Summer 2012

Cascade 2011–2012 Year in Review

Article by Floyd Archie Buchanan

The season began with a Summer Social Networking Night in Old Town Portland Oregon. We met some new members and enjoyed a night at the Thirsty Lion.

In August, some of us went to the larger organization’s conference, SIGGRAPH 2011 in Vancouver, BC. We found that Hosteling International (www.hihostels.com) provides an inexpensive way to attend, which could prove useful for 2014’s conference there, again.

In September 2011, Cascade ACM SIGGRAPH recommended “Drunken Ninjas, Robot Police, and Zombie Pigeons at Best of the NW Animation Festival 2011.” ‘Best of the Fest’ showcased 28 short film animations from
around the world. This special one-night event presented films from two Oscar nominees, and many other award-winning artists. Attending filmmakers answered questions from the audience following each block of shorts. A feast for animation lovers, there were delights for every taste.

In October 2011, we showed Selected Features from the Computer
Animation Festival, from the conference in Vancouver, BC, SIGGRAPH 2011. This is an annual event (formerly known as the Electronic Theater). We always enjoy screening the very best animated shorts of the year from the juried competition.

On December 30, 2011, we held our annual Holiday Social, with a
chance to get together, network, and start the New Year together.

January 27–29, 2012, saw our entry in the Global Game Jam, in collaboration with Portland Indie Game Squad (PIGsquad). Local gamers came together for a forty-eight hour marathon of computer game creation. Forty-one people participated in the Jam and the Cascade SIGGRAPH chapter contributed to the event; supplying the participants with appetizers and beverages.

Our May event, “Games, Sound and Music on the Cusp,” held
in conjunction with Portland State University’s New Music Network, brought together game designers and musicians. The event fostered new relationships between these two disparate groups. Topics covered classic methods of music in games, having graphics respond to the music, ways for composers to get involved in the industry, and emerging trends in musical interactivity.

June brought us “MakeSpaceShip and LightTroupe” at Really Big Video.  Interactive CG installations designed by Portland artists featured a special
hands-on preview of Make Space Ship, as well as special demonstrations
designed by LightTroupe. Multiple stations were available showcasing unique, interactive computer graphics ready to be played by all participants. LightTroupe demonstrated its latest web-cam fractal technology, interactive musical drawing and the LightPiano, as well as physics-based visual effects.
We look forward to the new season. In September we will have a program meeting where all members are welcome to attend and provide input for the upcoming year’s events. There are many great ideas in the works. Look for announcements about how you can contribute, volunteer, or serve on a committee.

Categorised in: ChapterNews, Newsletter

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