fmx/09 in Stuttgart, Germany - A Closing Report
Press Release from fmx/09
Stuttgart/Ludwigsburg -- May 12, 2009. In the early hours of Saturday morning, fmx/09 drew to a close as the most persevering guests finally left the closing party. Once again, the 14th International Conference for Animation, Effects, Games and Digital Media gathered an international community of CGI enthusiasts in Stuttgart. Animation has long become a key technology shared across a wide range of media, going beyond animated films to live-action films and television shows as well as computer games and mobile content. This English- language conference addresses aesthetic and technical trends with a structured series of specialized programs. The desired side-effect: these parallel offerings encourage participants to cast an eye beyond the immediate scope of their own profession -- to exchange and compare. "Immersive Design", for example, was one of the most-used concepts uniting the many disciplines at fmx/09. This year, more than 7,000 visitors from 41 countries participated in discussions, encounters and of course lots of exciting content and new-won knowledge.
The Program Choices -- a Land of Plenty
A record-breaking 350 speakers from 25 countries took part this year -- in up to 10 rooms at the same time. By far, the most widely expressed view of the fmx program was the Qual der Wahl -- the torture of choice when faced with so many simultaneous top-of-the-bill offerings. Despite the decision of presenting quality talks in parallel sessions, fmx/09 was stretched to capacity on a number of occasions resulting in halls filled to the last seat and beyond. A sure sign that the event organizers of the Institute of Animation at the Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg once more laid their capable fingers on the pulse of the times. The team surrounding Professor Thomas Haegele reaped ample praise not just for the high quality of individual talks, but also for the curation and thematic relevance evident within each series. Specialist visitors were also attracted by one central aspect: the relaxed, open atmosphere at the FMX is prerequisite to making business connections and exchanges that matter, not to speak of targeted networking. No wonder that participants showed themselves to be happy in feedback to the organizers. All of these factors contributed to the continued upward trend at FMX, as if there were no economic crisis. Over 7,000 registered visitors from 41 countries -- 61% professionals, 39% students -- underscores FMX's standing as the prime European specialist conference for digital entertainment.
New Horizons and a Look Back
Faster, more international, more tightly integrated: the way CGI creatives work together today would have been unthinkable even only a few years ago. Crossmedia and transmedia applications set the tone in the digital day-to-day workings within production and design. The borders between animation and visual effects, between film and games are dissolving. And yet all these computer-generated images only represent an age-old cultural technique in new form -- which continues to be primarily in service of a captivating story. Fmx/09 revealed many aspects of these new technologies and evolved workflows:
Previsualisation has become an essential part of film and games production, as well as applications for scientific and economical purposes. The possibilities are endless -- from precise and thus cost-effective scheduling for live shoots to the playful exploration, testing and polishing of desired sets. So it's only natural that "previs" played a leading role at fmx/09, including numerous talks by recognized kings of the trade such as Ron Frankel or his fmx/conference colleagues Kevin Tod Haug (QUANTUM OF SOLACE, KITE RUNNER) and John Scheele (Oliver Stone's WORLD TRADE CENTER) -- but it also took center stage within the specialist series on automotive design.
Nonlinear animation, as experienced in computer games every day, is also advancing in large strides. Realtime was a much-used term this year, of course in series addressing games and interactive design, or the flasconference event. The scene's playful, anarchistic approach has developed into an exciting, increasingly mainstream field in which the responsibilities of designers, programmers and creatives are experiencing a true melting pot.
Stuttgart/Ludwigsburg -- May 12, 2009. In the early hours of Saturday morning, fmx/09 drew to a close as the most persevering guests finally left the closing party. Once again, the 14th International Conference for Animation, Effects, Games and Digital Media gathered an international community of CGI enthusiasts in Stuttgart. Animation has long become a key technology shared across a wide range of media, going beyond animated films to live-action films and television shows as well as computer games and mobile content. This English- language conference addresses aesthetic and technical trends with a structured series of specialized programs. The desired side-effect: these parallel offerings encourage participants to cast an eye beyond the immediate scope of their own profession -- to exchange and compare. "Immersive Design", for example, was one of the most-used concepts uniting the many disciplines at fmx/09. This year, more than 7,000 visitors from 41 countries participated in discussions, encounters and of course lots of exciting content and new-won knowledge.
The Program Choices -- a Land of Plenty
A record-breaking 350 speakers from 25 countries took part this year -- in up to 10 rooms at the same time. By far, the most widely expressed view of the fmx program was the Qual der Wahl -- the torture of choice when faced with so many simultaneous top-of-the-bill offerings. Despite the decision of presenting quality talks in parallel sessions, fmx/09 was stretched to capacity on a number of occasions resulting in halls filled to the last seat and beyond. A sure sign that the event organizers of the Institute of Animation at the Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg once more laid their capable fingers on the pulse of the times. The team surrounding Professor Thomas Haegele reaped ample praise not just for the high quality of individual talks, but also for the curation and thematic relevance evident within each series. Specialist visitors were also attracted by one central aspect: the relaxed, open atmosphere at the FMX is prerequisite to making business connections and exchanges that matter, not to speak of targeted networking. No wonder that participants showed themselves to be happy in feedback to the organizers. All of these factors contributed to the continued upward trend at FMX, as if there were no economic crisis. Over 7,000 registered visitors from 41 countries -- 61% professionals, 39% students -- underscores FMX's standing as the prime European specialist conference for digital entertainment.
New Horizons and a Look Back
Faster, more international, more tightly integrated: the way CGI creatives work together today would have been unthinkable even only a few years ago. Crossmedia and transmedia applications set the tone in the digital day-to-day workings within production and design. The borders between animation and visual effects, between film and games are dissolving. And yet all these computer-generated images only represent an age-old cultural technique in new form -- which continues to be primarily in service of a captivating story. Fmx/09 revealed many aspects of these new technologies and evolved workflows:
Previsualisation has become an essential part of film and games production, as well as applications for scientific and economical purposes. The possibilities are endless -- from precise and thus cost-effective scheduling for live shoots to the playful exploration, testing and polishing of desired sets. So it's only natural that "previs" played a leading role at fmx/09, including numerous talks by recognized kings of the trade such as Ron Frankel or his fmx/conference colleagues Kevin Tod Haug (QUANTUM OF SOLACE, KITE RUNNER) and John Scheele (Oliver Stone's WORLD TRADE CENTER) -- but it also took center stage within the specialist series on automotive design.
Nonlinear animation, as experienced in computer games every day, is also advancing in large strides. Realtime was a much-used term this year, of course in series addressing games and interactive design, or the flasconference event. The scene's playful, anarchistic approach has developed into an exciting, increasingly mainstream field in which the responsibilities of designers, programmers and creatives are experiencing a true melting pot.
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