The Growing Pain of an Existing Conference in a New Region. YT Lee Nanyang Technological University Conference Chair, SIGGRAPH Asia 2008

Transcription

1 The Growing Pain of an Existing Conference in a New Region YT Lee Nanyang Technological University Conference Chair, SIGGRAPH Asia 2008

2 Contents Background The Ground Swell The Ground Work Getting Off the Ground On the Ground Retreading the Ground

3 Background The Climate of CG and Animation ACM and ACM SIGGRAPH SIGGRAPH the Conference The State of Play in Asia

4 The Climate of Computer Graphics Computer Graphics - The art and science of creating and manipulating pictures on the computer A booming technology since the 70 s Used in every discipline we know art, design, engineering, medicine, education, movies, games The technology developing constantly and rapidly taught in colleges and universities There are users, there are developers There s art, there s science Many professionals, students and enthusiasts across the world. What used to be a very closed society of experts is opening up. Computer Graphics Industry Grows to $63 Billion in 2010.

5 CG Software Market Value Billion USD Vector Graphics Imaging Visualisation Digital Video D Animation D Animation CAD/CAM

6 The reach of computer graphics is universal. Almost.

7 ACM & ACM SIGGRAPH ACM Association for Computing Machinery ACM SIGGRAPH ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics The World s largest professional computer graphics society

8 SIGGRAPH The Conference Held Annually in a US city since 1971 Average attendance: over 20,000. Contents Technical papers Courses Animation festival Digital art gallery Emerging technology showcase Educators forum Guerilla studio Trade Exhibition

9 SIGGRAPH The Conference The world s most admired conference in CG Many groundbreaking technologies in CG are first reported at SIGGRAPH Many professional companies send their team of technical people to attend

10 Courtesy of Lightwork Design Courtesy of Lightwork Design

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12 The Ground Swell Expectation in Asia Work in Asia Movements in Asia The Meeting of Minds

13 Asia Expects Lots of enthusiastic supporters and attendees, from all over the world Contributions to SIGGRAPH from Asia have been increasing, but attendance has not Many from Asia cannot attend, due to cost and visa constraints But there are many schools, professionals, enthusiasts, amateurs, etc. and all want to be part of the action

14 Work in Asia Many CG related company Many CG & animation schools A few CG related events, all small Disparate CG organisatons trying to promote the technology Some government efforts China, Singapore, Thailand

15 Movements in Asia CG events in different countries China Joy Pacific Graphics CG Societies ACM SIGGRAPH Chapters across Asia Local societies CG Schools Famous schools from abroad setting up in Asia CG Courses Famous studio artists invited to give courses across Asia CG Websites CG Tantra CGSociety

16 The Meeting of Minds Leading Asian researchers & industry people met ACM SIGGRAPH executives in Boston during SIGGRAPH Both sides were thinking the same thing expansion in Asia. Ground breaking meeting in Kuala Lumpur in December 2006

17 The Ground Work Lots of questions Who, what, where, when, how? Ownership? Cost sharing? Profit sharing? Suitable? Viable? Sustainable?

18 Who? What? Where? When? How? Who initially driven by ACM SIGGRAPH but Asian volunteers must lead in the long run. What follow the successful formula of SIGGRAPH. Where study the countries and cities, ask for bids. When the sooner the better, but at a time away from competing events. How have a volunteer organising committee supported by professional contractors.

19 Market Study Look at CG development Look at the CG market Look at CG institutions Look at CG output Look at CG businesses and revenues Engage professional help

20 Support Survey local chapters Get local chapters to canvass their governments and companies Bidders must show evidence of local support

21 Understanding each other ACM SIGGRAPH and the local organisers must see eye to eye ACM Executive Committee visited the bidding cities and met local officials They also surveyed the infra structure and facilities

22 Financial projections Study costs and revenues Make conservative projections Be prepared to invest in the initial two years to build up the event

23 Getting It Off the Ground Forming the Team Knowing your people Knowing your supporters Making connections Getting in the professionals

24 Forming the Team The name of SIGGRAPH helps a lot Still, rely on contacts, locally and internationally to find the best program chairs The team met as much as time and cost permit Every program chair is given a budget and a freehand to run their own program

25 Making connections Again through connections, pull strings Chains of connections Give talks, attend events, travel Sew seeds, give incentives

26 Getting in the professionals The most important decision the right professional team People who understand the convention business People who can navigate the local bureaucracy People who can help pull the strings People who can take over your burden People who understand your business People who will do it for a reasonable fee

27 On The Ground The Place Outreach Contents Contributors and Participants Volunteers and professionals The surprises Managing the team - individuals The cost of stuff The event

28 The Place Which Convention Centre? Availability Cost Facilities Location

29 Outreach Publicity Website Barter trade Visits

30 Contents Quality, quality, quality. How to ensure quality? What contents? Reviewers and juries. Publications. Support for contributors.

31 Contributors and Participants They make the conference. Contributor benefits. Exhibition companies. Wooing of delegates need their money.

32 Professionals and Volunteers Professionals people paid to do the job. Volunteers people working for free, out of passion, foolhardiness? Decisions in SIGGRAPH are made by volunteers and executed by professionals. Volunteers decide what goes into the conference. Professionals make sure they get there.

33 The Surprises People There are those who surprise you with their brilliance and willingness to do anything There are those who surprise you with their lack of sense or drive or responsibility There are those who are in there for themselves Events There are always things that pop up when you least expect it Minimise these, unless they are pleasant surprises The cost of everything Always plan ahead

34 The Event Everything turned out well on the day One bad thing queue at the registration counter too long, and delegates got agitated Content delivery was good Delegates generally satisfied Exhibitors satisfied too

35 Retreading the Ground The best part of it all The worst part of it all Lessons The future

36 The best part of it all Many attendees, still not enough though Many bright-eyed students hungry for all that were to come Got to know many people Learned a lot about the convention business

37 The worst part of it all Very very busy day job became part time job and volunteer service became full time job Had unpleasant decisions to make

38 Lessons Need a much tighter budget, and control it a lot better. Eliminate waste, cut cost. Much better publicity. Better pricing on delegate fees, to encourage bigger participation. Learn to predict the onslaught of a global economic crisis!

39 The future More and better SIGGRAPH Asia

40 Thank you!