In anticipation of SIGGRAPH next week, VFXWORLD focuses on emerging technologies throughout August. We begin on Friday with Mary Ann Skweres' sneak peek at Paul Debevec's latest cutting-edge virtual journey, THE PARTHENON, a short film premiering in SIGGRAPH's Electronic Theater. Using the best archaeological sources available, Debevec digitally reconstructs the famed temple and photorealistically recreates many of the sculptures, revealing a host of new 3D visualization advancements.

Lucasfilm and Dark Horse Comics are teaming up to create a graphic novel based on STAR WARS: EPISODE III - REVENGE OF THE SITH. Dark Horse and the concept artists behind the film will produce the graphic novel called STAR WARS: VISIONARIES, a collection of 12 tales told by the artists that helped envision the worlds, creatures, technologies and characters of EPISODE III.

ATI Technologies continues to innovate for the large AGP market with the new FireGL X3-256 workstation graphics accelerator, which gives users an impressive list of professional features for $1,099.

Fresh off the success of three Promax Awards, leading creative concept, design/effects and production company Sideshow Creative has added creative director Andrew Kobliska to its team. Kobliska will be heading up the west coast creative group based in Los Angeles.

"Andrew's vast experience in all realms of our industry makes him a natural fit for Sideshow," said Scott Mantel, Sideshow Creative ceo. "He brings the highest pedigree of strategic thinking and creative leadership to his new role at the company."

Picture Mill was the production company behind the opening and closing sequences for THE VILLAGE. Writer-director M. Night Shyamalan contacted Picture Mill soon after principal photography was done, to begin developing concepts for the titles.

Side Effects Software will be hosting its Annual Houdini Meeting on Aug. 8, 2004 during SIGGRAPH in Los Angeles. This event will bring together Houdini users from around the world to network with their peers, witness the official unveiling of Houdini 7 and catch an exclusive sneak-peak into Houdini's future.

Elected in a special board election was Marc Lanza (JFK, GLORY) as secretary. Newly elected to two-year terms are sound editors Harry Cheney (BOTTLE ROCKET, DRACULA), Jeremy J. Gordon (THE OC, SMALLVILLE), Robert Hargreaves (DUCK DODGERS, BATMAN BEYOND) Anne-Marie Slack (BRING IT ON, HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES), Roland Thai (L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, CITY OF GOD) and Steven D. Williams (THIRTEEN DAYS, ARMY OF DARKNESS).

After original director Robert Rodriguez dropped off the project due to his resignation from the Director's Guild over directing credits on his film SIN CITY, Alphaville is in negotiations with SKY CAPTAIN helmer Kerry Coran to direct the screen adaptation of the classic sci-fi adventure, A PRINCESS OF MARS, reports HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Based on the first book in Edgar Rice Burroughs' 11-volume JOHN CARTER OF MARS series, the studio is hoping to make a franchise. Alphaville has produced THE MUMMY series.

MPC (The Moving Picture Co.) will play an instrumental role in U.K. Trade and Investment’s (UKTI) exploratory trade mission to SIGGRAPH 2004. Partnering with the National Centre for Computer Animation at Bournemouth University and UKTI, MPC will form part of the representation from U.K. visual effects companies. MPC will be at Booth #2153.

The PGA New Media Council and the Visual Effects Society are hosting a mixer and discussion panel titled "Producing Magic On Time And On Budget." Attendees will be able to meet the producers and executives behind such film and television productions as SPIDERMAN 2, THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS, MATRIX REVOLUTIONS, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, THE LAST SAMURAI, and POLAR EXPRESS. The event will take place on Aug. 19, 2004 at Sony Imageworks Theatre, 9050 West Washington Boulevard, Culver City, California 90232.

Oregon3D has announced it will offer a series of classes specifically devoted to content creation for the Unreal Engine, the leading 3D technology platform pioneered by Epic Games. Scheduled during the SIGGRAPH 2004 Conference, this one-day session will run on both Aug. 9 and Aug. 10, from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm in the Los Angeles Room at The Wilshire Grand Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

French brothers Didier and Thierry Poiraud have returned to the U.S. commercial market after releasing their feature debut, ATOMIK CIRCUS, in Paris last week. With leading commercial production company Tool of North America, the brothers co-directed a spot for HP’s Printing division, PRINTER, which has been airing in key markets in Western Europe since June. Together with François Vogel, the Poiraud brothers direct U.S.-based projects through Tool satellite company Paranoid Projects @ Tool.

The Media Design School, New Zealand's premiere learning institution for the digital arts, announces a slate of new faculty additions that include Tom Zuber, Patrick McNabb and Richard Hicks, going into its visit to SIGGRAPH 2004 conference at the Los Angeles Convention Center from August 10-12, 2004 at booth #1958.

At SIGGRAPH 2004, the Gnomon Workshop and the Gnomon School of Visual Effects (booth #1113) will be showcasing its educational products with various presentations and its library of 82 DVDs. In addition, Gnomon will have books available to get them signed such as EXPOSE I, EXPOSE II, D'ARTISTE, ELEMENTAL and more from booth partners CG Networks and Ballistic Media.

New Zealand companies will be featured at a panel session as part of the SIGGRAPH conference Tech Talk series, held this year at the Los Angeles Convention Center, August 10-13. Hosted by NZTE, the session, "Middle Earth: Imagination Made More Real" provides a presentation forum for New Zealand companies and will be moderated by Dr. Steve Upstill, a founding member of Pixar Animation Studios and a recent New Zealand immigrant.

The response to our 3D coverage in architecture, education and forensics has been quite enthusiastic. Tomorrow Christopher Harz caps our coverage with quite an extensive overview of cutting edge 3D advances throughout various non-entertainment industries. Plus,