

SIGGRAPH Spotlight
ACM SIGGRAPH
SIGGRAPH Spotlight is a podcast that explores cutting-edge projects and topics in computer graphics and interactive techniques, one episode at a time. Episodes are hosted by ACM SIGGRAPH leaders and feature experts spanning everything from animation and visual effects to engineering and virtual reality.
This show was founded as an extension of ACM SIGGRAPH's annual conference.
This show was founded as an extension of ACM SIGGRAPH's annual conference.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 5, 2020 • 37min
35 – Real-time, Ray Tracing, and Realism
ABOUT THE EPISODE
In this episode of SIGGRAPH Spotlight, SIGGRAPH 2020 Real-Time Live! Chair Marc Olano sits down with four incredible creators who are pushing the boundaries of innovation in real-time graphics. Arisa Scott of Unity Technologies, Eric Haines of NVIDIA, Mike Hardison of Blizzard Entertainment, and Mohen Leo of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) discuss the evolution of real-time technology as well as techniques in ray tracing, games, VFX, artificial intelligence (AI), and everything in-between.
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MUSIC
Podcast theme, "SIGGRAPH," composed by Julius Dobos.
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LINKS
*Episode*
Links: https://unity.com/ray-tracing | https://www.reddit.com/r/minecraftRTX/ | https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/research/ai-playground/ | https://www.ilm.com/ | https://www.blizzard.com/en-us/ | https://s2020.siggraph.org/conference/program-events/real-time-live/ | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPam5CHFQMQ
*Social Media*
blog.siggraph.org | www.facebook.com/SIGGRAPHConferences | www.twitter.com/siggraph | www.youtube.com/user/ACMSIGGRAPH | www.instagram.com/acmsiggraph | www.linkedin.com/company/acm-siggraph/
*Conference Website*
https://s2020.siggraph.org

Apr 24, 2020 • 45min
34 – Computer Animation Today
ABOUT THE EPISODE
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to participate in a SIGGRAPH conference jury? In this all-new episode of SIGGRAPH Spotlight, SIGGRAPH 2020 Computer Animation Festival Electronic Theater Director Munkhtsetseg Nandigjav (associate chair of digital communications, Savannah College of Art & Design) sits down with five of her six 2020 jurors to discuss the state of computer animation today and hear their reactions to the incredible breadth of content they reviewed from the computer graphics community. Tune in to hear insight on modern CG from Renato dos Anjos (head of animation, Walt Disney Animation Studios), Sidney Clifton (executive producer, Deluxe Animation Studios), Janet Iwasa (assistant professor, University of Utah), Mark SubbaRao (director of visualization, Adler Planetarium), and Natalya Tatarchuk (vice president of graphics, Unity Technologies).
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MUSIC
Podcast theme, "SIGGRAPH," composed by Julius Dobos.
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LINKS
*Episode*
https://s2020.siggraph.org/conference/program-events/electronic-theater/ | https://s2020.siggraph.org/conference/juries/ | https://www.instagram.com/renatoanimation/ | https://www.deluxeanimationstudios.com/en/about/team/sidney-clifton/ | https://twitter.com/mirror2mask | https://www.adlerplanetarium.org/learn/resources/astronomers/ | https://twitter.com/janetiwasa
*Social Media*
http://blog.siggraph.org/ | https://www.facebook.com/SIGGRAPHConferences | https://twitter.com/siggraph | https://www.youtube.com/user/ACMSIGGRAPH | https://www.instagram.com/acmsiggraph/ | https://www.linkedin.com/company/acm-siggraph/
*Conference Website*
https://s2020.siggraph.org/

Mar 13, 2020 • 24min
33 – Interactive and Immersive Art
SIGGRAPH Spotlight
Show Notes: Episode 33
Title: 33 – Interactive and Immersive Art
ABOUT THE EPISODE
Thanks for joining us for another SIGGRAPH Spotlight! In this episode, SIGGRAPH 2020 Art Papers Chair Andres Burbano (associate professor, Universidad de los Andes) catches up with Rachel Dickey (assistant professor, University of North Carolina at Charlotte), Sandro Kereselidze (co-founder and art director, ARTECHOUSE), and Marc Petz (instructor, Kent Career Tech Center) to discuss their recent work, the evolution of interactive and immersive art, the digital art scene in SIGGRAPH 2020 host city Washington, D.C., and more.
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MUSIC
Podcast theme, "SIGGRAPH," composed by Julius Dobos.
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LINKS
*Episode*
https://www.dc.artechouse.com/ | http://racheldickey.com/air-hugs | https://www.siggraph.org/leonardo/ | https://www.thetechcenter.org/programs/3d-animation--game-design/autism-xr---student-project/
*Social Media*
http://blog.siggraph.org/ | https://www.facebook.com/SIGGRAPHConferences | https://twitter.com/siggraph | https://www.youtube.com/user/ACMSIGGRAPH | https://www.instagram.com/acmsiggraph/ | https://www.linkedin.com/company/acm-siggraph/
*Conference Website*
https://s2020.siggraph.org/

Feb 14, 2020 • 40min
32 – Celebrating Black History Month
ABOUT THE EPISODE
In this episode of SIGGRAPH Spotlight, ACM SIGGRAPH Diversity and Inclusion Chair Tony Baylis sits down with three incredible storytellers and creators — Everett Downing Jr., Sidney Clifton, and Roger Ross Williams — to discuss their powerful work on projects like the Academy Award®-winning animated short “Hair Love,” BET and Marvel’s “Black Panther,” and VR immersive documentary “Traveling While Black.” The group also speaks to diversity and the African American perspective in computer graphics and interactive techniques, and the importance of celebrating Black History Month.
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MUSIC
Podcast theme, "SIGGRAPH," composed by Julius Dobos.
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LINKS
*Episode*
Links: https://www.edowning.com/ | https://onestoryproductions.com/ | http://www.matthewacherry.com/hair-love | https://youtu.be/kNw8V_Fkw28 | https://rogerrosswilliams.com/ | https://www.felixandpaul.com/?projects/twb | https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2093299/ | https://blackwomenanimate.com/
*Social Media*
blog.siggraph.org/ | www.facebook.com/SIGGRAPHConferences | twitter.com/siggraph | www.youtube.com/user/ACMSIGGRAPH | www.instagram.com/acmsiggraph/ | www.linkedin.com/company/acm-siggraph/
*Conference Website*
https://s2020.siggraph.org/

Dec 6, 2019 • 29min
31 – Trevor Romain
In this episode of SIGGRAPH Spotlight, ACM SIGGRAPH International Resources Committee member Jide Ajide sits down with Trevor Romain, a successful author, artist, filmmaker, and all-around storyteller whose works have been featured on PBS. Romain's DVDs are used in schools across the United States, and he has worked with former child soldiers in Africa and spoken to kids on military bases.

Oct 25, 2019 • 1h 15min
30 – Tim Sweeney and the Metaverse
ABOUT THE EPISODE
For the first time, SIGGRAPH Spotlight presents a live, in-session recording from the annual conference in North America. Tune in to hear Tim Sweeney (founder and CEO, Epic Games) during his SIGGRAPH 2019 Talk, “THRIVE: Foundational Principles & Technologies for the Metaverse.” You’ll hear Sweeney posit the state of the games industry, the rise of creator-centric and social gaming, what the “metaverse” really is, and what it will take to build the medium on a larger scale. Bonus: Listen until the end for a special question-and-answer session between Sweeney and members of the live audience.
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MUSIC
Podcast theme, "SIGGRAPH," composed by Julius Dobos.
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LINKS
*Episode*
https://s2019.siggraph.org/conference/programs-events/talks/ | https://dlnext.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3306307#heading11 | https://www.epicgames.com | https://twitter.com/timsweeneyepic
*Social Media*
http://blog.siggraph.org/ | https://www.facebook.com/SIGGRAPHConferences | https://twitter.com/siggraph | https://www.youtube.com/user/ACMSIGGRAPH | https://www.instagram.com/acmsiggraph/ | https://www.linkedin.com/company/acm-siggraph/
*Conference Website*
https://s2020.siggraph.org/

Sep 28, 2019 • 15min
29 – International Collaboration With Blur Studio’s Chris Bedrosian
ABOUT THE EPISODE
Thanks for joining us for another SIGGRAPH Spotlight! In this episode, the ACM SIGGRAPH International Resources Committee’s Asiya Asha (OMSCS, Georgia Tech) catches up with Chris Bedrosian (senior CG supervisor, Blur Studio) to discuss international collaboration for VFX, working on Netflix’s “Love, Death & Robots,” and more.
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MUSIC
Podcast theme, "SIGGRAPH," composed by Julius Dobos.
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LINKS
*Episode*
http://www.blur.com/ | https://www.siggraph.org/connect/international-resources/
*Social Media*
http://blog.siggraph.org/ | https://www.facebook.com/SIGGRAPHConferences | https://twitter.com/siggraph | https://www.youtube.com/user/ACMSIGGRAPH | https://www.instagram.com/acmsiggraph/ | https://www.linkedin.com/company/acm-siggraph/
*Conference Website*
https://s2020.siggraph.org/

Sep 14, 2019 • 12min
28 – Prescription & Foveated AR With NVIDIA
ABOUT THE EPISODE
Thanks for joining us for another SIGGRAPH Spotlight! In this episode, you’re hearing from the ACM SIGGRAPH International Resources Committee’s Bektur Ryskeldiev (postdoc, University of Tsukuba) as he interviews a member of the team behind the SIGGRAPH 2019 Emerging Technologies Best in Show winner. Jonghyun Kim (research scientist, NVIDIA) shares insight into the team’s AR display research as well reflects on the future of foveated rendering and prescription AR glasses.
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MUSIC
Podcast theme, "SIGGRAPH," composed by Julius Dobos.
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LINKS
*Episode*
https://s2019.siggraph.org/conference/programs-events/emerging-technologies/ | https://research.nvidia.com/person/jonghyun-kim | https://research.nvidia.com/publication/2019-07_Matching-Prescription-%26 | siggraph.org/connect/international-resources/
*Social Media*
http://blog.siggraph.org/ | https://www.facebook.com/SIGGRAPHConferences | https://twitter.com/siggraph | https://www.youtube.com/user/ACMSIGGRAPH | https://www.instagram.com/acmsiggraph/ | https://www.linkedin.com/company/acm-siggraph/
*Conference Website*
https://s2020.siggraph.org/

Aug 23, 2019 • 18min
27 - Live From SIGGRAPH 2019 With NASA
ABOUT THE EPISODE
In the latest episode of SIGGRAPH Spotlight, the team brings you live to a discussion from SIGGRAPH 2019 that features a group of brilliant scientific data visualizers. Tune in to our satellite feed for the chance hear from SIGGRAPH 2020 Conference Chair Kristy Pron (media arts and pipeline developer, Walt Disney Imagineering) as she chats with four representatives from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center about the department’s cinematic scientific visualization efforts: Greg Shirah (data analysis, NASA/GSFC), Cindy Starr (sr. sys. engineer, NASA/GSFC), Ernie Wright (media specialist, NASA/GSFC), and Kel Elkins (science visualizer, NASA/GSFC).
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MUSIC
Podcast theme, "SIGGRAPH," composed by Julius Dobos.
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LINKS
*Episode*
https://www.nasa.gov/goddard | https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/
*Social Media*
http://blog.siggraph.org/ | https://www.facebook.com/SIGGRAPHConferences | https://twitter.com/siggraph | https://www.youtube.com/user/ACMSIGGRAPH | https://www.instagram.com/acmsiggraph/ | https://www.linkedin.com/company/acm-siggraph/
*Conference Website*
https://s2020.siggraph.org/

Aug 2, 2019 • 30min
26 – Adaptive Technology: Tech 4 Good
ABOUT THE EPISODE
SIGGRAPH Spotlight welcomes SIGGRAPH 2019 Emerging Technologies Chair Courtney Starrett (associate professor, Texas A&M University, Department of Visualization) to lead a discussion on adaptive technology, including new research and practical applications, as well as participants’ inspiration and personal connections to this focus area. Courtney is joined by SIGGRAPH 2019 Adaptive Technology Co-Chair Natalie Rountree, Konrad Tollmar (associate professor, KTH Royal Institute of Technology), Pietro Lungaro (researcher, KTH Royal Institute of Technology), Marc Petz (3D animation and game design instructor, Kent Career Tech Center), and Rachel Dickey (assistant professor of architecture, University of North Carolina – Charlotte).
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MUSIC
Podcast theme, "SIGGRAPH," composed by Julius Dobos.
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LINKS
*Episode*
http://racheldickey.com/ | https://www.thetechcenter.org/programs/3d-animation--game-design/meet-our-instructor/ | https://www.kth.se/profile/pietro?l=en | https://www.kth.se/profile/konrad | https://www.linkedin.com/in/nattersrountree/ | https://s2019.siggraph.org/conference/programs-events/adaptive-technology/
*Social Media*
http://blog.siggraph.org/ | https://www.facebook.com/SIGGRAPHConferences | https://twitter.com/siggraph | https://www.youtube.com/user/ACMSIGGRAPH | https://www.instagram.com/acmsiggraph/ | https://www.linkedin.com/company/acm-siggraph/
*Conference Website*
http://s2019.siggraph.org/