ETC held its 5th Studio Technology Leaders Dinner at USC’s Town & Gown on Friday, June 24. Industry colleagues from member companies and af liates gathered for an evening of networking, VR demos, the presentation of ETC’s Bob Lambert Technology Leadership Award and the dinner’s featured panel discussion.
Elizabeth M. Daley, Dean of the USC School of Cinematic Arts opened the evening, welcoming
the guests in a speech that highlighted ETC’s success convening technology companies and studios, and touched on the center’s history, accomplishments and continued importance in the industry. ETC’s CEO and Executive Director, Ken Williams, served as the evening’s host and panel moderator. He announced the Executive Board’s newly created honorary category, ETC Board Director Emeritus and the inaugural designees, Chuck Dages, Vince Roberts, and Wendy Aylsworth.
This year’s ETC Bob Lambert Technology Leadership Award recipient was Wendy Aylsworth, CEO (Walden Pond). She accepted the award after remarks from Howard Lukk, Director (SMPTE — on behalf of Executive Director Barbra Lange); Chuck Dages, Chair (TV Academy); and Darcy Antonellis, CEO (Vubiquity). The award recognizes Wendy’s outstanding, broad and lasting contributions that have helped shape the future of entertainment technology.
USC’s VR student club (VRSC) offered hands-on VR experiences for attendees, who could try out student VR project “Zombie Camp” on HTC Vive and the new Samsung Gear, as well as student VR project “Lions and Deer” on the Samsung Gear. GrabGames Deluxe and Wearality also had booths.
Offering their expert opinions about the current challenges, developments and future impact of media and entertainment technology, the Center’s signature studio leaders panel discussion featured Hanno Basse, CTO (20th Century Fox Film), Justin Herz, SVP, Digital (Warner Bros. Entertainment Group), Spencer Stephens, CTO (Sony Pictures Entertainment), Jamie Voris, CTO (Walt Disney Studios), and Michael Wise, CTO (Universal Pictures).