The 2-day event for VFX and animation professionals, running May 16-17 in Quebec, will feature panels, discussions, and presentations by industry leaders from Sony Pictures Imageworks, DNEG, Marvel Studios and DreamWorks Animation.
CAFÉ (Conference, Animation, FX, and Expertise) has announced its second edition program, which runs May 16-17 in Quebec. The event theme, “Explore New Worlds,” will focus on technology and creativity in animation and visual effects and showcase innovation while providing networking, business development, and recruitment opportunities.
“CAFÉ is an unparalleled gathering of visual effects and animation experts, designed to bring together the industry’s specialists and showcase the exceptional talent found in Quebec,” said Christine Maestracci, CEO of the Quebec Film and Television Council (QFTC), organizer of the event. “This second edition will highlight today’s technologies and tomorrow’s innovations, stimulate the creativity of the next generation, and celebrate the breadth of the work done by local and international players. The event features inspiring panels, lectures from world-renowned guests, unforgettable business encounters, and unique activities, and emphasizes the fact that Quebec is one of the world’s three major hubs for visual effects and animation.”
The event features several talks by Quebec specialists and international experts with four keynote presentations:
- Sony Pictures Imageworks and Sony Pictures Animation will unveil and comment on Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse footage just days before its release.
- Nick Marshall and Melaina Mace, DNEG DFX Supervisor and CG Supervisor, respectively, will reveal their creative approach to the post-apocalyptic series The Last of Us.
- Geoffrey Baumann, Marvel Studios’ Production VFX Supervisor, will discuss the underwater work done for the visual effects on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
- DreamWorks Animation Studios' head of animation, Jean-Pierre Sans, and director Pierre Perifel will give a behind-the-scenes look at the animated film The Bad Guys.
Other lectures on the program include:
- Pixar presents the RenderMan rendering tool and its future use in artificial intelligence and virtual reality.
- WeFX shares how the character Lotion Ladey from Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, “The Outside” was created.
- Pixomondo discusses creating the real-time digital environment for the movie Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
Complete program information is available here.
CAFÉ presents the Rolling Green - The QFTC initiative focuses on environmentally responsible audiovisual production in Quebec and promotes and fosters the adoption of responsible practices at all stages of production. In addition, CAFÉ will encourage discussion and explore the next steps needed to achieve greener VFX and animation studio productions.
Research and Development - Led by the CDRIN and SYNTHÈSE, the activity will feature panels of experts from the academic and business worlds. Participants will focus on applied research, integrating new technologies and new trends in computer graphics R&D.
Network, Meet and Improve
- Partner Stage: Meet with animation and visual effects specialists who will speak about their current projects and collaborations.
- Education Zone hosted by SYNTHÈSE: This area will feature portfolio review activities for students and an art exhibit of printed works on canvas.
- The Living Spaces: A casual area on premises for participants to have coffee, relax and chat. In addition, cocktail parties will be held here for networking and to finish off the day.
Tickets are available here.
Source: CAFÉ 20223
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
