Mark Elendt, Senior Mathematician, SideFX

Mark Elendt is a Senior Mathematician at SideFX where he helps create the 3D animation and visual effects software, Houdini.  Mark is approaching his 35th year at SideFX and during that time, he has been recognized for his contributions to the film industry with four Scientific and Technical Academy Awards. Mark is passionate about the industry and is active in ACM SIGGRAPH, sits on the board of the Toronto VES section as well as participating in other professional organizations. While he still works on many aspects of Houdini, his most recent project at SideFX is the Karma renderer.

Richard Frangenberg, CEO, Prism Software GmbH

Richard is the founder and CEO of Prism Software. After studying Animation & Game in Germany, he worked as an FX-TD on feature animation and VFX projects. Richard has worked at renowned studios such as ScanlineVFX, Technicolor, and Method Studios, where he contributed to projects like the Oscar-nominated "Love and Monsters.
His years of experience across various studios have equipped him with a profound understanding of CG pipelines. This expertise proved invaluable when he founded Prism Software, focusing exclusively on the development of Prism Pipeline.
Today, Richard leads a dedicated team of TDs, assisting studios worldwide in enhancing their workflows through the use of Prism Pipeline.

David Morin, Executive Director, Academy Software Foundation

David Morin is Executive Director of the Academy Software Foundation.

At the Academy Software Foundation, David works for the Governing Board to develop the use of open source software in the motion picture industry.

David earned a B.Sc.A. in computer science from Laval University (Quebec City, Canada) and has participated in the development of 3D software and virtual production since “Jurassic Park” at companies such as Softimage, Microsoft, Avid Technology, Autodesk and Epic Games. Today he is president of David Morin, LLC, a diversified consultancy specializing in open source software and immersive production. David also chairs the Joint Technology Committee on Virtual Production of the ASC, and a past co-chair of the Joint Technology Subcommittee on Previsualization.

David believes that motion pictures will soon become pure software, and that developing a strong software engineering community is critical to the future of the industry.

Frederic Servant, Director of Engineering & Media Solutions, Autodesk

Frederic Servant is a Director of Engineering at Autodesk and is based in London, where he looks after the Arnold, Bifrost, Flame, look development and color management development teams scattered around the globe. Frederic joined Autodesk through the Solid Angle acquisition as the main developer of the Arnold integration in Houdini. Prior, Frederic worked in VFX studios as an R&D Engineer at The Mill in London and La Maison in Paris, and started his career developing weather broadcast and geospatial visualization systems. Frederic holds an MSc in Communication Systems from EPFL.

Paolo Tamburrino, Sr. Industry Strategy Manager, Media & Entertainment, Autodesk

Paolo Tamburrino is a beacon in the world of entertainment. Spanning nearly two decades, his mastery in virtual production and visual effects has illuminated iconic ventures for powerhouses like Apple TV+, CBS, Marvel, and Netflix. His revolutionary contributions at Pixomondo birthed Canada's premier LED Volume, redefining screen magic for series such as Star Trek Discovery and Strange New Worlds. Paolo's evolution from a 3D artist to an Executive Producer showcases a mosaic of landmark roles at VFX studios and contributing to both award-nominated and winning projects. As a distinguished graduate from Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg and a recipient of the coveted VES Award, Paolo champions innovation at Autodesk as the Senior Industry Strategy Manager for Media & Entertainment. His insights and endeavors continue to shape the contours of Hollywood's cinematic future