Tuesday – November 9, 2004 3:30-4:30 PM Engineering Building 1033 Tuesday – November 9, 2004 3:30-4:30 PM Engineering Building 1033 Between computer gaming,

Tuesday – November 9, 20043:30-4:30 PM

Engineering Building 1033

Tuesday – November 9, 20043:30-4:30 PM

Engineering Building 1033

Between computer gaming, movie & commercial effects, and scientific visualization, computer graphic career options abound, but what’s the

graphics job market really like these days?

Professor Bill White from the Department of Computer Science will discuss several of the professional panels and seminars on this subject that he

attended at the SIGGRAPH 2004 conference in LA in August 2004.

He’ll also show several of the award-winning computer animation videos from the SIGGRAPH 2004 Computer Animation Festival.

Between computer gaming, movie & commercial effects, and scientific visualization, computer graphic career options abound, but what’s the

graphics job market really like these days?

Professor Bill White from the Department of Computer Science will discuss several of the professional panels and seminars on this subject that he

attended at the SIGGRAPH 2004 conference in LA in August 2004.

He’ll also show several of the award-winning computer animation videos from the SIGGRAPH 2004 Computer Animation Festival.

Careers in Computer Graphics

Careers in Computer Graphics

FREE SODA & PIZZA! FREE SODA & PIZZA! FREE SODA & PIZZA!FREE SODA & PIZZA! FREE SODA & PIZZA! FREE SODA & PIZZA!

CORTEX ACADEMY3D CGI on AMD 1.2GHz and dual P3 800MHz CPU using

Maya on Windows 2000

Video editing on Apple G3 with Mac OS

Compositing on SGI Onyx using Inferno on UNIX

Ave. CPU time for rendering per frame: 5 minutes

Total production time: 130 days

CORTEX ACADEMY3D CGI on AMD 1.2GHz and dual P3 800MHz CPU using

Maya on Windows 2000

Video editing on Apple G3 with Mac OS

Compositing on SGI Onyx using Inferno on UNIX



SIGGRAPH 2004 Electronic Theatre

SIGGRAPH 2004 Electronic Theatre

ATTACK OF THE NOTE SHEEP

PC Intel P3 single 550MHz CPU using Adobe After

Effects and Photoshop on Windows 2000

Hand-drawn animation

Total production time: six weeks

ATTACK OF THE NOTE SHEEP

PC Intel P3 single 550MHz CPU using Adobe After

Effects and Photoshop on Windows 2000

Hand-drawn animation

Total production time: six weeks

ROCK THE WORLDPC AMD dual 1.67GHz CPU

using Maya and Adobe After Effects on Windows

XP

Ave. CPU time for rendering per frame: 30

minutes


ROCK THE WORLDPC AMD dual 1.67GHz CPU

using Maya and Adobe After Effects on Windows

XP


minutes


Pam HogarthGnomon School of

Visual Effects

Pam HogarthGnomon School of

Visual Effects

SIGGRAPH 2004 Educators Program Panel Discussion

Preparing Students for Job Hunting in the High-End CG Industries

SIGGRAPH 2004 Educators Program Panel Discussion


Debra BlanchardDreamWorks SKG

Debra BlanchardDreamWorks SKG

Kathleen MilnesEntertainment Industry

Development Corporation

Kathleen MilnesEntertainment Industry

Development Corporation

Barbara McCulloughRhythm & Hues Studios

Barbara McCulloughRhythm & Hues Studios

Stan SzymanskiSony Pictures/Imageworks

Stan SzymanskiSony Pictures/Imageworks

Peter GrassiElectronic Arts

Peter GrassiElectronic Arts

John HazeltonBioLucid

John HazeltonBioLucid

Robin ThompkinsElectronic Arts

Robin ThompkinsElectronic Arts

A 90-minute discussion with industry professionals regarding the tools that students need in order to

improve their chances of obtaining CG employment.

A 90-minute discussion with industry professionals regarding the tools that students need in order to

improve their chances of obtaining CG employment.



Artistic & Technical SkillsArtistic & Technical Skills• Traditional Artistic Experience

• Sketching, Painting, Sculpting, Animation• Traditional Artistic Experience

• Sketching, Painting, Sculpting, Animation

• Digital Artistic Experience• Maya, 3ds Max, Softimage|XSI, LightWave 3D

• Digital Artistic Experience• Maya, 3ds Max, Softimage|XSI, LightWave 3D

• Programming Experience• C++, UNIX, OpenGL, DirectX

• Programming Experience• C++, UNIX, OpenGL, DirectX

• Mathematics Experience• Linear Algebra, Multivariable Calculus, Geometry

• Mathematics Experience• Linear Algebra, Multivariable Calculus, Geometry



Interpersonal SkillsInterpersonal Skills• Literacy

• Poorly written cover letters, resumes - all too common

• Literacy• Poorly written cover letters, resumes - all too common

• Speaking Skills• “Deer In Headlights”, “Babbling Idiot” – common extremes

• Speaking Skills• “Deer In Headlights”, “Babbling Idiot” – common extremes

• Evidence Of Teamwork• School projects, jobs, extracurricular activities

• Evidence Of Teamwork• School projects, jobs, extracurricular activities

• Research• Know what the employer does and what they’re seeking

• Research• Know what the employer does and what they’re seeking



Future GrowthFuture Growth• Assessment of Individual Strengths & Weaknesses

• Ongoing, reality-based, with efforts to improve

• Assessment of Individual Strengths & Weaknesses

• Ongoing, reality-based, with efforts to improve• Rapid Shifts in the CG Market

• Continuous appraisals of trends in technology, art, style

• Rapid Shifts in the CG Market• Continuous appraisals of trends in technology, art, style

• Versatility• Broadening one’s capabilities as much as possible

• Versatility• Broadening one’s capabilities as much as possible

THE PAINTERPC Intel dual 1GHz CPU using Maya, Quantel

Editbox, and experimental HP rendering software on Windows 2000

RedHat Linux used to network 18-104 CPUs


Total production time: 2.5 months

THE PAINTERPC Intel dual 1GHz CPU using Maya, Quantel

Editbox, and experimental HP rendering software on Windows 2000

RedHat Linux used to network 18-104 CPUs



SIGGRAPH 2004 Animation Theatre


I’M WALKINGSingle 2GHz CPU using Hash

Animation Master and Adobe After Effects on Windows 2000



I’M WALKINGSingle 2GHz CPU using Hash

Animation Master and Adobe After Effects on Windows 2000



Rachel FalkPDI/DreamWorksRachel Falk

PDI/DreamWorks

SIGGRAPH 2004 Panel Discussion

Careers in Computer Graphics Entertainment

SIGGRAPH 2004 Panel Discussion

Careers in Computer Graphics Entertainment

Kate ShawIndustrial Light & Magic

Kate ShawIndustrial Light & Magic

Hael KobayashiAnimal Logic

Hael KobayashiAnimal Logic

Luke O’ByrneThe Orphanage

Luke O’ByrneThe Orphanage

Dan ScherlisEtherplay

Dan ScherlisEtherplay

Bob NicollElectronic ArtsBob NicollElectronic Arts

A two-hour discussion with industry professionals regarding the needs of the job market and how to

best prepare for entry into the industry.

A two-hour discussion with industry professionals regarding the needs of the job market and how to

best prepare for entry into the industry.

Careers in Computer Graphics EntertainmentCareers in Computer Graphics Entertainment

Size MattersSize Matters• Large Companies

• Departmentalized• Require specific skills for each production department

• Large Companies• Departmentalized• Require specific skills for each production department

• Small Companies• Core teams of all-rounders• Rely on individuals to become skilled generalists

• Small Companies• Core teams of all-rounders• Rely on individuals to become skilled generalists


Medium AlternativesMedium Alternatives• Visual Effects for Live Action

• Work divided between several facilities• Primarily 3D artists• Occasionally 2D artists• Schedules between several weeks and several months

• Visual Effects for Live Action• Work divided between several facilities• Primarily 3D artists• Occasionally 2D artists• Schedules between several weeks and several months

• Digital Features• Work done by a single company or studio• Primarily 3D artists• Artists divided into skill groups due to complex pipeline

• Digital Features• Work done by a single company or studio• Primarily 3D artists• Artists divided into skill groups due to complex pipeline

• Games Industry• Art directors balance storytelling with game design• Technical artists balance art and technology of graphics• Level designers, animators, modelers, engineers,…

• Games Industry• Art directors balance storytelling with game design• Technical artists balance art and technology of graphics• Level designers, animators, modelers, engineers,…


Desired SkillsDesired Skills• Problem-Solving Skills

• This often means (gasp!) math• Problem-Solving Skills

• This often means (gasp!) math

• Interpersonal Skills• Deadline pressures mean long hours in close quarters• Good sense of humor helps• Good hygiene is essential

• Interpersonal Skills• Deadline pressures mean long hours in close quarters• Good sense of humor helps• Good hygiene is essential

• Aesthetic Background• Creative and visual

• Aesthetic Background• Creative and visual

• Technical Skills• Solid computer skills• Long list of software packages (including non-graphics)

• Technical Skills• Solid computer skills• Long list of software packages (including non-graphics)

• Love The Medium• Play the games, watch the films, know the audience

• Love The Medium• Play the games, watch the films, know the audience

THE SITEPC/Intel dual 2.9GHz CPU using Maya. After Effects, Shake, Combustion, and

Photoshop on Windows 2000



THE SITEPC/Intel dual 2.9GHz CPU using Maya. After Effects, Shake, Combustion, and

Photoshop on Windows 2000





THE PIERPC Intel dual 2.6GHz CPU using Maya, Shake, and

Adobe Premiere on Windows 2000/XP


minutes

Total production time: seven months

THE PIERPC Intel dual 2.6GHz CPU using Maya, Shake, and

Adobe Premiere on Windows 2000/XP


minutes


THE BALLOONPC/Intel dual 2.6GHz CPU

with Quadro FX 2000 using Maya, Renderman, and Shake on Windows

2000


minutes


THE BALLOONPC/Intel dual 2.6GHz CPU

with Quadro FX 2000 using Maya, Renderman, and Shake on Windows

2000


minutes


Documents

Tuesday – November 9, 2004 3:30-4:30 PM Engineering Building 1033 Tuesday – November 9, 2004 3:30-4:30 PM Engineering Building 1033 Between computer gaming,