Trojan Horse is a Unicorn Announces Final 2019 Lineup

Trojan Horse Was A Unicorn 2019 has just announced its complete event program, including new guest speakers and recruiters, for the six-day gathering that begins next Monday, September 23, in Valletta, Malta.

THU is one of the largest digital entertainment industry events in the world, encompassing the fields of visual effects, concept art, gaming, animation, illustration, VR and beyond. Founded in 2013, THU has become a favored meeting place for the global digital arts community. Last year's event attracted over 1,000 attendees from 79 countries -- a growing community of artists, programmers, entrepreneurs, and industry professionals, who call themselves "the Tribe." They come to THU to meet and learn from guest speakers, to develop their skills, to network, and, perhaps, to find a job in the digital entertainment industry.

This year's line-up boasts more than 70 guest speakers - known as "Knights.” Previously announced Knights include Peter Ramsey, co-director of Oscar-winning animated  feature  Spider-Man:  Into  The  Spiderverse;  Vicki   Dobbs Beck ,  executive  in  Charge  of  ILMxLAB,  immersive  storytelling  division  of Lucasfilm; Mingjue Helen Chen, art director at  Walt  Disney  Animation  Studios; and Andrew  Gordon,  veteran  Pixar  animator  and  head  of  animation at VFX studio DNEG.

New Knights recently added to the line-up include:

• Alison Mann, vice president of creative/strategy at Sony Pictures Animation and co-founder of the BRIC Foundation, which creates new access points for women and people from underrepresented groups in creative industries.
• Kim Libreri, veteran visual effects pioneer and current CTO at Epic Games, where he has been advancing the capabilities of the studio’s Unreal Engine. Kim’s movie credits include The Matrix – he helped develop the iconic “bullet-time” effect – the Oscar-winning What Dreams May Come and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
• Doug Roble, senior director of software R&D at Digital Domain, Doug has been at the forefront of visual technology development for over 25 years. He has received two Academy Sci-Tech Awards, and speaks regularly at premier events such as TED2019, SIGGRAPH and the Symposium on Computer Animation.
• Maggie Malone, executive producer at Illumination Entertainment and former head of creative affairs at Walt Disney Animation Studios, where she oversaw development on such titles as Frozen, Zootopia, Moana, Wreck-It Ralph and Big Hero 6.
• Kevin Baillie, who, since working on Star Wars Episode I at age 18, has supervised VFX on a long list of films including Star Trek: Into Darkness, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and most recently, Robert Zemeckis’ Welcome To Marwen.
• Kim Jung-Gi, Illustrator extraordinaire, whose photographic memory and ability to execute epic tableaux without preparation have made him one of the most widely admired artists in the business.
• Erika Woolsey, National Geographic explorer and "the Lara Croft of ocean science." Erika is currently using virtual reality to map, share and conserve the world's coral reefs.
• Shannon Tindle, Emmy Award-winning animator and artist whose credits include Kubo and the Two Strings, Coraline, The Croods and Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends. Shannon is currently developing original TV and feature projects for Netflix Animation.
• Virginie Bourdin, Leading VFX art director, and visual entertainment designer whose work includes Captain Marvel, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Assassin's Creed and the Harry Potter series. Virginie is currently working with Netflix film.

In addition, THU's two-day recruitment element continues to attract the foremost digital entertainment companies in the industry. Recruiters confirmed for THU 2019 include: Walt Disney Animation Studios, Netflix, Sony Animation, Bandai Namco, Industrial Light & Magic, Riot Games, Ubisoft, King and Sumo Digital.

“THU is more than a movement," says founder Andre Luis. "Our aim is to create a safe place where creators from different areas and backgrounds can meet and feel free to share ideas and be themselves. It’s all about empowering them and making them feel like they are part of something bigger: a community where they can find new perspectives, new paths and a new motivation to pursue their goals.”

Tickets for THU 2019 are still available at the official website.

Source: THU

AWN Staff Editor