SIGGRAPH 2014 was a great snapshot of the strength and maturity of Vancouver’s animation and visual effects industry.
All the major players were present, along with a heady mix of hardware and software providers, with on-the-spot demos and tutorials happening on the floor.
One of my favourite moments was sitting through a tutorial of mocha, a New York creation by Imagineer Systems that has become a staple for tracking and manipulation. That’s the simplified layman’s version, of course, and watching the demo really made me realize the combination of science and artistry within this industry.
Another was cool experience was attending an open house at Sony Picture Imageworks in Yaletown. It was only a single floor across two separate downtown locations, which explains why Imageworks is going to be taking an entire floor of the new Pacific Centre building next year.
Here are a few facts of what’s to come from Imageworks:
- New Imageworks headquarters will mark the largest footprint for a Vancouver visual effects company, accommodating up to 700 employees
- The new state-of-the-art facility will open in April 2015, occupying the entire 5th floor of the Pacific Centre
- The 74,000 square foot space, is centrally located in the heart of downtown Vancouver, near many amenities and above three rapid transit lines
- Recent works: Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Edge of Tomorrow, 22 Jump Street, The Amazing Spider-Man 2
- In Production: The Interview, Pixels, Angry Bird Movie, Hotel Transylvania 2, Smurfs Movie (untitled)
Photos from SIGGRAPH 2014
Image: SIGGRAPH
Image: SIGGRAPH
Image: SIGGRAPH
Image: SIGGRAPH
Image: SIGGRAPH
Image: SIGGRAPH
Image: SIGGRAPH
Image: SIGGRAPH
Image: SIGGRAPH
Image: SIGGRAPH