David joined Manex Entertainment as prolific technological and The Secret lab, Burton has decades of President of the MVFX division, a visual effects expertise and dedication experience building production environments house. Since 2007 David is an independent to delivering the highest for artists, designers and filmmakers. As a consultant and currently assists the Media & quality images, has freelance consultant he’s provided expertise Entertainment division of Autodesk from his earned Dennis the reputation of being a leader in production and design visualization

8 Screen Industries Research and Training Centre Screen Industries Research and Training Centre infrastructures to entertainment and industrial from the Academy of Canadian Film and Besson’s The Fifth Element, and has contributed design entities such as Disney, Paramount Television for Highest Grossing Canadian to numerous projects since then, the most Pictures, The Weinstein Company, Weta Film, an unprecedented five times. With the recent of which was 2009’s Terminator: Digital, General Motors, Hewlett Packard and release of Resident Evil: Afterlife in 2010, Salvation. Also an avid gamer, he has always Bombardier Aerospace. Carmody surpassed his own record for highest been at the forefront of fusing game, film and grossing Canadian film established byPorky’s , haptics technology to build real-time and near DON CARMODY registering a worldwide theatrical gross of real-time environments for previsualizaton has been producing more than $300 million. In 2009 Carmody and production. Currently, he is the Senior films for almost 40 years produced Denis Villeneuve’s Polytechnique, Houdini Artist and a technology consultant for and recently surpassed which won nine Genie Awards including Best Side Effects Software in Los Angeles, where 100 feature films and Picture from the Academy of Canadian Film he continues to explore new applications for television productions to and Television. He is currently in pre-production procedural systems. his credit – a milestone of the sequel to Silent Hill to be written and rarely achieved by any DARREN CRANFORD, President/Director/ directed by Michael Bassett. producer – anywhere. He Co-Founder of Keyframe Digital Productions started his producing career in Montreal in the JIMMY CORVAN, Vicon, was born and Inc., a digital effects and animation studio early 70’s with David Cronenberg’s first feature raised in Los Angeles, located in Niagara- film,Shivers . In 1976 Meatballs was produced California and stayed on-the-Lake, Ontario. and shortly thereafter he and his producing/ in LA to receive his BA Darren has over 15 directing partner, Ivan Reitman decamped in Finance and MBA in years of experience in for Hollywood. There he started a successful, Marketing. With a wide Animation, Visual Effects independent production company, among variety of experiences and Previsualization. He which’s many credits were the smash hits, within the business was the Previsualization Porky’s, Porky’s – The Next Day and the Weekend world, Jimmy was able to Director for major at Bernie’s films. While he has produced films transfer his knowledge to his current position films such asX-Men (Fox Entertainment), all over the world during the ensuing years, of Business Development Manager at Vicon. Driven (Franchise Films), Secret Window (Sony he has always remained fond of Canada and While at Vicon, Jimmy has worked on many Pictures), The Tuxedo (Blue Train Productions), is perhaps best known in the industry as the different motion capture stages which included Bulletproof Monk (Cub Five Productions), K-19: founding father and perennial driving force applications in animation and game design, life The Widowmaker (Paramount Pictures) and behind Hollywood North. In 2001 he produced science research and engineering testing. most recently for the upcoming 2011 movie the hit musical Chicago, which became the first release Premium Rush (Columbia Pictures) by JOHN COURTE has been a club DJ, an feature film, entirely produced in Canada, to David Koepp. His company also did previs work architectural lighting designer and an indie film win the Academy Award for Best Picture. for such recent films asZombieland (Columbia composer, before becoming an animator and Pictures) and Red (Summit Entertainment). Carmody has won the Golden Reel Award FX artist. He started in CGI in 1996 with Luc

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Recently, he has directed 52 episodes of the Beautiful Life; a supporting role in CBC’s 18 to house that created work for film and television. Pinky Dinky Doo – a preschool animated series Life, a recurring role in Paul Gross’ ZOS: Zone of Longing to try his hand in the 3D world, Lui for Sesame Workshop. At present, he is the Separation, and a guest starring role in CBC’s joined Rockstar Toronto as a lead cinematic Visual Effects Director for the hit TV series Gemini-nominated, The Border. Currently, animator and was responsible for the well- Warehouse 13 (NBC SyFy Network), Lost Dusan is lending both his voice and body to regarded cut scenes in Rockstar’s The Warriors. Girl (Prodigy Pictures) and a host of other numerous Ubisoft video games utilizing Motion When given the opportunity to join Bedlam documentary TV series. Capture technology, and touring his band, as a founding member, he jumped at the Roma Carnivale, around Canada. chance. Examples of Lui’s direction can be seen BRET CULP brings over 20 years of in Scratch: The Ultimate DJ and the recently experience in the film and television industry. DAVID FOOTMAN has over 12 years of announced Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale. As an award-winning experience in the film Visual Effects Supervisor, industry as an assistant RON FRANKEL, President and Founder of Visual Effects Producer director, second unit Proof Inc., is a pioneer in the field of feature and Second Unit Director, director and motion film previsualization. Bret has contributed capture supervisor. A He was the first to to more than 40 member of the Director’s introduce directors feature films, mini- Guild of America, the such as Steven series and television Director’s Guild of Spielberg, David shows, including four seasons of The Tudors, Canada and the Visual Effects Association of Fincher and Darren IMAX: Hubble 3D, Silent Hill, Resident Evil: B.C., David has worked on over 20 high profile Aronofsky to the use Apocalypse and Saw II. He is currently Visual video games, both game-rendered scenes and of previs and has been Effects Producer and Supervisor on Camelot fully-rendered scenes and loves the challenges a driving force behind the integration of previs at Starz Animation. He is also an acclaimed of run-time cinematics and interactive throughout the entire film production process. art photographer and author of the book, The story telling. Recent collaborators include Marc Webb, Beauty of Impermanence. Michel Gondry, Tarsem Singh, Francis Lawrence, LUI FRANCISCO is the Art Director at Zack Snyder and Alex McDowell. Ron continues DUSAN DUKIC, Bedlam Games Inc. After to push previsualization into new areas of a graduate of the a stint in the Graphic film production and into worlds beyond prestigious National Design Program at Hollywood. His most recent work involves using Theatre School, has George Brown College, augmented reality technologies to create live, numerous film, television Lui went on to graduate in-camera visualizations. In addition to his work and theatre credits. from Sheridan College’s on feature films, he has used previs to problem They include being cast prestigious Animation solve a large-scale architectural installation (in as Simon Lockridge program in 1998. His collaboration with Doug Aitken, Workshop and in Ashton Kutcher’s series for the CW, The professional life began in a boutique animation

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Apologue), to create an immersive environment he has also advanced performance capture Cyberworld, and several live-action feature for the Museum of Modern Art, New York (in technologies for animating digital bodies films including last year’s collaboration with Imaginary Forces, Greg Lynn and faces in a variety of movies such as Tim Warner Bros released and Alex McDowell) and to provide motion Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and Warner Bros. science-fiction thriller capture planning for video games such as mystery adventure Watchmen. Dr. Havaldar’s Splice. Upcoming projects Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe and Blitz (in advances have incorporated the use of Facial include an adaptation collaboration with Midway Games, Chicago). Action Coding System to create expressive of Anne McCaffrey’s character animation systems which has been bestselling science Ron has a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy as used in various capacities, such as video fiction novel series,The and a Master of Architecture from MIT. He is based markerless capture for animating Dr. Dragonriders of Pern; a a founding member of the Previsualization Manhattan’s face in Warner Bros. mystery 3D animated feature, Lovecraft, which will be Society, the Virtual Production Committee and adventure Watchmen, and also traditional directed by ; and a television 5D: The Future of Immersive Design. His work motion capture systems to animate numerous series based on Silicon Knights’ game has been published in Cinefex, VFX World, digital faces on Imageworks’ performance Too Human. American Cinematographer and The New York capture projects Beowulf and Monster House. Times. In addition to his work at Proof Inc., WM MICHAEL IRWIN, Technical Director Ron has taught classes in animation and Dr. Parag Havaldar is also currently a part of Virtual Production at SIRT has over 10 previsualization at SCI-Arc and the UCLA time professor at the University of Southern years of postsecondary School of Architecture and Urban Design. California in the Computer Science department, education and an has authored numerous technical papers, additional 10 years of PARAG HAVALDAR, PhD, Software R&D presented at international conferences and industry experience. Supervisor at Sony also authored a graduate level textbook in As a student, his Pictures Imageworks, the area of Multimedia. He holds a BTech in specializations ranged leads the stereoscopic Computer Science from the Indian Institute of from gaming technology, and performance Technology and a PhD in computer Science 3D modeling, computer capture technology from the University of Southern California science, digital art, group, which develops with a specialization in computer graphics and fine art, photography and social sciences. He proprietary software computer vision. possesses industry experience in Production solutions for the facility’s and Post-Production for Film/TV/Video stereo production pipelines and performance Producer STEVEN HOBAN is founder of the Games/Animation Shorts. He has taught in capture pipeline. Currently, Dr. Havaldar Toronto-based film and television production postsecondary schools as a Professor and/or is implementing workflows to create company Copperheart Entertainment. His served as Program Coordinator specializing stereoscopic imagery for CG features, post productions include the 2005 Academy in Video Game Design and 3D Animation/ stereo conversion, and natively acquired stereo Award® – winning computer animated short, Modeling for over six years. He is also skilled projects. Along with stereoscopic technology, Ryan; the world’s first IMAX 3D animated film,

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in course creation, curriculum development, development, marketing and public policy nominated for an lecturing, presentations, tutorial writing, experience, Ms Ker-Hornell holds a BA from Academy Technical pipeline and project work flow preparation the University of Toronto. Other honours Achievement Award for and execution. include Canadian Women’s Who’s Who, their innovative 3D work Canada’s Who’s Who and University of Toronto on numerous Hollywood AVRIM KATZMAN has been the senior Arbor Award for Mentorship. Before joining films including the professor in the internationally renowned FilmOntario in 2003 as Managing Director, “Matrix Trilogy” and Lord Computer Animation Ms Ker-Hornell established award-winning of the Rings. Program at Sheridan commercial production company, Angel Films College and was the JIM LAIRD, CFO Bedlam Games, is Inc., handling domestic and international founding Director and a veteran finance executive with nine years commercial production. Ms Ker-Hornell sits on principal investigator of of experience, including six years in venture a variety of industry boards and committees, Sheridan’s first research capital making investments in high-tech including the Toronto Film Board, Ontario institute, the Visualization companies. He has made investments in the Media Development Corporation Screen-based Design Institute. He gaming industry in companies like Groove Advisory Council and Toronto Board of Trade, currently teaches Game Games and Transgaming Technologies. Jim Economic Development Committee. Design and Theory, and Game Development, in was previously Vice President, Investments the Communication, Culture and Information JARROD KOZEAL grew up in Casper, with Covington Capital, which he joined in Technology Program, a joint program with the Wyoming and moved to California to study November 2002. Prior to Covington, Jim was a University of Toronto, and is the curriculum Animation and Visual managing partner with New Millenium Venture architect of Sheridan’s Bachelor of Applied Arts Effects at Ex’pression Partners, a high-tech focused labour-sponsored degree in Game Design. His current research Digital College in venture fund and an equity analyst with HSBC focuses on inclusive game design and the Emeryville. He moved Securities and Gordon Capital. Jim holds a application of game technologies to feature to Los Angeles to work Bachelor of Business Administration and a film production. for ImageMovers Digital Bachelor of Law degree. Jim also served on the as a Motion Capture Board of Directors of MITACS, an NCE for the SARAH KER-HORNELL Technical Director, and is Mathematical Sciences. is the Executive Director now an Advanced Services Consultant at Vicon & CEO of screen-based ROBERT MAGEE is Motion Systems. industry consortium the Product Marketing FilmOntario (film, HELMUT KUNGL is CEO of Ottawa based Manager at Side Effects television, interactive, XYZ RGB Inc. Helmut has over 15 years Software. He studied games). A seasoned experience in 3D imaging for applications Architecture at the industry executive with in entertainment and reverse engineering. University of Waterloo extensive business In 2004 Mr. Kungl and his company were before spending the

12 Screen Industries Research and Training Centre Screen Industries Research and Training Centre last two decades writing tutorials for 3D and subsequently the show was awarded the Canadian Cinema and Television, The Director’s software packages such as Houdini. Robert is BAFTA for best Visual Effects. Since Triffids Guild of Canada and the Academy of Television a champion for the artists and always looks for the studio has now branched out into post- Arts and Sciences. In 2006, Bob was named ways technology can support and enhance the production providing digital matte painting and the recipient of the Premier’s Award for the creative process. set extensions for film and TV with their most Creative Arts and Design sector. recent credits being Coke’s latest Superbowl DAN MAY is co- EDITH MYERS is Managing Director of commercial: “Siege”. founder of the UK’s Pinewood Toronto leading digital art Dan continually solves problems both Studios, Canada’s department, Painting technically and visually on a daily basis - largest studio complex Practice, and has over 10 most recently he was called in to work on providing facilities for years experience in both The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn film, television and Film and Commercial Treader, and the medieval fantasy comedy commercial production. production. Dan is seen Your Highness. Previously, Edith was the very much as a hybrid artist of the digital age, Chief Operating Officer ROBERT (BOB) MUNROE has been the with one foot in the Art Department and the for the Scott Group of Companies owned Visual Effects Supervisor other in Visual Effects. Improving the cross by film directors Ridley Scott and Tony Scott. on films such asCube, over and communication between these two The Scott Group includes RSA Films (London Caveman’s Valentine, departments is what drives a lot of the work and Los Angeles), one of the world’s largest Finding Forrester, Against through Painting Practice, where art direction television commercial production companies, the Ropes, Splice and, and previz come hand in hand. and Scott Free, a film and television production most recently, Dolphin company responsible for Black Hawk Down Dan founded the studio together with Tale, an Alcon/WB and Déjà Vu, as well as the television series Production Designer Joel Collins after the film, andThe Borgias, Numb3rs and The Good Wife. Edith has an two collaborated on Hitchhikers Guide to the a Showtime/CTV series, both currently in MBA from Concordia University and a post Galaxy. It was during this production that production. As a Digital Effects Director, Bob MBA from McGill University. the methodology for the studio began to led teams of artists on Nutty Professor II: The take shape as the boundaries began to blur Klumps, Doctor Dolittle and Mimic. He was also LESLEY NORTHAM is a PhD student in between art direction and previz. Second Unit Director on Splice, The Tudors and computer science at the Nothing, Co-Producer of the final season of University of Waterloo Shortly after Hitchhikers Dan moved on to The Tudors and Executive Producer of Academy studying film pre- supervising the previz for both Quantum of Award-winning director Chris Landreth’s short visualization, aesthetics Solace and Angels & Demons. Dan was also filmThe Spine. Bob is Immediate Past Chair of and director notation. the vfx art director and previz supervisor for the Board of Directors of the Canadian Film She is a member of the the BBC reboot of The Day of The Triffids it was Centre and is a member of the Academy of Computer Graphics here that everything came together perfectly

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Lab and is supervised by Dr. Craig S. Kaplan. JENNIE PUNTER Vetter on the final season of the science fiction Currently, Lesley is working on a collaborative writes film reviews drama Forever Knight in 1995-1996. Ms. Ryder project with SIRT called RTFX, which aims to and features for The also co-starred as android Kay-Em 14 in the provide high-quality, real-time visualization of Globe and Mail and 2002 movie Jason X before joining the cast motion capture and special effects. reports on the Canadian of Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda which ran entertainment industry for five seasons and 110 episodes. Ms. Ryder BRIAN J. POHL for Variety. Over the past was nominated for a Gemini award for her has nearly 16 years 11 years, she has also performance as Beka Valentine. Recent credits of experience as a worked on documentaries for Ron Mann’s include a recurring role on Good Dog, Degrassi: graphic designer, visual Sphinx Productions, the National Film Board of The Next Generation, The Ron James Show and effects artist, technical Canada and Storyline Entertainment. the vampire Web-series Valemont for MTV. director and previs supervisor. A veteran LISA RYDER is a Canadian actress best DR. PAUL SALVINI is of ’ JAK known for her role, Beka Valentine, on the Chief Technology Officer Films’ previsualization long running science and Vice President of team and Industrial Light and Magic’s art fiction television series, Canadian Operations at department, Pohl is credited for creating or Gene Roddenberry’s Side Effects Software, supervising previs on over 20 films including Andromeda. Ryder was a global leader in the Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002), born in Edmonton, development of 3D I, Robot (2004), Open Season (2006), Star Alberta and attended animation and visual Trek (2009) and Battle: Los Angeles (2011). the University of Toronto, effects software. He leads Recently Pohl participated in the formation where she began acting. a two-time Academy Award-winning team of the Previsualization Society and acts as Upon graduation, she formed a local theatre of computer scientists and mathematicians its Secretary and Chairman for its Web and group, Bald Ego Productions, in Toronto who are passionate about advancing the educational committees. Currently Pohl is and starred in numerous stage productions art and science of computer graphics. The working on a new independent venture including the one woman show, Put Me Away company’s Houdini software has been used that focuses on creating unique intellectual which she also wrote. Ms. Ryder began to work in over 400 blockbuster films including 11 of properties for entertainment and educational regularly in film and television in the mid- the past 13 films to receive the Oscar™ for materials designed to train the previs process. 1990s including roles in Gene Roddenberry’s Visual Effects. He received his BMath from Earth: Final Conflict, Total Recall 2070, Kung Fu: the University of Waterloo and M.A.Sc., Ph.D. The Legend Continues, Wind at my Back and and M.B.A. degrees from the University of Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal. She Toronto where he serves as a KMDI Research had a recurring role on The Newsroom (CBC) Fellow and Adjunct Professor. In 2007, Paul and she gained a following as Detective Tracy was recognized as one of Canada’s Top 40

14 Screen Industries Research and Training Centre Screen Industries Research and Training Centre

Under 40™, a national award that honours time animation using Autodesk MotionBuilder the most relevant solutions. Aaron applies individuals for outstanding achievement and Autodesk Maya. his skillful eye as an artist with his broad in innovation, leadership, vision and He was the principal understanding of all things VFX to every project community involvement. engineer on the Magic he works on. Some would say that Aaron is Mirror project – a Mr. X’s secret weapon. DAVID SPARROW, an ACTRA national live-to-stage real-time councilor representing Toronto, crashed Over his tenure at Mr. X, Aaron has been system designed for an audition in 1989 instrumental in developing the Mr. X process, DreamWorks’ Shrek The and wound up in the consulting on script breakdowns and devising Musical. He also was the Second City’s National innovative solutions to create dynamic visual principal developer of Autodesk Maya’s Touring Company out effects on numerous feature films. He has since stereo camera/viewer implementation and of Toronto. It was the acquired many battle stories to brag about continues to work directly with customers on most fun he’d ever had including rebuilding an entire pipeline and integrating stereo into their pipelines. Over and since that time he process during production amidst delivering the years as a principal consultant, he has has brought laughter to award-contending work, an endeavour that’s contributed individual features to Autodesk bellies across North America. He has appeared rarely achieved with such success. Mr. X’s Maya and Autodesk MotionBuilder for a variety in more than 80 film and television roles guerrilla style philosophies foster Aaron’s of film, games and design companies. He including Serendipity, Star Trek Voyager and abilities to cater each project’s methodology to now leads the consulting Virtual Production Shall We Dance and in stage productions from its unique vision; not restricted by process but Technology team where they are working to coast to coast. He has voiced radio spots and to solution and artistic integrity. define, create and refine workflows in the character voices for the cartoons JoJo’s Circus area of virtual cinematography, previs and Aaron’s most recent projects include Visual and Totally Spies and has directed for the stage, virtual moviemaking. Effects Supervision on Tron: Legacy, Scott Pilgrim for corporate/industrial film projects and for his vs. The World (co-supervision with Dennis own projects. As a writer, David has completed AARON WEINTRAUB, Visual Effects Berardi), My Soul to Take, Repo Men, Remember four films, a TV pilot, hours of sketch comedy, Supervisor/Co-Founder of Mr. X., is one of Me, The Factory, Eastern Promises and A History a children’s book and the parody theatre hit, the most progressively of Violence, to name a few. He has also been The Honey Murders, which played to sold-out minded visual effects credited as Compositing Supervisor on such crowds in Los Angeles in 2000. supervisors you’ll films asMax Payne, Balls of Fury and Shoot come across. Driven JASON WALTER is a senior technical ‘Em Up by his passions for the consultant/software developer on the Autodesk creative filmmaking Consulting team. He joined the team via the process and his thirst for acquisition of Alias by Autodesk, and he has pushing technological been acting as a technical consultant for over boundaries, he’s committed to always finding eight years. He has extensive experience in real-

15 PRESENTING MEDIA SIRT