SMPTE Monthly Technology Webcast

Andrew Shulkind and I are going to be on the SMPTE Monthly Technology Webcast next week talking about VR, AR, MR, XR, RR… all of the alternatives to reality. We’ll be covering the state of the industry and talking about our feelings on how it’s all going so far, and discussing where and when we see things going next. Here’s the far more eloquent description on this episode’s page:

The ‘trough of disillusionment’ is an oft-cited hype cycle bracket. Until now, consumers, pundits, and investors thought about Virtual Reality as a clunky box strapped to your face. Augmented Reality was considered, by some, as science fiction involving glasses that may or may not ever materialize. In fact, “immersive entertainment” refers to a new type of audience engagement which blurs the lines of what is real and what is synthetic. It is already engaging audiences in numerous venues using a wide selection of technologies. Entertainment products, advertising, sports, and gaming are coming together on a dizzying array of display devices. The technology and techniques for capturing, manipulating, and displaying immersive and interactive content are already in use, with constantly-expanding capabilities. Join us for this SMPTE Technology Webcast and explore the virtual future!

This should be a great conversation, they take the prep for these events very seriously and we’re putting a bunch of work into making sure it’s a detailed and worthwhile presentation. If you are not a member of SMPTE you’ll have to pay to tune in, but it is free for members. If you’ve never heard of SMPTE, here’s a great description of the organization and the incredible influence they have had in guiding the evolution of the entertainment industry:

For the past 100 years, the people of the Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers (SMPTE, pronounced “simp-tee”) have sorted out the details of many significant advances in entertainment technology, from the introduction of “talkies” and color television to HD and UHD (4K, 8K) TV. Since its founding in 1916, the Society has earned an Oscar® and multiple Emmy® Awards for its work in advancing moving-imagery education and engineering across the communications, technology, media, and entertainment industries. The Society has developed thousands of standards, recommended practices, and engineering guidelines, more than 800 of which are currently in force.

SMPTE’s global membership today includes 7,000 members, who are motion-imaging executives, engineers, creative and technology professionals, researchers, scientists, educators, and students. A partnership with the Hollywood Professional Association (HPA®) connects SMPTE and its membership with the professional community of businesses and individuals who provide the expertise, support, tools, and infrastructure for the creation and finishing of motion pictures, television programs, commercials, digital media, and other dynamic media content. Information on joining SMPTE is available at www.smpte.org/join

Tune in and join the fun on Thursday 8 November 2018 at 1:00 PM EDT / 10:00 AM PDT / 17:00 GMT / 17:00 UTC!