Film festival venues can be overwhelming and conference venues can be overwhelming, but when you combine them ... well ... the experience hovers somewhat above the horizon. That said, here are some tidbits until I have written a full article for you:

1) Much discussion, several panels, and two full days of screenings of 3-D/steroscopic films, commercials, sports events, games and scientific visualizations the first day of the conference (Monday) from 8:30 am to 11:00pm. 3D is the agenda for twenty-first century digital release. I took in the 2-hr screening of 3D clips and then heard the fine artist and installation-performance artist speak about collaborating with Bono on the 3D film of U2's concert in Buenos Aires. Catherine Owens spoke convincingly about "experimental" exploration and commitment to "idea" in relationship to her personal art as well as in relationship to her Directorial debut of the film "U2 3D."

2) The Computer Animation festival is programmed into seven two-hour screenings that most often repeats the commercials, trailers, and synopses of film titles produced. For example, Rhythm and Hues showcased effects scenes of the polar bears in The Golden Compass and that is screened alongside the commercial from Bridgestone Tires most of us have seen of the squirrel running onto the highway to retrieve a nut as a car swerves to miss killing him. The festival is screening two impressive studio shorts noteworthy of mentioning here:  PIXAR studios' "Presto" and Disney Studios' "Glago's Guest" ... if you've seen WALL-E you've seen "Presto" before the feature screens.

3) A wonderful Tribute To Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas happened today with Tom Sito moderating a panel that included Frank Thomas' son, Theodore Thomas, documentary filmmaker, as well as a group of celebrity animators who had worked with the two of them in a mentor relationship. All of them delightfully shared their experiences with Frank and Ollie and were very well received ... more on this later.

Details will be published in an article ... once my head stops spinning from information overload and I've a quiet moment to "think." Thanks for your patience. I'm not fully indoctrinated as a blogger but do have some hope for my future.

A closing note in case you don't want to wait:  you may go online to read about all the sessions at SIGGRAPH 08: EVOLVE and can listen to them on DVD.  All panels and discussions have been recorded so you can purchase them individually. http://siggraph.org/evolve

While here, I have constantly forgotten the number one rule for attending film festivals and conferences: find a place to sit, eat well and if you do this, thinking might follow! That said, I will return to report more soon ... in spite of the L.A. smog my allergies are swimming in ...

Janeann Dill
IIACI: Institute Director
Institute for Interdisciplinary Art and Creative Intelligence
http://interdisciplinaryartinstitute.com