This year, SIGGRAPH Asia 2019 featured eminent industry figureheads who are at the cutting-edge of the CGI, FX and Animation industries. The theme ‘The Dream Zone’ inspired continuing dialogue about the industry’s challenges, and responsibilities, for matters such as cybersecurity for virtual worlds and characters, the impact of deep fakes and facial recognition, accurate and science-based data visualization, as well as the applications of visualization.

The 12th edition of SIGGRAPH Asia attracted 5,120 visitors and participants from 50 countries and regions, featuring over 800 speakers, and 68 participating exhibiting companies and brands, who came to Brisbane from over 15 countries and regions.

{"arrow":"true","pagination":"true","speed":"300","autoplay":"true","autoplay_speed":"3000","loop":"true","slide_to_show":"1","slide_show_ipad_swpr":"2","slide_show_tablet_swpr":"1","slide_show_mobile_swpr":"1","slide_to_column":"1","auto_stop":"false","centermode":"true","space_between":"0","animation_swpr":"slide","height_auto_swiper":"false","direction_swpr":"horizontal","vertical_height":""}

Held for the first time at SIGGRAPH Asia this year was the Business & Innovation Symposium (BIS), which attracted so many that there was standing room only for some of the sessions. The BIS Program Chair, Michael Hsin-Yao Liang said, “I’m delighted that the SIGGRAPH Asia community is extending its footprint to include the business side of the industry. It’s a very important part of the industry, and it is potentially huge in Asia. We addressed the opportunities that will come with the introduction of 5G, in terms of how vastly improved speed, connectivity and bandwidth will promote the everyday use of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality; of how we can grow the 3D ecosystem, tackling skills and talent development; and the rise of “Virtual Beings”, and how they can be monetized. The symposium was very well received and we hope to continue it at future editions of SIGGRAPH Asia.”

Another program new to SIGGRAPH Asia, Demoscene, fascinated a lot of visitors. One of the Demosceners’, Greg Newton (Ziggy/Defame), commented that “SIGGRAPH Asia has completely exceeded my expectations.” He felt the reception for the Demoscene presentations and talks had been excellent, “Because with the live show, for example, the live shader coding, people are actually interested in how graphically, in a coders point of view, does that come together? So, we’ve really just broken all the elements down and people have been so attracted to it, to understand how it works.”

Of the event that he worked two and a half years to pull off, Conference Chair, Tomasz Bednarz said, “I am extremely proud of SIGGRAPH Asia 2019 being held in Australia for the very first time. The whole team worked hard to put together a fantastic program, that inspired thousands. Brisbane itself provided a super-friendly atmosphere for all attendees. See you next year in Daegu!”