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This Sunday in Denver, the Colorado Convention Center opened its doors to host the 51st edition of SIGGRAPH. 3DVF is on-site as a media partner, so we will be providing daily coverage of the conference .
Many questions arise regarding this new edition, particularly when it comes to the event’s location: SIGGRAPH aimed to reconnect with its roots by being held in Denver rather than in Los Angeles. It’s an interesting choice, but will the audience be as big as in previous years?
Another major question is the role of AI, a hot topic.
The morning provided us with many answers.
SIGGRAPH 2024: Denver, a Strong Choice
For the first time in 14 years, SIGGRAPH is not taking place on the West Coast of North America! Between 2010 and 2023, Los Angeles, Anaheim, and Vancouver were the host cities. Note that 2020 was supposed to mark a grand return to the East Coast in Washington, but COVID had other plans.
On paper, Denver’s selection might seem surprising, but it’s actually a return to the origins: the very first SIGGRAPH, back in 1974, was held in Boulder, Colorado, next to Denver!
How many people made the trip to Denver?
This choice could have attracted a new audience. But in practice, it seems the event is not drawing the crowds. It should be reminded that the industry was heavily impacted last year, with the writers’ and actors’ strike and a significant slowdown in streaming services investments. Not to mention the rise of generative AI, which has generated concerns and created a wait-and-see attitude in some sectors.
2024 was hoped to be the year where economic growth would come back, but it’s clear that the recovery is slower than hoped. At the Annecy Festival, studios didn’t have much jobs openings. Most studios and companies didn’t hope for a new wave of projects before the end of 2024, or the beginning of 2025. In Denver, the crowd is not as big as in the previous years. Many companies chose not to attend the event, and the choice of Denver to host the event now seems like a disadvantage: compared to previous years, fewer people appear to have traveled to this city far from the industry’s nerve centers.
Here is a concrete example: each year, retrieving your badge is a challenging task, with long lines often serving as a photo opportunity for visitors and a chance to post humorous content on social media. This year, the atmosphere was different. No matter the time of arrival, attendees were immediately taken care of.
According to the information we gathered, it seems a new system has been put in place to streamline traffic. We will need to wait for the official figures at the end of the week, but this initial impression leaves us puzzled.
AI, the Highlight of SIGGRAPH 2024
The burning topic of this 2024 edition is, of course, AI. One of the highlights of the show is a joint presentation by NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Before this event, a roundtable took place on Sunday at 8 a.m. We could not attend, but the feedback we received was mixed or even negative. The content appeared to be unconstructive. However, we did attend the “Work Smarter, Not Harder: How AI Empowers You!” conference late in the morning. It was difficult to make our way in, and the room was packed. The session was scheduled to be 2 hours long.
The beginning of the presentation allowed attendees to discuss tools developed around AI.
The conversation took a different turn when moderators asked, “Is AI a threat?” The audience seemed defensive, and it took a long time before someone spoke up. The debate quickly became heated, with diverse opinions: “AI is a fantastic tool, but artists should be credited.” Data protection frequently came up. “AI is just a tool, a fantastic collaborator, but like all tools, it can be abused!”
Then someone spoke out gravely, condemning AI, particularly its use by governments for propaganda. This intervention created discomfort among the audience and moderators. They attempted to ask a new question, but another person intervened to argue that SIGGRAPH’s goal is to discuss new tools, not their uses by governments.
After a few minutes of exchange, the moderators ended the roundtable nearly 1 hour and 15 minutes before the scheduled time. This caused significant confusion: some thought it was a break, but that was clearly not the case.
One thing is certain: like in Annecy, AI is a hot and divisive topic at SIGGRAPH.
Motion Capture, CFX, and Papers
On Sunday afternoon, we attended a conference organized by motion capture company Vicon. The brand presented its latest technological advances for over three hours. We couldn’t stay for the entire duration, but we were particularly interested in the work on the Wand, an accessory with LEDs that helps calibrate the motion capture system and the cameras used for reference videos.
We also attended the session on Bodies, Skin, and Hair. Roblox showcased its system for transitioning from a 3D model to an avatar with clothing and animation. DreamWorks Animation’s CFX team highlighted its Skin Wrinkles tool, which improves deformations, particularly skin folds and wrinkles. Finally, Pixar discussed hair in Inside Out 2, particularly the creation of a scalp to reuse a hairstyle from one character to another. This is very useful for ensuring emotions match the film’s characters. The associated publication, Wig Refitting in Pixar’s Inside Out 2, is available over at Pixar.
Finally, the day ended with the Technical Papers Fast Forward. This must-see show, lasting about 2 hours and 30 minutes, featured a short presentation for each of the 294 selected technical papers. A fascinating marathon.
Day 2, coming soon!
This first day was full of surprises, both good and bad. We look forward to the rest of the show with anticipation. To make sure you don’t miss anything, don’t forget to follow us on social media: Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube.
