Capacity crowds help one of the world’s most important animation and visual effects conferences fully embrace its theme of 'Bridging the Gap' between people and projects from around the world.
LUDWIGSBURG, STUTTGART -- FMX 2019, one of the world's most influential conferences on animation, visual effects, games and immersive media, came to a close this past Friday, concluding four packed days of keynotes, presentations, panel discussions and demonstrations led by more than 280 top industry speakers. Haus der Wirtschaft and Hospitalhof, a new venue, were bulging. With more than 4,000 visitors, FMX 2019 has reached its maximum. "We are very happy," says FMX Conference Chair Prof. Andreas Hykade. "High-caliber speakers and an enthusiastic audience made FMX 2019 an unforgettable event."
Minister-President of the State of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann, was enthusiastic in his speech to open FMX as an "international flagship" for the state of Baden-Württemberg. "The illusion is the most beautiful of all pleasures," he quoted Voltaire. The Minister-President described the ability to fill the empty screen with our fantasy through the animated film "an exemplary digital space" as "one of the most important human talents."
The central theme of FMX 2019, Bridging the Gap, highlighted worldviews and workflows that inspire exchange in the fields of animation, effects, games and immersive media.
Bridging the Gap was interpreted in different ways by the FMX 2019 speakers.
Dr. Andrew Glassner, artificial intelligence pioneer, held a Crash Course in Deep Learning and expressed a philosophical approach: "We nourish and protect our dreams, from the quiet murmurs of our hearts to the bold plans of our minds. As they evolve, these intimate visions grow beyond ourselves, bridging the gap between our inner passions and our outer engagements with the world."
Dr. Jan Pinkava, Academy Awarded-winning director of Geri’s Game, who gave the keynote speech to open the conference, said "The best thing is to do good work with people that you like. If we can understand each other, learn from each other, respect each other, and disagree happily with each other, we can like each other more and do better work."
For Supervising Sound Editor Nina Hartstone, who talked about the Oscar-winning sound editing of Bohemian Rhapsody, Bridging the Gap means "pushing the boundaries of creating sound in film to tell a story in a way that immerses the viewer in another world - transporting our consciousness out of reality and experiencing a different life."
VR/360° creator, documentary maker and journalist Gayatri Parameswaran presented the VR documentary Home After War. "Bridging the gap," she said, "means to me using technology for storytelling in a way that we can bring people together."
Academy Award-winning filmmaker and animation historian Prof. John Canemaker expressed his enthusiasm about FMX 2019: "FMX is a super event - impressive in the quality and breadth of the presentations and hospitality shown! It was of great value to me as a filmmaker and educator."
An extraordinary selection of top-class speakers gave presentations, workshops and masterclasses. Moreover, 33 companies presented their latest products and services on the Marketplace as well as in six Company Suites. At the Recruiting Hub, 28 companies were on the lookout for creative talents, while 19 universities showed their projects on the School Campus. For the first time, over 20 virtual reality experiences and presentations could be experienced live on the School Campus.
FMX again proved in 2019 to be one of the most important events for the community to meet, refresh old contacts and make new acquaintances. This year, the new Get-Together, which took place daily in front of Haus der Wirtschaft, was the perfect place for an exchange of ideas.
The 25th edition of FMX will take place from May 5-8, 2020.
Source: FMX 2019
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
