2008-08-16 01:38:03 -
www.siggraph.org/s2008 - SIGGRAPH 2008, the 35th International Conference on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques, announced today that 28,432 (pre-audit) artists, research scientists, gaming experts, developers, filmmakers, students, and academics from 87 countries joined together for the annual conference and exhibition in Los Angeles this week. Plus, more than 230 international companies exhibited - an increase in exhibits from the previous
year.
"When we began planning for SIGGRAPH 2008 three years ago, the vision was to enhance the attendee experience and evolve along with the changing needs of the industry," said Jacquelyn Martino, SIGGRAPH 2008 Conference Chair from IBM T.J. Watson Research Center. "The result was a dynamic, multi-sensory, and cutting-edge event."
Highlights from SIGGRAPH 2008:
-- Industry pioneers and leaders offered Featured Speakers presentations: -0- -- Ed Catmull, President, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios -- Catherine Owens, Artist/Director and co-director of "U2 3D" -- Takeo Kanade, Professor of Computer Science and Robotics, and Director of the Quality of Life Technology Engineering Research Center at Carnegie Mellon University.
-- The newly expanded Computer Animation Festival was open to the public for the first time ever. In addition to competition and invited screenings, production sessions, and discussion panels with filmmakers/artists/producers, the Festival featured three all-star production studio nights hosted by Pixar Animation Studios, Sony Pictures Imageworks, and Lucasfilm. The SIGGRAPH 2008 Best in Show Award and Audience Prize went to Gobelins l'ecole de l'image in France for the film "Oktapodi."
-- The return of the FJORG! "Viking Animator" competition, where 16 three-person teams of CG animators competed for 32 hours straight to create the best overall animation of at least 15 seconds in length. Team Grojf won the competition for their animation "The Red Truck." All animations are available here:
www.siggraph.org/s2008/attendees/fjorg/
Network Your Senses in 2009: Join SIGGRAPH in New Orleans
SIGGRAPH 2009, the 36th International Conference on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques, will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana, 3 - 7 August 2009. Visit
www.SIGGRAPH.org/s2009
SIGGRAPH 2008
Brian Ban
+1.773.454.7423
media@siggraph.org 
