9:00 – 10:00 am
1 CEU Hr: Art
Keynote
Over 40 years ago, Steve ‘Spaz’ Williams was at the bleeding edge of both the theoretical concepts and practical applications of computer graphics. This keynote will discuss the premise that anything you can imagine, given enough time is inevitable. Beginning with his work on the Abyss and continuing with Terminator 2, computer graphics began to factor into the design and development of film. But it was the graphics in Jurassic Park that would have been impossible without him and his rebellious team pushing the limits and changing the industry forever. From resurrecting dinosaurs in the 90’s to today’s state-of-the-art technologies bringing back deceased actors and even creating new ones, the recurring theme will be that imagination inevitably triumphs. Having conquered the realm of pixels, we are well on our way to directly interfacing with the visual cortex…or is it possible that we have already arrived?
Learning Objectives:
- Encourage the audience to look for opportunities for creative expression across a variety of technologies, media.
- Understand that humans excel at measurement and mimicry and that we should focus on our strengths
- Empower the audience to believe in the power of their imagination, even if it might seem ‘too out there’ for their contemporaries
Steve 'Spaz' Williams
Steve ‘Spaz’ Williams is a graduate of the Disney animation program at Sheridan College in Toronto. In 1986, he joined Alias Research to develop groundbreaking character animation software. Steve’s abilities soon caught the attention of Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light & Magic, and he became chief animator on The Abyss, Terminator 2, and Jurassic Park. His revolutionary work culminated in a nomination for an Academy Award for The Mask in 1994. Later, Steve turned his attention to directing TV commercials, and the Blockbuster Video store “Carl & Ray” campaign landed him the director role for the 2006 Disney animated feature film “The Wild.”