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Tee-Off with us for the first ever HPA Golf Tournament! More Details

Come meet the HPA Membership at the pool for drinks and networking.

HPA will be hosting a casual round robin pickleball tournament for all skill levels as well as a beginners’ clinic on 12 fresh new courts. RSVP

• sponsored by Bolt Graphics

Unwind before the conference or take your fitness goals to the next level by attending yoga led by an expert instructor on the beautiful Monte Luna Event Lawn. RSVP

Hosted by the Westin Rancho Mirage in Pinz & Pints.

All conference attendees welcome. Kick off the Tech Retreat in style and start the conversation over a cocktail or two.

Location: Master’s Plaza

• sponsored by Signiant

• Sponsored by Adobe

HPA Board Members, and HPA TR-X Co-Chairs, Mark Chiolis and Craig German, will take a few minutes to set the day up, provide an overview of the panels and presenters and let you know the walk-away expectations at the conclusion of today’s programs. HPA President Seth Hallen will kick things off with a 1-2 minute welcome at the very top.

• Seth Hallen, Hallstone Ventures
  

  Seth Hallen

  Hallstone Ventures

  With over 25 years of experience in media and entertainment technology, Seth is a visionary leader in AI, passionate about storytelling and its intersection with technology. He supports AI-driven MediaTech startups by helping them secure funding, refine their product strategies, gain visibility, and build vital industry connections.

  Seth is a strong advocate for AI’s potential to enhance human creativity, believing it can serve as a powerful assistant in the creative process. Throughout his career, he has built strong relationships with decision-makers and led teams to success in North America and Europe, driving revenue growth and setting new industry standards.

  As a member of the TV Academy’s AI Task Force and having served as president of the Hollywood Professional Association for nine years, Seth is actively involved in shaping the future of the media and entertainment sector. His mission is to empower creators with innovative tools, inspire change, and help the industry thrive by anticipating the next big shift in technology and creativity.

• Mark Chiolis, Mobile TV Group
  

  Mark Chiolis

  Mobile TV Group

  Mark Chiolis is the Director of Business Development for Mobile TV Group (MTVG), which provides facilities for over 4,500 live professional and college sports and entertainment events annually, with more than 35 mobile units, and dozens of remote Cloud Control facilities, based throughout the U.S.  MTVG has been leading the 4K/UHD/HDR/Cloud live event production with key broadcasters, networks and distribution companies.

  Mark is currently working to interface with customers and partners to develop and support MTVG’s entertainment, awards, corporate, concerts, egames, and esports events with current and new trucks, using both broadcast and cine workflows.

  Prior to MTVG, Chiolis worked in marketing, business development, and sales for Grass Valley, Thomson, Technicolor, Philips, and BTS as well as at television stations KMUV, KRBK and KVIE in Sacramento California.

  Chiolis is an active board member of the HPA, an associate member of the American Society of Cinematographers, member of the NAB Cine Consortium, member of the SciTech group at the Television Academy (Emmys), member of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), member of International Association of Aviation Photographers, past section manager of SMPTE, member of STE, SBE and California Broadcasters Association.

• Craig German, HPA
  

  Craig German

  HPA

  Craig has spent most of his career in the entertainment industry, and for the past 20 years has held executive positions in post production and at Hollywood film and television studios, most recently as CEO of Crafty Apes, a visual effects company that works on Hollywood’s biggest blockbuster movies and premier TV shows. Prior to that, he spent three and a half years building and leading the Worldwide Post Production organization at Amazon Studios. Craig is currently advising corporate and startup clients on business strategy, product roadmap, market assessment, and sales outreach.

2023 was a record setting, and very unique, year for IMAX with the capture and release of Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” in the format. Never before has a “talking head” type of theatrical release generated this much industry buzz and audience interest and attendance in a large format delivery. David and Patricia were part of the IMAX team that worked relentlessly to get over 30 IMAX theatres set up for 70mm celluloid film projection throughout the globe, as well at digital IMAX as many others. At a whopping 3 hours run time, distribution prints were 11 miles long, required extending the normal take up reels, and great care was taken by the team to ensure safe arrival at each theatre. With gross receipts nearing the one Billion dollar total worldwide, it’s one of the highest grossing films of the year and one of the top 5 highest in IMAX history. David and Patricia will share some interesting facts, figures, images, and fun stories about why this was definitely one extreme project for 2023.

• David Keighley, IMAX
  

  David Keighley

  IMAX

  David Keighley, Chief Quality Guru and President Emeritus IMAX Post/DKP Inc.

  A true veteran of the Company, Keighley provides a wealth of information about IMAX technology and history; he ensures that Quality is at the forefront of the IMAX brand.

  Keighley began his career as the Assistant Director on the third IMAX film, CATCH THE SUN, when Toronto’s Cinesphere was the only IMAX theatre in the world, and became the Producer of NOMADS OF THE DEEP shortly thereafter. In 1972 he and his wife, Patricia, co-founded, and David is the President Emeritus of IMAX POST/DKP Inc. The company became an IMAX subsidiary in 1988 and relocated to Los Angeles in 1997.

  Involved in the post-production of more than 500 large-format films, including mastering content for the groundbreaking IMAX laser projection system and IMAX laser Dome system, Keighley works closely with Hollywood filmmakers such as Chris Nolan and James Cameron as well as many IMAX documentary filmmakers.

  Keighley leads the CQO team’s interactions with IMAX customer presentation quality comments from around the world, following any issue through resolution, thereby keeping the IMAX network at the highest quality standards.

  Keighley has been honored with the 2023 Outstanding Achievement and the 2000 Special Achievement in Film Awards from the Giant Screen Cinema Association as well as SMPTE”s 1993 Herbert T. Kalmus Gold Medal.

  Keighley is a member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, an Associate member of the American Society of Cinematographers and a SMPTE Life Fellow.

  Keighley is a Ryerson University Alumni of Distinction having graduated from their Photographic Arts and Motion Picture Studies program.

• Patricia Keighley, IMAX
  

  Patricia Keighley

  IMAX

  Patricia Keighley, Chief Quality Guru, Former SVP IMAX Corporation

  Keighley is co-founder (1972) of IMAX POST/DKP Inc., an IMAX subsidiary since 1988. Now based in Los Angeles, CA, the company has been involved in the large format post-production of 500+ films released in film, digital and IMAX with Laser projection theatres worldwide.

  Keighley is proud to have been honored with the 2023 Outstanding Achievement award from the GSCA, the 2021 Rainmaker Award, HPA League Honors, and the 2019 Advanced Imaging Society Distinguished Leadership Award.

  Keighley is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, an Associate member of the American Society of Cinematographers, previous Society of Motion Picture and Television Vice President, Board Governor and Hollywood Section Chair as well as serving on the Board of the Giant Screen Cinema Association (GSCA).

  Keighley holds a BA in Psychology (McMaster University), a M.Ed. (University of Toronto) and Directors Education Certification from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.

The Grand Tour, expected to kick off it’s 5th season later in 2024, has always been a very challenging series to produce.  With locations across the globe, extreme speeds, unique road race courses, and 3 out of the box thinking hosts, this series has always been one to keep this top talented production crew on their toes with quick thinking requirements and ever changing environments and situations.  John Holmes, Amazon MGM Studios’ Head of WW Unscripted Production, will moderate this event with the famous, or infamous, “Mr. Wilman” and Series Director, Phil Churchward, joining via satellite from an unknown and secret location!

• John Holmes, Amazon MGM Studios
  

  John Holmes

  Amazon MGM Studios

  Director, WW Head of Unscripted Production, Amazon MGM Studios

• Andy Wilman, Executive Producer
  

  Andy Wilman

  Executive Producer

  Andy Wilman is a British television producer and writer, best known for his work on the popular BBC car show, “Top Gear.” Wilman co-created and produced the series alongside Jeremy Clarkson from 2002 to 2015 and played a significant role in shaping the show’s unique format and style. “Top Gear” achieved notable acclaim, winning an International Emmy Award for Best Non-Scripted Entertainment in 2005 and a National Television Award in the Most Popular Factual Programme category consecutively in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2011. The show was also recognised with consecutive nominations for the Best Feature category at the TV BAFTAs from 2004 to 2006. Wilman continues his success as an executive producer on “The Grand Tour,” spanning five series on Prime Video, and “Clarkson’s Farm,” which achieved a remarkable 9.0 IMDB rating for its first series.

• Phil Churchward, Series Director
  

  Phil Churchward

  Series Director

  Phil Churchward is the Series Director and Show Runner of Amazon Prime’s The Grand Tour – now feature length adventure shows – and he’s a successful director of commercials, too. Prior to this he was the Series Director for the BBC’s Emmy Award winning show, Top Gear, for nearly a decade.

  As well as producing strong visuals, Phil has become a specialist in directing off-the-scale-size shoots that combine big visuals, multi-camera direction and often a stunt or three. He thoroughly enjoys commercial work as well, getting hands-on by jumping off the 2,200ft-high Lion’s Head in South Africa to get a good head-cam shot, as well as promising the money-men that all 25 fine bone china vases used in a dynamic BMW commercial, would remain intact.

  He’s easy to work with, fastidious in every respect, and passionate about the edit, music and sound-design.

Join us for an energizing conversation with Young Entertainment Professionals who have contributed to the success of some extreme productions and are shaping the industry through their creativity, determination, and innovative spirits. We’ll dive in to how they embraced new technologies and workflows to rise to the challenges they each faced. Our panelists will also be sharing the technologies and industry trends that most excite them about the future, as well as their personal experiences and perspectives as individuals early in their career journeys and how the leaders of today can best prepare the leaders of tomorrow.

• Erik Mahoney, Paramount Pictures
• Bryan McKenzie, Game Creek Video
  

  Bryan McKenzie

  Game Creek Video

  Bryan McKenzie is a Senior Engineer in Charge at Game Creek Video.

  As one of Game Creek Videos top Engineers, Bryan has been instrumental at Game Creek’s adoption of Lawo 2110 routing systems and development of a new generation of Mobile Units based on Arista/Lawo 2110 architecture. In the Fall, Bryan is the senior most Game Creek engineer overseeing Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff studio and game broadcasts in 1080P HDR. Other notable broadcasts Bryan has played a key engineering role in include Fox’s NFL and XFL/USFL football productions in 1080P HDR, Multiple Superbowls, ESPN’s 4K college basketball, ESPN/TNT’s Final Four College Basketball Championship, Google’s IO developer conference, and many others.

  Bryan has been with Game Creek Video since 2019, launching Game Creek mobile unit Bravo, their first Lawo and fully 2110 integrated build for Fox’s NFL season. He is currently the Engineer in Charge of Game Creek Video Gridiron, a 2 unit 2110 production facility that has become one of Fox Sport’s premier mobile units.

• Katya Buchneva, Amazon Prime Video
  

  Katya Buchneva

  Amazon Prime Video

  Ekaterina Buchneva is a TV Producer and Content Strategy Manager with an MBA from USC Marshall and over 10 years of work experience.

  She started her career in Russia, producing documentaries and non-fiction series; then joined Reuters, the leading international news agency, to help launch a regional video service. In 2016, she moved to Prague, Czech Republic, to join a new international broadcaster and lead production for the flagship evening show. Witnessing the complex ties between daily production operations and business strategy, in 2019 Ekaterina decided to get an MBA with a focus on the media and entertainment industry.

  During the 2-year program at USC Marshall, Ekaterina worked on consulting projects with Sony Pictures Television, Variety Business Intelligence, Sonoro Global Media and HeadGum podcasting network, focusing primarily on content strategy, content partnerships and content monetization. She also developed a special interest and expertise in new technologies and gaming through her work with NetEase Games and Sensor Tower. Currently, Ekaterina works as a Senior Manager, Portfolio Programming Strategy at Amazon Prime Video.

• Molly Hill, The Walt Disney Studios
  

  Molly Hill

  The Walt Disney Studios

  Molly Hill is a Senior Image and Color Engineer at The Walt Disney Studios working on the Motion Picture Labs team. Passionate about exploring the intersection of art and technology, she works with productions to establish and support efficient, accurate, and high-quality imaging workflows that preserve creative intent. Molly is also a member of the HPA YEP class of 2024.

• Scout Pruski, Post-Production Specialist
  

  Scout Pruski

  Post-Production Specialist

  Described by former Mythbuster Adam Savage as “someone you could teach anything to”; Scout Pruski (they/them/theirs) has built their early career in the entertainment industry around curiosity, creativity, and consideration. An American University Alumni, their undergraduate internships at NBC Sports Washington and NASA Headquarters built a strong belief in teamwork and deepened their interest in the intersections of science and arts. After graduating in 2021, they spent over a year as a film prep technician at Colorlab, handling 8mm, 16mm, and 35mm archival and new negative under the supervision of archivists and colorists. In 2022, they moved to Los Angeles as a Dailies Assist for Picture Shop, where they initiated, tracked, and reported footage ingest to project workflow standards, overhauled the in-office organizational systems of the OLS assist team based on peer input, and founded Streamland Media’s first Trans and Allies affinity group. Since their strike layoff last year, Scout has been documenting local businesses, queer community, and leather events with two cameras, a nonexistent budget, and a whole lot of passion. They’d love to step into a learning-focused position this year, either developing workflows, expanding access to archives, or coordinating post-production operations.

David Goldman will moderate a case study panel on Refik Anadol’s unique, sustainable, data-driven machine learning algorithms that create abstract, dream-like environments, and how these extreme images are created and displayed. Refik will join via a pre-recorded message for HPA, and panelists Tom Taylor from Gunpowder and Buzz Hays from Google will talk about their work with the artist to help drive this new technology.

• David Goldman, Cornax Media Alliance
  

  David Goldman

  Cornax Media Alliance

  David E. Goldman works at the intersection of media and technology and currently runs Cornax Media Alliance, an agency representing several hundred technology brands, many of whom are contributing to the evolution of Web 3.0 and the Metaverse. He sits on the Board of Governors of the Advanced Imaging Society and is the Chairman of the Advisory Services Committee of MESA (Media and Entertainment Services Alliance).

  David has advised consumer brands such as Starbucks and Mattel on their immersive content strategy and is retained by media-technology brands to advise on product/market fit and business development strategy. He has had overall producing deals at Viacom, Fox and Disney and was an early mover in the digital content space having produced and distributed over 1,000 hours of content to Hulu, Netflix, Amazon, Google, Direct TV, Sprint, Verizon, Roku, Pluto TV, Tubi TV, Samsung, Xbox, Sony, Apple, LG, and AT&T among others.

  David served as senior leadership at the William Morris Agency (now WME) where he ran the Motion Picture Directors Division and has guided the careers of Will Smith, Kurt Russell, Mick Jagger, Seth Meyers, Billy Idol, David Lee Roth, Eugene Levy, Fred Armisen, Roland Emmerich, Renny Harlin, Cheech and Chong and the Beach Boys to name a few.

  He is a graduate of UCLA and  UCLA Law School and is a member of the California Bar.

• Tom Taylor, Gunpowder, LLC
  

  Tom Taylor

  Gunpowder, LLC

  Tom is a highly seasoned industry veteran with over two decades of experience, making him a true luminary in the field. Most notably, he served as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at The Mill, a globally renowned creative content studio, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s technological landscape and fostering innovation.

  As the owner and operator of Gunpowder, Tom brings his extensive expertise to a new level. He is a visionary leader who champions cutting-edge technology solutions for creative studios worldwide. His work at Gunpowder is nothing short of revolutionary, as he spearheads seamless, cloud-based collaboration that empowers creative teams to transcend geographical boundaries and produce exceptional content.

  With a deep passion for innovation and an unwavering commitment to excellence, Tom remains at the forefront of the industry, constantly pushing boundaries and paving the way for creative studios to thrive in the cloud.

• Buzz Hays, Google Cloud
  

  Buzz Hays

  Google Cloud

  Buzz Hays is one of the world’s leading experts on advanced imaging production and technology in the media and entertainment industry. Buzz is responsible for Google Cloud’s Content Creation Solutions development in the Media and Entertainment Vertical. He works closely with the top M&E customers of Google Cloud to tailor and build solutions to transform traditional methodologies into cloud native workflows from production to post-production to archive migration.

  Buzz has been involved in technology for media and entertainment for over 30 years with Google, Lytro, Sony, and Lucasfilm THX. He has produced numerous film and television projects for Disney, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. He is a member of SMPTE, he is the founding Chairman of the Advanced Imaging Society, and he is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences where he serves on the Science and Technology Council.

  Buzz has been with Google since March of 2018.

• sponsored by Compton & Company

With over two decades of film production and software development experience combined, independent Filmmaker Jackee Chang, produced a number of unique projects. This one for Aljazeera English required her to lead a small production team to be very stealth getting in and out of Vietnam. The film exposes how local Vietnamese gangs worked with the international Russian mafia that trafficked young Vietnamese boys to the U.K. Jackee will talk about the challenges of securing interviews and information with key figures and how they were able to upload assets in the field and get that safely out of the country upon departure. The talk will also cover how current technology would change the production if produced today.

• Jackee Chang, Black Bags Productions
  

  Jackee Chang

  Black Bags Productions

  With over two decades of film production and software development experience combined, independent Filmmaker Jackee Chang, produced a number of unique projects. This one for Aljazeera English required her to lead a small production team to be very stealth getting in and out of Vietnam. The film exposes how local Vietnamese gangs worked with the international Russian mafia that trafficked young Vietnamese boys to the U.K. Jackee will talk about the challenges of securing interviews and information with key figures and how they were able to upload assets in the field and get that safely out of the country upon departure. The talk will also cover how current technology would change the production if produced today.

Logistical coordination, excellent engineering, distinctive design and flawless execution combined with next level vision and an incredible team of operators, technicians, engineers and creatives is what makes extreme sports production work. Join Renard T. Jenkins as he chats with Darryl Jefferson, SVP, Engineering & Technology, NBC Olympics & Sports, one of the founding fathers of this genre and a leader in sports entertainment, broadcast and distribution.

• Renard Jenkins, SMPTE
  

  Renard Jenkins

  SMPTE

  Renard Jenkins is an experienced content creation and creative technology executive in the Film, Television and Radio industry. Jenkins is a SMPTE Fellow and currently serves as President of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. He sits on the board of the Hollywood Professionals Association, the Advisory Board of Exceptional Minds. He is a member of Siggraph and is a former board member of MovieLabs, the UltraHD Forum and the Content & Entertainment Council as well as the Microsoft and Oracle Advisory Boards. He is a recipient of numerous awards, including two national Emmys, a Peabody, 2 Headliners, a 2020 Broadcasting and Cable Technology Leadership award. Jenkins was also awarded the Innovator of the Year award in 2017 for his cutting-edge work and accomplishments in UHD, HDR, NGA and supply chain technology through the PBS Advanced Format Center and other industry activities.

  He has held Executive roles across the Media and Entertainment industry. Most recently he served as Warner Bros. Senior Vice President, Production Integration & Creative Technology Services [PICTs] where he oversaw global teams that supported 23,500 plus cast/crew members, 8,500 plus content hours and hundreds of global feature film, animation, and syndicated television productions annually.

  He and his team is responsible for the exploration and successful implementation of emerging and creative technologies such as virtual-production, multiplatform storytelling, virtual character, and meta-human development biometrics/neural-technology and better images and sound for cinema and home entertainment. Jenkins was the technical lead and designer of the Digital Backlot initiative which focused on extending the useful lifespan and monetization possibilities of visual effects, animation, artists’, and production elements & assets across multiple content creation verticals.

  Prior to joining WarnerMedia and Warner Bros., Jenkins served as Vice President, Operations, Engineering & Distribution at PBS, where he was responsible for the strategic direction, technology development, engineering, and operational management of PBS’s entire media- supply chain.

  He has also worked for TV One, Discovery, ESPN and Turner Broadcasting where he received multiple awards for his work in Film & Television Production, Postproduction and R&D.

  He is a champion and advocate for ethics, inclusion, innovation, diversity, equity, acceptance, accessibility, and the removal of harmful bias wherever possible in the technology and media industry. He is a Strategic Advisor to the Board of Directors of the Washington, DC Chapter of the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC), former chair and founding member of the Warner Bros. Technology and Operations Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Council, current lead of the SMPTE Global Inclusion Working Group and he also Co-Chairs, HPA ALL which advocates for and promotes diversity, better equity and increased inclusion and accessibility in the media and entertainment industry.

  When he is not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and best friend of over 30 years, his daughters, and his grandchildren. He loves travel photography, filmmaking, animation and only has one more continent left to explore. He is also a certified sound engineer, certified AI/ML engineer/practitioner and application designer. He is passionate about the visual arts and when time permits, he loves to provide pro bono location sound, live mixing, studio recording, post-production and finishing services for aspiring filmmakers, animators, and musicians. His family moto is “In all things integrity and integrity in all things.”

• Darryl Jefferson, NBC

Extreme can have many meanings and using it as related to live sports productions in our current time frame is much different than at any other point in broadcast history. In the beginning just getting a live image from a stadium or venue could be considered extreme. As technology progressed and live remote productions on a global scale became a daily occurrence, our technology teams continued to imagine and bring to life new and exciting challenges never thought possible or even dreamed of in early days. Today we’re able to push the boundaries with the knowledge and experience we’ve gained over the years and thanks to those who have worked together to continue dreaming big. Join SVG Editorial Director Jason Dachman as he moderates a panel of production executives and technologists that push the limits of production on a daily basis, listen to the challenges they face, the obstacles they’ve overcome and see the finished results of the blood, sweat, and tears that they pour into each new project.

• Jason Dachman, SVG
  

  Jason Dachman

  SVG

  Dachman oversees all aspects of SVG’s North American editorial operations – including all news on sportsvideo.org and the daily SVG Insider newsletter – and is one of the primary contributors to SVG’s coverage of the sports-video-production industry. A member of the SVG team since 2009, Dachman also serves as Program Director for SVG’s Esports Production Forum, Regional Sports Production Summit, Sports Content Management Forum, Sports Graphics Forum, SVG NEXT conference, and TranSPORT conference. Prior to joining SVG, he covered local sports for The Patriot Ledger in Quincy, MA, and served on the production staff of SiriusXM’s The Ron & Fez Show. Dachman began his career in the Sports Information department at Northeastern University in Boston, where he earned a BA in Media Communications and Cinema Studies. A native of Denver, CO, Jason currently resides in Queens, NY, with his wife Alyson and children Hank and June.

• Rob Hammer, World Surf League
  

  Rob Hammer

  World Surf League

  Rob Hammer is the SVP of Broadcast and Studio Operations for the World Surf League (WSL). Over the last decade he has helped to transform the WSL into a modern sports league with a passionate global fandom. A manager, producer, creator, technology advocate, and above all a storyteller, he’s responsible for the teams and technology bringing pro surfing to a mainstream audience from some of the most remote parts of the world. His teams broadcast over 800 hours of live surfing and create 20+ hourlong television specials annually. When he’s not traveling with “the world’s best surfers on the world’s best waves,” he enjoys tinkering with tech projects, settling in with a good book, and lounging at home in Venice, California.

• Melissa Lawton, SailGP
  

  Melissa Lawton

  SailGP

  Melissa Lawton is the Chief Content Officer at SailGP, responsible for all production and editorial content, from the Multi Cam Global Live Broadcast to long form series and branded contet to social media. Melissa docked at SailGP in 2022 after four years working for Meta in New York where she was the Head of Live Sports Production, before that, five years as Head of Live Event Content at Red Bull in Salzburg, Austria. A global citizen, Melissa has also lived and worked in Beijing, New Delhi and Sydney in senior producer and programming roles at two Olympics Games, one World Cup and a Commonwealth Games. A print journalist by trade, she cut her teeth in the sports tv business with her time as a Producer at Network Ten Australia, then the Home of Motorsport and F1. Melissa currently lives a chaotic life in London with her husband, her two sassy teenage daughters and their very sweet dog, Lulu.

  Melissa is a founding member of Chief London, A board advisor to Women’s National Football Conference (USA) and is on the Board of Directors at British Basketball.

• Chris Lincoln, Flying Fish Productions
  

  Chris Lincoln

  Flying Fish Productions

  Christopher Lincoln – Production Executive / Consultant
  With a career spanning 40-years in broadcast production, Chris Lincoln has found success in many professional reiterations. His work as a director has earned him international & domestic recognition, including two Golden Ring Awards for his work on the host broadcast of the Olympic Games and five national Emmy Awards in both sports and entertainment productions.

  From eleven Olympic & Paralympic Games to the iconic IRONMAN World Championships, Lincolns credits are abundant. A veteran of Fox Sports, ESPN and the Golf Channel, Lincoln created Flying Fish Productions to service networks and organizations; consulting on and executing content. Specializing in live sports, more specifically, moving field-of-play productions, he is very much at home on remote in a production truck or studio.

  A California native, Lincoln relocated to the mountains of Utah in 2019. A father of 3 adult children, Chris enjoys skiing, swimming, cycling and global travel.

   

HPA Board Member Kari Grubin wraps up TR-X panels with an amazing group of extreme panelists talking about some of the projects they’ve worked on, the challenges they’ve overcome, new solutions they’ve developed and what they’re working on for the next projects.

• Kari Grubin, HPA
  

  Kari Grubin

  HPA

  Kari Grubin is a distinguished executive with over 25 years of leadership experience in studio divisions, global post-production facilities, and corporate departments. She is recognized for her expertise in technology, strategic consulting, and post-production services.

  Kari is currently the President of the Hollywood Professional Association (HPA), where she has served on the Board of Directors and volunteered for many years. She co-founded HPA Women in Post in 2011, an initiative providing leadership and visibility for women in professional content creation. Alongside board member Loren Nielsen, she also helped launch the HPA Young Entertainment Professionals (YEP) program, which has mentored nearly 200 young professionals. In 2021, Kari and Renard Jenkins initiated HPA All, a program to foster diversity in the media and entertainment community by promoting career pathways and visibility for underrepresented groups. She led the 2022 HPA Tech Retreat Supersession and is currently planning the 2025 Retreat with the HPA Program Committee.

  Currently, Kari serves as Membership Services Director for the Motion Picture Association’s Trusted Partner Network, where her focus is on enhanced security preparedness and best practices at all stages in the digital media supply chain.  Committed to industry innovation, Kari previously served as project director for SMPTE’s Rapid Industry Solutions on Set Virtual Production Initiative. In 2021, she joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Production and Technology Branch.

  Kari’s career includes executive roles at Universal Studios, Paramount Studios, Global Entertainment Partners (GEP), Deluxe Entertainment Services Group, NSS Labs, and Walt Disney Studios. She has contributed significantly to media technology and is listed as a co-inventor for three U.S. patents in media and entertainment technology.

• Jillian Arnold, Mission Critical Media / IATSE Local 695
  

  Jillian Arnold

  Mission Critical Media / IATSE Local 695

  Jillian Arnold is an award-winning video engineer who specializes in recording workflow engineering, digital acquisition and transfer, & media management. She is one of the few experts in the lucrative, technically progressive field of live television. She is a second-generation recordist/tape operator, committed to bridging the generational and cultural technology gap by training and certifying new operators with her latest venture, Mission Critical Media.

  Jillian is also the first female president in Local 695’s (Sound, Video, and Projection) ninety-year history and the first ever chair of the IATSE Artificial Intelligence Sub-committee for IATSE-AMPTP Basic/Videotape Agreement negotiations. Alongside her commitment to workers’ rights, she has reformed her Local’s Women’s and DEI committees in order to prioritize education on sensitive topics, mental health, and intergenerational communication.

  As a video engineer, Jillian cut her teeth overseeing high-speed, high-resolution productions for engineering analysis as part of the Mars Program at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory [JPL]. She also participated in JPL’s Juno orbital insertion, Cassini’s farewell, and Mars Curiosity Landing.

  Currently, Jillian manages the recording and file management for all Viacom CBS tentpole shows on NEP’s premier truck, Atlas. These shows include MTV VMAs, Movie Awards, CMT Awards, Kids Choice Awards, and many more. Other credits include The Emmys, The Oscars, NBC Universal’s E! Red Carpet Shows, NFL Honors, Grease Live, Rent Live, several major Netflix productions, and Ted Talks. In addition, she frequently collaborates with NFL Films.

  Jillian is a two term President of Local 695, a member of Local 600, and the first media manager to be initiated into the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. She is also a member of Cal Tech’s Athenaeum Academic Society. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Film Theory and History from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, and a Masters in Film Production—Cinematography from Chapman University.

• Chris Steblay, Uncle Toad's Media Group
  

  Chris Steblay

  Uncle Toad's Media Group

  Chris is an accomplished Executive Producer and Creative Director, whose career began as a talented Director of Photography in the surf industry. Alongside Jordan, he co-founded one of the world’s leading action sports broadcasters, Uncle Toad’s. Chris excels in all aspects of live production, earning numerous awards, including an Emmy nomination for his groundbreaking work on live racing drones. His visionary approach and technical expertise continually raise the bar in live broadcasting.

• Jordan Velarde, Uncle Toad's Media Group
  

  Jordan Velarde

  Uncle Toad's Media Group

  Jordan Velarde, an Emmy-nominated Executive Producer, founded Uncle Toad’s with a commitment to pioneering emerging technologies in live broadcasts within the action sports world. Collaborating with a diverse range of individuals, from VPs of marketing departments to leaders of sports federations and network executives, Jordan’s leadership and adept management of teams and clients have been instrumental in the success of numerous projects. These endeavors remain authentic to their roots while simultaneously captivating a broader audience. With 25 years of production experience, Jordan takes pride in infusing the same level of excitement, direction, and success into diverse projects, ranging from original creations like the Vans Parks Series and The Natural Selection Snowboard tour to serving as the production manager for Skate & BMX at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics.

• Christopher Lockett, Cinematographer, Director, Photographer, Singer-Songwriter​

Co-Chairs, Mark Chiolis and Craig German, kicked this off earlier and they will provide a short wrap up and their own thoughts, as they know they are the only obstacle standing between you and the networking and cocktail event!

• Mark Chiolis, Mobile TV Group
  

  Mark Chiolis

  Mobile TV Group

  Mark Chiolis is the Director of Business Development for Mobile TV Group (MTVG), which provides facilities for over 4,500 live professional and college sports and entertainment events annually, with more than 35 mobile units, and dozens of remote Cloud Control facilities, based throughout the U.S.  MTVG has been leading the 4K/UHD/HDR/Cloud live event production with key broadcasters, networks and distribution companies.

  Mark is currently working to interface with customers and partners to develop and support MTVG’s entertainment, awards, corporate, concerts, egames, and esports events with current and new trucks, using both broadcast and cine workflows.

  Prior to MTVG, Chiolis worked in marketing, business development, and sales for Grass Valley, Thomson, Technicolor, Philips, and BTS as well as at television stations KMUV, KRBK and KVIE in Sacramento California.

  Chiolis is an active board member of the HPA, an associate member of the American Society of Cinematographers, member of the NAB Cine Consortium, member of the SciTech group at the Television Academy (Emmys), member of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), member of International Association of Aviation Photographers, past section manager of SMPTE, member of STE, SBE and California Broadcasters Association.

• Craig German, HPA
  

  Craig German

  HPA

  Craig has spent most of his career in the entertainment industry, and for the past 20 years has held executive positions in post production and at Hollywood film and television studios, most recently as CEO of Crafty Apes, a visual effects company that works on Hollywood’s biggest blockbuster movies and premier TV shows. Prior to that, he spent three and a half years building and leading the Worldwide Post Production organization at Amazon Studios. Craig is currently advising corporate and startup clients on business strategy, product roadmap, market assessment, and sales outreach.

Join your fellow attendees in continuing the discussion from today’s TR-X, or start your own conversation.

Location: Fireside Lounge

• sponsored by Signiant

An educational and entertaining evening  featuring a series of exclusive movie clips accompanied by special introductions from Studio Reps, Cinematographers, and Directors. All highlighted and viewed with a pre-product launch of HDR by Barco

• sponsored by Barco and LucidLink

Location: Oasis Ballroom

See program below for dedicated Innovation Zone hours

Deconstructing The Creative Process of Filmmaking

This year, the Supersession will focus on real-world evolution in storytelling, aiming to unpack and explore the realm of possibilities. In two sessions filmmakers take different approaches to creating content: the most advanced filmmaking techniques for animation in the morning; and a groundbreaking AI filmmaking session in the afternoon.

The morning kicks off with an exploration of the creation of the original animated short, “Ashen,” crafted by a global team. The session will cover various facets of the creative process and illuminate the most modern ways of creating animation. Topics of discussion include:

• The Idea, The Script: Following a script through completion
• The Workflow
• PreVis and Tech Viz
• Concept Art, Look Book, and Beat Sheet
• Audio Recording, ADR, Audio Mix
• 3D Animation
• Virtual Camera
• Post Production in the Cloud
• Editing Composition
• Sound Composition
• Epic Games
• Color Timing Animation
• Producing an Animation

• Seth Hallen, Hallstone Ventures
  

  Seth Hallen

  Hallstone Ventures

  With over 25 years of experience in media and entertainment technology, Seth is a visionary leader in AI, passionate about storytelling and its intersection with technology. He supports AI-driven MediaTech startups by helping them secure funding, refine their product strategies, gain visibility, and build vital industry connections.

  Seth is a strong advocate for AI’s potential to enhance human creativity, believing it can serve as a powerful assistant in the creative process. Throughout his career, he has built strong relationships with decision-makers and led teams to success in North America and Europe, driving revenue growth and setting new industry standards.

  As a member of the TV Academy’s AI Task Force and having served as president of the Hollywood Professional Association for nine years, Seth is actively involved in shaping the future of the media and entertainment sector. His mission is to empower creators with innovative tools, inspire change, and help the industry thrive by anticipating the next big shift in technology and creativity.

Today’s MC Joachim Zell provides a summary of what’s in store for the day.

• Moderator: Joachim Zell, Barco

• Ruby Bell, Director / Producer
• Jack Flynn, Writer
• Charlotte Lobdell, Writer
  

  Charlotte Lobdell

  Writer

  Charlotte loves blending high and low culture to tell stories about impetuous young women– their obsessive friendships, messy romances, and the moral gray areas in which they operate in pursuit of their dreams. She worked as showrunner’s assistant for both seasons of Hulu’s DOLLFACE, and as the writers’ assistant on Amazon’s upcoming television reboot of CRUEL INTENTIONS. She has also produced content at Snapchat and worked in the lit department at UTA.

• Shaman Marya, VFX Producer / Animator
  

  Shaman Marya

  VFX Producer / Animator

  Shaman Marya has worked in film and television in Asia and USA for over 10 years as a Screenwriter, 1stAD, Director, VFX Artist, Virtual Production Artist and RealTime animator. He received the prestigious Epic Megagrant from Unreal Engine for his short film Catch! And in 2023 became an Unreal Animation Fellow from the first cohort in 2023. He has worked as a Virtual Production Technical Director on upcoming Disney feature films Mufasa The Lion King (Directed by Barry Jenkins) and Snow White (Directed by Marc Webb).

• Ruby Bell Director / Producer
• Shaman Marya, VFX Producer / Animator
  

  Shaman Marya

  VFX Producer / Animator

  Shaman Marya has worked in film and television in Asia and USA for over 10 years as a Screenwriter, 1stAD, Director, VFX Artist, Virtual Production Artist and RealTime animator. He received the prestigious Epic Megagrant from Unreal Engine for his short film Catch! And in 2023 became an Unreal Animation Fellow from the first cohort in 2023. He has worked as a Virtual Production Technical Director on upcoming Disney feature films Mufasa The Lion King (Directed by Barry Jenkins) and Snow White (Directed by Marc Webb).

• Mandy Walker, ASC, ACS,, Executive Producer
  

  Mandy Walker, ASC, ACS,

  Executive Producer

  Australian born Oscar^® and BAFTA nominated cinematographer, one of the few female DPs working on big budget feature films today. Her latest work can be seen in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, which marks the fourth collaboration between the filmmakers, the two also worked together on critically acclaimed video shorts Chanel N°5: The Film, Chanel N°5: The One That I Want and the Oscar^® nominated feature film Australia, which also earned her a slew of awards. Her cinematography on Elvis made her the first woman in history to receive: the ASC award for Best Theatrical Feature Film, the AACTA (Australian Academy Award) for Best Feature Film Cinematography, and the ACS Best Theatrical Feature Film awards. She was also granted the EnergaCamerimage Festival Director’s Special Award and ACS Cinematographer of the year Milli Award in 2022. She is also inducted into the ACS Hall of Fame and has received the Order of Australia medal from Queen Elizabeth II. She served as a Governor of the Cinematographers Branch of AMPAS for 6 years and is a sitting Governor on the Board for the ASC. She is a recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) and is an accredited member of the ASC and ACS. Included in her twenty two feature film credits are Mulan, The Mountain Between Us, Hidden Figures, Tracks, Shattered Glass, Australian Rules, Lantana, The Well and Parklands. Currently, she is in production on Disney’s Snow White (2024).

• Shaman Marya, VFX Producer / Animator
  

  Shaman Marya

  VFX Producer / Animator

  Shaman Marya has worked in film and television in Asia and USA for over 10 years as a Screenwriter, 1stAD, Director, VFX Artist, Virtual Production Artist and RealTime animator. He received the prestigious Epic Megagrant from Unreal Engine for his short film Catch! And in 2023 became an Unreal Animation Fellow from the first cohort in 2023. He has worked as a Virtual Production Technical Director on upcoming Disney feature films Mufasa The Lion King (Directed by Barry Jenkins) and Snow White (Directed by Marc Webb).

• Jayme Wilkinson, VFX Producer / Workflow Designer
• Christine Carr, Autodesk
• Ryan L’Italien, Perforce, Technical Support
• Tyler O’Keefe, VFX Coordinator

• Bogdan Metla, Mriya Studio, Virtual Art Department Supervisor

• Shaman Marya, VFX Producer / Animator
  

  Shaman Marya

  VFX Producer / Animator

  Shaman Marya has worked in film and television in Asia and USA for over 10 years as a Screenwriter, 1stAD, Director, VFX Artist, Virtual Production Artist and RealTime animator. He received the prestigious Epic Megagrant from Unreal Engine for his short film Catch! And in 2023 became an Unreal Animation Fellow from the first cohort in 2023. He has worked as a Virtual Production Technical Director on upcoming Disney feature films Mufasa The Lion King (Directed by Barry Jenkins) and Snow White (Directed by Marc Webb).

• Gunner and Geddy Wenzinger, 3D Animators

• Jay Torta, Director of Photography
• Jackson Hayes, Virtual Camera Supervisor
  

  Jackson Hayes

  Virtual Camera Supervisor

  Jackson Hayes is a virtual production stage operator whose resume includes two upcoming Disney features, and is currently on the Avatar team for the upcoming sequels. His experience spans varying virtual production pipelines across VFX vendors.

• Ruby Bell, Director / Producer
• Isy Lauf, Composer
  

  Isy Lauf

  Composer

  Isy is a composer with experience in composition, supervision, editing, arrangement and orchestration for film and TV with an interest in integrating evolving technologies into work and workflow.

• Wayne Peschley

• Barry Goch, AJA, Editor

• Katrina King, AWS

• Natasha Leonnet, Picture Shop
• JD Vandenberg, Picture Shop
  

  JD Vandenberg

  Picture Shop

The afternoon session features another set of groundbreaking filmmakers and technologists who explore the use of Generative AI in the visual storytelling process. Attendees will be guided through some of the latest AI technologies as a short animated film is completed.

• Corridor Crew: Discussion and Demonstration of 3 types of AI-enabled animation  
• AI Compositing  
• Theoretically Media: Demo of other AI video Tools
• Custom Training and Custom Models
• AI Pipeline and Workflow
• Curious Refuge: The World’s First Home for AI Storytellers  
• AI Music and Sound

• Jack Wenzinger, AWS
• Joachim Zell, Barco

An introduction and demonstration of concepts

How does this stuff work?

The challenges and the potential

• Niko Pueringer, Corridor Digital

• Niko Pueringer, Corridor Digital

Who is using AI to create video?

AI video examples

Evolution of AI image and video generation through the past year

Different types of AI video creation

• Tim Simmons, Theoretically Media

AI art “Madlibs”

How to use ComfyUI

• Niko Pueringer, Corridor Digital

• Niko Pueringer, Corridor Digital

In this presentation, we will learn some practical use-cases for AI filmmaking and some of the most practical real-world examples of using AI in a day-to-day creative setting. Discussion of the current limitations of AI workflows while sharing specific techniques artists are employing in this emerging field. A showcase of where AI technology is heading in the coming months and years. Will cover some of the newer whitepapers about concepts like AI actors, face swapping, prompt techniques, auto-films, etc.

• Caleb Ward, Curious Refuge
  

  Caleb Ward

  Curious Refuge

  CEO/Artist – Curious Refuge

  Caleb Ward is the CEO of Curious Refuge, an online platform pioneering the use of AI in film. He is deeply dedicated to democratizing the creative process by unlocking the inner storyteller inside everyone. His AI training empowers artists at every end of the creative spectrum, from training Academy Award Winners to aspiring artists looking to learn storytelling for the first time. He has trained thousands of artists worldwide and in every major studio. He believes AI is dramatically changing the creative landscape and elevating the creative potential of artists around the world.

• Shelby Ward, Curious Refuge
  

  Shelby Ward

  Curious Refuge

  COO/Artist – Curious Refuge

  Shelby Ward is the COO of Curious Refuge, the world’s first online home for AI Filmmakers. Shelby has spent her career cultivating artist education communities in motion design and VFX, supporting artists at the highest levels of the industry, from Disney to Netflix. She is passionate about creating an optimistic and inclusive creative community centered around modern technology. She is a regular voice on film industry panels, and her AI films have been screened around the world.

Panel discussion with all participants from both projects

• Moderator: Seth Hallen, Hallstone Ventures
  

  Seth Hallen

  Hallstone Ventures

  With over 25 years of experience in media and entertainment technology, Seth is a visionary leader in AI, passionate about storytelling and its intersection with technology. He supports AI-driven MediaTech startups by helping them secure funding, refine their product strategies, gain visibility, and build vital industry connections.

  Seth is a strong advocate for AI’s potential to enhance human creativity, believing it can serve as a powerful assistant in the creative process. Throughout his career, he has built strong relationships with decision-makers and led teams to success in North America and Europe, driving revenue growth and setting new industry standards.

  As a member of the TV Academy’s AI Task Force and having served as president of the Hollywood Professional Association for nine years, Seth is actively involved in shaping the future of the media and entertainment sector. His mission is to empower creators with innovative tools, inspire change, and help the industry thrive by anticipating the next big shift in technology and creativity.

• Ruby Bell, Director / Producer
• Isy Lauf, Composer
  

  Isy Lauf

  Composer

  Isy is a composer with experience in composition, supervision, editing, arrangement and orchestration for film and TV with an interest in integrating evolving technologies into work and workflow.

• Shaman Marya, VFX Producer / Animator
  

  Shaman Marya

  VFX Producer / Animator

  Shaman Marya has worked in film and television in Asia and USA for over 10 years as a Screenwriter, 1stAD, Director, VFX Artist, Virtual Production Artist and RealTime animator. He received the prestigious Epic Megagrant from Unreal Engine for his short film Catch! And in 2023 became an Unreal Animation Fellow from the first cohort in 2023. He has worked as a Virtual Production Technical Director on upcoming Disney feature films Mufasa The Lion King (Directed by Barry Jenkins) and Snow White (Directed by Marc Webb).

• Jackson Hayes, Virtual Camera Supervisor
  

  Jackson Hayes

  Virtual Camera Supervisor

  Jackson Hayes is a virtual production stage operator whose resume includes two upcoming Disney features, and is currently on the Avatar team for the upcoming sequels. His experience spans varying virtual production pipelines across VFX vendors.

• Niko Pueringer, Corridor Digital
• Tim Simmons, Theoretically Media
• Caleb Ward, Curious Refuge
  

  Caleb Ward

  Curious Refuge

  CEO/Artist – Curious Refuge

  Caleb Ward is the CEO of Curious Refuge, an online platform pioneering the use of AI in film. He is deeply dedicated to democratizing the creative process by unlocking the inner storyteller inside everyone. His AI training empowers artists at every end of the creative spectrum, from training Academy Award Winners to aspiring artists looking to learn storytelling for the first time. He has trained thousands of artists worldwide and in every major studio. He believes AI is dramatically changing the creative landscape and elevating the creative potential of artists around the world.

• Shelby Ward, Curious Refuge
  

  Shelby Ward

  Curious Refuge

  COO/Artist – Curious Refuge

  Shelby Ward is the COO of Curious Refuge, the world’s first online home for AI Filmmakers. Shelby has spent her career cultivating artist education communities in motion design and VFX, supporting artists at the highest levels of the industry, from Disney to Netflix. She is passionate about creating an optimistic and inclusive creative community centered around modern technology. She is a regular voice on film industry panels, and her AI films have been screened around the world.

In a live demo, the teams will collaborate. Niko will utilize GenAI tools to help Ruby create concepts for a feature length version of her short film.

• Pre-Dinner Cocktails sponsored by Signiant & Like Minded Labs

Enjoy casual tacos and a margarita al fresco to closeout the day.

1. On-prem vs. cloud: Who’s the greenest of them all? Chris Lennon, Ross Video 
2.  Navigating configuration in public/private cloud security, Mathew Gilliat-Smith, Convergent Risks 
3.  Using AI/ML for media content creation, Rob Gonsalves, Avid 
4.  The continued value of xenon in a post-production workflow, Brad Walker, Christie Digital 
5.  Securing pre-release content, Ken Gerstein, Nagra 
6.  Optimizing metadata from production to post, Mike Urban, The Rebel Fleet 
7.  Unique perspectives on color and CIE charts, Lakshmanan Gopishankar, Telestream 
8.  IMF made easy: componentized inventory is simple, Ryan Kido, Ateliere Creative Technologies 
9.  Multi-studio real-time workflows: staying in sync, Jase Lindgren, Perforce 
10.  OMC 2.0 ontology for VFX, concept to application, Louis Matignon, Perfect Memory 
11.  Production data access & portability, Jimmy Fusil, Tsecond 
12.  The impact of AI-powered post production, Morgan Prygrocki, Adobe 
13.  Virtual art department in virtual production, Brian Byrne, disguise, and Andrew Amato, Meptik
    
14.  Archive revival: intelligent indexing & the cloud, Whit Jackson, Wasabi 
15.  What’s new with Vision content creation, Samuel Bilodeau, Dolby 
16.  Is gen AI improving the way we create content? Marlon Campos, AWS 
17.  Virtual production 2.0: connecting previz to post, Mathieu Mazerolle, Foundry 
18.  Active library: data & metadata to leverage existing assets, Mike Baron, Prime Focus 
19.  ACES 2.0 and beyond, share your thoughts, Alex Forsythe, AMPAS 
20.  AI/ML tools on AWS for post production, Chris Marchitelli, TrackIt 
21.  The evolution of hybrid SDI / ST 2110 systems, Rick Seegull, Riedel Communications 
22.  What is a useful definition of scene-referred? Charles Poynton 
23.  Monetizing your content with FAST channels, Branko Lepan, Nomad Media 
24.  Do budget norms slow down workflow? Michael Gitig, Iodyne Pro Data 
25.  Cuts, dailies, mix, color reviews: it’s all the same, right? Brandon Bussinger, Sohonet 
26.  Metadata bridging of physical & virtual workflows, Peter Crithary, ARRI Americas 
27.  Virtual studio in the cloud cost benefits, Buzz Hays, Google Cloud 
28.  AI use cases & workflows, Michael Little, Artistic Resources, & Thomas True, Nvidia 
29.  Industry collaboration for unconstrained reviews, Steve Marshall, Moxion – Autodesk 
30.  Scaling human-level video understanding with multimodal AI, Travis Couture, Twelve Labs 

Location: Oasis Ballroom

See program below for dedicated Innovation Zone hours

• Seth Hallen, Hallstone Ventures
  

  Seth Hallen

  Hallstone Ventures

  With over 25 years of experience in media and entertainment technology, Seth is a visionary leader in AI, passionate about storytelling and its intersection with technology. He supports AI-driven MediaTech startups by helping them secure funding, refine their product strategies, gain visibility, and build vital industry connections.

  Seth is a strong advocate for AI’s potential to enhance human creativity, believing it can serve as a powerful assistant in the creative process. Throughout his career, he has built strong relationships with decision-makers and led teams to success in North America and Europe, driving revenue growth and setting new industry standards.

  As a member of the TV Academy’s AI Task Force and having served as president of the Hollywood Professional Association for nine years, Seth is actively involved in shaping the future of the media and entertainment sector. His mission is to empower creators with innovative tools, inspire change, and help the industry thrive by anticipating the next big shift in technology and creativity.

• Mark Schubin, Program Maestro, HPA Tech Retreat
  

  Mark Schubin

  Program Maestro, HPA Tech Retreat

  Multiple Emmy-award winning SMPTE Life Fellow Mark Schubin is the world’s greatest expert on the intersecting histories of media technology and opera. He helped create the hotel in-room movie business, the first live nationwide stereo simulcast network, the first live multi-language cinema subtitles, and what was probably the first HDR-to-SDR converter (though no one knew what HDR was at the time). He has worked on moving-image projects on all seven continents (including Antarctica), including news in Kazakhstan, cable TV in Hong Kong, and the television transmission system of Barbados. He also worked on the standardization of the VU meter. His bedroom was an official test site of the ATSC, his paper on aspect ratios was cited by the FCC, and his blog at SchubinCafe.com is archived by the Library of Congress. He once piloted the Fuji blimp and has been known to wear shoes.

• Mark Harrison, DPP
  

  Mark Harrison

  DPP

  Mark began his career as an Historian at Cambridge University, with several publications to his name, before moving into the media industry. He spent many years as a Director, Producer and Executive Producer, and won numerous awards for his filmmaking, including an International Emmy and a BAFTA nomination.

  Mark was Managing Director of an independent production company before being appointed BBC Head of Arts, and then Head of Multiplatform Production. He was subsequently Controller of Production for BBC North and leader of the BBC’s End-to-End Digital programme, before becoming Director of Transformation for BBC Design & Engineering.

  In 2015 Mark founded the DPP – the international network for media and technology – and became its CEO. This led the International Moving Image Society to give him an Outstanding Contribution to the Industry Award in 2018.

  Today the DPP has around 550 member companies from across the whole media supply chain – from the global tech giants to broadcasters, and from media tech vendors to production companies. The DPP works with its member companies to generate strategic insight and create business opportunities. In 2024 Mark passed the CEO role to Rowan de Pomerai, and is now Founder and Chief Content Officer.

• Charles Poynton
  

  Charles Poynton

  Charles Poynton is an independent researcher specializing in the physics, mathematics, engineering, and programming of digital colour imaging systems, including digital video, HD/UHD/4K/8K (HDTV/UHDTV), VFX/CGI, DI, and digital cinema (D-cinema) systems, including wide colour gamut (WCG) and high dynamic range (HDR) systems. He is engaged in technology forecasting, systems modelling, algorithm development, video signal processing architecture, colour characterization and calibration, image quality assessment, and expert witness work. He contributed to the development of colorspaces such as BT.709/BT.1886, DCI P3 RGB, Adobe RGB 1998, ACES AP0/AP1, and BT.2020. He was responsible for the introduction of 1080 image rows (and “square pixels”) for HD. He earned his PhD in 2018 from Simon Fraser University.

• Moderator: Carin Forman, AWS
  

  Carin Forman

  AWS

  Carin is the Global Partner Lead, supporting Media & Entertainment partners in the Media Supply Chain and Archive segment at AWS. Carin brings over 25 years of experience in Broadcast and Studio operations, focused on media supply chain and distribution. Carin started her career working at Discovery Channel, writing the first business plan to archive, index and digitize Discovery Communications growing library of content, building archive, media management and content distribution workflows. Carin launched Discovery’s Digital Media Center, an asset management system, designed to digitize, and make content globally discoverable, eliminating tape. After 16 years, Carin moved to NY working for HBO, where she managed and built the end-to-end workflows for HBO’s Photography, Graphics and Promo Videos. Carin implemented cloud collaboration solutions to handle rights, ingest, review, approval and distribution to Social, OTT and onto HBO Max. Carin joined AWS in 2021 as part of the AWS Partner team. Carin’s focus is on strategic enablement and partner development, providing expertise for partners supporting Archive Migrations, Monetization, Media Management, Rights and Metadata Management, Content Orchestration, Media Processing and Localization. In her free time, Carin enjoys skiing, kayaking and travel.

• Heidi Shakespeare, Memnon Archiving Services
  

  Heidi Shakespeare

  Memnon Archiving Services

  Heidi Shakespeare, the CEO of Memnon, is a dynamic leader with over 25 years of experience in driving sales growth across the broadcast and digital archiving industries. Her commitment to innovation has propelled Memnon to the forefront of audiovisual (AV) migration and archiving, positioning the company as a key player in preserving and providing access to the world’s content.

  Before taking the helm at Memnon, Heidi held leadership positions at Iron Mountain and Bonded Services Group, where she honed her expertise in managing complex archiving solutions. Her career path is particularly unique, as it also includes a period early in her career spent traveling the world as a trapeze artist, an experience that likely fostered her sense of adventure and resilience.

  Under her leadership, Memnon has become known for its cutting-edge approaches to digitizing and preserving valuable audiovisual content, ensuring that critical historical and cultural materials are accessible for generations to come.

• Andrea Kalas, Paramount
  

  Andrea Kalas

  Paramount

  Andrea Kalas has worked at the UCLA Film and Television Archive, Dreamworks, the British Film Institute and Paramount Pictures as a film archivist. Her work on the Academy’s Sci Tech Council is a leading effort in preserving moving images with digital technologies.

• Linda Tadic, Digital Bedrock
  

  Linda Tadic

  Digital Bedrock

  Linda Tadic is Founder/CEO of Digital Bedrock, a managed digital preservation service. Her over 35 years’ experience includes positions at HBO, the Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, ARTstor, and Pacific Film Archive. She has also taught as an Adjunct Professor at two major graduate programs focused on audiovisual archiving and preservation: UCLA’s Department of Information Studies, teaching a course on Digital Asset Management; and at NYU’s Moving Image Archiving and Preservation program, teaching a course on Collection Management. Linda consults and lectures on digital asset management, audiovisual and digital preservation, metadata, and the impact of digital preservation on the environment. Linda is the recipient of the 2021 SMPTE James A. Lindner Archival Technology Medal, and a founder and past president of the Association of Moving Image Archivists.

• David Morin, Academy Software Foundation
• Doug Walker, Autodesk
  

  Doug Walker

  Autodesk

  Doug is the Technology Lead for Color Science at Autodesk, working on products such as Flame, Maya, Arnold, and ShotGrid. He is also very active in open source projects, serving as the Chief Architect on the OpenColorIO Technical Steering Committee and as part of the Architectural Technical Advisory Council for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Science’s ACES project. He led the team of Autodesk engineers that developed OpenColorIO v2. Doug has been honored with the Natalie M. and Herbert T. Kalmus Medal and the Workflow Systems Medal from SMPTE and with an HPA Engineering Excellence award.

• Pauline Koh, AWS
• Eric Reinecke, Netflix
  

  Eric Reinecke

  Netflix

  Eric develops cloud solutions at Netflix for editorial and post production and consults within the company on timeline intelligence.

  In the Academy Software foundation, he serves as the OpenTimelineIO Technical Steering Committee chair and the Netflix representative to the Technical Advisory Committee.

  Previous to Netflix, Eric worked at PIX system building film collaboration tools and at Lucasfilm Animation creating editorial-driven animation pipelines.

  Eric lives in the San Francisco bay area with his wife and young daughter where he tinkers with vintage Macintosh computers, laser cutting, 3D printing, and tries like the dickens to ride his bike as much as he can.

• Jeff Hodges, Frame.io, an Adobe company
  

  Jeff Hodges

  Frame.io, an Adobe company

  I’ve made a career out of solving complex problems with elegant and intelligent solutions, with more and more of them taking the form of custom-developed software applications.
• Mathieu Mazerolle, Foundry
  

  Mathieu Mazerolle

  Foundry

  Mathieu Mazerolle has over 28 years of engineering and product experience in the visual effects, cloud, and gaming industries, with a strong focus on innovation and driving the development of new technologies. He is currently the Director of Product, New Technology, at Foundry. Throughout his career, Mathieu has leveraged his technical and and market insights to deliver impactful solutions at leading organizations, including Amazon Web Services, Electronic Arts, Autodesk, Digital Domain, and Ubisoft.

• Michelle Munson, Eluvio
  

  Michelle Munson

  Eluvio

  Michelle Munson is the co-founder and CEO of Eluvio and co-creator of the content fabric protocol, an open and decentralized Internet protocol for owner-controlled streaming, storage and monetization of digital content at scale. She leads the Berkeley based company and is co-inventor on 11 patents.

  Michelle is an Emmy-award winning technologist who previously co-founded Aspera in 2004 and led the company as CEO until May 2017, including through acquisition by IBM in 2014. She co-invented the Aspera FASP™ transport technology.

  Michelle is a recipient of the David Sarnoff Medal from the Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers (SMPTE); the Charles Swartz Award from the Hollywood Professional Association (HPA); IABM’s Woman Entrepreneur of the Year; and named one of the top 25 “People to Watch by TV Technology.

  Michelle was inducted into the College of Engineering Hall of Fame at Kansas State University in 2021. She was also the 2019 Kansas State University Commencement Speaker for the College of Arts and Sciences and the 2006 Alumnus of the Year for the College of Engineering. She holds dual B.Sc. degrees in Electrical Engineering and Physics from Kansas State University, where she was a Goldwater Scholar for achievement in Science and Mathematics. She was also a Fulbright Scholar at Cambridge University where she received a postgraduate diploma in Computer Science.

Year after year, a standout event at the HPA Tech Retreat is the Women in Post Luncheon—an inclusive gathering where both women and men are invited to glean insights from expert panelists carefully curated by our Women in Post Committee. And we’ve got some very special guests lined up for this year.

Moderated by Rosanna Marino of IDC LA, the conversation with Kylee Peña from Adobe, Daphne Dentz from Warner Bros. Discovery Content Creative Services, and Katie Hinsen from The Walt Disney Studios, will explore the transformative landscape of workplace dynamics influenced by #metoo, the arrival of Gen Z into the workforce, and the ongoing impact of the COVID pandemic.

More details

• Moderator: Rosanna Marino, IDC LA
  

  Rosanna Marino

  IDC LA

  Rosanna Marino serves as Chief Operating Officer of International Digital Centre.

  Marino oversees the day-to-day operations, engineering, innovative services development and implementation, sales and marketing of IDC LA and is based in International Digital Centre’s new state of the art Los Angeles facility. She has been in this role for 4+ years and she brings over 20 years of media & entertainment experience with a focus on post-production in features and television. During this time she has grown her relationships and reputation for creative excellence within the Hollywood community.

  Prior to joining IDC Rosanna served as Senior Vice President, Sales and marketing for Fotokem where she was responsible for business development and establishing accounts with Paramount Pictures, CBS, MTV/Nickelodeon, VIACOM, NETFLIX, NBCUniversal, Fremantle Media, Disney and Disney ABC. Rosanna’s expertise in traditional formats as well as her experience in driving the transition to file-based formats for Theatrical, Home Entertainment, International Distribution, OTT, VOD, FAST, Streamers has allowed her to provide unique support for clients like NETFLIX, I-Tunes, Amazon, In Demand, HULU, Google Plus and Crackle as they navigate the Theatrical and Home Entertainment space.

  Rosanna’s career has spanned leading post-production facilities including Laser Pacific, Modern VideoFilm, Ascent Media and Todd-AO where she has lead Sales and Marketing and helped drive the success of emerging Theatrical and Home Entertainment media services for Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Viacom, CBS, Nickelodeon, MTV, Vudu, Saban Brands and Marvel Entertainment.

  Focused on superior service and creative excellence, Rosanna is an active committee member of the Hollywood Professional Association Awards (HPA), Hollywood Professional Association Women in Post, and Young Entertainment Professionals (YEP). She is a member of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), supporter of Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association (MESA), Women In Technology Hollywood (WITH), Women in Localization and Digital Entertainment Group (DEG) where she continues to pursue innovation and excellence within the industry. Most recently she was appointed Board Member of South East European Film Festival (SEEFest).

• Kylee Peña, Adobe
  

  Kylee Peña

  Adobe

  Kylee Peña is Product Marketing Manager for Professional Editorial at Adobe. As a former editor herself, she’s a seasoned problem-solver who wants to bridge the gap between creative and technology using a well-honed sense of user empathy and well-earned arsenal of technical knowledge. Kylee has over 15 years of experience in post-production, including hundreds of television and film credits as both a creative and technical professional on shows such as Jane the Virgin, Colony, and Scorpion. She is an Active Member of the Television Academy’s Science and Technology peer group and currently serves as SMPTE Hollywood Region Governor.

• Daphne Dentz, Warner Bros. Discovery Content Creative Services
  

  Daphne Dentz

  Warner Bros. Discovery Content Creative Services

  Daphne Dentz serves as Senior Vice President, Emerging Formats, Mastering & Content Acquisition, Warner Bros. Discovery Content Creative Services.  In her role, Dentz oversees the delivery of new feature films, episodic television, and catalog masters for the WBD Feature, Episodic and TV groups for first and future windows across streaming and linear markets both domestically and internationally. Her team works directly with content creators and WBDbusiness units to deliver high-quality, in-home service masters for global sales and distribution.

  With over 25 years of experience, Dentz continues to be an industry leader, working closely with WBD Post Production Creative Services and Mastering facilities worldwide.

• Katie Hinsen, The Walt Disney Studios
  

  Katie Hinsen

  The Walt Disney Studios

  An international award-winning Media & Entertainment Executive with credits on over 125 major productions, Katie Hinsen is a visionary leader who embraces agile and creative methodologies to develop and run successful teams, departments, and companies.

  Much of her career has been dedicated to the practical implementation of emerging technologies. Over the past decade, she has been researching, designing, implementing, writing, and speaking about emerging technologies, including AI, ML, Cloud and Blockchain within the evolving media industry.

  Her expertise stems from an equal interest in science, entrepreneurship, and creative industries, which have converged over the past two decades. She is dedicated to helping everyone become more empowered by emerging technologies and leading the combined S.T.E.A.M industry toward positive global impact in the future.

• Seth Hallen, Hallstone Ventures
  

  Seth Hallen

  Hallstone Ventures

  With over 25 years of experience in media and entertainment technology, Seth is a visionary leader in AI, passionate about storytelling and its intersection with technology. He supports AI-driven MediaTech startups by helping them secure funding, refine their product strategies, gain visibility, and build vital industry connections.

  Seth is a strong advocate for AI’s potential to enhance human creativity, believing it can serve as a powerful assistant in the creative process. Throughout his career, he has built strong relationships with decision-makers and led teams to success in North America and Europe, driving revenue growth and setting new industry standards.

  As a member of the TV Academy’s AI Task Force and having served as president of the Hollywood Professional Association for nine years, Seth is actively involved in shaping the future of the media and entertainment sector. His mission is to empower creators with innovative tools, inspire change, and help the industry thrive by anticipating the next big shift in technology and creativity.

• Daniel Doll-Steinberg, EdenBase
  

  Daniel Doll-Steinberg

  EdenBase

  Daniel started his career in 1991 in the global derivatives technology industry, the first true disruption that technology brought to the financial industry, crea4ng the world’s largest global asset class. He led change management of the US opera4ons of a major global bank in New York between 1995 and 1997. After which he founded a company which created one of the first global standards for Digital Rights Management (DRM), securing and delivering activation keys and content direct to resellers & customers, which helped transform the software and computer gaming industries.

  He was appointed by the European Commission an expert advisor specializing in education, disruption, and Future of Work, and to the UK Government where he co-wrote the 2012 Innovation Report. In 2017 he founded the Atari Token Project to build a metaverse-based new economy platform with Atari, an Ethereum founder, and several gaming legends. He is now a founding partner at ‘active innovation’ venture capital fund EdenBase, and a cofounder at TransformBase, a forum for the responsible investment in and business adoption of AI and fron4er technologies.

  His book “Unsupervised”, published September 2023 by Wiley, is a Bloomberg Book of 2023 that People in Power found Essential and explains how new technologies are impacting our lives and society, and what could happen if they are left unchecked.

• Mark Harrison, DPP
  

  Mark Harrison

  DPP

  Mark began his career as an Historian at Cambridge University, with several publications to his name, before moving into the media industry. He spent many years as a Director, Producer and Executive Producer, and won numerous awards for his filmmaking, including an International Emmy and a BAFTA nomination.

  Mark was Managing Director of an independent production company before being appointed BBC Head of Arts, and then Head of Multiplatform Production. He was subsequently Controller of Production for BBC North and leader of the BBC’s End-to-End Digital programme, before becoming Director of Transformation for BBC Design & Engineering.

  In 2015 Mark founded the DPP – the international network for media and technology – and became its CEO. This led the International Moving Image Society to give him an Outstanding Contribution to the Industry Award in 2018.

  Today the DPP has around 550 member companies from across the whole media supply chain – from the global tech giants to broadcasters, and from media tech vendors to production companies. The DPP works with its member companies to generate strategic insight and create business opportunities. In 2024 Mark passed the CEO role to Rowan de Pomerai, and is now Founder and Chief Content Officer.

• Yves Bergquist, Entertainment Technology Center @ USC
  

  Yves Bergquist

  Entertainment Technology Center @ USC

  Yves is an AI researcher and the director of the “AI in Media” Project at USC’s Entertainment Technology Center (ETC). A research center at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, ETC brings together all the Hollywood studios as well as large tech companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. At the Center, Yves and his team use frontier AI methods to help media companies develop deep insights into their content, their audiences, and the cognitive relationship between the two. Yves is also the co-founder and CEO of Corto, an AI startup developing AI tools to make stories and audiences computable through the DNA analysis of narratives. Corto is in Private Beta with a dozen studios, advertising agencies, and global consumer brands.

• Tony Guarino, Paramount
  

  Tony Guarino

  Paramount

  Tony has over 25 years of managerial experience in the entertainment industry leading various technical & studio operations, finance, and business development activities at Paramount and Technicolor. Most recently, in 2022, he spearheaded the launch a global production technology innovation effort across Paramount Global to foster collaboration between production groups at the Company to focus on shared technology opportunities and pain points. Tony also oversees global content security, studio operations technology and technical services. Prior to 2022, Tony led Worldwide Technical Operations for Paramount Pictures which included content security, mastering, archive, on-lot post-production services, global content distribution, and workflow automation activities. Prior to that he was the divisional CFO for Paramount’s Studio Group which includes technical operations, production services, and facility operations. Tony’s business development accomplishments in this role also include development of the Studio Master Plan, long range alternative energy plan and development of a world-class sound services post-production facility on the lot. Prior to Paramount, Tony held similar roles at Technicolor in cinema distribution, digital cinema, post-production services, and network operations, including leading several startups and acquisitions instrumental at the time to the Company’s migration into digital based services.

• Christian Cantrell, Concept.art
  

  Christian Cantrell

  Concept.art

  Christian Cantrell’s twenty-five year career in the software industry has been dedicated to making creativity more accessible. He spent twenty years at Adobe working on innovative creative platforms and tooling, and was VP of Product at Stability AI. In 2017, while running the Adobe Design Prototyping Team, he discovered generative AI, and has been working on applying machine learning to creative workflows ever since. He is currently building a startup called Concept.art with the mission to both accelerate and democratize entertainment. In addition to his software career, Cantrell has published four speculative fiction novels — most recently with Random House — and is represented by Gersh.

• Caleb Ward, Curious Refuge
  

  Caleb Ward

  Curious Refuge

  CEO/Artist – Curious Refuge

  Caleb Ward is the CEO of Curious Refuge, an online platform pioneering the use of AI in film. He is deeply dedicated to democratizing the creative process by unlocking the inner storyteller inside everyone. His AI training empowers artists at every end of the creative spectrum, from training Academy Award Winners to aspiring artists looking to learn storytelling for the first time. He has trained thousands of artists worldwide and in every major studio. He believes AI is dramatically changing the creative landscape and elevating the creative potential of artists around the world.

• Shelby Ward, Curious Refuge
  

  Shelby Ward

  Curious Refuge

  COO/Artist – Curious Refuge

  Shelby Ward is the COO of Curious Refuge, the world’s first online home for AI Filmmakers. Shelby has spent her career cultivating artist education communities in motion design and VFX, supporting artists at the highest levels of the industry, from Disney to Netflix. She is passionate about creating an optimistic and inclusive creative community centered around modern technology. She is a regular voice on film industry panels, and her AI films have been screened around the world.

• Rob Gonsalves, Avid
  

  Rob Gonsalves

  Avid

  Rob Gonsalves joined Avid Technology as their 15th employee in 1989. He helped develop the industry’s preeminent nonlinear editing system Avid Media Composer, specializing in programming video effects, color correction. His work on multi-camera editing software led to Avid winning a Technology & Engineering Emmy Award. He later spearheaded the development of the architecture of Avid’s media enterprise products. He is currently researching the use of AI for media production. Rob holds over 50 patents in the media and entertainment industry.

• David Colantuoni, Avid
  

  David Colantuoni

  Avid

  David Colantuoni is the VP of Product Management for Video and Media Solutions for news, sports and post production workflows. Based in Burlington, David has over 30 of years of experience in the media and entertainment industry. David has managed many products and solutions in over 15 years at Avid including, Media Composer, Pro Tools, Sibelius, Avid NEXIS and many of the Avid news and broadcast solutions.

• Pinar Seyhan Demirdag, Cuebric
  

  Pinar Seyhan Demirdag

  Cuebric

  Pinar Seyhan Demirdag is a globally recognized AI expert, creative technologist, and industry pioneer, shaping the future of AI-driven creativity. As LinkedIn Learning’s first Generative AI expert and instructor, her courses—translated into six languages—have garnered over two million views and 100,000+ five-star reviews.

  Co-founder of Cuebric, born from Seyhan Lee, the world’s first Creative AI production company, Pinar has reimagined storytelling and the creation of 3D worlds with AI tools, simplifying the process of bringing ideas from concept to screen in real time. She also produced the world’s first generative AI VFX for a feature film and earned the prestigious D&AD Award for the first generative AI commercial.

  A sought-after thought leader, Pinar has appeared on CBS’s 60 Minutes and global stages such as Bloomberg Screen Time, SXSW, TEDx, Siggraph, and Harvard University. Previously, she founded a successful creative technology studio in Europe, developed an eponymous IKEA collection, and partnered with Google Brain to create a tool democratizing AI art. Pinar continues to shape the global narrative on the conscious and ethical use of AI and how humans remain relevant in the age of AI.

• Walter Schulz, Cuebric
  

  Walter Schulz

  Cuebric

  Prior to joining Cuebric, Schulz served as on set VFX supervisor for Emma Stone’s upcoming episodic show, “The Curse”.

  He was also the crowd department supervisor on projects including Godzilla vs. Kong, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Game of Thrones’ final season for which his work won an Emmy.

  He additionally served as On-Set VFX supervisor for Roland Emmerich’s Midway (2019), and has worked on more than 30 major feature films and television projects throughout his career.

  Schulz has been working with AI tools since 2007, by replicating human behavior applied to digital crowds and providing groundbreaking work for projects such as Clint Eastwood’s film “Hereafter” (Oscar nomination for Best VFX 2010); he also created all AI driven digital crowds for the film “Hugo” directed by Martin Scorsese (Best VFX Oscar winner 2011).

  Over his extensive career, Schulz has held titles such as “Creature Developer” while working at ILM (San Francisco) on projects including “The Avengers” and “Transformers: Dark of the Moon”. His work involved physics implementation, rigid dynamics, high-end character rigging and technical animation for digital muscle systems and advanced cloth simulation, as well as other deep technical developments.

• Siegfried Foessel, Fraunhofer IIS
  

  Siegfried Foessel

  Fraunhofer IIS

  Siegfried Foessel holds a diploma and doctorate in electrical engineering from the Friedrich-Alexander-University in Erlangen, Germany. He is head of the Moving Picture Technologies department at Fraunhofer IIS, Erlangen, and Professor for the Technology Study Program at the University of Television and Film HFF in Munich. In addition, he is spokesman of the Fraunhofer Business Area Digital Media. His general research topics are image and video processing for broadcast and movie production. Siegfried is member and chair of various national and international standardisation bodies. He is SMPTE fellow and IEEE senior member with more than 80 publications. Actual research topics are image and video coding, media over IP, 3D image reconstruction and AI based production tools.

   

Celebrate the final dedicated demo time in the Innovation Zone with a rawkus closing party featuring So-Cal favorites food truck style.

At Pinz & Pints

Sponsored by AWS and Nomad Media

1. Hardware virtualization for live broadcast: are we there yet? Jed Deame, Nextera Video 
2. Using AI/ML for media content creation, Rob Gonsalves, Avid 
3. The continued value of xenon in a post-production workflow, Brad Walker, Christie Digital 
4. Using Data Mobility to Accelerate Production, Mark Anderson, Seagate Technology
5. Training for new platforms and crafts, Jase Lindgren & Chris Perez, Perforce 
6. Why treat dailies workflow like film? Darren Frankel & Derek Schweickart, Adobe
   
7. Welcome to virtual production 2.0, Addy Ghani, disguise 
8. What’s new with Vision content creation, Samuel Bilodeau, Dolby 
9. From set to cloud, Ehsan Shokrgozar, AWS
10. Merrill Weiss and James Snyder ask questions of each other 
11. The evolution of hybrid SDI / ST 2110 systems, Rick Seegull, Riedel Communications 
12. Display colour/tone mapping in consumer TV, Charles Poynton 
13. Why right now is the time to digitize your archive, Andrea Kalas, Paramount 
14. Metadata bridging of physical & virtual workflows, Peter Crithary, ARRI Americas 
15. Virtual studio in the cloud cost benefits, Buzz Hays, Google Cloud 
16. AI ethics & sustainability, Michael Little, Artistic Resources, & Thomas True, Nvidia 
17. Data-driven audience engagement, Holly Beavon, Fielding Graduate University 
18. Production crew identity—best practice, Ben Schofield, Content Delivery & Security Assn. 
19. Advanced cloud-based editing, collaboration and training, Simon Green, Edit Cloud 
20. Securing the cache: maintaining security in a hybrid workflow, Matt Scott, GB Labs 
21. 3D sound over headphones, Nuno Fonseca, Sound Particles 
22. Architecting standardization through interoperability, JP Castel, Evercast
23. Scaling human-level video understanding with multimodal AI, Travis Couture, Twelve Labs
24. Camera technology is critical for successful LED–wall–based productions, Daine Pearson, Grass Valley
25. What They Don’t Want You To Know About Cloud Native Production, Francesco Scartozzi, Matrox
26. Incorporating generative AI into previsualization & production, Rogerio Gasi, Halon Entertainment
27. Artificial intelligence standards: too late or not soon enough? Andy Maltz, General Intelligence
28. Automating VFX pulls, delivery, and review in the cloud, David Rosen, Sony
29. Unreal Engine on AWS for VP & broadcast, Alex Telitsine, Streambox
30. Compton & Co.: funding, scaling, and accelerating company success, Martin Vann & Brian Compton

Location: Oasis Ballroom

• Mark Turner, MovieLabs

• Mark Turner, MovieLabs
• Richard Duke, Avid
  

  Richard Duke

  Avid

  As the Chief Cloud Solutions Architect at Avid, Richard is responsible for helping customers “Cloudify” their workflows and infrastructure using Avid’s industry leading tools, including the Avid NEXIS | VFS storage platform, Avid’s Creative Editing tools, Media Composer and Pro Tools, and the Media Central solutions. Richard has been working in the film and broadcast industry for over 20 years and has developed and deployed some of the most industry leading solutions in public and private clouds.

• Chris Blandy, AWS
• Eric Iverson, Amazon Studios

• Aki Seino, Imagica Entertainment Media Services
  

  Aki Seino

  Imagica Entertainment Media Services

  Aki Seino is Senior Technical Director of Imagica Entertainment Media Services in Japan. He works research and technical evaluation for advanced imaging and IT technologies.

  He has developed services to meet customer technical requirements such as IMF, PSE Test, Speech to Text and QC/QA. And he is currently working on Remote Preview, Post Production and Localization works on Cloud, and Security Assessments.

  He is a member of SMPTE, and he contributes for Japanese Timed text subtitling for SMPTE DCP and IMF Application #6 as its activity. He is also a board member of the Society of Photography and Imaging of Japan, and he conducts research on image preservation and the reproduction of image reality.

• Mark Turner, MovieLabs
• Guillaume Rachez, Perfect Memory
  

  Guillaume Rachez

  Perfect Memory

  Guillaume is an Audiovisual & Multimedia Engineer who graduated from the University of Valenciennes and specialized in media indexing and semantic technologies.

  A Perfect Memory collaborator since its inception, he contributed to the construction of the platform’s fundamental principles.

  As VP product, he supervises the evolution of the product’s functionalities.

  From identification to implementation and arbitration, he coordinates the functionalities creation cycle as well as the roadmap of the deployed versions of the product, while considering customer needs and company strategy.

  Passionate about cinema and innovation, the cultural and technological challenges that Perfect Memory addresses are at the heart of his concerns.

• Mike Urban, The Rebel Fleet (Our Flag Means Death Season 2)
  

  Mike Urban

  The Rebel Fleet (Our Flag Means Death Season 2)

  With a career spanning over two decades, Mike Urban navigated the dynamic realms of news and sports for the first eight years. A highlight of this period was his role as a CCU Operator at the 2012 London Olympics. Subsequently, he transitioned into film and TV production, uncovering his genuine enthusiasm to collaborate with skilled practitioners who share the same desire to craft exceptional content.

  In 2015, Mike co-founded The Rebel Fleet, created to streamline production workflows and empower creatives by reducing the technical boundaries of the film making process and enabling creative freedom.

  At the helm of The Rebel Fleet, Mike and his team have excelled in implementing cutting-edge workflows and delivering solutions tailored for some of the most complex productions. Their mission is clear: to promote collaboration, enhance efficiency, and consolidate key metadata, ensuring an efficient and productive creative process.

• Dalia Spingarn, Paramount
  

  Dalia Spingarn

  Paramount

  Dalia Spingarn is the Sr. Director of Production Technology Integration at Paramount Global. She is responsible for assessing and driving implementation of innovative technologies that enhance and connect the production processes and toolsets across the company. Her projects focus on improving efficiency and streamlining the flow of information between teams. With nearly two decades of experience across production and distribution operations at major media companies (NBCUniversal, Disney-ABC, Sony), Dalia has designed and operationalized metadata supply chains inclusive of a multitude of content types, business models, business functions, aligning teams around the world.

• Toby Scales, Google
  

  Toby Scales

  Google

  Toby leads the Media & Entertainment vertical in Google Cloud’s Oce of the CISO, where he focuses on driving strategic change across the content and enterprise security disciplines.

  In his previous role at Microsoft and now at Google, he’s partnered with every major studio on cloud transformation initiatives across animation, VFX and post-production.

  Before getting involved at the intersection of Hollywood and cloud, he ran the services arm of a major MSP in Manhattan (where he developed their cloud consulting practice), and before that founded and sold his own consulting rm in Seattle, Washington.

  He now lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife and two sons– who are officially recognized as the World’s Best Kids.

• Gino Filicetti, Google
  

  Gino Filicetti

  Google

  Gino Filicetti joined Google in 2021 as a Customer Engineer specializing in cloud application modernization in the Media & Entertainment industry.

  He carries responsibility for providing in-depth enterprise application modernization expertise to support the technical relationship with Google’s Media & Entertainment customers, including product and solution briefings, proof-of-concept work, and partner directly with product management to prioritize solutions impacting customer adoption to Google Cloud.

• Moderator: Jim Helman, MovieLabs
  

  Jim Helman

  MovieLabs

  Jim is CTO at MovieLabs, a technology joint venture of five major Hollywood studios. At MovieLabs, Jim leads technical work on the 2030 Vision for media creation in the cloud and has led industry initiatives including driving worldwide standards for high dynamic range video. Jim also led the design and implementation of the Entertainment Identifier Registry (EIDR), for which he was awarded an Engineering, Science and Technology Emmy.

  Prior to MovieLabs, Jim was chief software architect at Liberate Technologies, where he led the development of a web platform for delivering interactive cable services. Prior to Liberate, he worked at Silicon Graphics, developing real-time 3D systems for VR, location-based entertainment, and visual simulation. Jim holds M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Applied Physics from Stanford and a B.A. in Physics and Math from Washington University.

• Jeremy Stapleton, NBCUniversal
  

  Jeremy Stapleton

  NBCUniversal

  With over 18 years of experience in media and technology, Jeremy Stapleton is a seasoned professional dedicated to leading teams in creating software solutions that drive digital transformation and enhance users’ daily lives. Before joining Universal Pictures, Mr. Stapleton led a global team of software developers at Technicolor, focusing on building and integrating applications in the post-production space.

  At NBCUniversal, Mr. Stapleton has been an integral part of the Creative Technologies team, spearheading innovation initiatives related to production cloud adoption. Recently, he has taken on the role of Director of Software Engineering within the NBCUniversal Operations & Technologies team, where he continues to drive technological advancements and innovation.

• Matt Walters, The Walt Disney Studios
  

  Matt Walters

  The Walt Disney Studios

  Matt Walters has worked in the film industry for over 25 years. With over a decade in film production and eight years in vendor-side roles, Matt has touched every aspect of filmmaking. Having done several films from script development to final release, Matt has firsthand knowledge of all departments, and production stages, with credits including such films as Speed Racer and Superman Returns. Matt has been a member of the Visual Effects Society since 2012.

  As head of Disney’s Motion Pictures Lab, Matt drives innovation across Disney Studios. The Motion Picture Labs (MPL) – is a group of specialty film making labs in Production Technology, working across all of Disney Studios, including Motion Picture Production, Marvel, Twentieth Century Studios and Searchlight.

  When not working on or talking about filmmaking he designs boardgames (Mission: Catastrophe) and builds Trebuchets.

• Morgan Prygrocki, Adobe
  

  Morgan Prygrocki

  Adobe

  Morgan Prygrocki is a Senior Strategic Development Manager at Adobe, specializing in advancing post-production video workflows for Hollywood and beyond. With over 16 years of experience at the forefront of high-end camera technology and virtual production solutions, Morgan has supported a wide spectrum of productions, including major league sports broadcasts, award-winning films, and globally recognized commercial campaigns. Her expertise lies in bridging cutting-edge technology with creative storytelling, ensuring productions achieve their full potential.

• Matt Sivertson, Autodesk
  

  Matt Sivertson

  Autodesk

  Matt Sivertson joined Autodesk in 2021 as Vice President and Chief Architect for Media and Entertainment. With a background in video games and a passion for filmmaking, he is motivated to leverage his experience developing platforms to empower creatives around the world. Prior to Autodesk, Matt spent his career at Intuit, Sony and Moebius Solutions.

• ​Mark Turner, MovieLabs

• Moderator: Michael Chambliss, International Cinematographers Guild
  

  Michael Chambliss

  International Cinematographers Guild

  Michael Chambliss, the advanced production technology specialist for the International Cinematographers Guild (ICG), IATSE Local 600, focuses on the integration of new forms of programming and emerging production methods into the craft of cinematography and camera crew practices. He is active on the American Society of Cinematographers’ (ASC) Motion Imaging Technology Council (MITC) as well as being the ICG’s representative on the Entertainment Technology Center @ USC projects, NAB’s Cine Consortium Educational Subcommittee and additional industry forums.

  Prior to shepherding the ICG’s technology initiatives, Michael was a principal of the commercial production company Chambliss-Wolff Films and a consultant for media technology investment groups. He worked as a director of photography and camera operator on commercials, motion pictures and television series for more than 20 years as well as earning a Peabody Award as the director/DP on the documentary “It Works.”

• Rory Gordon, ArsenalFX
  

  Rory Gordon

  ArsenalFX

  Rory Gordon is a supervising colorist based out of Los Angeles since 2010, with recent credits Rapsh!t for HBO Max, Unstable for Netflix, and Parish for AMC. She has finished over 130 episodes in HDR10 and Dolby Vision. Her work has appeared on HBO, Starz, Amazon, Netflix, Fox, and others. In 2021 she was nominated for an HPA award for her work on HBO’s Lovecraft Country. She has done independent research in applied color science/color communication and has been published in the SMPTE journal three times, in addition to speaking at many events including international audiences. She is a painter in her life away from digital image processing.

• Nate Heart, Netflix
• Tommy Maddox-Upshaw, ASC, Cinematographer
  

  Tommy Maddox-Upshaw, ASC

  Cinematographer

  Cinematographer Tommy “Maddox”-Upshaw ASC started as a PA and climbed through as a grip/electrician in Boston and New York while earning his MFA from the American Film Institute.

  His work on the Hulu series “Snowfall” was recognized by the ASC with their award for Best Cinematography on a One-Hour TV Series, the first black ASC member to ever win a coveted ASC award. In 2022, Maddox-Upshaw was nominated for the Camerimage Golden Frog award for the pilot episode of the Fox Searchlight/Hulu series “The Man Who Fell to Earth” and is a member of both the Motion Picture and Television Academies. He has lensed projects across the globe for studios such as A24, Netflix , Disney, Showtime/Paramount, and Universal.

• Greg Smokler, Small HD
  

  Greg Smokler

  Small HD

  Greg is VP / GM of Cine Products at Videndum Creative Solutions, where he leads the product teams responsible for Teradek Cine, SmallHD, and Wooden Camera. Greg grew up on film sets alongside his father, Cinematographer Peter Smokler, who taught him to keep looking for a better shot. In 2012, while working as a Local 600 Camera Operator, he co-founded the wireless video innovator Paralinx–acquired by Videndum (formerly Vitec) Group in 2015. Greg has worked with engineering and design teams to build multiple generations of Bolt zero-delay wireless video systems, 4K HDR local-dimming production reference monitors, low-latency cloud monitoring platforms, and integrated touchscreen monitor systems for leading motion picture camera manufacturers. In 2021 Greg was honored with a Motion Picture Academy Sci-Tech award for his contributions to the development of the ruggedized Teradek Bolt 4k, and in 2023 he was awarded a Engineering, Science and Technology Emmy® for the SmallHD 4k Monitor Platform. Greg lives in Los Angeles with his wife and twin sons, and is an avid supporter of the Lakers.

There is a sentiment that our industry is experiencing a talent shortage. But ask any underrepresented person if they agree and the answer will be “no, I’m here!” This panel and interactive discussion will explore these challenges and perceptions through the experiences and perspectives of early, mid, and late career professionals who have hired and been hired – or looked over altogether. Attendees will have an opportunity to share their own experiences and ask questions in a safe space over lunch and take away actionable learnings they can apply right away to help build a sustainable workforce to keep their company on the cutting edge.

• Moderator: Kylee Peña, Adobe
  

  Kylee Peña

  Adobe

  Kylee Peña is Product Marketing Manager for Professional Editorial at Adobe. As a former editor herself, she’s a seasoned problem-solver who wants to bridge the gap between creative and technology using a well-honed sense of user empathy and well-earned arsenal of technical knowledge. Kylee has over 15 years of experience in post-production, including hundreds of television and film credits as both a creative and technical professional on shows such as Jane the Virgin, Colony, and Scorpion. She is an Active Member of the Television Academy’s Science and Technology peer group and currently serves as SMPTE Hollywood Region Governor.

• Moderator: Morgan Prygrocki, Adobe
  

  Morgan Prygrocki

  Adobe

  Morgan Prygrocki is a Senior Strategic Development Manager at Adobe, specializing in advancing post-production video workflows for Hollywood and beyond. With over 16 years of experience at the forefront of high-end camera technology and virtual production solutions, Morgan has supported a wide spectrum of productions, including major league sports broadcasts, award-winning films, and globally recognized commercial campaigns. Her expertise lies in bridging cutting-edge technology with creative storytelling, ensuring productions achieve their full potential.

• Renard Jenkins, SMPTE
  

  Renard Jenkins

  SMPTE

  Renard Jenkins is an experienced content creation and creative technology executive in the Film, Television and Radio industry. Jenkins is a SMPTE Fellow and currently serves as President of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. He sits on the board of the Hollywood Professionals Association, the Advisory Board of Exceptional Minds. He is a member of Siggraph and is a former board member of MovieLabs, the UltraHD Forum and the Content & Entertainment Council as well as the Microsoft and Oracle Advisory Boards. He is a recipient of numerous awards, including two national Emmys, a Peabody, 2 Headliners, a 2020 Broadcasting and Cable Technology Leadership award. Jenkins was also awarded the Innovator of the Year award in 2017 for his cutting-edge work and accomplishments in UHD, HDR, NGA and supply chain technology through the PBS Advanced Format Center and other industry activities.

  He has held Executive roles across the Media and Entertainment industry. Most recently he served as Warner Bros. Senior Vice President, Production Integration & Creative Technology Services [PICTs] where he oversaw global teams that supported 23,500 plus cast/crew members, 8,500 plus content hours and hundreds of global feature film, animation, and syndicated television productions annually.

  He and his team is responsible for the exploration and successful implementation of emerging and creative technologies such as virtual-production, multiplatform storytelling, virtual character, and meta-human development biometrics/neural-technology and better images and sound for cinema and home entertainment. Jenkins was the technical lead and designer of the Digital Backlot initiative which focused on extending the useful lifespan and monetization possibilities of visual effects, animation, artists’, and production elements & assets across multiple content creation verticals.

  Prior to joining WarnerMedia and Warner Bros., Jenkins served as Vice President, Operations, Engineering & Distribution at PBS, where he was responsible for the strategic direction, technology development, engineering, and operational management of PBS’s entire media- supply chain.

  He has also worked for TV One, Discovery, ESPN and Turner Broadcasting where he received multiple awards for his work in Film & Television Production, Postproduction and R&D.

  He is a champion and advocate for ethics, inclusion, innovation, diversity, equity, acceptance, accessibility, and the removal of harmful bias wherever possible in the technology and media industry. He is a Strategic Advisor to the Board of Directors of the Washington, DC Chapter of the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC), former chair and founding member of the Warner Bros. Technology and Operations Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Council, current lead of the SMPTE Global Inclusion Working Group and he also Co-Chairs, HPA ALL which advocates for and promotes diversity, better equity and increased inclusion and accessibility in the media and entertainment industry.

  When he is not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and best friend of over 30 years, his daughters, and his grandchildren. He loves travel photography, filmmaking, animation and only has one more continent left to explore. He is also a certified sound engineer, certified AI/ML engineer/practitioner and application designer. He is passionate about the visual arts and when time permits, he loves to provide pro bono location sound, live mixing, studio recording, post-production and finishing services for aspiring filmmakers, animators, and musicians. His family moto is “In all things integrity and integrity in all things.”

• Payton List, FOX Entertainment
  

  Payton List

  FOX Entertainment

  Payton List is a leader in entertainment technology who helps build workflows, R&Ds software and technology, and manages a team of media workflow specialists and creative editorial professionals. Working collaboratively with her team, she is dedicated to problem solving and technical consulting with the goal of enabling creatives to focus on producing their best work. She also strives to create an equitable and inclusive environment at work and throughout the M&E industry. Outside of her day job, she is the co-chair of the HPA Women in Post group, which is committed to building a diverse and supportive community of media professionals.

• Christopher Tjajadi, Netflix

​It’s clear that, from any vantage point, the Media & Entertainment industry is currently dealing with significant challenges and facing substantial changes all stemming from the simultaneous impact of uncertain business models, evolving operating rhythms, changing technologies and deployment patterns, as well as an industry ecosystem that is under major pressure. As industry leaders we need to come to grips with the fact that we’re standing at the precipice of ‘breaking an industry’ and are facing an industry-wide mess.  The Media & Entertainment industry is robust and attractive, but the numerous pressures the industry is currently facing are creating significant problems that need to be fixed to ensure that we can collectively sustain a healthy, growing, and profitable industry.  As a 37+ year industry veteran and experienced media technology executive, Jeff willshare his perspectives on what the industry is facing and why, what the future likely holds, and, more important,his views on what we can collectively do about it.

• Jeff Rosica, Avid
  

  Jeff Rosica

  Avid

  Jeff Rosica is the CEO & President of Avid Technology, a leading technology provider that powers the media and entertainment industry. He is based in Burlington, Massachusetts—the company’s global headquarters. Mr. Rosica, who joined Avid in early 2013, is a well-known media technology industry veteran with more than 35 years’ experience in broadcast, media and entertainment. Prior to his current role as CEO, he served as the company’s President, and prior to that as the Chief Sales and Marketing Officer. Before joining Avid, Jeff served in various executive positions for many well-known technology companies that serve the broadcast, media and entertainment industries including Grass Valley, Technicolor/Thomson, BTS and Philips Electronics.

• Alex Forsythe, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
  

  Alex Forsythe

  Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

  Alex Forsythe currently serves as the Director of Imaging Technology at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, where he oversees various technology research initiatives, including the development and standardization of the Academy Color Encoding System (ACES). Prior to his 17 years at the Academy, he served in various engineering and research roles at Intel Corporation and Eastman Kodak.

  Alex holds BS and MS degrees from Rochester Institute of Technology, where he focused on color science, imaging, and photographic technology. He is a graduate of the Kodak Imaging Science Career Development Program and the UCLA Technical Management Program.

  He serves on the Board of the Academy Software Foundation. His memberships include HPA, Colorist Society Hollywood, SMPTE, and the Society of Imaging Science and Technology. He also contributes to the ASC Motion Imaging Technology Council, is a member of the United States Technical Advisory Group to ISO TC-36, an Associate Member of the IMAGO Technical Committee, and an occasional HBA beer drinker.

• Erik Weaver, Entertainment Technology Center at USC
  

  Erik Weaver

  Entertainment Technology Center at USC

  Erik Weaver is a producer, architect, and speaker specializing in the intersection of cloud technology and the media & entertainment (M&E) industry. He currently leads Virtual & Adaptive production projects at the University of Southern California’s Entertainment Technology Center (ETC), including work on ICVFX and Virtual Production. Weaver has held leadership roles, such as overseeing Global M&E Strategy for Western Digital and spearheading ETC’s “Production in the Cloud” initiative. He has also been an executive producer on several notable projects, including The Suitcase (CAA People’s Choice Award, Tribeca 2017) and Wonder Buffalo (SXSW Interactivity competition). His work has earned Emmy nominations and involves cutting-edge technologies like HDR, cloud workflows, and volumetric capture. Additionally, Weaver has chaired multiple industry events and contributed to standards groups like SMPTE C4 MR30, educating the M&E industry on data management and technology integration.

• Eric Pohl, Singularity Imaging
  

  Eric Pohl

  Singularity Imaging

  Eric is an experienced media technology professional with diverse management & technical expertise. With a solid foundation in Electrical Engineering (BS and MS degrees), Eric has established himself as a technology leader who has an accomplished record of deploying new technology in the media industry.

  Having worked at television networks, equipment manufacturers, and served as a CTO at a leading media systems integrator, Eric has a wide and deep view of emerging media technology.

  He provided leadership in many new technology initiatives and has earned 3 Emmys for his work in television.

• Tim Porter, Mod Tech Labs
  

  Tim Porter

  Mod Tech Labs

  Tim is an accomplished technology leader and Co-Founder of MOD Tech Labs, where he serves as the Chief Technology Officer. With a passion for pushing the boundaries of 3D content, Tim spearheads the development of groundbreaking technology that is revolutionizing the industry using automation and machine learning to empower the creative process.

  After graduating from Full Sail University, Tim embarked on a remarkable journey in the world of technology. He initially honed his skills as an animation artist and gradually transitioned into more technical developer roles at renowned game and production studios over the span of two decades. Tim’s contributions have been instrumental in the creation of numerous games, movies, and XR experiences, leveraging his unique perspective on the intersection of art and technology to enhance creativity through the use of innovative tools.

  At Mod Tech Labs, Tim’s primary focus lies in building simple yet powerful tools that streamline and automate mundane production tasks. By empowering production studios with more time and resources, his work enables them to channel their energy into the creative process. Tim’s relentless pursuit of excellence has garnered recognition, earning him the esteemed title of Unreal Fellow and Technology Leadership accolades from respected organizations like the CTA (Consumer Technology Association) and others. He is a member of NVIDIA Inception, Intel Liftoff, SMPTE, RTC, The Linux Foundation, and the Academy Software Foundation helping educate and lead technology initiatives.

  With his extensive background in both art and technology, Tim has become a sought-after speaker and thought leader in the field. He regularly shares his insights and expertise at industry conferences, seminars, and workshops, inspiring audiences with his vision for the future of 3D content and the transformative potential of AI-driven solutions. Tim’s unwavering dedication to innovation and his commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible make him a true pioneer in the realm of technology and creativity.

• Addy Ghani, disguise
  

  Addy Ghani

  disguise

  As the VP of Virtual Production, Addy is immersed in Studio workflows and Industry standards for real time visualization for film and television. Addy is building a Disguise creator community and strategies that will further the proliferation of Virtual Production.

  Prior to joining Disguise, Addy designed and built world class stages for DreamWorks, Verizon Media and NBCUniversal to help creatives visualize their dreams. Addy is well versed in VFX and animation, as well as emerging formats like AR and VR. He is an unofficial Unreal Engine Evangelist and a Fellow, and loves to converse about the possibilities of game engines as a storytelling tool.

• Moderator: Carolyn Giardina, Variety/Variety VIP+
  

  Carolyn Giardina

  Variety/Variety VIP+

  Carolyn Giardina is senior entertainment technology and crafts editor at Variety Intelligence Platform (VIP+), a division of Variety that operates a digital subscription offering analyzing the media and technology industries; and entertainment news leader Variety.

  She took on that role in February 2024, following more than a decade at The Hollywood Reporter, where as tech editor she covered everything from artificial intelligence to the Academy Awards. She also has worked in the U.S. and aboard, as an editor, reporter or columnist, on titles including Cinema Editor, SHOOT, The IBC Daily and SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal.

  No stranger to the community, Carolyn served multiple terms on the HPA Board of Directors, during which time she co-founded and was founding chair of the HPA Awards; and more recently helped plan and moderate a series of remote panels as part of the HPA Industry Recovery Task Force amid the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak.

  For her industry contributions, Carolyn has been honored with American Cinema Editors’ Robert Wise Award for journalistic illumination of the art of film editing, the International Cinematographers Guild’s Technicolor William A. Fraker Award for journalistic contributions to cinematography, and the Advanced Imaging Society’s Distinguished Leadership Lumiere Award.

  With a commitment to education, she also co-authored Exploring 3D: The New Grammar of Stereoscopic Filmmaking (Focal Press, 2013) and is a lecturer at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film & Media Arts.

• Cara Sheppard, Picture Shop
  

  Cara Sheppard

  Picture Shop

  Cara Sheppard is president of Picture Shop, Streamland Media’s picture division. In her role she has global management of all areas of the company’s leading picture finishing post production business. Sheppard has more than 15 years of industry experience, from studio operations to facility management in production and post production. Most recently, she served as managing director for London’s Twickenham Film Studios. Prior, she successfully led Warner Bros. De Lane Lea as managing director for nearly five years, and spent six years in senior management at Sky. Sheppard got her start in the industry as a post production supervisor. She is a voting member of BAFTA, a consistent contributor to industry journals and panels, and serves on the board of the UK Screen Alliance.

• Tim Stipan, Picture Shop
  

  Tim Stipan

  Picture Shop

  Picture Shop Senior Colorist Tim Stipan has over 20 years of finishing experience on award-winning productions and has twice been nominated for a Hollywood Professional Association Award in Outstanding Color Grading, for Jojo Rabbit and The Greatest Showman. With nearly 200 credits Stipan is passionate about helping filmmakers realize their visions. Some of those credits include collaborating on Darren Aronofsky’s immersive MSG Sphere production Postcard From Earth, and such feature films as The Whale, Creed, Into the Woods, Moonrise Kingdom, Black Swan, The Reader, The Wrestler, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and The Burial, among others.

• Andrew Shulkind, Sphere Entertainment Co.
  

  Andrew Shulkind

  Sphere Entertainment Co.

  Andrew Shulkind serves as Senior Vice President, Capture at Sphere Entertainment where he leads a diverse team of technologists and imagemakers developing and deploying the next-generation camera and audio tools required to create unique content experiences for Sphere in Las Vegas. A key part of the studio leadership and creative development teams, Andrew helps answer both the technical “how” and the creative “what.”

  Andrew came to Sphere as an award-winning director of photography, advanced imaging consultant, and one of the leading industry voices on the future of entertainment. He has spent over two decades on the front lines of where technology meets entertainment, helping forge a hybrid future that merges experiential media, traditional cinema, live events, commercial art and advertising.

  His work is best known for letting the creative drive the product, simplifying complicated technologies to deliver cutting edge storytelling solutions such as large format and high-speed imaging, 360˚ photography, volumetric capture and data scanning.

  Prior to joining Sphere, Andrew helped launched a range of camera and lighting products and advised a wide range of leading technology players, studios, and brands on content innovation strategy, including Google, Facebook, Verizon, Microsoft, Canon, Sony, Samsung, Live Nation, and the NBA. He was awarded with the Emerging Cinematographer Award from the International Cinematographers Guild in 2014, the Studio Daily Prime Award for the Innovator of the Year in 2014 and 2016, as well as Variety Magazine’s 10 Cinematographers to Watch in 2018.

• Joshua Grow, Sphere Entertainment Co.
  

  Joshua Grow

  Sphere Entertainment Co.

  As Senior Vice President, Studio Core Technology at Sphere Entertainment Co., Josh Grow oversees infrastructure that supports Sphere Studios’ core technology functions. This includes architecting the digital pipeline from camera to screen utilizing various software used to create content, as well as data storage and data transfer from Sphere Studios in Burbank to the Sphere venue in Las Vegas.

  Prior to joining Sphere Entertainment in 2020, Josh’s career spans positions of increasing responsibility across the entertainment and technology sectors. This includes at The Creative-Cartel, a full production service company focused on visual effects production management and digital pipelines. During his tenure at The Creative-Cartel, Josh led a team dedicated to streamlining digital pipelines and developing cutting-edge software solutions, including the development of a unique production software suite, JOUST, and innovative tools for organizing, transcoding, and securely distributing footage. His prior experience also includes roles at The Walt Disney Studios and Sony Pictures Imageworks.

  Josh graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and Technology, with a focus on Spatial Animation.

• Toby Gallo, Sphere Entertainment Co.
  

  Toby Gallo

  Sphere Entertainment Co.

  Toby Gallo is a Digital Intermediate Pipeline Supervisor at Sphere Studios – the immersive content studio
  dedicated to creating multi-sensory, live entertainment experiences exclusively for Sphere. In his role,
  Toby’s responsibilities include working on the technologies and finishing processes for original immersive
  entertainment at Sphere in Las Vegas, including the venue’s first cinematic experience, Darren Aronofsky’s
  Postcard from Earth.

  Toby is an experienced creative technology leader, with more than 30 years of experience in network
  design and implementation. He joined Sphere Entertainment in 2023 from AFX Creative, an independent
  studio specializing in VFX, design/motion, color and editorial services for the advertising and
  entertainment industries. Toby’s prior experience also includes technology and engineering roles at
  companies such as Technicolor, Warner Bros. Studios, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Walt Disney
  Animation Studios.

  Toby is also an FAA certified remote pilot, where he specializes in aerial imaging.

• Moderator: Daniel Gonzales, AWS
  

  Daniel Gonzales

  AWS

  Daniel Gonzales is a Senior Partner Solutions Architect at AWS. With a career spanning over two decades, Gonzales has consistently been at the forefront of industry evolution, leveraging cutting-edge solutions to enhance storytelling, distribution models, and audience interaction. His contributions helped reimagine content creation methodologies, distribution frameworks, and audience engagement paradigms.

  As an Emmy Award-winning technologist, his visionary leadership and strategic insights have not only anticipated industry trends but actively shaped them. His impact extends from major broadcasters and picture studios to blossoming startups, where his guidance and collaboration with CxO and senior-level executives has been instrumental in fostering growth, and driving unparalleled success.

  In his current capacity at AWS, Gonzales continues to drive innovation and revolutionize how entities harness technology and AWS to push the boundaries of what’s achievable in M&E.

• Jonathon Lee, Amazon Studios
• Richard Duke, Avid
  

  Richard Duke

  Avid

  As the Chief Cloud Solutions Architect at Avid, Richard is responsible for helping customers “Cloudify” their workflows and infrastructure using Avid’s industry leading tools, including the Avid NEXIS | VFS storage platform, Avid’s Creative Editing tools, Media Composer and Pro Tools, and the Media Central solutions. Richard has been working in the film and broadcast industry for over 20 years and has developed and deployed some of the most industry leading solutions in public and private clouds.

• Nuno Fonseca, Sound Particles
  

  Nuno Fonseca

  Sound Particles

  Founder/CEO at Sound Particles company. Creator of Sound Particles software, a 3D CGI-like audio software used in all major Hollywood studios, in productions such as StarWars, Game of Thrones, Frozen, Dune, Indiana Jones, Mission Impossible, Oppenheimer.

  Expert in 3D sound, including sound for cinema, and 3D sound over headphones, he is a former university professor, with a PhD in computer audio, author of 2 books and more than 20 papers on audio research topics, Nuno is also member of AES Technical Committee on Audio for Cinema, CAS, MPSE; AMPS.

• Holly Beavon, I2A2 Technologies, Studios & Labs
  

  Holly Beavon

  I2A2 Technologies, Studios & Labs

  Dr. Holly Beavon is a research psychologist studying media and technology, emphasizing engagement, persuasion, immersive technologies, and human-computer interaction. Her postdoctoral work investigates the taxonomies and measurement of character identification and representation in interactive media and applies machine learning techniques for statistical analysis and modeling. Holly’s broad background encompasses live entertainment, work in front of the camera as an actor, and post-production from editorial to mastering for broadcast.

  Beyond the immediate application to current media and technology, Holly is interested in extending her research to digital humans and next-level audience immersion utilizing a contextual interplay between identification, moral, cultural, and psychological factors based on statistical models applied to generative AI.

   

Among other things, it involved a 200-ton synthesizer, a recordist mistaken for an anarchist, and the establishment of broadcast rights before radio.

• Mark Schubin, Program Maestro, HPA Tech Retreat
  

  Mark Schubin

  Program Maestro, HPA Tech Retreat

  Multiple Emmy-award winning SMPTE Life Fellow Mark Schubin is the world’s greatest expert on the intersecting histories of media technology and opera. He helped create the hotel in-room movie business, the first live nationwide stereo simulcast network, the first live multi-language cinema subtitles, and what was probably the first HDR-to-SDR converter (though no one knew what HDR was at the time). He has worked on moving-image projects on all seven continents (including Antarctica), including news in Kazakhstan, cable TV in Hong Kong, and the television transmission system of Barbados. He also worked on the standardization of the VU meter. His bedroom was an official test site of the ATSC, his paper on aspect ratios was cited by the FCC, and his blog at SchubinCafe.com is archived by the Library of Congress. He once piloted the Fuji blimp and has been known to wear shoes.

Must be present to win.