News & Press

The HPA Tech Retreat is known for a number of things, probably primarily as a non-commercial forum where the leading minds discuss and debate and articulate the present and future of content creation from set to screen, whether that set is virtual or practical and whether the screen is a cinema or a cell phone.  For decades, the retreat has taken place in the Palm Springs (or close). This year, as we moved online during an incredibly disruptive time, it was important to the HPA Tech Retreat team that we kept the heart, soul, and spirit of the event intact.  Yet, because of the disruption, it had to be different.

So what’s the same? An incomparable program curated by Mark Schubin, this year with over 100 speakers and dozens of presentations.  The legendary connecting and conversing – still there, still critical.  The Lederhosen that took off last year has been supersized (more on that later). The Innovation Zone, a curated and moderated place to meet the product experts and demo products.  And of course the breakfast roundtables. More than 125 of them.

And, what’s different?  Importantly, a key difference this year is the cost to attend.  With no hotel, planes, trains or automobiles, there is zero overhead to your registration.   Add to that the modified cost registration which fits the virtual platform. At a rate of $299 for non-members (which includes a one-year individual membership) or $199 for members, attendees get all the benefits of the HPA Tech Retreat as it launches on the HPA Engage platform and a year of content to follow.  Also notable, with few or no time zone considerations and no travel, the Tech Retreat truly is a global event.

What else is new? The technology powered by our amazing platform enables networking in a number of ways, in breakout rooms, in social events (some with cocktails!), in networking events, at breakfast roundtables where interaction and conversation can happen, and in direct conversation with experts in the Innovation Zone.

And let’s shine a spotlight on the Supersession.  For many years, the Supersession has taken a deep dive into groundbreaking projects and technologies, so that’s the same. This year is an expanded, important, almost certainly historic event as, over the course of two days, the Supersession is doing what has not been done before.

Day 1: 7 movies, 6 cities, 5 audio mixes, 4 color spaces, 3 clouds, 2 live transmitters, 1 game! The irrepressible JZ (Joachim Zell) will host an incredible look at filmmakers who in the midst of the pandemic shot films in six cities on four continents: Dubai, Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), Mexico City, Brisbane and Hollywood – not only testing themselves from a health and safety perspective but absolutely pushing and redefining creative, connected, remote, collaborative, cloud-based workflows. Join this session for a look at the tools, tech, workflows and filmmakers who braved the virus and next gen filmmaking today. That alone would be impressive, but it’s followed by Day 2, where Leon Silverman and his colleagues at MovieLabs go Live from the Cloud… Without a Net, a never before seen or attempted real-time demonstration of production through editorial, VFX, conform, color, sound and delivery using 5G, and public and private hybrid cloud tools, infrastructure and workflows… all with an eye on where we are on our path to MovieLabs “2030 Vision.”   This is shaping up to be a monumental day, in a monumental Supersession.

And last but not least, for the first time, HPA has created a series of documentary films from Origin Point.  These talented filmmakers go behind the scenes of the HPA Tech Retreat Supersession and bring further insight and education in a most engaging format.

So, while it’s exactly the same, it IS completely different. But what is not different?  If it’s important, it happens at the HPA Tech Retreat. Your attendance is highly encouraged.  For more information, visit www.hpatechretreat.com.