Summer Heat Gives Way to Fall and the Fantastic VIEW Conference 2014

Heading into autumn means heading over to Turin for one of our industry’s most important events.

As autumn thankfully lifts its sleepy head and the oppressive heat of another LA summer begins to fade ever so slightly, the VIEW Conference in Turin once again is close at hand. One of my favorite and most meaningful events of the year, VIEW never fails to entertain, inspire and engage me, an intimate conference packed with four days of intense sessions and even more intense networking. This year the event runs from October 14-17.

If James Brown was the hardest working man in show business, then VIEW organizer and director Dr. Maria Elena Gutierrez is the hardest working woman in event production. As programmed by deft hand, VIEW is first and foremost, a top gathering of international talent in computer graphics and digital cinema, most notably in animation, visual effects and games but with representatives from disciplines such as advertising, automotive design and architectural visualization. Maria is everywhere during the year, meeting with studios, sitting in on presentations at other events and scouting the best industry talent to invite to Italy. VIEW programs are not haphazard assemblies weighted heavily to appease sponsors or filled with any warm body associated with a film or project. They represent a thoughtful balance of talent from across the spectrum of visual development and production, with a hand-picked array of speakers eager to share expertise and insight into their work and creative process.

This year’s program boasts yet another stellar lineup, led by DreamWorks director Tom McGrath and the legendary Disney animator Glen Keane and Pixar co-founder Alvy Ray Smith keynote presentations. VFX supervisors Stefen Fangmeier, ILM’s Oscar-winning Scott Farrar, Framestore’s Kyle McCulloch and Weta’s Keith Miller will present visual effects from Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Guardians of the Galaxy and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes respectively. Sony’s Dave Schaub will present the animation of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 while Animal Logic’s Rob Coleman will present the animation of The LEGO Movie, just two of the dozens of presentations, workshops and panel discussions planned.

VIEW is much more than just a roster of big names from big studios. VIEW is a gathering, more like a giant family reunion than academic exercise or frenzied exhibition. Top industry talent, studio management, recruiters, technologists, educators, creative professionals and students are brought together in an atmosphere focused on learning, exchanging ideas and collaborating.

Over just the past few years, I’ve had a chance not just to meet and interview but share meals and evenings of copious adult beverages with folks like ILM VFX supervisor Roger Guyett, Marvel VFX supervisor Christopher Townsend, PDI co-founder and Oscar-winner Glenn Entis, Method VFX supervisor Dan Glass, Oscar-winning movie sound pioneer Gary Rydstrom, ILM chief creative officer and Oscar-winning VFX supervisor John Knoll, the list goes on.  

Please take a look at some of the great video interviews AWN has produced from previous VEW Conferences. We’ll be rolling out the most recent set over the next week as well, adding to our library of top speakers sharing their insights into some of the biggest entertainment projects being done in the world today.

Additionally, I would be remiss not mentioning that in a place like Turin, a bad meal is nowhere to be found. A lovely city built amidst ancient Roman ruins, with a piazza and giant fountain around every corner as well as the world-famous Shroud of Turin, Italy’s former capital cannot be beat as a destination for meeting up with top industry talent as well as sampling dishes of amazing truffle-studded risotto or charcuterie.

Full conference details can be found on the VIEW website and Facebook page. I encourage you to book a ticket and join the festivities.

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Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.

Dan Sarto's picture

Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.