FJORG! at SIGGRAPH
There’s going to be a new twist at this year’s SIGGRAPH conference in San Diego. In addition to all of the other excellent events going on, there’s going to be a intense 32-hour animation competition called FJORG! (pronounced “forge”… and, yes, the exclamation mark is part of the name).
In the first international FJORG! – an iron-animator event at SIGGRAPH 2007 – competing three-person teams of CG animators will forgo sleep and multiple staged distractions for 32 straight hours. Their goal is to resist the distractions and meet the deadline for creating the best character-driven animation the world has ever seen. In return for their efforts, these teams of artists will earn the attention of recruiters and talent from the top studios in computer graphics, feature films, animation, and game production.
There will be 16 teams selected from a pool of applicants that will be chosen to compete. They will be provided with rigs, models, and software to create a 15-second (minimum) character animation. There’s no word yet from them what software they’ll use. Ideally, I hope that they’ll offer the rigs and models in an interchangeable format so multiple applications can be used and no one team has the advantage of already knowing software other teams don’t (and maybe even Blender can be used).
The deadline for teams to apply is 1 May. Applying teams must submit a 2-minute demo reel to be considered. They’ll be posting more details about submissions near the end of this month and Blender Nation will be sure to keep you posted on all of it. In the meantime, who wants to form a team? ;)
I do! This sounds great, and I’m almost positive I’ll be able to make it to San Diego for the conference this year. The timing looks like it’s going to work out perfectly.
Anybody know how to obtain a free exhibit pass for this year’s SIGGRAPH? I went to Boston last year, and would like to take my entire team down to San Diego in August. Thanks!
very nice idea :)
Jacob, exhibitors always have free passes to give away. If the Blender Foundation is going (and I haven’t heard anything about that decision yet) they’ll have free passes. If they don’t, try talking to some of the other exhibitors.
hmm, there was a big angry discussion about this on a few mailing lists. the key argument was that this glorifies an ugly side of this industry, equating killing yourself and overwork with something to aspire to. anyone who signs up for this should think about the bigger picture.
It’s a pity they don’t have a show like Siggraph down south in New Zealand.
@sea: I can understand why people wouldn’t like that, but it’s not the only industry with competitions where you stay up for nearly a couple of days straight to work to do something.
Anyway, if you are willing to work hard enough to beat the competition, normally sleep is not an issue… Your supply of coffee (or lack thereof) is usually more of an issue… ;)
32 hours straight is never fun. At Siggraph it should at least be a different experience. Wonder if they’ll allow vitamin suppliments and red-bull? Final crunches are never fun and they are an aspect to a lot of work areas, not just animation. It is a strange competition but one that will fill a good sized hotel or two afterwards with real tired animators.
Good grief siggraph, you better have some free sessions for producers and directors as to how to ‘avoid’ 32 hour crunch sessions and poor time management. lol
I dunno. Some might think I’m sick-minded (okay… perhaps more than just “some”), but 32-hours of straight animating does sound my idea of a good time. While I’m not disputing the value of good time management and that crunch-time is rarely a treat, I find it difficult to believe none of you have ever passionately worked on something ceaselessly until you got it done. You know, been ‘in the zone’ on a project and just work on it until you can’t move. I know I have.
This seems to me like it’s all in great fun; while competitive and perhaps a bit stressful, I think it would be quite exciting to participate in. I look forward to it.
Interesting idea, but 32 hours with provided rigs and Chars for 15 second minimum animation seems a bit of a strain on the health! However, saying that the big studios and film companies probably ask for far more sweat and blood in feature animations particularly as it is extremely rare that an animator in a large studio works on the rigs and modeling anyhow. Good luck to the chosen few, but don’t kill yourself for that ‘big studio’ job, it may not be what your looking for!
I heard it will be great. They have a nap room full of huge bean bags! I have been sworn to secrecy, but the entertainment and speakers are very very cool. So far DreamWorks, HP, AMD and Disney have signed on to sponsor – and the prizes aren’t just stuff but opportunities. A computer company is donating the grand prize (hint hint) . . .
I heard they have an OD specialist form the air force assisting teams with time management and teamwork.
Blender is not on the list – but I think if you offer some rigs that work in blender they will allow it in . . . can anyone donate?