3D Artist Recap | Siggraph 2023
The Year of the Strike, AI, and Universal File Formats
Siggraph 2023 has come to a close!
It was a blast and as I sit here on my flight back home, some reflections come to mind…
The Middle Seat Gets First Crack at the Arm Rests
I’m not crazy, right? Can’t we all agree that the unfortunate soul in the middle seat gets the right to use some of the armrests?!?!? (he said while typing this with his elbows firmly squeezed into his torso between two very large, very warm men).
Oh…you probably don’t want to hear about my middle-seat woes…on to the more pressing matters.
The Lingering Impact of the Strikes
Before delving into the conference's various aspects, a looming specter must be acknowledged—the unsettling haze cast by writer and actor strikes, and the ripple effects on the entertainment industry. Many were recently laid off and the job fair was a fraction of the size it had been in years past. It permeated every conversation I had and was caveated every time someone had something optimistic to say about the industry.
“As long as this strike gets resolved quickly, 2024 will be a feeding frenzy of companies looking to hire talent.” Etc…
So yeah…people were thinking about it.
AI Takes Center Stage
Now, let's delve into the heart of the conference.
Among the focal points captivating me and fellow 3D artists was the intersection of AI with 3D tools. My agenda was peppered with talks on AI's technical, practical, and ethical dimensions.
Yet, amidst these discussions, a curious pattern emerged.
Companies divulged scant specifics, unveiling the reasons behind their discretion.
Many are still navigating the terrain. Some entities opted for generalities, avoiding granular insights into tools and workflows. AI was painted as a co-pilot or virtual assistant. The presentations, while intriguing, felt strikingly uniform—more conceptual than concrete.
Given the ongoing strikes, a certain caution prevailed. Prominently highlighting AI's role could be construed as insensitive, given its implications for scriptwriting and digital doubles. I mean…how would it look if a bunch of actors and writers were striking because of the role AI can have on scripts and creating digital doubles but here we are celebrating the release of tools that will allow companies to do just that.
Nonetheless, noteworthy insights surfaced:
If you are an artist, get in the game. Because whether you like or not, Generative AI is coming for the 3D world. You can either be a part of the development or cede control to others.
If you work at a company working on AI, get involved with the researchers. Meaningful artist-researcher partnerships emerged as linchpins for refining tools and AI-infused workflows.
AI tools are cheap/free, this financial leniency is temporal. Start-ups fueled by venture capital reap benefits, but the price of AI operation—embracing researchers, software engineers, UX experts, and cloud servers—will inevitably mount. As soon as companies collect users at a low price they will turn up the price.
So seize the AI moment while costs remain reasonable; procrastination risks exclusion due to escalating expenses.
Universal File Formats
Though AI reigned, another concept repeatedly took the spotlight: Universal File Formats, specifically USD and GLTF. Unfamiliar? I've penned an introductory guide...
In essence, envision file formats seamlessly traversing diverse 3D applications. Sculpt in ZBrush, paint in Painter, rig and animate in Maya—all within a single lossless file. Enter USD, akin to an uncompressed TIF for the 3D realm. It mirrors a malleable layer system, as seen in Photoshop or After Effects, fostering untrammeled creativity.
Then there's GLTF—analogous to JPGs in the USD tapestry. A svelte universal 3D model format, primed for any application. Think web viewers and beyond.
Past attempts at universal formats have faltered; FBX, OBJs, and alembic files ring a bell. Yet, this time, the landscape seems different. Progress, palpable and persistent over several years, portends true integration across applications—redefining pipelines and workflows.
A Shrinking Floor, Disney's Void
Notably, the conference floor felt diminished, a meer percentage from yesteryears. A conspicuous void loomed—absences from production giants like Dreamworks, Sony, and all the arms of Disney. The absence, albeit poignant, feels justifiable. With Disney laying off nearly 10,000 people across all its businesses this year, having a nightclub style booth may not be the best optics.
But it still felt weird not seeing the winding lines around the conference hall of people waiting for the latest Pixar/Renderman Teapots.
The End of Gigantic Software Parties
Siggraph, hailing from 1974, evolved from a technical symposium to a carnival of software excess.
I remember my first Siggraph was in San Diego in 2007. I was expecting just some nice simple corporate parties at night. Do you know what the first one was? Autodesk rented out the entire deck of an aircraft carrier and invited everyone at the conference to unlimited drinks and insane activities like massive flight simulators.
Over the years, those startups grew and matured and became more responsible. Now the parties are much more corporate and tame. I’m sure the finance departments at these now large corporations have put the kibosh on any party that involves large pieces of military equipment.
Make Genuine Connections
It’s easy to make Siggraph transactional. Maybe you want a job right now and that is so at the forefront of your mind. This might persuade you to push your resume or demo reel directly into the hands of a lead or supervisor at a party. DON’T DO IT!! Just be cool and try to connect with everyone on a real, human level.
This is not the time to get hired but to lay the foundation of a relationship for many years to come.
How do you do that?
Just talk to people like they are people. Resist the urge to ask them about their job. Ask them about where they live, what they do for fun, where they are about to go on their next vacation. And don’t look at your phone. Make eye contact. Truly listen and be curious about the people that they are. Just focus on establishing those relationships and then job opportunities will ultimately follow.
But make sure to get their name or LinkedIn account or something to reconnect after the conference.
Consider Volunteering
If you are looking to go next year but tight on cash, consider being a Siggraph volunteer. I talked to people who got free registration, free hotel rooms, and free per diems just for volunteering.
I don’t know the specifics for 2024 but sign up for their email list to receive information.
In Conclusion
Overall, it’s a wacky time to be in our industry. For years and years, Siggraph just marked linear growth. Each year, there were more projects and software companies. The films looked a little bit better and the process got a little faster. The research and software updates were always just the next logical iterations to what was done before.
Not this year. Now Machine Learning and Generative AI is on the cusp of a groundbreaking evolution…or maybe it isn’t….or maybe it is…who the hell knows. The strikes in Hollywood have no end in sight and it’s impossible to know when, how, or if they will end.
On paper, the word coming out of Siggraph should be “uncertainty.”
However, I had the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make some new ones. And one thing that ran through it all is that the people in this industry are brilliant, kind, and passionate. And therefore, I firmly believe that we will collectively find our way through these turbulent times and use this opportunity to create a better industry in the future.
3D News of the Week
A roundup of interesting 3D related news you may have missed this week.
Recreating Spider-Man 2099 Using ZBrush & KeyShot - 80.lv
Watch Orca Studios’ VFX breakdown for ‘Bird Box Barcelona’ - beforesandafters.com
Autodesk Ships Arnold 7.2.3 - cgchannel.com
These new AI tools for Maya could transform 3D art and animation - Creativebloq.com
Meta's first AR glasses are a costly endeavor - MixedNews.net
Artist of the Week
Check out this inspiring project where Lawrence Pompey created an entire gaming controller using only Substance 3D Designer! Behold the power of nodes!!!
3D Tutorials
3D Job Spreadsheet
Link to Google Doc With A TON of Jobs in Animation (not operated by me)
Michael Tanzillo is the Head of Technical Artists with the Substance 3D Growth team at Adobe. Previously, I was a Senior Artist on animated films at Blue Sky Studios/Disney with credits including three Ice Age movies, two Rios, Peanuts, Ferdinand, Spies in Disguise, and Epic.
In addition to his work as an artist, Michael is the Co-Author of the book Lighting for Animation: The Visual Art of Storytelling and the Co-Founder of The Academy of Animated Art, an online school that has helped hundreds of artists around the world begin careers in Animation, Visual Effects, and Digital Imaging.
www.michaeltanzillo.com
Free 3D Tutorials on the Michael Tanzillo YouTube Channel
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