Over the past year and a half, advancements in digital human technology have made significant strides towards real-time applications. Driven by new machine learning techniques and increasingly powerful graphics cards, the creation of incredibly realistic digital humans is now within reach.
This presentation delves into the creation process of these digital characters, their real-time functionality, the challenges overcome to achieve such detail and nuanced motion, as well as the current limitations and future potential of this technology.
Machine learning is fundamentally changing how we solve problems in visual effects, introducing a completely new approach. While incredibly powerful when successful, this new approach can also be quite challenging. This discussion will explore how machine learning is applied to problems that, just a few years ago, relied on either traditional computer science methods or manual artist intervention.
The presentation will also cover the diverse applications of this technology in film, entertainment, and its growing influence on our daily lives.
Doug is the Senior Director of Software R&D at Digital Domain, with over 25 years of experience at the company. His accomplishments include a computer vision toolkit that earned a Sci/Tech Academy Award (1998), a motion capture editing suite, several fluid simulation packages (leading to another Sci/Tech Award in 2007), he’s currently exploring the incorporation of machine learning techniques into visual effects, particularly character animation. He served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Graphics Tools (2006-2011), chairs the Academy’s Sci/Tech Awards committee (2018), and is a member of the Academy’s Sci/Tech Council. His journey began with a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the Ohio State University in 1992.
Digital Domain creates immersive experiences that entertain, inform, and inspire. Over the past quarter-century, the studio has become a leader in the visual effects industry, expanding globally into digital humans, virtual production, previsualization, and virtual reality. They’ve diversified their portfolio to include commercials, game cinematics, and episodics, alongside their impressive film roster. Digital Domain’s legacy encompasses hundreds of blockbuster feature films for every major studio and thousands of commercials, music videos, game cinematics, and digital content created by world-renowned directors and brands.
A creative force in visual effects and premium content, Digital Domain and its predecessor entities have brought their artistry and technological expertise to films like “Titanic,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” and blockbusters such as “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Ready Player One.” Their talented artists have garnered over 100 major awards, including Academy Awards, Clios, BAFTA awards, and Cannes Lions.
