PROGRAM CHAIR

FMX is happy to announce as Program Chair a true master in VFX and virtual production: Paul Debevec, Chief Research Officer at Netflix’s Eyeline Studios in Los Angeles.

Paul Debevec has accomplished pioneering achievements in virtual production. He will support the FMX team with ideas and inspiration to address the challenges that are currently changing the dynamics of the creative industries.

Groundbreaking pioneering work in the field of image-based lighting

Paul Debevec received degrees in Computer Engineering and Mathematics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 1992 and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley in 1996.

He is the Chief Research Officer at Netflix’s Eyeline Studios, overseeing R&D for visual effects and virtual production with computer vision, graphics, and machine learning. In 2002, Paul's Light Stage 3 system pioneered the virtual production technique of surrounding actors with color LEDs to display images of virtual environments for lighting-accurate compositing.

Paul’s techniques for photogrammetry, HDR imaging, image-based lighting, and photoreal digital actors have been used to create
key visual effects sequences in "Matrix", "Spider-Man 2", "Benjamin Button", "Avatar", "Gravity", "Oblivion", "Maleficent",
"Furious 7", "Blade Runner: 2049", "Gemini Man", "Free Guy", and numerous video games.

Two Oscars and an Emmy

Paul's work in technology for visual effects and virtual production has been recognized with two Academy Awards
for Scientific and Technical Achievement, the Progress Medal from the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers,
and in 2022, the Charles F. Jenkins Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award.

Paul is a Governor of the Visual Effects Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences,
a Fellow of the Visual Effects Society, and an Adjunct Research Professor at the University of Southern California.