Asia's Flagship Creativity Event to Shape Hong Kong into Asia's Creative Capital
HONG KONG, Dec. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- With a long tradition to attach great importance to the creative industries' development, Hong Kong is now in the forefront to be the host city of the 4th ACM SIGGRAPH Conference and Exhibition on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques in Asia (SIGGRAPH Asia 2011), which will shape herself into Asia's creative capital.
Event supported by Hong Kong ACM SIGGRAPH Professional Chapter (HKACM), SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 is a premier event in the region's computer graphics and interactive technology (CGIT) industry and among the most important to the world's idea exchange. The Conference and Exhibition will bring together top names from around the world to Hong Kong, facilitate the industry's technology exchange and boost its local development. The event not only makes a favorable platform for the local industry to explore the international market, but provides a great learning opportunity for students and teachers alike. Hong Kong commits herself to nurturing a new generation of creative talent. The event will brief them on the status of various sectors of the industry, enable them to learn from other countries and regions' CGIT experience, and bring local novelties to the exhibition floor to stimulate their interest in pursuing innovation as career. To show support to this prestigious event first-ever held in Hong Kong, Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Communications and Technology) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, Miss Elizabeth Tse, will attend the opening ceremony scheduled for 13 December 2011 and visit the Hong Kong pavilion sponsored by Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) after the ceremony.
An international CG Conference and Exhibition, a combination of academic discussion and application
Over 7,000 top computer practitioners from nearly 50 countries coming to Hong Kong
The industry and academia are all welcome
The 4th ACM SIGGRAPH Conference and Exhibition on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques in Asia will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 12 to 15 December, 2011. More than 7,000 computer technology practitioners from nearly 50 countries will converge to the host city to take part in the Conference and Exhibition.
Hong Kong Pavilion is organized by HKACM, with an aim to enhancing the local computer graphic design and interactive technology towards world-leading standard. As an academic conference, SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 helps the industry explore new ideas on computer graphics and application of interactive technologies. Seasoned practitioners will share their successful experiences with the industry's participants to broaden their international horizon and enhance their understanding of technology application, which in turn helps the local industry identify space for development. As an exhibition, it caters to the industry and tertiary students by giving them the opportunity to access and understand the development of creative technology in Hong Kong. The exhibition of Hong Kong Pavilion displays the best computer-mediated works globally, which include interactive art installations, 3D projection devices, 3D technologies, hologram technology, digital graphic design, multimedia works, animation and film post production and more.
Hong Kong enjoys certain edges in developing the creative industry. She boasts a pool of talent with international vision and good mastery of English and Chinese, freedom of information and creation, a multicultural society, top of the line production, deep understanding of international business environment, and good IT and communication facilities and support services. Through hosting the major event, Hong Kong will see her computer graphic design and interactive technology further advance towards world-class standard.
"SIGGRAPH is the world's largest and most representative event in the CG industry. By participating in this international Conference and Exhibition, Hong Kong's practitioners will get the inspiration in CGIT and its applications," says Dr Eric Liu, Chairman of HKACM. "The grand event not only provides the industry's newer generation with a rare opportunity to exchange ideas, but also provokes new thoughts for local creation, which will eventually train up more innovative talent for the sustainable development of Hong Kong's creative economy. SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 is both academic and application-oriented. Youngsters and students who attend the event are given the opportunity to access and understand the global development of the creative industry and academic research, which may encourage them to pursue innovation as their career in future."
A gathering of esteemed CG leaders at Hong Kong Pavilion to Showcase a line-up of stereoscopic projections, 3D movies, and new CG technologies
A Hong Kong Pavilion is set up in the Exhibition under the sponsorship of CreateHK to provide local practitioners with a favorable exchange platform.
Hong Kong Pavilion congregates a large number of luminaries including Menfond Electronic Art and Computer Design Company Limited, Simage Animation and Media Limited, Free-D Workshop Limited, Post Production Office Limited and others. They will showcase world-leading works including demonstration videos of 3D projection technology, stereoscopic projection technology, 3D movies, new special effects technology, animations, motion capturing technology and more. Visitors from around the world will have a whole new perception and understanding of Hong Kong's quality outputs.
CG processing and computer effects and animation technology are heavily featured in the post-production of films, one of the creative areas that Hong Kong is best known for. Films around the world engage Hong Kong's services every year. The Hong Kong Association of Motion Picture Post Production Professionals (AMP4) plays a dominant role in promoting exchange among the movie industry to ensure continued advancement in local post production competence. SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 lends the opportunity to showcase the leading-edge local productions in areas like audio production, visual effects, film printing and digital cinema in the Hong Kong Pavilion. Post-production professionals may also exchange with their peers from around the world in the Exhibition on the latest technologies such as the 3D movies, 3D Stereoscopic Movie Making, 3D stereoscopic shooting, post processing effects and international digital distribution.
Not just in the four best-known creative domains in Hong Kong, i.e. Films, animation, advertising, and games
Maturing CG technology also being widely applied in life
Today's CG technology has been widely used in many aspects of life, in different innovation areas, and even in business activities. "With the emergence of CG technology from academic research to matured application today, it can be widely used in a variety of domains, such as Hologram Technology, Enhanced Motion Capture Technology and Augmented Reality Technology," says Mr. SZE Yan-ngai, Chairman of Hong Kong Game Industry Association (HKGIA).
Earlier on in August, the Association held the first-ever Asia Online Game Awards. The Hologram technology was used live at the presentation ceremony broadcast on TV. It is a debut attempt in Hong Kong's television broadcasting history. The technology leverages a glass with high rate of transmission to form a reflective image, which gives the audience an illusion. And with animation effects added to it, real and virtual characters can perform on one stage. In addition, the Augmented Reality (AR) technology can be applied to television screens. The Asian Online Games Awards presentation ceremony is the first occasion that involved adding special effects generated from Hologram and AR technologies on TV broadcasting for home audience to see a variety of visual effects which moved together with real objects. This whole new experience was achieved by adding effects on the cameras in real time. HKGIA will play video clips at the Hong Kong Pavilion to showcase the technology used in the award presentation ceremony.
Among the booths in the Hong Kong Pavilion of the coming SIGGRAPH are those that showcase Motion Capture technology. In the early stage of the technology, a large blue screen is required and the performer has to connect sensor all over to facilitate reception. Now the technology has improved. The performer only has to wear light clothing with sensors that are connected to a laptop computer to achieve the effect. As a result, venue restriction is removed and smooth movements with great flexibility are made possible.
CreateHK funds 3,300 passesfor industry practitioners, tertiary and senior secondary students to participate in this prestigious event
CreateHK, the dedicated office set up by the HKSAR Government to spearhead the development of local creative industries, is committed to nurturing a new generation of creative talents. In addition to sponsoring the setting up of the Hong Kong Pavilion with 32 exhibitors at SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 to showcase the competitive edges of Hong Kong in CGIT, CreateHK also sponsored 3,300 passes for industry practitioners, tertiary and senior secondary students to participate in this prestigious event. This will give the participants a better understanding of the status and latest developments of the CGIT industry, enable them to learn from other countries and regions' CGIT experience, and expose them to local novelties, which will train up more creative minds for the sustainable development of Hong Kong's creative economy.
Participation
The 4th ACM SIGGRAPH Conference and Exhibition on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques in Asia will be held 12 to 15 December at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. For tickets to the Conference and Exhibition, please access http://www.siggraphasia2011.com and sign up for registration (Exhibition from 13 to 15 December, online registration grants free admission to the Exhibition, signing up with Registration Code FRP8P6F9R7H5).
About SIGGRAPH Asia
The 4th ACM SIGGRAPH Conference and Exhibition on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques in Asia will be held from 12 to 15 December at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Conference will see the return of the well-received Art Gallery and Emerging technologies programs. New initiatives in the line-up include Symposium on Apps, Computer Animation Festival, Courses, and Technical papers sharing. There will be Tech Talks and Posters as well.
SIGGRAPH Asia 2011 also features a trade exhibition from 13 to 15 December. The Exhibition serves as a platform for software and hardware suppliers, workshops and educational institutions to promote their products and services to CGIT professionals and enthusiasts within and outside Asia.
Supporting Organizations (in random order)
About Create Hong Kong (CreateHK)
CreateHK is a dedicated office set up by the HKSAR Government to lead, champion and drive the development of the creative economy in Hong Kong. Set up in June 2009, it co-ordinates the Government policy regarding creative industries, focuses Government's resources catering for the promotion and speeding up of the development of creative industries in Hong Kong, and works closely with the trade to boost the development of creative industries.
CreateHK sponsored the Hong Kong ACM SIGGRAPH Professional Chapter in its undertaking to win the bid of hosting SIGGRAPH Asia in Hong Kong for the first time. It also funded students from more than 100 local tertiary institutes and secondary schools to participate in the conference and exhibition and the setting up of a Hong Kong Pavilion with 32 exhibitors.
About Hong Kong ACM SIGGRAPH Professional Chapter (HKACM)
HKACM is dedicated to promoting Hong Kong's CG design and Interactive technology towards world-class standard. In order to facilitate the trade's exploration of more CG ideas and interactive technology application, HKACM organizes activities such as exhibitions, forums, and refinement courses every now and then for the trade. With industry stalwarts' sharing on their successful experiences, local practitioners may broaden their international perspective and enhance their knowledge on technology application. This eventually nurtures more talent for the industry and help practitioners explore personal development.
About the Hong Kong Association of Motion Picture Post Production Professionals (AMP4)
Hong Kong's major film post production domains include audio production, visual effects, film printing and Digital Cinema. AMP4 plays an active role in promoting exchange among the movie industry and in facilitating them to understand and study new post-production technologies such as 3D Movies, 3D Stereoscopic Movie Making, 3D Stereoscopic Shooting, Post Processing Effects and International Digital Distribution.
For media interview on the Hong Kong Pavilion, please contact:
Baron Public Relations Limited
Tel: +852-2388-7884
Fax: +852-3007-8972
E-mail: info@baron-pr.com.hk
Ms. Kiny Choi
Tel: +852-9248-1079
E-mail: kinychoi@baron-pr.com.hk
