Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/54726
VES AWARDS PRELUDE VES: Evolving to Serve the Needs of Its Members A lot can change in 15 years. In 1996, when the Visual Effects Society (VES) began to form a community of VFX practitioners, the industry was very different from what it is today. Back then, nearly the entire industry was centered in Los Angeles—if you wanted to work in the in- dustry, that is where you went for a job. The tools of the trade were hard to come by: Software, for the most part, was still produced in-house, and computers that ran the programs were extremely expensive. Often, those hoping to get a foot in the door relied on others already "inside" to take them under their wing and train them. Today, the industry is spread out across the globe. Off-the-shelf software is used to generate cutting-edge imagery and work, while high-end computers (along with memory, processing power, and GPUs) are inexpensive, readily available, and fit within every- one's budget. Also, specialty facilities and schools abound, training newcomers and ushering them out into this still-exciting field. Similarly, the issues that were at the forefront for those joining the VES a decade and a half ago are different from the concerns of the present-day members. As a result, the VES's role has evolved with those concerns and needs in mind, so it can remain a relevant organization for its members. "The VES has evolved from a small group of professionals sitting around a single table, into a large community of professionals sitting around the world, into a trusted community in which information is shared and exchanged, regardless of where you are today," says Jeffrey Okun, VES chair. Nevertheless, the aim of the Society remains the same today as it did many years ago. "Our mission is to advance the arts, sciences, and applications of visual effects, and to improve the welfare of our members by providing professional enrichment and education, fostering community, and promoting industry recognition," says Okun. Taking Root An attempt by a group of facility owners to start a society for those working in the visual effects industry failed to take root in the early 1990s. But another attempt a few years later—this one driven by artists and facility management--proved more fruitful, and the Visual Effects Society was born. The first chairman was ILM's Jim Morris, with Tom Atkin serving as the founding executive director. "The idea was that this would be a professional honorary society and a place to promote the art, science, and technology of visual effects," notes Okun. At the start, there was not a large membership—Okun, in fact, is member number 76. The initial board of directors comprised approximately 20 people. "As it grew, we had many luminaries in the industry serve on the board of directors to frame and guide the Society: Ed Catmull, Jim Morris, Dennis Muren, Ken Ralston, Ray Feeney, Jonathan Erland, and Carl Rosendahl (the second chairman of the Society), among PICTURES ©2011 KEVIN SHARP. Computer Graphics World • January 2012 • 1