SMPTE15 Australia Embrace Theme 'Persistence of Vision — Defining the Future'

The Australia Section of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), has announced details for the SMPTE Australia Conference & Exhibition (SMPTE15), which will be held 14-17 July in Sydney.

The conference theme, 'Persistence of Vision — Defining the Future', gives a nod to the optical illusion that makes motion imaging possible and reinforces the ongoing devotion of SMPTE to the critical tasks of standards development and education for the motion-imaging industry.

"2015 promises to offer our best SMPTE conference program in a long time, and it also marks the beginning of SMPTE's centenary year," said Paul Broderick, chair of the SMPTE Australia Section.

"We've got a wide array of sessions and presenters who will provide educational, thought-provoking, and even controversial perspectives on the trends and technologies driving our industry forward. A truly international conference, SMTPE15 will give attendees the chance to hear from thought leaders from around the globe and to gain insight into the future of media creation, delivery, display, and consumption. I am particularly delighted to welcome Chris Fetner from Netflix as keynote speaker."

Fetner is director of global content partners operations at Netflix. In this role he leads the team that serves as the primary technical liaison with the content owners and service vendors supplying the Netflix streaming platform. He also oversees the deployment of tools, processes, and knowledge in order to enable simple, efficient delivery of high-quality content to Netflix.

With his keynote, "The Next 100 Years of SMPTE: How It Will Shape the Future of Motion Pictures," he promises to challenge the industry and SMPTE members to recognize, embrace, and facilitate the evolution of a media landscape in which IP delivery of moving images is a dominant mechanism for content delivery.

A particularly strong focus on education will bring SMPTE15 attendees the chance to participate in a half-day seminar on the fundamental theory and principles of ultra high definition (UHD), as well as its technical elements and requirements.

The seminar will touch on the potential impact of new and emerging UHD standards from SMPTE and other organizations. Attendees will learn about UHD-related technologies and the influence they are beginning to have on professional content creation facilities. Led by SMPTE Fellow Bruce Devlin from the UK, the seminar is an interactive experience designed to give participants an overview of today's vision of the UHD ecosystem and the ways in which these technologies will affect the broadcasting and cinema industries, as well as viewer engagement.

The conference also will include an IEEE Broadcast Technology Society distinguished lecture by Pablo Angueira of Spain, who will explain a flexible multilayer system that uses spectrum overlay technology to deliver multiple services — mobile TV, high-definition TV (HDTV), and UHDTV — simultaneously in one radio frequency (RF) channel.

During SMPTE15 the Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS) will present three sessions that look at such diverse topics as underwater 3D cinematography, cinematography drones, and the specific cinematography attributes of TV drama production. The conference's "Controversy Corner" will feature an eclectic group of papers sure to challenge the current orthodoxy as their authors try to see around corners and into to the uncertain future.

The rest of the programme is jam-packed with technical papers covering the full gamut from image structure and image capture to transmission and display. There will be presentations on top-of-mind subjects including internet protocol (IP), the cloud, high dynamic range (HDR), and UHD, and on a wide range of mechanisms, such as high-efficiency video coding (HEVC), enhanced transmission and delivery mechanisms, and improved workflows for dealing with the increasing demands of the business.
SMPTE15 will take place at the iconic Hordern Pavilion & Royal Hall of Industries in Moore Park, Sydney.

Complete details on pricing for full conference passes and for day passes are available online at smpte.com.au/conference.