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The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) convened its annual Media Tech Summit in particular person for the primary time since 2019 late final month on the Loews Hollywood Hotel, the place Arizona State University affiliate professor Ana Herruzo, who works in rising and computational media, gave the keynote tackle on “Enhancing Creative Disciplines Through Emerging Computational Tools.”

Director Ang Lee was awarded an Honorary Membership, SMPTE’s highest honor, “in recognition of his extensive pioneering innovation in [the] deployment of new technologies to enhance theatrical storytelling,” as was Charles H. Jablonski “in recognition of his decades of pushing the state-of-the-art in entertainment production and distribution, as well as his service to the education and mentorship of young entertainment engineers.”

HPA Women in Post and SMPTE Hollywood mixed forces to supply a down-to-earth dialog with notable key gamers on the forefront of technological change within the M&E business. Moderated by Universal Pictures’ Annie Chang, panelists included Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Emmanuelle Borde; Blu Digital Group’s Paulette Pantoja, Lionsgate’s Theresa Miller, and Blockchain Creative Labs’ Gia Elliott.

Chang first requested what new applied sciences these executives are trying into, to which Borde, Pantoja, and Miller talked about the cloud and automation, whereas Elliott talked about blockchain and the metaverse, naturally.

“We’re looking at how to optimize the cloud,” stated Borde. “The limitation is the price compared to on-prem.”

Pantoja stated her firm is concentrated on cloud-based publish workflows and, “as much as possible, automation so we can leverage what humans do.”

Miller additionally talked about “ML/AI in terms of data science on the corporate side, to look at what movies will bring people into the theaters.”

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All the executives careworn that staying curious is essential to staying related within the business.

“Technologists love learning new things,” stated Miller, whereas Borde added that she likes to “look at how other industries solve problems.”

When Chang requested them what applied sciences they predict will influence the long run, Borde talked about digital manufacturing and AR; Miller identified “AI coming into the workplace,” and Pantoja pointed to AR and the metaverse.

“Blockchain is now the wild west,” stated Elliott. “I see a future where there’s actual ownership of digital assets and the fan gets closer to the process of creating content. That will mean better content, more diversity, and more voices.”

Several of the executives began their careers as software program builders. Miller began as a developer at MGM after which bought concerned in expertise auditing.

“I also did other kinds of auditing so it really taught me the business,” she stated. “Then I went back into IT in an executive spot.”

Elliott revealed that she by no means thought she’d go into expertise. “I thought I had to be super good at math,” she stated. “I never considered it a creative medium. Now that I’m doing it, I can’t believe I ever thought that.”

Chang requested them in the event that they ever skilled “imposter syndrome” from being one of many few girls in a male-dominated tech sector.

“Constantly questioning yourself isn’t a bad thing,” stated Pantoja. “It’s only a problem if it prevents you from asking for a raise or a different role in the company. Eventually, you find out that no one has all the answers, but I still question myself, which keeps me on my toes.”

You must “fake it until you become it,” suggested Borde.

The executives additionally talked in regards to the varied methods they mentor girls of their firms in addition to college students in search of STEM careers.

“We support local charities that focus on women and underserved communities from grade school to women needing a second career,” stated Lionsgate’s Miller. “I also support STEM Advantage that matches Cal State University students with internships.”

Elliott famous that, as an individual facilitating ideation classes, she likes to maintain observe of who’s speaking. “I always go back to people who had a point but are less outspoken, to make sure they have a chance to get heard.”

In one other session, knowledge scientist Yves Bergquist, director of USC’s Entertainment Technology Center’s Project Hedy blockchain initiative, talked in regards to the evolution and promise of blockchain within the M&E business.

“We’ve found about a dozen use cases,” he revealed. “They include content security, NFTs, the metaverse, community management, and archiving.”

Bergquist added ETC launched Project Hedy “to create an industry-owned and operated metadata repository on [the] blockchain.” “Right now, that’s being monetized by private companies,” he stated. “Our goal is to have an industry-wide group for a repository that can be trusted, resilient and secure.”

David Stump, Bruce Markoe, Kylee Pena, Josh Limor, and Joachim Zell/SMPTE/Debra Kaufman

Later on, SMPTE Hollywood produced a dialogue on “leading-edge technologies and the effects on creative choices.” Moderated (and co-produced with Belinda Merritt) by Marvel Studios’ Marc Zorn, panelists included Cinematographer David Stump, ASC; SMPTE Hollywood Region Governor Kylee Pena; Marvel Studios’ Danielle Costa; IMAX’s Bruce Markoe; Paramount Global’s Josh Limor, and Barco’s Joachim Zell.

Zorn first introduced up prolonged actuality/digital manufacturing phases as an rising expertise that impacts creativity.

“It’s actually gone from being a novel and enormously new technology towards just being another tool in the box,” stated Stump. “And it’s changed a couple of paradigms. We’re accustomed to leaving choices to post-production and making up our minds at the last minute, but XR doesn’t afford you that luxury: now you have to commit to something when you go on stage.”

Markoe added that “using these tools in live environments, there’s a wide variation of knowledge and skillsets on producing this kind of content.” “We’ve done a lot of virtual set tests in IMAX and some of them look really bad,” he stated, underlining the necessity for coaching.

Pena agreed, including that “the vocabulary isn’t there …and there’s a domino effect of poor creative choices.”

Finally, Stump revealed that ASC is “just getting started” on a grasp glossary of related phrases.

Limor went on to level out that there have been “many iterations” of digital manufacturing, beginning with greenscreen and bluescreen. “It’s about the foreground space as well as the background space we have to pay attention to,” he stated.

Zell stated that “we always need to mix real shots with XR production shots – the trick is to make it look the same, which is where the color scientist comes in.”

Stump agreed that “color management is very difficult in LED wall production,” and Limor insisted that the “LED [screen] was never designed to be a lighting source.” “We know we have to add additional lights,” stated Limor. “Once you step into a volume, the bulbs will skew different colors on each side of the volume.”

Costa revealed that Marvel Studios used LED partitions for 3 movies, two of which haven’t but been launched. “The only thing we’ve found to be very successful is what we’ve done with the poor man’s process,” she stated. But, she added, though LED screens add a variety of prices, it may be a great methodology to, for instance, create 12 hours of magic hour or for productions that may’t afford to go on location.

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Emerging 8K decision shortly turned a contentious subject in the direction of the top of the panel.

“We’ve done endless testing comparing HDR at 2K vs. 4K and, yes you can see the differences in certain types of shots,” Costa stated. “But it’s rare and, generally speaking, you don’t always want things so crisp. Sometimes less is more.” She reminded the viewers that “all VFX shots are finished in 2K” and up-resed to 4K when required. “Nobody has any interest in 8K, but everyone is very excited about HDR,” added Costa.

Stump famous that “among cinematographers, the discussion always comes back to lenses.” “A very small percentage of the time, you talk about getting most of the resolution,” he stated. “But most of the time they’ll talk about lenses from the 1950s or 1960s and the great look they got.”

Pena — lately employed at Netflix and about to maneuver to Adobe — made the strongest assertion. “I think largely 8K is a waste of time,” she stated. “It has validity in sports, but as a post-production person, I don’t want you to shoot in 8K and dump all that footage on the editor to finish in HD or 2K. The benefit-to-suffering ratio is not worth it to me.”

Instead, Pena talked about the potential energy of Web 3.0 that “will change the notion of ownership and the creator/fan relationship” in addition to generative AI.

“The tools of production don’t push creativity,” concluded Stump. “Creativity is what pushes the tools of production and it should always be that way.” He added that he “want(s) to see technology in the hands of kids for whom the technology has always been there.”

A bunch of these younger individuals attended a speed-networking occasion held by SMPTE and SMPTE’s Hollywood part for college students within the M&E sector. At a dozen spherical tables, every one dedicated to a subject corresponding to broadcast, modifying, and sound, amongst others, two business specialists answered the questions of scholars who moved from desk to desk in a “speed-dating” format.

Judging from the sturdy attendance of younger individuals, the animated dialog, and networking, future applied sciences will likely be in good arms.