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

HOW A DESIGNER COMMUNICATES…..

Storyteller & Former Walt Disney Imagineer Defines Story Telling at Living Arts College














The moral of the story, “we as designers must make ourselves accountable for results. Elevate the expectation of what design can do and in the end satisfy the requirements we are asked to fulfill.”

Kenneth Penkowski, partner and executive brand director for local advertising agency, Ulanguzi visited the College and told stories to the students.

In addition, he showed the Ulanguzi’s 2009 demo reel which displayed projects for highly respected clients and current ongoing projects.

Kenneth told the students three stories about his life in the design arena…the titles were quite catchy.

1. “It All Started with a Mouse”
Kenneth told the story of how he became a Disney Imagineer and how he uses what he learned from that experience in his work daily.

2. “For Rent”
Ulanguzi was referred to a development company to market their apartment complex. This wasn’t your ordinary apartment complex. These apartments were part of the wave for the “Go Green” revolution. He shared his challenges and accomplishments with the project.

3. “Come Fly with Me”
A Las Vegas helicopter tour company came to Ulanguzi in need of a new marketing technique or strategy. They had no problem selling the helicopter tours, they just wanted an easier way for customers to purchase the tour tickets. He shared Ulanguzi’s unique answer to the marketing dilemma.

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

BDA/Promax Conference

…students got an eyeful of design ideas and a pocket full of business contacts!


BDA/Promax is the world’s largest broadcast design conference and for a group of Living Arts College students it bridged the gap between longevity and futuretainment.

From the honoring of Robert Redford for the Lifetime Achievement Award to the rapidly shifting world of broadcast design, this year’s conference hosted presenters that shared their insight and upcoming trends.

Living Arts College graduate, Matt Habit- “Robert Redford, WOW! Remembering his life and his involvement in film, was incredible!”

At the conference the buzz word was “Viral”. Viral is widespread popularity through the process of internet sharing. All eyes turned to the rapidly shifting world of broadcast design, motion graphics and the convergence of a new way of branding. In one of the sessions “Contagious” gave a profound presentation called “What is Advertising?” The session made the audience think about the “art” of getting people to forget they are watching an ad.

Students had many opportunities to mix with various professionals in the broadcast design community and to see samples of their great work.

Student – Kirsten Wiltjer- “It was fun; the work they showed was amazing!”

Student – Elisabeth Rauch- “I loved the Cartoon Network presentation! They demonstrated the logo process from start to finish!”

Through lively panels, exhibits, sessions, screenings and networking, the BDA/Promax conference provided three exciting days of dialog, discussion and displays of some incredible work.




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

Close up with Top Photographers

Students Travel to “Look 3”


















Living Arts College students from the School of Communication Arts recently got an upfront, close up look at creative photographer. Students and Professor Eversoll attended “Look 3 Festival of the Photograph” in Charlottesville, Virginia sponsored by National Geographic magazine, Apple and Canon. This festival of creative image making that displayed the progression of photography into different media applications.

The College photography students enjoyed three days of gallery viewing, presentations and involvement with skilled photographers from around the world. All were eager to discuss their backgrounds, experiences and love of photography.

The students’ journey through “Look 3” started off with the World Press Photo 2009 North American Debut. The exhibit showcased photojournalism containing 196 winning photographers. Photos ranged from natural disasters to the Olympics in Beijing to a single full-time working mom caring for her six small children.

Each evening, the students had a chance to listen to renowned photographers. Some of these photographers were Sylvia Plachy, Martin Parr and Gilles Peress. Each photographer had a distinctive artistic style in their photography. Sylvia Plachy’s photographs have appeared in over 50 major publications and exhibited internationally. Her photography is acclaimed as “diverse, surprising, and humorous, transforming the elusive into the poetic.” Martin Parr is a contemporary photographer with a unique style and is very popular in the worlds of art, fashion and journalism. Gilles Peress’ photography represents the complexity of war and peace. He has documented events in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Lebanon, Palestine, and Rwanda.

Under the nights’ stars, the students enjoyed viewing the work of the most exciting and innovative current photography from emerging photographers along with nationally and internationally recognized photographers. The projections in the pavilion presented a dynamic cross-section of work from photojournalism to art. The photographers showed many images and added voice and/or music to accompany their work.

The final night of the festival, students celebrated the closing moments by meeting and shaking hands with some of the world’s most famous and renowned photographers. They met photojournalists from “National Geographic”, “Sports Illustrated”, “The White House” and “Aperture Magazine”.

The photography program at the College embraces three essential aspects of professional photography--camera technique, digital manipulation and business practices.



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

WEIGHT OF THE RIBBON

A Perfect Evening with Curtis Brown

How do you describe Curtis Brown? Passionate, Artist, Designer, Independent, Actor, Photographer, Theatrical, Dancer, Loves a Challenge, Driven, Unique Style, Rooted in Human Emotion….. He combined all of these elements in “Weight of the Ribbon.”

The disease somber, the mood inspiring, when photographer Curtis Brown captures a moment the images transcend time. Curtis and dancers from the Carolina Ballet translated his concept into visual form through “the lens” with distinct expression and movement using a ribbon suspended from the studio ceiling.

Each inspiring image has an emotional journey of a breast cancer victim in their battles against the disease. The images depicted moments from strength and triumph to moments of defeat and collapse. Colette George said, “The exhibit was emotional and awe-inspiring.”

The “Weight of the Ribbon” gallery event brought in volunteers from all over the Raleigh area. The pictures were on display and available for sale with half of all proceeds donated to “Susan G. Komen For the Cure”, which funds breast cancer research, education, screening, and treatment programs.












Curtis is a graduate of the School of Communication Arts. He studied Advertising Design with a concentration in Photography. To view his work, visit his website at http://www.curtisbrownphotography.com.



















































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

THIS LITTLE PIGGY WENT TO MARKETING SCHOOL

The excitement was high and there was a “buzz in the domes” when former professor, Greg Carter returned to campus. Students never forget a fantastic professor that leaves an impression on their life as well as their education.

Greg Carter, owner of Cyber Piggy, shared with students how you can use creativity to “bring home the bacon”. Greg was never satisfied with the status quo; he took his creativity to new heights when he developed Cyber Piggy. Greg believes that creativity is the most valuable problem solving tool we have and he’s discovered ways to take life’s unpredictable challenges and turn them into marketable and result driven opportunities.

Carter said having a job where you have the freedom to think outside the box is invigorating and helpful in conveying a message. He uses this belief to work with a social network of thinkers. “BestThinking.com” is social network that is topic driven and attracts common “thinkers” to discuss and brainstorm. Check out BestThinking.com to see how Greg uses his animations to tackle major problems with a light hearted approach.

Students were encouraged to utilize the web for marketing their talents and to join social networks to create ways of meeting other “thinkers.” Using the web and animation to promote, tell a story or convey an idea is a successful way to live “high on the hog!”



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