The event, which celebrates the convergence of entertainment and technology, will feature speakers such as ‘Shogun’ creators Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo, VFX Legend Robert Legato, leaders from AGBO, NVIDIA, Z By HP, Sony Pictures Imageworks, Intel, and much more; festivities take place November 6-9.
Chris Miller and Phil Lord accepting the 2023 Monolith Award for 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.'
Infinity Festival, the premier event celebrating the convergence of entertainment and technology, has announced its lineup of featured speakers this year’s edition, taking place November 6-9 at The Aster and the adjacent Avalon Theater in Hollywood, CA. The event, aided by Production Resource Group’s (PRG) production capabilities this year, will host a range of speakers across film, technology, gaming and more.
The initial lineup of speakers will span across three stages from:
- Entertainment, Technology and Los Angeles Thought Leaders: consisting of special guests from Shogun Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo; the Academy Award-Winning independent studio AGBO; visual effects supervisor Robert Legato; David Simon (Echelon Creative Environments; Brian Folb (Hollywood Offices and Paramount Contractors Developers); and top executives from Z By HP, NVIDIA, Intel, Sony Pictures Imageworks, AWS and ETC at USC.
- Gaming and Immersive: featuring SEGA executive Justin Scarpone (Global Head of Transmedia) and Vicki Dobbs Beck (VP, Immersive Content Innovation, Lucasfilm & ILM Immersive).
- Artificial Intelligence: showcasing leaders in the A.I. industry discussing innovations in the space.
“Infinity Festival has always been about bringing together the best minds from both Hollywood and Silicon Valley, and this year's lineup of speakers truly embodies that mission,” said the Infinity Festival programming team of Lori H. Schwartz, Natalie Novak, Erik Weaver, Anna Sinatra and Scott Shaw. “We are honored to welcome such an extraordinary group of innovators and thought leaders to the stage. Their insights and expertise will undoubtedly inspire and impart invaluable knowledge to our attendees, as we continue to explore the future of technology-driven content creation.”
Also announced were the Monolith Awards 2024, a centerpiece of the festival recognizing achievements that go beyond the conventional. While other awards may focus on established categories, the Monolith Awards celebrate pioneering work in areas like real-time production, AI-driven creativity and immersive technologies - honoring trailblazers who are redefining the future of entertainment in ways that no other platform does.
(From L-R) Sony Imageworks' Mike Lasker, Phil Lord, and Chris Miller at 2023 festival.
Under the leadership of executive producer Dane Smith, the 2024 Monolith Awards have been reimagined to spotlight the most groundbreaking achievements in technology-driven content creation. The new categories, crafted by Smith, are designed to honor the progressive creators and projects that are actively redefining the future of Hollywood.
“The Monolith Awards have become an integral part of our event," said Mark Lieber, Founder of Infinity Festival. "Dane has expertly curated categories that not only recognize groundbreaking achievements in technology-driven content creation but also highlight the extraordinary work of creators who are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. This year’s awards will celebrate the pioneers whose contributions are shaping the future of Hollywood and beyond."
The 2024 Monolith Awards will include the following categories:
- Immersive Technology: Audio-Driven Narrative
- Excellence in User Experience
- Visionary Innovation Award
- Live Engagement Award
- New Media Fine Art
- Best of Fest
- Virtual Art Department
- Visualization
- Real-Time Production
- Excellence in Technical Achievement - AI
- Creative Achievement Award - AI
- Next Gen
- Distinguished Member of the Tech Art Community
- Technology Break Through
The event will also showcase performances from Cirque du Soleil at the opening night party at The Aster and Grammy Award-winner, Nathalie Bonin (Women Warriors: The Voices of Change), who will perform at the Monolith Awards.
For more information, including schedule and ticketing, please visit www.infinityfestival.com.
Source: The Infinity Festival
Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologist—L'Wren brings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.
