Leonard
04-15-2003, 08:03 AM
Portland, Ore. - April 9, 2003 - When Mark Sylvester, former co-founder
of Wavefront Technologies, addresses the Cascade SIGGRAPH chapter on
Saturday, May 17, participants will hear his presentation, "Three Tribes
- The Creation of Maya," and learn how the award-winning Maya software
program was created. Sylvester will make his address at Oregon3DSM, The
Center for Visualization TechnologiesSM, located at 735 SW 20th Place,
Suite 230 in Portland. Sign-in and registration for the event begins at
3:30 p.m. with Sylvester's presentation occurring from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
During his talk, Sylvester will outline the history of Alias, Wavefront
and Thomson Digital Images and how these three companies came together
to develop Maya, the 3D animation software that on March 1, 2003 was
awarded a Scientific and Technical Achievement Award by the Motion
Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences. Maya enables digital artists to
create natural-looking images that have become commonplace in film, TV
games, interactive media, the worldwide web and many other places.
Mark Sylvester
Sylvester is currently the creative director and founder of Mixed Grill,
a Santa Barbara design firm focused on the field of visual
communications. Sylvester co-founded Wavefront Technologies in 1984, one
of the first commercial animation software developers. In 1995 Wavefront
merged with Silicon Graphics and Alias Research, and Sylvester served as
ambassador for the organization, Alias|Wavefront. In this role, he
worked closely with the development organization and the product teams
as a liaison between customers and the company, ensuring a close
relationship between artists and developers.
Sylvester initially helped to develop The Advanced Visualizer, a 3D
animation system first used at Universal Pictures. This software was
used by Industrial Light and Magic to create the landmark effects for
the Star Wars movie, Episode Two: Attack of the Clones. The software was
also used in recent blockbuster films such as, "Lord of the Rings,"
"Shrek," and "Spider Man." In 2003, The Advanced Visualizer was awarded
an Oscar, which joins two previously awarded Scientific and Technical
Achievement Awards.
Sylvester is a frequent speaker at industry events including SIGGRAPH,
The National Association of Broadcasters, Digital Media World
(Australia) and Nicograph (Japan). He is a sought after judge for
digital media contests, including the Flash Forward Film Festival and
Flash in the Can. He has published articles on computer animation,
digital compositing and the future of digital production techniques. His
work is also featured in the book, "Return on Innovation." He recently
addressed the World Animation Festival about the expanding role of
virtual humans in film. The history of Wavefront, as written by
Sylvester is included in the authoritative text, "CG101, the History of
Computer Graphics," by Terrance Masson.
SIGGRAPH participants will have the opportunity to ask Sylvester
questions after his presentation. This will be followed by several
immersive 3D presentations in Oregon3D's Visualization Room, which
features an SGI Onyx(r) 3200 supercomputer and a 6'x12' wall display.
The supercomputing technology at Oregon3D exceeds most of what is
currently used by professional creative artists in the film, video game,
television production and visualization industries.
Location and Registration
The Cascade ACM SIGGRAPH presentation by Sylvester will take place on
Saturday, May 17 at Oregon3D, located at 735 SW 20th Pl., Ste. 230,
Portland. Registration and networking will be from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30
p.m., with Sylvester's presentation occurring from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Admission is free for Cascade ACM SIGGRAPH members and $5 for
nonmembers, payable at the door. Please RSVP to rsvp@cascadesiggraph.org
<mailto:rsvp@cascadesiggraph.org> . For more information on Cascade
SIGGRAPH and membership registration, visit the Cascade SIGGRAPH Web
site at http://cascade.siggraph.org/.
Cascade ACM SIGGRAPH
The Cascade ACM SIGGRAPH Chapter exists to serve the needs of the Oregon
and Southwest Washington computer graphics industry. Through meetings,
workshops, conferences, and other activities, the Cascade ACM SIGGRAPH
Chapter works to promote an increased knowledge of and greater interest
in the educational, artistic, and scientific aspects and applications of
the modern technology to graphics. The chapter works to enhance
communication between persons in Oregon and Southwest Washington that
have an interest in any aspect of computer graphics.
The Cascade ACM SIGGRAPH Chapter holds monthly meetings the first
Tuesday of each month. Meetings include networking time and feature
guest speakers whose expertise spans the world of computer graphics.
Topics range from product demonstrations to current local projects to
local trends.
About Oregon3D
Oregon3D, The Center for Visualization Technologies, was created to
empower people to learn, access and benefit from visualization
technologies. Oregon3D's vision is a world in which visualization is
routinely used to enlighten, enrich and enhance life. Located in
Portland, Ore., the premier 8,000 square foot facility offers
professionals a collaborative learning environment for 3D animation,
compositing, special visual effects, editing and more. Oregon3D is also
a visualization services facility that allows clients to access an
immersive stereoscopic display wall measuring over 12 feet wide and six
feet high. Driven by the latest supercomputing technology, it is the
only facility of its kind in the region. For class registration and
additional information on renting Oregon3D's visualization facility,
visit the Oregon3D web site at http://www.oregon3d.com.
of Wavefront Technologies, addresses the Cascade SIGGRAPH chapter on
Saturday, May 17, participants will hear his presentation, "Three Tribes
- The Creation of Maya," and learn how the award-winning Maya software
program was created. Sylvester will make his address at Oregon3DSM, The
Center for Visualization TechnologiesSM, located at 735 SW 20th Place,
Suite 230 in Portland. Sign-in and registration for the event begins at
3:30 p.m. with Sylvester's presentation occurring from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
During his talk, Sylvester will outline the history of Alias, Wavefront
and Thomson Digital Images and how these three companies came together
to develop Maya, the 3D animation software that on March 1, 2003 was
awarded a Scientific and Technical Achievement Award by the Motion
Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences. Maya enables digital artists to
create natural-looking images that have become commonplace in film, TV
games, interactive media, the worldwide web and many other places.
Mark Sylvester
Sylvester is currently the creative director and founder of Mixed Grill,
a Santa Barbara design firm focused on the field of visual
communications. Sylvester co-founded Wavefront Technologies in 1984, one
of the first commercial animation software developers. In 1995 Wavefront
merged with Silicon Graphics and Alias Research, and Sylvester served as
ambassador for the organization, Alias|Wavefront. In this role, he
worked closely with the development organization and the product teams
as a liaison between customers and the company, ensuring a close
relationship between artists and developers.
Sylvester initially helped to develop The Advanced Visualizer, a 3D
animation system first used at Universal Pictures. This software was
used by Industrial Light and Magic to create the landmark effects for
the Star Wars movie, Episode Two: Attack of the Clones. The software was
also used in recent blockbuster films such as, "Lord of the Rings,"
"Shrek," and "Spider Man." In 2003, The Advanced Visualizer was awarded
an Oscar, which joins two previously awarded Scientific and Technical
Achievement Awards.
Sylvester is a frequent speaker at industry events including SIGGRAPH,
The National Association of Broadcasters, Digital Media World
(Australia) and Nicograph (Japan). He is a sought after judge for
digital media contests, including the Flash Forward Film Festival and
Flash in the Can. He has published articles on computer animation,
digital compositing and the future of digital production techniques. His
work is also featured in the book, "Return on Innovation." He recently
addressed the World Animation Festival about the expanding role of
virtual humans in film. The history of Wavefront, as written by
Sylvester is included in the authoritative text, "CG101, the History of
Computer Graphics," by Terrance Masson.
SIGGRAPH participants will have the opportunity to ask Sylvester
questions after his presentation. This will be followed by several
immersive 3D presentations in Oregon3D's Visualization Room, which
features an SGI Onyx(r) 3200 supercomputer and a 6'x12' wall display.
The supercomputing technology at Oregon3D exceeds most of what is
currently used by professional creative artists in the film, video game,
television production and visualization industries.
Location and Registration
The Cascade ACM SIGGRAPH presentation by Sylvester will take place on
Saturday, May 17 at Oregon3D, located at 735 SW 20th Pl., Ste. 230,
Portland. Registration and networking will be from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30
p.m., with Sylvester's presentation occurring from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Admission is free for Cascade ACM SIGGRAPH members and $5 for
nonmembers, payable at the door. Please RSVP to rsvp@cascadesiggraph.org
<mailto:rsvp@cascadesiggraph.org> . For more information on Cascade
SIGGRAPH and membership registration, visit the Cascade SIGGRAPH Web
site at http://cascade.siggraph.org/.
Cascade ACM SIGGRAPH
The Cascade ACM SIGGRAPH Chapter exists to serve the needs of the Oregon
and Southwest Washington computer graphics industry. Through meetings,
workshops, conferences, and other activities, the Cascade ACM SIGGRAPH
Chapter works to promote an increased knowledge of and greater interest
in the educational, artistic, and scientific aspects and applications of
the modern technology to graphics. The chapter works to enhance
communication between persons in Oregon and Southwest Washington that
have an interest in any aspect of computer graphics.
The Cascade ACM SIGGRAPH Chapter holds monthly meetings the first
Tuesday of each month. Meetings include networking time and feature
guest speakers whose expertise spans the world of computer graphics.
Topics range from product demonstrations to current local projects to
local trends.
About Oregon3D
Oregon3D, The Center for Visualization Technologies, was created to
empower people to learn, access and benefit from visualization
technologies. Oregon3D's vision is a world in which visualization is
routinely used to enlighten, enrich and enhance life. Located in
Portland, Ore., the premier 8,000 square foot facility offers
professionals a collaborative learning environment for 3D animation,
compositing, special visual effects, editing and more. Oregon3D is also
a visualization services facility that allows clients to access an
immersive stereoscopic display wall measuring over 12 feet wide and six
feet high. Driven by the latest supercomputing technology, it is the
only facility of its kind in the region. For class registration and
additional information on renting Oregon3D's visualization facility,
visit the Oregon3D web site at http://www.oregon3d.com.