Pixomondo (PXO) VFX Supervisor Max Riess takes you behind the scenes of the hit film series "Woodwalkers", focussing on the eagerly anticipated 2nd movie. Max is going to reveal how visual effects artists transformed human actors into animal characters.

From early concept development to on-set supervision and final rendering: discover the techniques used to blend real and digital  elements seamlessly, and learn how the team captured authentic animal behavior and crafted photo-realistic transformations that feel genuine and emotionally resonant.

Can Computers Create Art? Lessons from Art History

Can AI algorithms make art and be considered artists? Dr. Aaron Hertzmann, Principal Scientist at Adobe Research, will discuss how the developments of neural network algorithms for making art parallel the development of previous artistic technologies, like oil paint, photography, and traditional computer graphics.

He argues that art is a social phenomenon, and that it is extremely unlikely that we will consider AI algorithms to be artists in the foreseeable future. However, they will change the way we make and understand art, for better and for worse.

Why Every Tech Panic Looks the Same (And What Actually Happens Next)

Larry Cutler has watched the animation industry panic over “job-killing” technology multiple times. Now with AI, he’s seeing the same pattern.

Drawing from Pixar, DreamWorks, and as CTO of 10x Emmy Award winning Baobab Studios (where he’s built AI-driven character systems for years), he’ll break down why these panics follow a predictable script and what the pattern reveals about where things are actually headed.

First Forum Confirmations

Bookings for the FMX Forum are in full swing: Many longterm partners have already secured workshop slots or a booth at the Marketplace, at the Recruiting Hub and at the School Campus to enrich the FMX program with their knowledge and tools.

Here are some of the companies and institutions that have already confirmed their participation - more to follow soon!