A View to the Future
Conference welcomes world back to Italy to talk about animation, VFX and more
The VIEW Conference, now more than ever, is turning its eye toward the future, bringing top industry talent from around the world to Turin, Italy, for a week of presentations, talks and masterclasses across animation, VFX, gaming and more.
“We are talking about the future so much this year,” says conference director Maria Elena Gutierrez. “It’s the theme of this year’s event, Living in the Future, and in many of the sessions, we’ll be talking about how the future is already here.”
The VIEW Conference, which runs from Oct. 16-21, remains a hybrid event, but in 2022, most of the speakers will attend in person and some of the year’s most anticipated movies will unspool or show fresh footage at the event.
One of the highlights will be “Wendell & Wild,” Netflix’s upcoming stop-motion animated feature directed by Henry Selick, who will be on hand virtually to talk about the film. Selick, who directed the groundbreaking stop-motion classics “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Coraline,” also will receive the conference’s Visionary Award.
“Henry Selick is a true artist and a visionary filmmaker,” says Gutierrez.
“He has an uncanny ability to draw out our secret dreams and transform them into something unforgettable. His films are dark, beautiful, rich in symbolism and filled with the most gorgeous imagery. I am delighted to honor his achievements.”
The honor will be bestowed during Selick’s “Wendell & Wild” talk, 8:45 a.m. PT Oct. 20. He’ll be joined by illustrator and character designer Pablo Lobato and lead animator Suzanne Twining.
“The caliber of this year’s speakers is matched only by their enthusiasm for the conference and everything it stands for,” Gutierrez
says. “And, after the nightmare of COVID, it is wonderful to know that most of our speakers are attending in person.”
Among those coming to Turin are Nickelodeon and Paramount Animation president Ramsey Naito and Sony Pictures Animation president Kristin Belson, who will discuss what the future holds for their studios. Also on hand will be producer Roy Conli, who will share a first look at Disney’s upcoming “Strange World,” and Cartoon Saloon co-founder Nora Twomey, who will present Netflix’s “My Father’s Dragon,” which she directed.
Other directors on hand include Robert Zemeckis, Domee Shi, Chris Williams and Rob Minkoff, who will offer a retrospective of his 1994 Disney classic “The Lion King.”
Speakers will also be talking about the visual effects created for such projects as “Thor: Love and Thunder,” “Stranger Things,” “The Sandman,” “Jurassic World: Dominion,” “Moon Knight” and “Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.”
Gutierrez is excited so many speakers are coming back to Italy this year and anxious to recapture the feeling of community that has long been associated with the conference.
“The VIEW Conference is not an event, it’s a community. When the conference is in full swing, I invite everyone who is attending to take a moment to step back and listen. Behind the buzz of conversation, they will hear the unmistakable beat of the conference’s hidden heart. It is a heart powered by inspiration, love and mutual respect. It is the reason we all come together to celebrate our achievements and share our ideas. This heart, and the warm human spirit it represents, is what matters to me most about VIEW Conference.”
TIPSHEET WHAT: WHEN: WHERE: WEB:
The VIEW Conference Oct. 16-21
Turin, Italy viewconference.it