The Digital Pueblo Project as a Model for Economic Development of

the Film Industry in New MexicoEd Angel

Departments of Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Media Arts

University of New Mexicoangel@cs.unm.edu

atc.unm.eduwww.cs.unm.edu/~angel

Background: UNMBackground: UNM

• UNM has research and teaching strengths in graphics– Much of graphics/visualization groups at

LANL and SNL are UNM graduates (CS and EECE)

– Other grads at Pixar, Dreamworks, Disney,Autodesk

– Starting ~1995 animation efforts• Jointly listed classes between CS and

Media Arts– Graduates would rather be in NM

Dawg StarsDawg Stars

• Outgrowth of SIGGRAPH efforts• Working with Senator Domenici’s office• Participation

– UNM (CS, Media, ATC, Lodestar)– Aquila, Autumn Light, Muse Tech

• Projects– Mentoring/TeaPods– NM Video/Animation– Graphics and Animation in NM

Economic InitiativesEconomic Initiatives

• New Mexico is both rich in culture and art, and a leader in science and technology.

• However, the state faces several challenges that prevent full development of its communities.

– Geographic spread– Lack of access to resources– Lack of job opportunities

• Challenge is to surmount these barriers without destroying the cultural uniqueness of NM

• Motivation for Digital Pueblo Project

Our MissionOur Mission

• The Digital Pueblo Project is building an art and technology environment in New Mexico that includes animation and computer graphics in film, television, arts, music and dance. The goal of the project is to create an atmosphere that will foster innovation and economic opportunity in New Mexico and reverse the drain of talented and innovative people.

NSF Partnership for Innovation NSF Partnership for Innovation ProgramProgram

• “The PFI Program is focused on connections between new knowledge created in the discovery process to learning and innovation. The goals of the program are– to catalyze Partnerships for Innovation that will

enable the transformation of knowledge created by the national research and education enterprise into innovations that create new wealth, build strong local, regional and national economies and improve the national well-being;

– broaden the participation of all types of academic institutions and all citizens in NSF activities to more fully meet the broad workforce needs of the national innovation enterprise; and catalyze enabling infrastructure necessary to foster and sustain innovation in the long-term.

– To develop a set of ideas for pursuing these goals, this competition will support promising partnerships among academe, government and the private sector; partnerships that will explore new approaches to support and sustain innovation. “

Partners at UNMPartners at UNM

• Arts Technology Center, College of Fine Arts

• High Performance Computing Center• Lodestar Astronomy Center• Computer Science Department

Partners in NMPartners in NM

• National Hispanic Cultural Center of NM• Poeh Arts Center, Pojoaque• Pueblo of Zuni• Bandelier EFX• Aquila Group• Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute• Connect NM• NM Trains• Sandia National Laboratories• Drumfire• Conti Films• Vizeon• Big Byte

National Partners National Partners

• IBM• Intel• National Indian Telecommunications

Institute• PIXAR Animation Studios

Key FeaturesKey Features

• Project-based learning– Locally-generated projects– External projects

• Distributed participants– Technology Pods (T-pods)– Centralized Storage

• Communication via Access Grid

Connections via AccessGridConnections via AccessGrid

• High-bandwidth videoconferencing system.• All sites are seen and react simultaneously.• Used for meetings, workshops, seminars,

distance education, and digital arts.

Initial ProjectsInitial Projects

• Year One (started 10/1/2002)– Two technology pods created and

operational• National Hispanic Cultural Center• Lodestar Astronomy Center

– Other classes• National Indian Telecommunications

Institute• Poeh Arts Center (Pojoaque Pueblo)

– Develop real skills and real products

DPP PodDPP Pod

• We have a lab at NHCC equipped with three dual display workstations and a file server specifically for the Digital Pueblo Project

• An identical lab has been set up at the Lodestar Astronomy Center

Large-Format Visualizations Large-Format Visualizations

LodeStar Astronomy CenterLodeStar Astronomy Center

Domed Theater Domed Theater &Planetarium&Planetarium

• One of the first and finest in the world

• Opened 2000• 55-foot diameter domed

screen, 140 seats• Full-Dome Video (SkyVision) &

5.1 Sound• Feature & Star Shows• Lectures & Observing Events• Student & Community

Screenings • Now 50+ theaters

internationally

Producing for the LodeStar Producing for the LodeStar DomeDome

• Complex process involving – Five Virtual Cameras– Scene Design in Maya– Rendering on a large cluster– Stitching images into a single frame– Slicing image sequence for each projector

• DPP participants have mastered process– Student projects (Computer Science, Media Arts)– Artist projects (Arts Technology Center)

• Showings– International Planetarium Society– SIGGRAPH 2003– Flicks on 66 Digital Film Festival

Astronomy for LodeStarAstronomy for LodeStar

Student ProjectsStudent Projects

Artist ProjectsArtist Projects

What’s NextWhat’s Next

• Years Two and Three– Move out of Albuquerque

» Santa Fe » Poeh Arts Center» Your Town

• Self-sustaining projects– Film industry– Startups– Large format productions

SuccessesSuccesses

• Projects are working• Interest is high

But

• Have we bitten off too much?– Everybody wants in

• Connectivity– I2 not really there in rural NM(or parts of Albuquerque)– Alternatives all have problems

VisionVision

• UNM can plan a pivotal role in the development of the film industry by– Providing high-level talent that spans the industry– Providing access to under-represented groups– Providing a place where academics, professionals,

companies, and government can interact– Providing leadership in a increasingly more

technologically based industry