SMPTE Reveals New 'Future of Cinema Conference' For 2016 NAB Show

The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) has revealed the newly created NAB Show's 'The Future of Cinema Conference: The Immortal Movie,' will explore how content creators and storytellers combine artistry with motion-imaging technology.

Produced in partnership with SMPTE, the refocused technical conference will examine the topic with an emphasis on the work and inspiration of the industry's newest generation of filmmakers to thrive today and in the future.

Registration for the conference opened on 21 December, which is scheduled for the 16-17 April during the 2016 NAB show.

"With this conference, we'll investigate the limits of what is possible within the cinema environment, look at the new directions being taken by creatives, both established and those early in their careers, and consider how these filmmakers are interfacing with technology to expand their storytelling capabilities," said Program Chair Richard Welsh, CEO at Sundog Media Toolkit.

"Our aim is that when the conference has concluded, we'll have provided attendees — both the creative and technically oriented — with inspiration to consider how they are working now, and whether they can push the boundaries of the art and technology of the motion picture. We want to energize our audience with the new possibilities the science and craft of movie-making is bringing us."

The NAB Show's 'Future of Cinema Conference' will gather the brightest industry minds and talents to discuss the changing nature of storytelling today and into the future as technology evolves, and how the industry will ensure that creative work is preserved in its highest form for generations to come. The two-day conference will feature sessions on forward-looking techniques and challenges related to making content for theatrical release and beyond.

The conference will include sessions on the creative use of high dynamic range (HDR), utilizing content captured on 35mm film to feed into high-end digital exhibition formats, the filmmakers and projects testing the limits of cinema, and the next-generation filmmaking efforts of students and recently graduated filmmakers. Further sessions will address questions related to next-generation distribution, HDR mastering and delivery to the home, and the impact of advanced technologies on event cinema. A session focused on diversity will engage panelists and attendees in a discussion of how to build a richer, more expansive, and more dynamic filmmaking community.

"We're very excited about the new brand and focus for the annual cinema summit, produced in partnership with SMPTE," said Chris Brown, executive vice president, conventions and business operations, NAB. "Our aim is to produce a future-oriented, vision-packed event, and 'The Future of Cinema Conference' committee has so far met this goal with an extensive program agenda that delves into topics that are top-of-mind for today's creative and technology professionals."

In addition to Welsh, the program committee includes Abi Corbin, writer and director; Christy King, consultant; Pat Griffis, executive director, technology strategy, at Dolby Laboratories; Bill Hogan, motion picture consultant; Pete Ludé, senior vice president at RealD; Cynthia Slavens, director of post-production at Pixar Animation Studios; Jim Whittlesey, digital cinema consultant; and Chris Witham, director of digital cinema at The Walt Disney Studios.

To register for the conference, visit here.

Image: Richard Welsh moderates a panel at the 2015 NAB Show.

www.smpte.org

(LM/MH)