A TRIP TO THE “BIG EASY” & SIGGRAPH 2009

New Orleans is known for its great food and music but this year the “Big Easy” had other
things on the menu. It was the home of the SIGGRAPH 2009 conference that Living Arts College students attended and enjoyed a feast of animation delights.

The SIGGRAPH conference and exhibition is a five-day interdisciplinary educational experience and commercial exhibition that attracts hundreds of exhibitors from around the world. SIGGRAPH is widely recognized as the most prestigious forum for the publication of computer graphics research.

“SIGGRAPH was a life-changing experience for me. I enjoyed my first flight, and the Big Easy was quiet an interesting town!” Amanda Conklin - student

“SIGGRAPH, as always, is an amazing and knowledgeable experience. I would recommend it to anyone in Digital Animation or Digital Media. Anthonie Jones- student

In addition to SIGGRAPH's leading-edge technical program, the conference's installations provide close-up views of the latest in digital art, emerging technologies, and hands-on opportunities for creative collaboration. The smaller venue made exhibitors and vendors more approachable, giving LAC students insights and networking opportunities.

“I liked talking to the people inside the company…it gave you a chance to learn about what you want to learn from someone who actually worked on games and movies!” Jesse Howard- student

“The professionals I spoke to were very inspirational.” Sasha Cheeks - student

The conference is home to the international SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival, showcasing works from the world's most innovative and accomplished digital film and video creators. Content included outstanding achievements in time-based art, scientific visualization, visual effects, real-time graphics, and narrative shorts.

“The overall global connections were overwhelming for me; I have never seen so many people from different countries in one location!” Clint Kernodle- student

The trip’s biggest surprise was the winners of various contests given throughout the conference. Current student Erin Nakagaki won the “Navida Challenge” drawing contest. Alumni Lacy Brown won two preliminary rounds and placed second overall and Jasimin Motley placed second in two art competitions. The experiences the students had at SIGGRAPH and the networking events they attended will leave a lasting impression on them and jumpstart their careers.

“…SIGGRAPH was a great experience and I’m gonna try to go every year from now on!” Michael Vitrano- student

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Debra A Hooper
Vice President/Director
School of Communication Arts
@ Digital Circus

Pete Sekula

Red Storm Art Director & Living Arts College Alumni
Relentless Pursuit of Perfection

Do you ever wonder how the environments in many video games look so authentic? Living Arts College alumni, Peter Sekula shared with students how his position as Art Director for Red Storm’s game “Bio Shock” created the very realistic environments. Pete found himself in the jungles of Costa Rica. He had to take in every detail and put a team together to design an environment for “Bio Shock”. Pete said, “As an animator, you always have to think, life is a mirror to an immersive experience. How are we going to get characters to imitate life and how are we going to animate them?” “Companies are searching for animation talent that is awesome at their craft and their portfolio showcases their talent. A good portfolio must focus on believable movements”, reports Pete. As an Art Director at Red Storm Entertainment, Pete is responsible for hiring new talent. Musts for the “killer” portfolio!
1. Full body human movement.

2. Research the company. Be open-minded to new technologies.

3. Have “game ready stuff” to show.

4. Have a wire frame to show and how it was rigged and imported.

5. Understand the entry-level game position and how teambuilding ramps up in the performance of a game.

6. Learn the rules of production and expect to execute the rules.

It takes a team of people to develop a game at Red Storm Entertainment. The Art Director steers the ship (the game) from one phase to the next. It always takes one more layer to achieve where you really want to go with the game. “It takes a group of interactive minds to come up with one theme and run with it.” states Sekula. Visuals are very important to emersion in a story, so pictures have to draw in the gamer.

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Debra A Hooper
Vice President/Director
School of Communication Arts
@ Digital Circus