The Future of Digital Storytelling - Automating Creativity: Can Procedural Tech Power Inclusive Design?
Automation is revolutionizing how we build digital worlds—but can it also make them more human?
This session dives into how procedural tools like SideFX’s Houdini, AI-generated content, and accessibility-forward design principles are changing the landscape for neurodivergent creators, immersive storytellers, and the future of inclusive entertainment.
Speakers:
Kim Davidson
President and CEO, SideFX
Kim co-founded SideFX in 1987 and has led the company in becoming a global leader in visual effects software. Under his leadership, SideFX received an Academy Award for the development of Houdini. He currently serves as Board Chair of the Visual Effects Society (VES), representing over 5,500 members worldwide.
Mark Elendt
Senior Mathematician, SideFX
With over 35 years at SideFX, Mark has helped shape Houdini and earned four Scientific and Technical Academy Awards. He is active in ACM SIGGRAPH and serves on the Toronto VES board, recently working on the Karma renderer.
Philipp Wolf
CEO and Co-Founder, swyvl
Philipp is a German-born producer and technologist based in Montréal. He has contributed to visual effects on Dune: Part 1 and Ghost in the Shell and now leads swyvl, a neurodiversity-focused immersive learning platform that helps organizations and communities foster environments where everyone can thrive.
Co-Hosted by:
swyvl: www.swyvl.org
SideFX: www.sidefx.com
Spin VFX: www.spinvfx.com
AMD: www.amd.com
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