By ROSS AUERBACH
By ROSS AUERBACH
This May, VES members from around the world gathered as attendees and panelists to celebrate the 30th edition of the Film & Media Exchange in Stuttgart, Germany. Europe’s premier conference for the latest in animation, VFX and digital media, the program focused on the future of the industry with this year’s theme, “The Road Ahead.” The long and fruitful partnership between VES and FMX deepened with insightful panels, conversations and meetups.
VES hosted a panel discussion on “Méliès to AI,” which touched on key VFX milestones from the birth of the moving image and how AI marks another step in technical development. Panelists included the VES Board Chair, CEO of SideFX Kim Davidson, with VES Toronto Board Member, Kate Xagoraris, CTO of Milk Visual Effects Steve MacPherson and VFX Producer David Cordon.
VES member Judith Crow, VP Strategic Partnerships at SideFX, examined VFX careers outside of traditional media in the panel “Beyond Entertainment: How VFX Shapes Other Industries.” Joined by Nfinite’s VP Labs, Martin Enthed; Co-Founder of Another Earth, Felix Geremus; and Pierre Grage, CIO, UNEVIS Ventures, the discussion included medical treatment simulations, climate change impacts, architectural and automotive designs, and much more.
VES Visionary Award honoree Roland Emmerich returned to his hometown to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Independence Day, winner of the Academy Award for Visual Effects, and the impact of the iconic disaster spectacle.
VES Germany Section held a luncheon at Brauhaus Schönbuch open to global membership. Hosted by Agon Ushaku with support from Jonas Kluger and Christine Resch, the event drew a capacity crowd dedicated to building the international VFX community.
