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Broad Area Colloquium for Artificial Intelligence,
Geometry, Graphics, Robotics and Vision


Performance, Direction, and Control: Using Procedural Methods in Filmmaking

Sebastian Marino
Industrial Light + Magic

Monday, April 22nd, 2002, 4:45PM
Gates B01
http://robotics.stanford.edu/ba-colloquium/

Abstract

Computer-generated characters play starring roles in today's feature films. Directors, Art Directors, and Concept Artists relentlessly demand that any computer-generated characters stand up in both visual and physical realism to their live-action counterparts. This push has made multi-layered clothing, skin with underlying musculoskeletal structures and the use of rigid bodies commonplace in their design and costuming. Physically based simulation methods play a key role in imparting a new level of physical realism into these computer graphics elements. The challenge of employing this level of proceduralism is also providing methods for directing the resulting performances. This talk will outline the control issues and specialization required to evolve these technologies, deeply rooted in academic research, into effective filmmaking tools.

About the Speaker

Sebastian M. Marino is the research lead for simulation related software development at Industrial Light + Magic. He has worked on several feature films including The Perfect Storm, The Mummy Returns, Jurassic Park III, A.I. Artificial Intelligence and is currently wrapping up work on Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. In March 2002 Sebastian received a Technical Achievement Award from the Motion Picture Academy of America, along with four of his colleagues, for the development of the ILM Creature Dynamics System which facilitates the simulation of the clothing, flesh and hair of computer-generated characters.
Contact: bac-coordinators@cs.stanford.edu

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