From: Denisa Kera [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 28 January 2006 14:28
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: workshops for educators, artists etc.

If possible, please publish this announcement on your mailing list.

It is series of three workshops dedicated to advanced technologies used
in film and animation, especially (game) engines and motion capture.

Thank you for your help.


TransISTor 2

TransISTor is an ongoing training project (started in 2005) with a main
objective to increase competence of young audiovisual professionals as
well as educators working with interactive media. The training sessions
which combine personalized hands-on practising with conceptual and
technological introductions address producers, developers, programmers
as well as teachers, artists, and designers.

In 2006 TransISTor offers 3 intensive training sessions with renowned
lecturers and professionals from Europe, USA and Japan.

Session 1: 3D virtual environments, game creation and storytelling
13. 06. - 16. 06. 2006, Prague
400 (freelancer) / € 800 (corporate)
The price includes training, didactic materials and subsistence.

Session 2: Motion capture techniques for 3D games and film
03. 07. - 06. 07. 2006, Karlovy Vary during the International Film Festival
400 (freelancer) / € 800 (corporate)
The price includes training, didactic materials and subsistence.

Session 3: Simulation in 3D spaces and games (Physics, AI and AL)
07. 07. - 10. 07. 2006, Prague
400 (freelancer) / € 800 (corporate)
The price includes training, didactic materials and subsistence.


Application deadline: 1st of May 2006

Scholarships are available through the organiser and the MEDIA desk
offices in the participants` home country. In case you need further
assistance with the funding, please contact us. We strongly encourage
applications from women and members of minority groups.

Partner of the project:
FAMU – Film and TV Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague

TransISTor is a training initiative organised by CIANT – International
Centre for Art and New Technologies with a support of the MEDIA Training
programme of the European Union.

Training sessions are aimed to offer transdisciplinary insights into
some of the advanced multimedia techniques which underpin contemporary
audiovisual productions. TransISTor focuses on the emerging,
specifically computer games related technologies while opening up their
creative potential also for non-gaming storytelling domains, including
cinema, TV, educational applications and cross-media productions.

3D virtual environments, game creation and storytelling

In this project-based workshop participants will be introduced to the
fundamentals of game design and programming and will present a final
group project at the end of the week. Lectures and exercises will give
an overview of the tools and techniques used for game creation from 3D
modelling (3Ds Max, Maya, SoftImage XSI) to customizing and expanding
the games: creating levels and “modding” game engines. Through analysis
of case studies the participants will explore the strengths and
weaknesses of different game technologies in respect to interactivity,
immersion and storytelling. Through group-work they will put the
analytical concepts into practice and experiment with the basics of how
to model characters and environments or how to create a modified game.
The goal of the workshop is to explore the future development of games
in respect to issues of cross-media, innovative story-based content
creation and pervasive multi-user applications and interfaces.



Motion capture techniques for 3D games and film

The emphasis of this creative cross-disciplinary workshop is on the
motion capture technology and its different employment in biomechanics’
research, robotics, cinema and animation in games. During the intensive
4-day workshop participants will examine the potential and limitations
of the motion capture technology and form a team that will develop and
carry out a collaborative project. The workshop will examine different
systems for capturing motion data (optical and magnetic systems),
explain the process (setting sensors, recording session, computer
post-processing, issues of exporting animation data and their
association with a 3D model and manipulation of motion data in 3D
software) and further outline related technologies such as facial motion
capture and performance capture. The main goal of the workshop is to
explain how to create a realistic animation with a motion capture system
and how it is used in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality projects.



Simulation in 3D spaces and games (Physics, AI and AL)

In this workshop participants will gain knowledge of different game
engines, specially developed “social” engines and other simulation tools
that will help them create their final project. Such engines and tools
are used to simulate physics of different environments, social processes
and behaviours of autonomous intelligent agents and even evolution in
the case of artificial life. The participants will work in teams and
explore the knowledge from different disciplines (computer and natural
science, communication, informatics, bioinformatics etc.) in order to
create audiovisual projects using alternative physics, artificial
intelligence of artificial life. Case studies will help them understand
the future development of digital games for entertainment as well as
non-entertainment purposes that are used in the field of education and
audiovisual productions.


Contact:

CIANT – International Centre for Art and New Technologies
Kubelíkova 27
130 00 Prague
Czech Republic
Tel.: +42 (0) 296 330 965
Fax: +42 (0) 296 330 964
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
URL: http://transistor.ciant.cz
Please register on our website to receive future updates.


Denisa Kera
Project manager for TransISTor

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