INDUSTRY BRIEFINGS
DIARY DATES
SXSW Film & TV Festival 8-16 March in Texas, US
SMODE XR impresses at CES 2024 S mode Japan, the Paris-based subsidiary of Smode Tech, generated a buzz at CES – collaborating with Sony PCL to showcase cutting-edge virtual production solutions. The exhibit deployed the SMODE xR system, a dedicated tool for virtual production and extended reality (XR) projects, in conjunction with Sony’s Crystal LED display, building on a fruitful partnership between the companies. Sony PCL XR coordinator for CES 2024, Yoshihisa Sukeda, praised SMODE technology for its intuitiveness and ease of use, as well as its capacity to realise seamless scene changes as a media server. According to Sukeda, a primary function of the exhibit was to allow visitors “to experience virtual production and deepen their understanding of the technology. At the same time, I wanted to provide a little surprise by incorporating set extensions.” These set extensions were another piece of the puzzle made possible by SMODE xR, enabling the Sony team to achieve free shooting angles regardless of LED size. Compatible with major 3D engines, SMODE xR blends the real and virtual worlds, simplifying immersive experience creation for virtual production, TV, films and live events while offering real-time compositing, orchestrating LED, content and camera tracking. The collaboration has already borne impressive results on projects including a music video where SMODE was utilised for XR and AR effects, and a short film depicting an impossible car chase using XR technology.
Known for its diverse and high-calibre programming, the SXSW Film & TV Festival is back for its 31st outing this March. Hotly tipped inclusions this year include the premiere of Pamela Adlon’s Babes and Tommy Dorfman’s I Wish You All the Best. Sofia International Film Festival 13-31 March in Sofia, Bulgaria The Sofia International Film Festival is also poised to return this month, presenting the cream of Bulgarian and Balkan films, plus a programme of contemporary cinema from around the world. Special guests this year include Margarethe von Trotta, a leading light of the New German Cinema movement. FILMART 11-14 March in Hong Kong, China Asia’s largest content marketplace, FILMART is a hotbed of distribution, production and acquisition for film, TV, games and other media. Gathering hundreds of exhibitors from around the globe, it attracts thousands of industry practitioners ranging from sales agents to investors and service providers.
Call of the Wildscreen
W ildscreen, the UK-based not-for-profit behind the world’s largest wildlife film and TV festival, has opened the call for entries to its Panda Awards and Official Selection. The 2024 competition comprises 14 categories, with all entrants eligible for the Panda Awards, which celebrate the art of natural world storytelling. Awards are on offer for categories including best cinematography, directing, editing, sound and sustainability, with cash prizes available. New for this year is the special recognition award for field craft, recognising the pivotal role played by local in- country field crews within the natural history genre. The festival will take place from 14-18 October in Bristol, and entries close on 10 May.
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