9/1/21 Dr. Alvy Ray Smith (ONLINE)
Dr Alvy Ray Smith
Dr Alvy Ray Smith Cofounded two successful startups: Pixar - see Pixar founding documents - (sold to Disney) and Altamira (sold to Microsoft). First director of computer graphics at Lucasfilm. Original member of the Computer Graphics Lab of the New York Institute of Technology. First Graphics Fellow at Microsoft. At Xerox PARC for the birth of the personal computer, the internet, and some of the earliest color pixels. Received two technical Academy Awards, for the alpha channel and digital paint systems. Invented the first full-color paint program, the HSV (or HSB) color transform, and the alpha channel. Directed the Genesis Demo in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Hired John Lasseter and directed him in The Adventures of André & Wally B. Proposed and negotiated the Academy-Award winning Disney computer animation production system, CAPS. Instrumental, as a Regent, in initiating the Visible Human Project of the National Library of Medicine. Star witness in a trial that successfully invalidated five patents that threatened Adobe Photoshop. Active in the development of the HDTV standard, arguing for progressive scan. Holds Ph.D. from Stanford University and honorary doctorate from New Mexico State University. Member of the National Academy of Engineering. Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists. Founding member of the Siggraph Academy. Published widely in theoretical computer science, computer graphics, and scholarly genealogy. Creator of many pieces of computer art, including Sunstone in the collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art. Holds four patents. About to publish a book, A Biography of the Pixel, with MIT Press (3 Aug 2021). An advisor to Baobab Studios, an award-winning VR startup in Silicon Valley. For more details see <alvyray.com>.
I am very interested in the hidden relationship between deconstruction and reconstruction how creativity arises from the interaction of this pair of relation when I appreciated Alvy's introduction to pixels.
ReplyDeleteThe smallest unit in the digital art world is the pixel, which is like the smallest unit in the physical world is the proton. Pixels, like protons, are elements that can no longer be deconstructed and decomposed. However, it is this smallest invisible element that construct this great world (digital & physical). In the contrary, any object in these two worlds can also be deconstructed through a certain law, decomposed into protons or pixels, and then recombined into a completely new thing through another law. This wonderful life cycle takes place not only in the physical world, but also in the digital world. The difference is that nature formulates the laws of operation of the physical world, while human beings (artists and scientists) formulate the laws of operation of the digital world. Therefore, the discovery and use of pixels gives humans the opportunity to become gods. Humans (especially artists) can use their imagination in the digital world to create exotic animals and fantasy landscapes that do not exist in the physical world. The pixels become the clay in the hands of the artist, and by reorganizing its positional relationship in the three-dimensional space, it produces endlessly changing artworks.
If we compare the basic principles of traditional movies with the basic principles of digital art, we could also find this relationship between deconstruction and reconstruction. What's interesting is that traditional movies are the deconstruction and reproduction of the real world, while digital art completely reconstructs the new world. Unlike traditional movies just imitating the reality, digital art tries to create a new reality.
Traditional films use photography technology to deconstruct the continuous images of the real world into photographic pictures, and then replay these continuous pictures at a rate of 24 frames per second, using the principle of persistence of vision to reappear the real world in people’s minds. So to a certain extent, the process of watching a traditional movie is very similar to Plato’s "Cave Theory" in "Republic": a group of prisoners are bound to face the cave wall, and they can only see the projected shadow of the outside on the cave wall, but the outside, the real world cannot be seen. Traditional movies are similar to those shadows on cave walls, deconstructing and imitating the real world.
However, digital arts is on the contrary. Digital art does not imitate and project the real world like movies, but rebuild a new world through the unit of pixels. This reconstruction process is just like what Plato said in "Cave Theory": one prisoner finally escaped from the cave and saw the real world outside the cave. Therefore, digital art can bring people closer to the reality of ideas, rather than the reality of imitation.
This may be the charm of animation and digital special effects. The process of reconstruction will always nurture strong creativity and imagination.
Written by Shengwei Zhou (szhou894@usc.edu)
DeleteShengwei Zhou (szhou894@usc.edu):
ReplyDeleteI am very interested in the hidden relationship between deconstruction and reconstruction how creativity arises from the interaction of this pair of relation when I appreciated Alvy's introduction to pixels.
The smallest unit in the digital art world is the pixel, which is like the smallest unit in the physical world is the proton. Pixels, like protons, are elements that can no longer be deconstructed and decomposed. However, it is this smallest invisible element that construct this great world (digital & physical). In the contrary, any object in these two worlds can also be deconstructed through a certain law, decomposed into protons or pixels, and then recombined into a completely new thing through another law. This wonderful life cycle takes place not only in the physical world, but also in the digital world. The difference is that nature formulates the laws of operation of the physical world, while human beings (artists and scientists) formulate the laws of operation of the digital world. Therefore, the discovery and use of pixels gives humans the opportunity to become gods. Humans (especially artists) can use their imagination in the digital world to create exotic animals and fantasy landscapes that do not exist in the physical world. The pixels become the clay in the hands of the artist, and by reorganizing its positional relationship in the three-dimensional space, it produces endlessly changing artworks.
If we compare the basic principles of traditional movies with the basic principles of digital art, we could also find this relationship between deconstruction and reconstruction. What's interesting is that traditional movies are the deconstruction and reproduction of the real world, while digital art completely reconstructs the new world. Unlike traditional movies just imitating the reality, digital art tries to create a new reality.
Traditional films use photography technology to deconstruct the continuous images of the real world into photographic pictures, and then replay these continuous pictures at a rate of 24 frames per second, using the principle of persistence of vision to reappear the real world in people’s minds. So to a certain extent, the process of watching a traditional movie is very similar to Plato’s "Cave Theory" in "Republic": a group of prisoners are bound to face the cave wall, and they can only see the projected shadow of the outside on the cave wall, but the outside, the real world cannot be seen. Traditional movies are similar to those shadows on cave walls, deconstructing and imitating the real world.
However, digital arts is on the contrary. Digital art does not imitate and project the real world like movies, but rebuild a new world through the unit of pixels. This reconstruction process is just like what Plato said in "Cave Theory": one prisoner finally escaped from the cave and saw the real world outside the cave. Therefore, digital art can bring people closer to the reality of ideas, rather than the reality of imitation.
This may be the charm of animation and digital special effects. The process of reconstruction will always nurture strong creativity and imagination.
It was mind-blowing to see the true origins of computer animation. Despite the family trees being slightly overwhelming, the very first images of computer graphics are quite exciting!
ReplyDeleteA specific image that stood out to me was the very first colored pixels done in 1967 for the Apollo Moon project. I assume that its style was as complicated as it could be at the time. There are so many design elements including values, colors, ground planes, and perspective. And what strikes me the most is the fact that it can be easily seen as one of the more recent artworks. As technology evolves, artists and designers never stopped pursuing a summarized, concise, stylish look. Some would even spend effort on getting the nostalgic, pixelated style just like the Apollo Moon image. I am glad to learn the very first image with that kind of look.
Seeing the first images of pixel and computer animation inspired me. Without these landmarks in the history of computer graphics, there wouldn’t be animation software such as Maya and After Effects. We may never have had the chance to see some of the greatest movies in history, let alone the opportunity to participate in the production. What an inspiring presentation!
Cherry Guo (guomengy@usc.edu)
Anna Wang (awang206@usc.edu)
ReplyDeleteIt was such a pleasure hearing from Dr. Smith, one of the co-founders of Pixar and Lucasfilm, and the inventor of alpha channel. He began his lecture with an eye-opening lecture on the Pixels. Pixels are not squares but a single point within the spaces computed by “spread functions”. People then decided to use squares to represent those “spread spaces” on the computer screen. This realization helps me to not only understand the origin of computers, but also understand my future operation of computer software to create illustration and animation.
One of my favorite quotes from Dr. Smith is that “History cannot be a single narrative”. He introduced to us the many that were left out in history, and he gave the credits back to them by writing their names in his book. Dr. Smith showed us the earliest artists creations using computers. The most astonishing to me were the first student works created using computer. Hearing his anecdotes of him working together with his peers is such a magical experience. His lecture reminded me that, we should not be limited by what is created, but be creative and expand the possibilities of machines and art. Using his exact word, it is to “violate the central dogma and show us what is out there”.
Georgina Gonsalves
ReplyDeleteI really liked Dr. Smith's presentation. I found the history of film technology very interesting and it was really informational how he explained pixels to us. I appreciate the depth of his presentation and how he provided history that preceded his time in the industry and wrapped up by adding his own experiences and contributions.
I watched the Pixar Story documentary years ago and it was incredibly inspiring to me. I was fascinated by their curiosity and drive to create a whole new medium in animation. It's actually one of the reasons I chose to pursue a career in this industry, so it was very special to hear from Dr. Smith and hear of his first-hand experience that helped spark a whole new technological generation.
Dr. Smith was an amazing guest and I hope to hear from him again in the future.
ggonsalv@usc.edu
DeleteNina Ceklic
ReplyDeleteDr. Smith’s presentation wasn’t at all what I expected, but it was amazing! I had no idea his background is so computer technology based and it really gave me a better understanding of Pixar’s development. His passion for the material was so inspiring and genuinely got me excited for learning about pixels! It completely blew my mind that pixels aren’t square, and that the effect was simply the result of old computers being unable to process enough visual detail to zoom on a pixel accurately. I think I understand the general principles he was explaining about the sampling theorem and formulas, although if I had to teach it to someone else I would definitely have to read his book first! Nonetheless, it was so refreshing how real he was about the oversimplified/Westernized dogma we are taught and why it leaves out so many important people and developments. It was also so interesting to gain some insider information about how Pixar came to be, and some of the parties involved. I definitely didn’t know Steve Jobs was involved in the process, and I think most people don’t.
Overall what inspired me the most was his personal journey. His story of breaking his legs and the time to think ultimately motivating him to get back to art and what he loves resonated with me. I always oriented my career around water polo but after injuring my spine I abruptly had to stop; it also gave me a lot of time to think and unpack my life. It focused me back to art, and Dr. Smith’s story was reassuring to me in that he made a drastic life change, committed to it, and it ended up bringing him a lot of success and fulfillment. He used his creativity, intelligence, and academic passion to innovate and change the landscape of animation we know today. Truly an inspiring story.
Charlene Xu (cxxu@usc.edu)
ReplyDeleteI was very impressed with the depth and breadth of Dr. Smith's presentation, and I'm so glad I had this opportunity to learn from him! Having worked primarily with 2D digital animation, I've actually never thought about the underlying system that supports this specific medium.
Although Dr. Smith had clarified that pixel is not a square, in my mind I still picture the microscopic pixel as a mosaic. It is interesting to think of or view something on a microscopic level and consider each of the tiny component that makes no comprehensible sense by itself, but constitutes what we all register in our brain as "something." Seeing the earliest art works accomplished with computer, I was also impressed by the tremendous progress our pioneer animation artists have achieved. The current CG films we have seen today are so incredibly well made in terms of imitating reality ---not in a sense of copying everything verbatim but of mimicking the way things are perceived --- that we sometimes forget everything starts with 0 and 1. I am truly grateful that Dr. Smith shedded light on this matter and led me to contemplate on the medium I am so familiar with yet so ignorant of.
I think a major theme of his presentation, if I had to summarize it, is that what we see or know of is not what is truly is. From our misunderstanding of a pixel, to our slightly inaccurate interpretation of Muybridge's contribution, Dr. Smith's speech enlightened us to always probe into the problem and to always think critically of the matter that we might consider as common sense.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Dr. Alvy Ray Smith’s talk. It was fascinating to learn about pixels, and have a deeper understanding of how computers, and how digital art works. I also really appreciated his informational speech about the history of pixels, and how he gave credits to names that had a huge impact on the industry but were overlooked.
I’m also extremely interested in hearing about the history of CG animation from one of the originators. Animation was born in the 19th century, and it’s a completely new art form in comparison to other art forms that have been around for thousands of years. Animation is always learning and adapting to the newest technology of its time, and it’s so inspiring to hear about how computer programming completely revolutionized the animation industry. One of the reasons why I decided to do animation as a career is because I’m excited about the possibilities of new mediums in this field, and it’s really helpful to hear Dr. Smith shares his experiences and point of view as someone who had such an influence on the industry. The story of how he broke his leg and had an epiphany about his career, and had the courage and passion to pursue what he loves is truly inspiring.
Ruoyu Chen (chenruoy@usc.edu)
Shon Xiao
ReplyDeleteComing into the seminar this past week, I expected grand things from the co-founder of Pixar. But I didn’t imagine how much knowledge and experience I would be able to absorb from Dr. Alvy Ray Smith’s talk. I was pleasantly surprised, as I’m sure many others were in the class, when Dr. Smith clarified that he will be covering the technological history of animation rather than the cinematic advancements. I graduated with a Bachelor’s in computer science but felt drawn back towards my artistic passions. Now, as I am pursuing a master’s in animation, I’m finding it an awkward struggle to reconcile my computer science background with my current career path. After listening to Dr. Smith’s talk I feel I have a better grasp of how to do so.
When Dr. Smith explained the history of computers, dropping names like Fourier and Moore’s Law, I felt both a sense of excitement and a distinct pain from recalling my undergraduate education. But, once over the initial cringe, I was fascinated by the integration of computer science history and theory into the world of animation. I had never considered the application of my computer science classes’ material towards the world of cinema, and similarly, I had never considered the overlap of cinematic history learned from my animation classes and the technical field.
Perhaps most interesting out of the history lesson was Dr. Smith’s own accomplishments and anecdotes. I had used the alpha channel that Dr. Smith created multiple times when coding video game shaders as well as when creating my personal digital art. To consider that there was a time when such a function did not exist, and that Dr. Smith created this mechanic out of his own creativity fills me with awe and admiration. Further, during the Q&A section at the end of the talk, Dr. Smith elaborated on how he began as an artist, entered academia as an engineer, and finally return to his roots through computer graphics. His personal experience with career shifts and passions felt very similar to my own, and it gave me hope for my own future.
Shon: I love how your own experience informed how this lecture impacted you. I am glad that Dr. Smith helped you to reconcile your background with your current pursuits. Well stated.
DeleteI really love watching Pixar’s animations. At first I thought that Dr.Alvy ray samith would start his speech by telling the story of his founding Pixar. I haven't thought Dr.Smith to talked about computer animation from pixels.Before this seminar, I always thought that pixels are squares, so when Dr.Simith said that pixels are not squares, I was very surprised.
ReplyDeleteDr.Smith talked about the history of pixels, a little about the history of film and animation, and about his experience in founding Pixar. What impressed me the most was the picture of him working with Adam Smiller. The “Sandstone” was one of the one of the earliest pieces of 3D animated graphics made by the Dr.Smith and Dr.Adam using the old computers of that era to whip it into shape. It is with the insistence of these artists that Pixar can make such a vivid 3dl animation. Now with the development of technology and the gradual improvement of equipment, I believe that computer animation will become better and better.
Finally, Dr.Smith’s personal experience also inspired me. When he was a professor at New York University, he broke his leg while skiing. Although he could not walk, those three months gave him enough time to think. Finally, he switched from painting to digital art. Although digital art was a new direction at that time, no one knew that the future would be like. However, Dr.Smith had the courage to work in an unknown direction. I admire him very much. I think many people still choose to stand on the shoulder of giants to see the future.There is nothing wrong with this, but I think we still need to innovate and take the courage to take a new path that no one has taken.
shiqihu(shiqihu@usc.edu)
Tyler Krantz, tkrantz@usc.edu
ReplyDeleteI appreciate how Dr. Smith began his lecture with a brief history of cinema, and traced the evolution of the medium through technological and artistic lineages. It was fascinating to see where animation falls within this complex and evolving field of visual storytelling. Dr. Smith’s explanation of computers and pixels was thorough, and incredibly compelling. I had never considered the unit of the pixel, although it is critical to my practice as a digital artist. Thinking of the pixel as the building block to bring digital worlds to life is reminiscent of the atom, a foundation of all matter in our universe.
Hearing Dr. Smith discussing the origins of computer graphics made me consider how far the artform has progressed since its inception. So many of the wonderful stories told within animation would not have been possible without the experimentation and research done by Dr. Smith and other pioneering individuals. It is no wonder that the Academy recognized Smith twice for his contribution to the science of film.
Vicky(Shunyi)Xie
ReplyDeleteshunyixi@usc.edu
It was a great pleasure to have a chance to meet Dr Alvy Ray Smith. I was inspired and amazed a lot during his lecture.
We always said all art forms are connected, like music, novel, painting, films etc, however, after listening Dr Alvy Ray Smith’s speech, I realized that not just art are connected, everything on the world is connected and to become a great artist, we shouldn’t make our mind narrow. The computer science stuff always gives me a feeling of “stiff “, including some computer art nowadays. But if everyone think like this, there will be no Pixar today. The innovative and brave thought from those “computer science nerd” that Dr Alvy Ray Smith mentioned is the key to bring fresh air and new genre to the industry.
Another thing that makes me inspired is when Dr Alvy Ray Smith said there was a time he broke his leg and he was not able to do anything other than thinking, which makes him wanna go pick the painting activity back and make art. I inspired me a lot because now everyone is focusing and stressing about finishing homework and finding job etc, it is very important to stop for a while and think more about the meaning of our life and it will help us more than “working very hard”.
No matter who you are, what major you are in, every one can become an artist and make art.
Vicky: Beautifully articulated. I agree. We need to step back every once in awhile in order to allow creativity and epiphanies to occur.
Delete-Sheila
Before this seminar, I am sorry that I am a person who only looks at the works already done and does not pay attention to the development of the techniques behind the works. So I didn't know much about Dr. Alvy Ray Smith before. But after listening to his speech, I suddenly realized that the technical progress of animation has gone through so much.
ReplyDeleteFrom a tiny pixel, to the creation of an animated film. I think it's like one atom, which is tiny, but there are millions and millions of atoms together, and they can turn into something huge, like a rocket. Like Neil Alden Armstrong said:”That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”. I believe Dr. Smith is the one who took the small step but put a big step forward in the development of animation technology.
Although most of the speech was about about science and technology, it was a little difficult for me who was the first time immersed in English education and condition to understand. Besides, I am not good at mathematics, either. For instance, even if the speech is in Chinese, I might not understand that well, haha. But I am trying and I checked the recording video so I could understand better.
Just as Vicky said, after he broke his leg, he re-chose his future development direction after thinking about his life for a long time. It’s inspired me that no matter whether I succeed or not, I think I should try my best and do not be afraid of failure, because I was afraid of choosing the wrong path before. But now I think that the right path or the wrong path is a valuable experience in life. In the tangle, it is better to let intuition decide, do what you want to do, do what you like to do, do what your heart tells you. That’s the real freedom.
Tianyun
USC ID:2799801213
tianyunl@usc.edu
After listening to Dr. Smith’s presentation, I was deeply impressed and influenced by all the new knowledge he had shed light on, and have gained new perception not only on the animation media itself, but on all digital media as a whole.
ReplyDeleteOne part of his presentation that impressed me the most is that he introduced us with the first image of pixel, early computer generated graphics as well as the very first computer animation. Animation has always been a pioneering field, since it constantly exploit into new technology, and pursue visual breakthrough. By seeing the very early 3d animation and computer generated graphics, I could imagine the excitement of creators at that time. Even it looks far from perfect compared to what could be achieved visually with today’s technology, the early computer graphic technology still opens a whole new world to the animation industry and is the foundation of everything we see that involves digital images today. By listening to his presentation, I saw how technology changes the whole industry, offering more freedom to artists by providing more media options as well as the efficiency in creating artworks, which also inspired me to explore more in computer technology in animation creating.
Rui Han (ruihan@usc.edu)
Jessica Wu (wujessic@usc.edu)
ReplyDeleteAnimation is a form of art that has existed for a long time. And it has been through a lot for it to evolve into the computer animation that we see nowadays. Dr. Smith’s lecture was a great reminder of that. I appreciate that instead of the knowledge we likely already knew, he chose to share the technical side of how animation evolved. For me, I've always enjoyed studying the histories of the things I love. And Dr.Smith’s lecture on the evolution of pixels and computers really allowed me to see a side of animation that I’ve never seen before. Sure, artists created the amazing work that Pixar is known for. But the scientists and their research were also crucial to its successes. It’s truly fascinating, a simple function on Maya that is just a click away took so many talented scientists and engineers to even exist. The lecture was mind-blowing, and it made me think about what animation will be in ten years from now.
I really enjoyed Dr. Smith’s talk this week. I especially liked when he was explaining that traditionally, CG art is built in euclidean geometry, animated with newtonian physics, and rendered with realistic light physics, but that there is nothing about CG or computers in general that constrains it to any of those boundaries. He even encouraged us as artists to break those “rules” and stray far beyond what traditional filmmaking and animation are capable of.
ReplyDeleteI think some of the greatest visual sequences in CG have come from breaking these laws, like Inside Out, Doctor Strange and Interstellar. These films all break at least 1 of the laws of space, motion and light, and in doing so, produce some of the most visually stunning imagery the industry has ever seen.
I also really appreciate this in-depth talk from the perspective of someone that was in the digital industry from the very beginning, and not only witnessed, but heavily participated in molding this new art form and industry that would grow to take over the world. Even now, being a part of this new, developing medium is always exciting.
-Jackson Roberts (jpr02403@usc.edu)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGunjan Dere 2447599576
ReplyDeleteThe misnomer about pixels being tiny squares is so believable. You zoom in a photo and you see tiny squares. You see 8-bit art — you see squares, old video games — squares, graphics or posters and one can quite positively say they are made of small squares. Computers are mechanical and rigid, and thus have to be made up of pixels. It is a palpable piece of information.
*Bam* Enters Dr. Alvy Ray Smith
Dr. Smith: *pointing a finger at the class* You are wrong, and you are wrong, and you! And you at the back too!
It was staggering to know what a pixel actually was. Up until this day, I believed what seemed to be a superficial observation of any display component. It was riveting when Dr. Smith went through the genesis of the pixel. One does not boot up his computer and think about a tiny black square, but with the correct context, Dr. Smith makes a compelling case in his book A Biography of the Pixel. From the French Revolution to present day, when we are surrounded by pixels. Dr. Smith explains it all. The math and the numbers part was a little too overwhelming and I would be lying if they made too much sense, but it was intriguing nonetheless . I was honoured to have been able to ask Dr. Smith about the time he met Shri Pandit Ravi Shankar. He added to the incident with some personal details which he does not mention in the book — an interaction I shall treasure for the rest of my life.
My takeaway from the talk would be, surely all the information and once in a lifetime of an experience, but most importantly would be the radiating vitality — the capacity and the vigour with which Dr. Smith still talks about the virtual world, which is no less than our real world.
It truly was a great pleasure to even have the opportunity to hear from none other than the co-founder of one of my favorite studios himself; Dr. Alvy Ray Smith. This is certainly one of those moments that I feel like I had made the right choice to come to this school, a hot spot connected in-depth and variously within the industry.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I already knew pretty much of the studio's origin and backstory, the connection between computer technology and animation itself was merely new to me. And the other technical parts were.. a bit hard to fully comprehend, as someone whose mother language isn't English. (Although, I highly doubt that I'd understood it if it had been in my mother language.) But what actually got me fascinated was none other than Dr. Smith's personal life experience. During his time teaching at New York University, Dr. Smith got into an accident while skiing. As a result, he couldn't do anything else but sit and think all day for nearly three months. Which eventually lead him back to his passion for art and painting, and furthermore, digital painting. There are two points that I personally connected with. First off, digital arts and painting was a new thing back then. In other words, not a secure path to choose. As an international student, risking so much time money, and everything in life to come study here, I know that I am bound to lean towards safe decisions. However, as has always been the case in great, innovative history, only the daring can reach to the unknown. Although it isn't easy, I always try to tell this to myself. And second, I admire him for how he spent his "couldn't do anything but sit and think" period. I am always under permanent pressure to hustle and suffer from fear of missing out. Thus, a period as such could give me severe anxiety and depression. However, Dr. Smith has shown the beauty of "doing nothing else". As an artist, such a gap to catch a breath and give some space to think and experience are crucial to expand and grow her/his art. Through this seminar, I was once again reminded of this precious truth of life: don't be scared to take the road not taken, and don't be scared to give yourself some rest without guilt.
-Aloha Lee (haekyung@usc.edu)
Vicky Gu
ReplyDeletexingyugu@usc.edu
It had been an amazing experience listening to Dr. Alvy Ray Smith's presentation. Given his background as one of the co-founders of Pixar, it was interesting that he started his talk with the origin of pixel. It never occurred to me that there is so much history behind this tiny little dot. We've all taken classes on the history of animation and it seems like a lengthy timeline, however at the same time we are looking at and listening to history itself when Dr. Smith is giving his presentation. It's truly mind-boggling. It feels like everything is somewhat interconnected, and it gives me the feeling that we are also becoming part of this history.
Pioneers in this industry, such as Dr. Smith, never fails to surprise me with the content they provide. Starting from the origin of cinema, to the development of computer animation and digital media, Dr. Smith has given us a rather different perspective from the creator's point of view. As benefiters of tools created by these pioneers, I cannot fathom the amount of knowledge and funding that went into researches like these. I feel privileged to be part of this new generation, and at the same time we need to celebrate the great achievements that people like Dr. Smith have made. It was truly inspiring to hear from Dr. Smith, and I hope one day I can also be talking about the new history of animation that we are about to create.
Delaney McCallum (jmccallu@usc.edu)
ReplyDeleteDr. Smith's presentation was not what I expected at all, but I found it very interesting. It was cool to hear a historical account of animation from a technical standpoint, instead of what I have heard before. The connection between computer tech and animation is a topic that I'm often thinking about. My background in animation/art is highly experimental and based in interactive media - so the experience I have had before this program was mostly making coded artworks with p5.js, projection based work, etc. However, I have never learned about these connections at such a tiny level. It reminds me of biology class, learning about the building blocks of cells!
I have to say, some of the math/technical explanations went over my head a little bit, but the overwhelming history of the technology really impressed me. I like that he encouraged us to break rules and take risks. That's what this art form is all about! I will definitely think critically about information I learn from here on it, and never take technology for granted.
Stefie Gan (stefiga@usc.edu)
ReplyDeleteI loved math and science, especially physics, so I was intrigued at someone with a technical background coming to speak to us about the development of digital animation. Without these innovative advancements in the 90s, we wouldn't have 3D or VR today. When Dr. Alvy Ray Smith talked about the exponential growth of computing power, it overwhelmed me to think that in ten years, we'll be in a completely new digital form. Dr. Smith had a lot to offer in the history of animation as well. It makes sense for someone so technical to be precise about the history of animation, and featuring those who may not be well-known but contributed so much to the medium's advancement. Similarly, often in animation production, many artists are overlooked. I'm glad he's writing this book to immortalize influential mediums in digital arts, as this art form will only continue to grow. His career started when they were only able to model a 3D hand, and 30 years later, we're making hyperreal animations where we can't tell what is animated and what is live action.
The Bay Area is still an innovative place with a concentration of tech advancement. Even animated companies in the Bay Area, ILM, Lucasfilm, Pixar, Baobab Studios, all try to push the limits of technology, by experimenting with hyperrealism or VR filmmaking. As someone who wants to make a career in the Bay Area, I wish to not only offer animation skills, but also an appreciation for technological advancement. I tend to side towards traditional mediums and forms of storytelling. I'm still figuring out how to be technologically innovative even though I may not be as interested in 3D/VR/AR mediums. I tried putting 2D textures in these mediums and enjoyed it a lot. Maybe there will be a chance to explore this in the future. In conclusion, technological innovation seems inevitable and we should embrace it and use it as a tool.
Kacey Layson (klayson@usc.edu)
ReplyDeleteDr. Smith’s presentation was incredibly knowledgeable, from the history and creation of computer technology to his experiences in the early development of Pixar and Altamira. Dr. Smith helped invent computer animation, and has had his imprint on many of the tools and technology we currently use today- having this in mind, it was amazing to hear first-hand through his lecture about the history of film and technology. His introduction to his presentation about the origin and evolution of Pixels was very interesting. I had not known that pixels are not actually squares but a product of a two-part process where the created content is consciously presented on display- digital light. This perspective of animation is not one that I have explored much of, but I would love to learn more about the relationship between science, technology, and art. Dr. Smith’s lecture- specifically the genealogy tree identifying the lineage of visual storytelling and technology was a great introduction to the exploration of science and art in animation.
It was a great pleasure to get to hear from Dr. Alvy Ray Smith! I truly enjoyed his discussion on the history of computer graphics and the science behind how we got to where we are today. It was captivating to know how quickly the state of technology is expanding every five years and interesting to think of where we will be in that time. His persistent passion to bring his love of art into computers at a time when it was often dismissed was moving. As a person who also comes from Physics/Scientific Research I really appreciated hearing the larger story of computer graphics, as well as Dr Smith’s hand in the narrative. Most profoundly I found how he was so driven to voice the silent pioneers of the CG world, and I thought this was an amazing show of character. A wonderful voice and I feel very lucky to have heard from him this week! - Kaisey
ReplyDeleteXiaoqian Zhu (Xiaoqiaz@usc.edu)
ReplyDeleteThank you Dr. Smith for giving us last week’s Lecture. I was amazed by the theories he explained as well as the charts of the birth of cinema, digital light, early computer graphics, and digital movies. It seems that I only learned a tiny little bit of the history of these inventions in Middle school. There are a lot more stories behind. These pioneers including Dr. Smith are like stars in the sky. There are so many people dedicated to these great inventions and creations that brightened our life. Most theories are very complex, being forgotten by us nowadays because we don’t necessarily need to know it for daily life. We can just take advantage of them and maybe further build on them without knowing in details. Creation in art field never leave with technical development. Although the people from the two field are always not into each other’s fields, they actually have created a lot of things for the world.
Shengluo Zhang
ReplyDeleteshengluo@usc.edu
Dr Smith's presentation is very enlightening. He looked back at the history of the development of movies and digital animation. His speech covered many historical figures we mentioned in Christine’s class in our MFA 1 animation history class (since the history of animation is very short, we are fortunate to meet quite a few of these outstanding contributors who were written into the history books!) We also found that Christine screened Dr Smith's work to us in the history class. Dr Smith's series of experiences from exploring and thinking about “pixel” to co-found the Pixar studio are very interesting. His speech made me realize that in the rapid progress of the times, it is very important for artists to update their technical set, chase and even invent new creative media, and broaden their mind.
tangjiay@usc.edu Jiayi Tang
ReplyDeleteDr. Alvy Ray Smith is a computer scientist. He made a significant contribution to the expansion of computer animation into feature films. His speaking widened my vision and enlarged my mind, making me think completely different perspectives on the industry.
He talked about how the modern computer is invented and evolved, what pixels, curves, and frequencies are, how these were developed, how the whole film industry grew, etc. He mentioned the scientific principles and the background stories behind those words, how the creators create them, what obstacles they met, what happened to George Lucas, etc. Almost everything I've heard this time is what I've never heard of. This is my first time attending a class about computer science, and I've never thought that It's this enjoyable to listen to.
For me, it's easy to forget they're a group of geniuses working on hardware and coding in the industry. Before, I always thought creating characters and filming stuff are more delightful and beautiful, and codings and engineerings are rather dull and tasteless. But Dr. Smith's words again remind me that the engineers and the theorists are the true founders of this industry. Without their hard-working, the industry won't evolve at all without new technologies and new techniques.
Adriel Meka
ReplyDeleteAmeka@usc.edu
It was very insightful to heart Dr. Smith give his talk during last class! His analysis on the differences in sound waves and discussion of the anecdotes in his book were very expansive. it was intriguing to see the creative and colorfully artistic world of animation portrayed through such a scientific, logistical, and academic lens. I really enjoyed getting more knowledge on his experiences during a different era and how he navigated the world of art and business.
Cool to think that he began in a domain that wasn’t art related at all and was able to find so much success with it once he breached the CGI world. I loved how he began two startups and told us about his experience looking through numerous investors before landing the opportunity to have Steve Jobs invest in his company and begin the icon that is Pixar today. A studio that has had such an impact on culture, society, and youth in the modern era and getting to learn of its origin felt like getting a VIP pass to the story of its origin. Getting to talk “face to face” with Alvy is also a good reassurance of how attainable the possibility of navigating the industry is and provides hope for a lot of aspiring studio makers who don’t know where to start. Finally it was exciting to hear all about how he was made efforts to stay current on the trends of modern art and learn of his decisions to stay close to start ups by having his ear to the ground on what is new in the industry. Truly a pleasure to have Alvy in the class and I’m looking forward to hearing the amazing stories of the speakers that follow this week!
This is a wonderful journey to trace the origin of computer graphic. The luckiest thing is that we can hear all stories told by Dr Alvy Ray Smith who have actually been in the history. Most of the time, we learn the history by reading books and watching documentaries. This often make some interesting event condensed into an obscure term, or omitted. Thank to Dr Alvy Ray Smith, he started from a simple pixel to show us those exciting historical moments that once were mysterious to us.
ReplyDeleteAt present, we can use a variety of 2D and 3D software to help us develop our creative ideas. No era had been more exciting than it is now. Productivity is no longer an important reason that hinders people from exerting their imagination. I can’t imagine what kind of challenge we would face in creation without the breakthroughs and innovations of our predecessors in computer graphics.
Thanks to our predecessors for their enthusiasm, bravery and creativity for presenting such a creative era for us.
Naicheng Liu (naicheng@usc.edu)
Jiamu Tao
ReplyDeletejiamutao@usc.edu
Pixar is one of the reason I wanted go pursue a career in the animation industry, so hearing from him was really an excitement. His presentation was not what I expected it would be, but it was stunning. I was amazed by the depth of knowledge he presented us with and the richness of his own experience with the subject matter. I feel that I know so little about the CGI world even though I deem myself an animation artist. I learned a lot from his talk and that inspires me to keep learning about the industry.
I have never attended a presentation that has so much knowledge of engineering, which is really inspiring and interesting to learn. Dr. Smith just brought me back to my college life when I studied computer science. It is very interesting for me to hear all these when I transferred to do more creative work. It is just like a lecture that tells me how technology is changing the life and art form, just as the company culture of Pixar. This is the original idea I had when I want to do animation for rest of my life. I really appreciate when Dr. Smith talks about the Pixel theory. It is very significant to understand the basics of the technology and thus we can improve or make any changes. As I am amazed by Dr. Smith transfers his career from painting to more engineering aspect, I begin to wonder how I can make any changes with the knowledge I grabbed from the college. It is always hard to do something that nowadays do not have. Dr. Smith is smart and is creative to even create technology to make art. As in today, more and more technologies are being created to serve the artists like AI painters. I begin to think, what the artist can do and how we should deal with them. In many years ago, 3D is very rare; however, we can combine 2D and 3D to create more gorgeous works nowadays. I think maybe artists should be more brave not only to create art, but also expanding their technology to make art and their thoughts to innovate boldly.
ReplyDeleteSiqi Fu
siqifu@usc.edu
Lydia Su
ReplyDeletelrsu@usc.edu
I appreciate the opportunity to listen to Dr. Smith's presentation. It is stunning to learn how the pioneers contribute to the history behind the technique of digital art. And also how the technique of pixels was improved to eventually present in nowaday's media in front of our eyes. Despite the historical meaning of it, I was inspired by the artistic feeling of the colored pixel work for the Apollo mission. Moreover, Since I have struggled to find a career path and interest for myself for years. It is also a great motivation to hear how Dr. Smith dedicates himself to the field of computer science of digital graphic but still devote his passion for the field of art in his lifetime career. The presentation definitely helps me to appreciate the great piece of digital arts from a different perspective in the future.
Dr. Alvy Ray Smith's presentation is very inspiring! As a 3D animator, I have never never really thought about how 3D animation or 3D software or just how the CG world was built. It was amazing to learn about the history of animation in a different perspective. All the technical knowledge mentioned in the talk was very enlightening. The speech was definitely very different from others and it was really interesting. I really appreciate the talk and just feel extremely thankful for being able to use this developed technology for creating 3D contents nowadays.
ReplyDeleteIt was a great pleasure to have Dr. Alvy speak to us and tell us his story. Hearing him speak about his own story, his experience and obstacles and the breakthroughs that allowed him help invent computer animation was so astonishing and amazing. It was so inspirational to hear him speak about how his career has shifted from becoming a professor to becoming Pixar’s co-founder!
ReplyDeleteI never really understood what a Pixel is until after hearing him explain it thoroughly.
I really enjoyed listening to him explaining the differences between the square we see on displays and the dot that is a pixel!
I personally feel that his story of shifting his career and leaving his job as professor, and everyone thinking that he is crazy he resigned as professor, relates to my story. It makes me feel so special and grateful that I am following my heart and what I love instead of having a normal boring life!
Dina Garatly
Last week, Dr. Alvy Smith gave an informative presentation on the early beginnings of 3D animation. Coming from a background in 3D, I felt this topic was relatable and helpful in understanding how the medium of CG was crafted and invented to what it is now today a robust, highly profitable art form. As everyone in the blog pointed out, CG is a highly technical field and I was amazed at how capturing digital information such as a tiny pixel was based on extensive scientific data. The lecture spoke to my work recently as I learned complex shading techniques on human skin down to the tiny pores and hairs. It is inspiring to see how observation is the key ingredient to achieving realistic details as well as photographic results in the CG world. On the side note, it was funny to see a real Utah teapot behind Dr. Smith!
ReplyDeleteJarrod Chatham
ReplyDeleteI learned a lot from Dr. Alvy Ray Smith’s presentation last week on the history of computer graphics. It was interesting to see how he started the presentation on a very micro level with the definition of a pixel, and then expanded upon that idea to summarize the greater history of 3D animation. I think that seeing that initial root of his research first, set up a deeper context to the animation history. It gave me a greater appreciation for the technology behind computer graphics and animation. I am so engaged with the artistic side of animation, but I found myself more engaged in this technical content than I expected to be. I am happy that I learned about the important inventions and discoveries which make up the animation field that I am a part of.
I was intrigued by the way that Dr. Alvy Ray Smith presented his research like a large interconnected web. It was cool to see the various connections between notable animation and cinematic figures. I thought that Dr. Alvy Ray Smith made an interesting point about how our society seems to be attached to a single hero/inventor narrative. It was funny how Dr. Alvy Ray Smith thought that he himself was a part of the invention of computer graphics in color, when that was not the case. I think that Dr. Alvy Ray Smith’s presentation showed me the importance of knowing our history in order to understand what resources we already have at our disposal and how these resources can be built upon.
Victoria Cruell (cruell@usc.edu)
Parker Chatham
ReplyDeletepchatham@usc.edu
I found Dr. Smith to be a great speaker and inspired me to appreciate the history of computer graphics. Having SA'ed Tom Sito's CTAN 200 course: The Rise of Digital Hollywood, I learned about the birth of computer graphics and the rise of digital VFX, CGI, and the company Pixar. I was very surprised to hear that Dr. Smith directed the Genesis Effect, which is one of the earliest uses of CGI in film. His discussion regarding the pixel and the evolution of computers reinforced the idea that computer graphics is an art that combines technology and the artist. While some may think that computer graphics are technical and lack the human touch, I believe the opposite is true.
I've never gotten the chance to dig deep in computer animation in technical and scientific aspects. Dr. Smith's speech really blew my mind in terms of how insightful and inspiring it was. I appreciated him for starting at something very small yet relatable ---- the pixel. That was a great way to ease in on an unfamiliar subject for me. I've gained a new perspective of looking at animation. I used to prioritize the story side of a film but now I feel like none of the good stories could be done without a best-suited technology. Each breakthrough of the technology will lead to a new direction of storytelling and visual styles.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing some of the early CG art works. I was fascinated by how creative and imaginative they were given the time when they were made. It made me curious about how CG art will evolve and develop into. Now with the technology we could make everything look as realistic as possible but is that the direction we will end up being? Are we gonna create a virtual reality world where we cannot tell the difference anymore? I wanted to fast ward time and find out.
Fiona Chenxue Lu (chenxuel@usc.edu)
Aisha Jamila Harper (ajharper@usc.edu // 5377-7371-00)
ReplyDeleteI honestly expected Ray to talk dive right into how he co-founded Pixar, and perhaps go over roadblocks 3D animators can face when making a movie. BUT. I did not think that I would leave that meeting wondering if my understanding of a pixel was wrong, then what else have I a misunderstanding of. I find that to be completely amazing. He left me with a lot of things to think about, and it inspired me to take the initiative to making sure that I understand the complexities of the technical side of animation, and not just the general understanding of it. Before I started this program, I was just so fixated on drawing and animating with an interest in the technical side too, but now I'm just as invested.
The mathematical aspect of his presentation flew way over my head, but I did grasp the core concepts and develop a deep appreciation for all of the hard work he and others before him put into creating this field. It is a goal of mine to also add something beautiful to the craft of animation; something that can be taught so that it may inspire others. Maybe I should also brush on my math while I'm at it.
I was very impressed and amazed by Dr. Alvy Smith's presentation last week! Honestly, I was surprised when he explained to us about the origin and history of computer graphics (with details), starting from pixels to the rise of digital arts, since those are the things people seldom talk about, and it seems like no one really know where they came from, even for myself. I never really wondered where 3D animation come from? Who invented VFX? But suddenly, all these questions have been answered by the man in front of us, who actually took part in the history itself, which is mind-blowing! He not only co-founded Pixar, but is also a huge contribution to computer animation. What a legend. I just want to appreciate the fact that the reason we are able to take advantage of all the techniques and facilities today, is because of these heroes back in the days. Without their hard-work and effort, 3D animation, VFX, motion graphics... might not even exist nowadays. Dr. Alvy Smith's presentation has really allowed me to see animation in a different perspective, to understand the more historical and meaningful side of it, instead of just drawing and painting without knowing the story behind what I am doing. I believe I will appreciate the resources and conveniences I have more in the future.
ReplyDeleteSydney Chen (pinghsin@usc.edu)
ReplyDeleteIt was a very informative speech from Dr. Alvy Smith last week! He is a pioneer and witness of animation history who had such a significant influence on computer animation.
The theory of pixel is so fascinating subverted my knowledge of computers completely.
I just want to show respect and appreciation for Dr. Alvy Smith's efforts and inventions in computer animation. Those inventions didn't only benefit the animation industry.
They were world-changing.
In the past, creating animation was much more challenging than nowadays. Animators also had to be programmers, engineers, even scientists, and mathematicians. Seeing how those pioneers entirely devoted themselves to push animation forward in the past really widened up my eyesight and made me more motivated.
Giulia (tzuyupan@usc.edu)
From Armando:
ReplyDeleteDr. Smith’s seminar was such a pleasure to listen to. Firstly, I had no idea he was involved in the creation of Pixar. It’s crazy thinking how much he influenced the 3d animation world yet still remains so humbled and grounded as a human. Plus, he’s such an intelligent man. His explanation of what the pixel is will always stay in my mind because it's crazy to think how many people do not know what an actual pixel is yet it is in so many people’s lives. He truly is a pioneer in the industry and I cannot believe I got to listen to him speak. His story about breaking his leg will always stay with me as a source of inspiration.
-Armando Sepulveda Mendoza