Maxon to bring visual effects visionaries as speakers at Siggraph 2023

Maxon recently announced their speaker line-up for Siggraph 2023 at booth 637. Taking place in Los Angeles from 6-10 August, this annual conference is renowned for bringing together the brightest creatives in the industry.

This event will be the first opportunity to see the new tools and enhancements from Maxon’s July product updates in action. From seasoned veterans to emerging talents, each of the speakers will deliver engaging presentations demonstrating the latest features, as well as cutting-edge techniques, innovative workflows and storytelling strategies. They will be sharing their experiences in overcoming technical challenges and exploring their artistic visions.

“Our incredible lineup for Siggraph 2023 promises to provide aspiring animators, and even seasoned professionals, with an invaluable opportunity to learn from some of the best in the business,” said Maxon CEO David McGavran. “With Maxon’s commitment to bringing the community together to foster creativity and encouraging creators to push the boundaries of their skills and imaginations, attendees can expect an enriching experience that will undoubtedly inspire their own artistic endeavors.”

Speakers on the Maxon booth will include:

Alex Parker is a motion graphics designer with Disney’s Parks, Experiences and Products team. She also works as a freelance animator, designer, and art director through her company, Ladybird Animations and has worked on projects for Google, Samsung and E.A.

Ana Carolina is a 3D tech and character artist. She is an official ZBrushLIVE streamer, and runs her own academy, providing one-to-one mentorship and workshops on 3D Art development.

Anthony Bari is an Emmy Award-winning post production consultant, video editor and technical advisor. Having worked all over the world with training studios, combat correspondents and small production units, his projects include documentaries, sports, promotional content and motion graphics work.

Arturo Wong is a 3D generalist, motion graphics artist and art director, specialising in character animation and motion graphics for broadcast, movies and music videos. He is the owner of Delirium Studios.

Billy Chitkin is a freelance 3D designer and animator, specialising in Cinema 4D. With a focus on animation, his projects include creating satellite designs for The National Reconnaissance Office, building out 3D scenes for a Microsoft ALT series and creating animated emojis for use in the Giphy Keyboard App.

Blake Kathryn is a visual artist whose work is recognised for its vibrant palettes and ethereal undertones with a surreal futurist aesthetic. Her collaborations include Adidas, Complex, Fendi, Jimmy Choo, Lil Nas X and more.

Cameron Slayden is the CEO and creative director of scientific and medical animation at Microverse Studios, with over 22 years experience in scientific visualisation. His company specialises in the production of award-winning animations for multi-billion-dollar pharmaceutical corporations, educational institutions, biotech startups, and scientific graphics for documentary TV series.

Chad Perkins is an award-winning filmmaker and author, and a visual effects and motion graphics artist. He is on the board of managers for the Washington chapter of the Visual Effects Society, and posts free tutorials and software training on his YouTube channel, Movies and Computers. Chad is also a senior trainer at Maxon.

Don Allen Stevenson III is a visionary XR and AI futurist. He has carved out a unique niche in the intersection of art and technology, sharing his insights on the future of creativity with platforms like TED 2023, MIT and Cannes Lions. Stevenson honed his skills at DreamWorks Animation and now collaborates with major tech and entertainment companies such as Meta, OpenAI, Universal and more.

EJ Hassenfratz is a multi-Emmy Award-winning freelance motion design artist. EJ has conducted numerous webinars, presented at NAB, Adobe Video World, Siggraph and many other events worldwide. He is also the creative director of School of Motion, and creates tutorials for lynda.com.

Gryun Kim is an award-winning CG artist and art director who specialises in TV commercials and title sequences. He has directed, 3D designed and led the visual effects team on some of the largest commercial and live productions in the world, including the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic opening and closing ceremony and The Last of Us title sequence.

Handel Eugene is a multidisciplinary artist and animator. His recent work includes contributions to Marvel’s Spider-Man Homecoming and Black Panther films. Eugene continues to push the boundaries of his work with challenges on exciting new platforms such as VR, AR, and interactive technology. He also teaches at the Otis College of Art and Design, as well as mentors students online at Mograph Mentor.

Ian Robinson is an expert ZBrush trainer at Maxon. From creating video tutorials, live streaming, hosting events and interviewing some of the top artists in the world, Robinson is dedicated to helping others learn how to use the software to the best of their abilities. He covers topics from 3D printing and toy design to game assets and animation ready modeling.

Jacob Dalton is a freelance VFX and 3D artist. He previously worked at Video Copilot helping the team with a variety of projects and asset development before leaving to pursue a career in freelance. His work spans across music videos, gaming, advertising, and film visual effects.

Joshua Keeney is a visual artist working in computer graphics. Under the identity of 550am, his work explores nostalgia, ego, identity, and his evolving worldview through surrealist inspired visuals. Keeney is a merit winner in YoungArt’s Visual Arts discipline for 2018. His artwork has been shown at a variety of locations such as the Tate Modern museum in London and Art Basel in Miami.

Steve Teeple, also known as Teeps, is a digital artist specialising in character design, digital sculpting, concept art, pre-visualisation, production modeling, and 3D printing for the entertainment industry. His work is deeply rooted in the supernatural, leveraging archetypal imagery to create characters and worlds that resonate on an ancient, mythic level.