What's new with FMX?

++ More top notch speakers confirmed +++

FMX is glad to welcome Daniel Jeanette, Animation Director and Visual Effects Supervisor on “Where the Wild Things Are” and Simon Otto, Head of Character Animation for DreamWorks’ “How to Train Your Dragon”. Other newly confirmed speakers are the Stereoscopic Supervisors Jayme Wilkinson (“Ice Age 3”) and Anthony Shafer (“A Christmas Carol”) and Todd Masters, who will talk on Prosthetics and SFX. Noel Sharkey, who is Professor of Artifical Intelligence, Robotics and of Public Engagement at the University of Sheffield, will discuss the question “How likely is it that one day we will have robot surrogates or robot avatars (robatars) representing us in the world?”

++ And the winners are… - Oscars, VES and Annies go FMX +++

And there are even more excellent speakers! Come and enjoy presentations by Oscar and VES Awards winner Joe Letteri on “Avatar”, Bruce Smith on the Annie Awards winning “The Princess and the Frog” and Bob Whitehill, Stereoscopic Supervisor for the double Oscar winner “Up”. The Oscar nominated film “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” will be represented by Paul Docherty.

++ Bring your skills to the next level - Masterclasses at FMX +++

In the Masterclasses visitors get the perfect opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge directly from experts in the industry. Detailed presentations will let you bring your skills to the next level:

- Joseph Gilland with “Elemental Magic - The Art of Special Effects Animation”
- Ed Hooks with “Acting for Animators”
- Kevin Todd Haug with “Surfing Paradigm Shifts: A Guide for Would-Be VFX Pros”
- Side Effects Software with “Go Procedural with Houdini”

++ Siggraph CAF and invaZion at FMX +++

Two hours of the best of the Juried screenings, as well as a few selections from their reel of Invited Studio screenings will be presented by the Siggraph Computer Animation Festival (CAF) in the Screenings section of FMX 2010. You will be able to see all award winners, most of the nominees, and some pieces they just had to include! And you still have a chance to submit your work here: please be aware of the submission deadline for animations on April 19. CAF has also launched the new Animation Clinic, a workshop for student thesis projects in development. The submission deadline for this workshop is May 10.
At FMX 2010, you can also join the award ceremony of the invaZion 2010 3-D Short Film Challenge, created by more3D, in the FMX 2010 Events section. With a high class jury including major Hollywood studios and prizes worth over € 20.000 from FMX, Panasonic, The Foundry and more3D, it's one of the most exciting contests for stereoscopic shorts today. Register and submit your commercial or non-commercial 3-D short film in March 2010 at www.invazion.org to be eligible for one of the awards in "Stereoscopic Storytelling", "Excellence in Visual Art" or the "Best Overall" grand prize.

++ Register and participate +++

Please mark FMX in your calendars and register on our website for your visit to FMX.
You can also benefit from the last chance to contribute to the event if you contact us before March 01.

++ Joe Letteri special guest at FMX 2010 +++

You simply cannot ignore "Avatar" these days: as most successful movie of all times, it has now been nominated for 9 Oscars, breaking new ground in technology and design. Senior Visual Effects Supervisor for Avatar Joe Letteri has now received his 5th Oscar nomination and already won Academy Awards for his work on Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and King Kong. At FMX Joe Letteri will talk on how he created the world of Pandora in James Cameron's masterpiece. Emmerich's "2012" will also be at FMX at large scale: Visual effects supervisors Volker Engel and Marc Weigert will discuss the blockbuster's effects work, while Pixomondo will talk about pre-vis.

++ Recruiting lines up top names +++

Our Recruiting section is growing constantly. So far Aardman, Animal Logic, ARRI, Black Rock Studio, Cinesite, Crytek, Disney, Double Negative, DreamWorks, Framestore, Ilion Animation Studios, Imageworks, Mackevision, MPC, Pixar, Pixomondo, Red Vision, rise|fx, RTT, ScanlineVFX, Trixter, Ubisoft and unexpected have confirmed their participation. Ramping up for shows to come, some will be present to up to four days in the Recruiting. We are glad to welcome them at FMX 2010!

++ 3D stereo is everywhere +++

Animation films have been integrating 3D for years already. Bob Whitehill, Stereoscopic Supervisor on Disney/Pixar's "UP", is a 3D expert and will share his special knowledge at FMX this year. Expanding its function as dramatic device in life action movies only, 3D has become the base for many other fields of digital imagery. FMX will have a presentation on "The Eye - Life and Science on Cerro Paranal", a documentary fully filmed 3D. Managing Director of KUK Filmproduktion Josef Kluger will discuss the new grammar for 3D stereo language and illuminate the freedom and limits of stereoscopy.

++ Technology enables art, content and design +++

CTO of Disney Animation Studios Andy Hendrickson, will share his view on the influence of technology on art, content and design, especially taking into consideration most recent developments such as stereo 3D, simulation sciences and non-photorealistic rendering among others.

++ VES partners with FMX - News on VES Awards +++

The Visual Effects Society (VES) will host presentations in the Effects section of the FMX program again. Before contributing to our event in May, VES is pleased to announce the 8th Annual VES Awards on February 28 in Los Angeles where James Cameron will be honored with the VES Lifetime Achievement Award and Dr. Ed Catmull will receive the VES Melies Award for Pioneering. To find out more about the Awards, click here.

++ InvaZion supports FMX 2010 +++

For the 2nd time InvaZion is contributing to the FMX 2010 program. We’re happy to welcome InvaZion in our Events section and to continue this successful partnership!

++ Watch the FMX 2010 Trailer +++

FMX selected “Only Human” created by Benjamin Swiczinsky to be the 2010 trailer due to its look and the top notch technology behind it. At first the film appears rather two-dimensional - an intended homage to opening credits of movies from the 50s and 60s. Soon enough the spectator is suprised witnessing how everything turns into 3D, a world created with humans only. Benjamin used Massive for crowd simulation, something he claims could only be achieved by this special software, which was used in a student project at the Institute of Animation, Visual Effects and Digital Postproduction for the very first time.

Benjamin is already excited about FMX: "The days at FMX are always an amazing time full of exchange, information, inspiration, fun and something to look forward the whole year. So I feel very honored that 'Only Human' was selected to be the trailer for
FMX 2010".

++ The hot topics for FMX 2010 +++

The binding theme of FMX is the convergence of film, television, computers, consoles and mobile devices. Hot topics for FMX 2010 are 3D Stereo, Hybrid Imagery and 360° Media. There will also be presentations on Cross Media, Realtime Visualization as well as Immersive Design and Virtual Humans. If you want to stay posted and not miss any program updates, subscribe to our newsletter and visit our website regularly.

++ Mark your calendars for FMX, APD and ITFS +++

The conference week will be full of things for you to do. FMX will be hosting the 4th Animation Production Day (APD) in joint venture with the Festival of Animated Film Stuttgart ( ITFS). The Festival will take place from May 04-09 and the APD from May 04-05, 2010.

++ Strong partners for FMX 2010 program and Advisory Board +++

We are happy to continue our cooperations with ACM Siggraph, AIAS Academy of Arts and Sciences, VES Visual Effects Society and 5D Conference.

Strong support also comes from the FMX 2010 Advisory Board. Welcome to the following members:

Viktor Antonov
Doug Chiang (ImageMovers Digital)
Michael Coldewey (Trixter)
Elizabeth Daley (USC School of Cinematic Arts),
Oliver Deussen (University of Konstanz)
Thomas Ertl (University of Stuttgart)
Markus Gross (Disney Research Zurich)
Andy Hendrickson (Walt Disney Animation Studios)
Pierre Hénon (Paris ACM Siggraph Chapter)
Isaac Kerlow (Computer Animation Festival 2010)
Andy Lomas (Framestore)
Terrence Masson (Northeastern University).