Sony Pictures Imageworks arrives at the SIGGRAPH Conference in New Orleans with an exciting array of projects and presentations including a course of "The Making of 'Stuart Little,'" a special session on "Hollow Man," a panel on electronic games and the 3rd Annual Imageworks Drawing Class.

Following its worldwide success with "Stuart Little," for Columbia Pictures. the company just completed two major films "What Lies Beneath," a Dreamworks/Twentieth Century Fox production directed by Robert Zemeckis that opened on July 21 and "Hollow Man," a Columbia Picture directed by Paul Verhoeven to be released nationally on August 4. Imageworks, which is home to some of the industry's top talent, including visual effects supervisors Rob Legato, Jerome Chen, Sheena Duggal, Karen Goulekas, Pat McClung, and its president, five-time Oscar̉ winner Ken Ralston, is currently in varying stages of production for "Cast Away," "Spider Man," "Stuart Little II," "Harry Potter" and "Charlie's Angels."

"Of the major projects coming into the marketplace, Imageworks is working on three of the year's biggest and most challenging," observes Imageworks Executive Vice-President and General Manager Tim Sarnoff. "The work that has been done by the talented individuals at Imageworks is being recognized by the community for the quality, skill and care that goes into every shot. I could not be prouder of their accomplishments."

The focal point for Imageworks at SIGGRAPH will be booth 1829 and 1929 at the Ernest Morial Convention Center. For the third year in a row, the Imageworks booth will feature its popular life drawing classes taught by George Suhayda, a senior Art Director for Sony Pictures Imageworks. Attendees are invited to draw their impressions of a live model on T-shirts, provided in the booth. Special master classes on sculpture, digital character animation, demo reel creation and creative concept pitching will also be presented during the exhibit day.

Imageworks is now part of newly formed Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment and sister operations including Sony Online Entertainment, the online gaming site where the hit "Everquest" attracts more than 50,000 simultaneous players during peak evening hours, will join Imageworks on the exhibit floor.

"Stuart Little:" A Tale of Fur, Costumes, Performances, and Integration: Breathing Life into a Digital Character" is the topic for a full day course (Hall E 1-3, 8:30 AM to 5 PM) organized by Imageworks' Digital Effects Supervisors Jim Berney and Jay K. Redd. Participants joining Jim and Jay include animation director Henry Anderson, visual Effects Supervisor Jerome Chen, Senior Visual Effects Supervisor John Dykstra and Digital Effects Supervisor Scott Stokdyk.

On Wednesday, Imageworks has been invited by SIGGRAPH to present a special session, "Hollow Men and Invisible People--Layers of the Digital Actor," (2:15 - 4:00 PM, Room 243-245) on the design and development of a Digital Human for the Columbia Picture "Hollow Man," directed by Paul Verhoeven. Visual effects supervisor Scott E. Anderson and Paul Verhoeven reteamed to create "Hollow Man." starring Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth Shue. The two worked together on "Starship Troopers" and the collaboration resulted in an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects..

Imagework's presence at SIGGRAPH2000 also includes participation in the Electronic Theater, a highlight of each Siggraph conference. "Hollow Man: The Digital Human Project" is a 2 minute presentation of the design, research and development of the most complex digital human model ever built for a motion picture. In the Computer Animation Festival screening rooms, a selection from the boat race sequence from "Stuart Little" includes behind the scenes footage and previsualization elements.

Imageworks will host a panel "Computer and Video Games: The Next Generation" on Tuesday afternoon (Ballroom A/B, 2:15-4:00 PM). Moderated by George Suhayda, the panel promises to explore the notion that development of new technology is the catalyst for new art forms. Panelists include Lucy Bradshaw, from Electronic Arts, Tom Hershey from Sony Pictures Imageworks, Henry Jenkins from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dominic Mallinson of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, and Christopher Weaver from ZeniMax Media, Inc.

Career opportunities abound at Imageworks and throughout Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment. From character animators and shader writers to technical directors and engineers, the company is open to attracting experienced talent at all levels and positions.

"Talent is inspired and attracted by the opportunity to create something different and memorable," says Tim Sarnoff, "We have created an environment at Imageworks where the combination of great talent, supported by outstanding tools, can create images that no one else has ever done before. We've done it on "Hollow Man," we did it with "Stuart Little," and the projects ahead of us offer the same great opportunity to break new ground again."

About the company:
Sony Pictures Imageworks is an award-winning state-of-the-art visual effects and animation company dedicated to the art and artistry of digital production.

Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment (SPDE), an operating unit of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), oversees the activities of SPE's digital production and online assets which include Sony Pictures Imageworks, Sony Online Entertainment and all of the company's online initiatives. SPDE focuses on three areas: 1) producing and developing visual effects and computer-generated imaging (CGI), digital character animation, and original content for motion picture, television, online and PlayStation audiences; 2) tapping SPE's film and television libraries and its talent relationships to develop new forms of online content, games and interactive programming; and 3) leading SPE's efforts to provide video-on-demand, interactive television and the distribution of other forms of digital content and services over the emerging broadband networks.

Sony Pictures Entertainment's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television programming and syndication; home video acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technology; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures can be found on the world wide web at www.sonypictures.com

For further information contact:
Don Levy
don_levy@spe.sony.com
310-840-8234
Pager at SIGGRAPH: 888-669-1357