Details Of NAB 2017 'Future of Cinema Conference' Announced


SMPTE has announced details of the 2017 NAB Show's 'Future of Cinema Conference: The Intersection of Technology, Art, & Commerce in Cinema', produced in partnership with SMPTE.

Scheduled for April 22-23, the conference will feature expert presentations looking at how technical innovation, artistic intent, and evolving consumption and business models will interact to shape the future of cinema.

Richard Welsh, SMPTE Education vice president and CEO of Sundog Media Toolkit, said: "In the 21st century, cinema is evolving faster than at any time in its history. With consumers seeking content via many distribution outlets, creators are working vigorously to maintain artistic intent in an ever-changing landscape. The Future of Cinema Conference will explore the burning questions, with thought-provoking sessions and speakers, as we examine the future of movie-making and SMPTE's next century."

On day one of the conference, sessions will address topics including the use of the SMPTE Digital Cinema Package (SMPTE-DCP) for distribution in a time of technical and creative innovation; the role of cloud technology in global distribution; the latest in cinema projection and displays, and how the industry is adapting to these advances; real-world implementations of Interoperable Master Format (IMF); the evolution and current status of immersive audio technologies and standards; and threats to content security and how to protect against them.

The second day of the conference will extend the conversation on content creation, as well as consumption and the consumer. It will tackle the impact of light field imaging on content production and feature a panel on high dynamic range. Sessions also will discuss topics such as consumers' changing relationship to the movies; the significance of artistic intent to the consumer; the advance in augmented, virtual, and mixed reality experiences; and new styles of narrative and performance as showcased in select Sundance Film Festival entries.

Cynthia Slavens of Pixar Animation Studio, who serves as program chair for the conference, said: "The diversity of topics and perspectives showcased in this year's conference sessions is remarkable. From cutting-edge technology and creative techniques to questions about visual arts and the consumer experience, we've got it all."

In addition to Welsh and Slavens, the program committee includes Jaclyn Pytlarz of Dolby Laboratories; Chris Witham of The Walt Disney Studios; SMPTE Executive Vice President Pat Griffis, also of Dolby Laboratories; Nick Mitchell of Technicolor Creative Services; Jennifer Zeidan of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM); filmmaker, speaker, and writer Jennifer Hall Lee; Siegfried Foessel of Fraunhofer IIS; and Rajesh Ramachandran of Qube Cinema.

More information about the conference is available here .

smpte.org

Image: Robert Seidel, Barbara Lange, Ang Lee, and Richard Welsh at the 2016 Future of Cinema Conference.