Hollywood 2024 Unites Tech And Entertainment Titans

By Pickle November 9, 2024

Featuring visionary leaders and groundbreaking tech showcases, the event marks a premier celebration of digital innovation and storytelling from November 6–9 in iconic Hollywood venues

The Infinity Festival Hollywood 2024, set for November 6–9 at The Aster and Avalon Theater, promises a comprehensive look at the evolving landscape of technology and entertainment. The event’s spotlight on industry innovation is exemplified by featured speakers and immersive programming.

Sony Pictures Imageworks leads the charge with Mandy Tankenson, Head of Production, who emphasized: “We are honored to co-chair and bring together storytellers and technologists who redefine creative boundaries.”

The event benefits from the expertise of PRG (Production Resource Group). “We see the best events merging high-quality production, innovation, and interactive moments to maintain audience engagement,” said Jeroen Hallaert, VP of Production Services.

Infinity Festival will also showcase several exciting highlights such as:

 Student Lab Programming: In collaboration with esteemed institutions including USC, UCLA, Emerson College, The Los Angeles Film School, Otis College, Gnomon, Chapman University, LMU, University of Texas, CSUN, and UCI, with more partners to be announced

 SoCal Women’s Leadership Summit and Leadership Awards: hosted by Women in Technology: Hollywood Foundation

 Start-Up Exhibition Pavilion: Highlighting innovative new companies

 Curated Gaming and Immersive Exhibitions: Showcasing the latest breakthroughs in technology and interactive entertainment with a focus on AI

The festival is supported by an impressive lineup of presenting sponsors, including Z by HP NVIDIA and Intel. Program and promotional partners include prominent industry organizations such as Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, HPA, ETC at USC, VES, AILA and WiTH.

The initial lineup of speakers will span across three stages from:

 Entertainment, Technology and Los Angeles Thought Leaders: consisting of special guests from Shogun creators and Emmy Winners Justin Marks (‘Top Gun: Maverick’, 2019’s ‘The Jungle Book’) and Rachel Kondo, the Academy Award-Winning independent studio, AGBO; Academy Award-winning visual effects supervisor Robert Legato (‘Titanic,’ 2019’s ‘ The Lion King’), David Simon (Echelon Creative Environments, Brian Folb (Hollywood Offices and Paramount Contractors Developers) and top executives from Z By HP, NVIDIA, Intel, Sony Pictures Imageworks, AWS and ETC at USC

 Gaming and Immersive: featuring SEGA executive Justin Scarpone (Global Head of Transmedia) and Vicki Dobbs Beck (VP, Immersive Content Innovation, Lucasfilm & ILM Immersive)

 Artificial Intelligence: showcasing leaders in the A.I. industry discussing innovations in the space

“Infinity Festival has always been about bringing together the best minds from both Hollywood and Silicon Valley, and this year’s lineup of speakers truly embodies that mission,” said the Infinity Festival programming team of Lori H. Schwartz, Natalie Novak, Erik Weaver, Anna Sinatra and Scott Shaw.

“We are honored to welcome such an extraordinary group of innovators and thought leaders to the stage. Their insights and expertise will undoubtedly inspire and impart invaluable knowledge to our attendees, as we continue to explore the future of technology-driven content creation.”

The event will also showcase performances from Cirque du Soleil at the opening night party at The Aster and Grammy Award-winner, Nathalie Bonin (Women Warriors: The Voices of Change), performing at the Monolith Awards – whose production will be aided in presentation from NASA – further showcasing the events dedication to innovation as the singular technology and entertainment event by fostering the unique intersection of creativity and innovation.

“We are thrilled to bring PRG’s cutting edge capabilities to Infinity Festival, helping the featured speakers bring their presentations to life,” said Jeroen Hallaert, Vice President at PRG.

“Our technology and expertise are perfectly aligned to support this exciting lineup, ensuring an unforgettable experience for both speakers and attendees as we explore the future of entertainment and technology.”

In bridging the gap between Silicon Valley and Hollywood, Infinity Festival continues to position Los Angeles at the forefront for speakers across both industries while utilizing iconic L.A. landmarks historically like Griffith Observatory, Capitol Records and this year The Aster, The Avalon and Amoeba Music as venues and backdrops by blending innovation with the city’s cultural individuality.

Trending at Infinity Festival

These trends at Infinity Festival underscore its commitment to explore how technological advancements are reshaping storytelling and content creation Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Entertainment

AI’s role in content creation and production is a focal point, with discussions on how AI enhances visual effects and streamlines workflows..

Virtual Production Techniques

The festival will explore virtual production methods that blend physical and digital filmmaking, offering insights into creating immersive environments and real-time collaboration.

Gaming and Interactive Media Innovations

Advancements in gaming and interactive media, including spatial technologies and location-based experiences, will be highlighted.

Web3 and Decentralized Content

The festival will discuss the impact of Web3 technologies on media and entertainment, focusing on decentralized content creation and distribution models.

Cloud-Based Production Workflows

Transitioning production workflows to the cloud for enhanced efficiency and collaboration will be a key topic, reflecting the industry’s move towards cloudbased solutions.