SIGGRAPH 2018 Computer Animation Festival

Many are flocking to the box office this summer to watch the latest VFX and animated features. But for something really special, there is the SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival (CAF), filled with amazing content from digital artists and technologists around the globe.

“CAF provides a spectrum of computer graphics that is unique to other festivals. In a couple of hours in the Electronic Theater you experience a medley of work ranging from hyper-real to stylized, from student to small studio and independent shorts, from scientists to game developers, and from visual effects studios working on blockbuster films,” saysLarry Bafia, 2018’s CAF producer.

This year, an amazing 425 submissions were received for entry into the renowned Electronic Theater; of those, 22 were accepted, and two additional films will be shown.

“It is a very competitive year. The jury commented several times that there were tough decisions made over pieces that would have been a slam dunk in previous years,” says Bafia.

This year the scope of 360-degree VR content has been expanded. The VR Theater program will again showcase two 45-minute showings, with expanded seating. There will also be a “VR in 5” program with five kiosks offering a 360-degree film under 5 minutes run time. “We hope this will expose more attendees to the ever-expanding world of immersive filmmaking,” says Bafia.

He continues: “It is always a special feeling to be accepted to the CAF. Your work is set on an international stage with an audience of your peers as well as the next generation of creatives. The Best in Show gains eligibility for an Academy Award nomination, so there is always a buzz about the awards announcement.”

Here is just a sampling of images from the festival.