This year, TPC is presenting quarterly on topics relevant to Pipeline professionals. These events are virtual, with an in-person BoF and reception taking place at SIGGRAPH 2026 in Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Events will be recorded if permission given, and can be found on The Pipeline Conference youtube channel.
September 2026
Thursday, September 17, 2026 All Day Pacific Time
The Pipeline Conference – In Person
Call for Volunteers – Register Your Interest
The Digital Production Pipeline Association is bringing back The Pipeline Conference, In-Person, on September 17th, in Vancouver, BC.
We’re going to need a small army of local Volunteers to pull this together on the day; and are also looking for a set of Committee Chairs to help build the program, manage operations, production, sponsorship, marketing, ticketing, tech and the Pipeline Awards!
Are you an industry professional, thought leader or talented student looking to raise your profile in the industry? Are you aligned with the Digital Production Pipeline Association’s mission to share, promote and evolve the best-practices, standards and tools of Animation, VFX and Game industry pipelines? Please use the following form to register your interest: https://lnkd.in/guRE-KJF
Join our Discord channel to get access to the newly minted TPC Conference organiser channel, where we will be running threads for the committees and other conference related matters: TPC Conference W.G. Recruitment
May 2026
Tuesday, May 5, 2026 from 2pm – 3:30pm Pacific Time
The Role of R&D in Next-Gen Pipelines
Register here
via Zoom
Video will be recorded and put onto the The Pipeline Conference youtube channel
Jonathan Gagnon will outline a visionary R&D strategy that transforms the way creative studios operate.
In the high-stakes world of immersive entertainment, the ability to scale innovation is the ultimate competitive advantage. Jonathan Gagnon will outline a visionary R&D strategy that transforms the way creative studios operate, replacing technical friction with streamlined, high-impact production workflows. Drawing on his experience leading PitchBlack’s journey from foundational pipeline enhancements to cutting-edge research, he provides the insights necessary to power the next generation of shared reality venues.
Speakers
Jonathan Gagnon – Director of Research & Development (R&D) at FOLKS VFX, part of Pitch Black Company
Jonathan Gagnon is a prominent figure in the visual effects (VFX) industry, currently serving as the Director of Research & Development (R&D) at Pitch Black. Jonathan has a deep research background in computer graphics and pipeline development. He is well-known in the industry for his expertise in VFX workflows and is a featured speaker at major events, where he discusses R&D strategies and pipeline modernization.
Executive Host
Andrew Lazarow – Studio Leader and Director at LAB at Rockwell Group
Andrew Lazarow is the Studio Leader and Director of Lab at Rockwell Group, where he heads a multidisciplinary team at the intersection of emerging technology and the built environment. He specializes in bridging digital innovation with physical space, leveraging tools like projection mapping, motion capture, and interactive lighting to uncover the “emotional core” of a narrative. Under his leadership, the studio transforms corporate headquarters, branded environments, and public spaces into immersive, story-driven experiences.
April 2026
Thursday, April 16, 2026 from 9am – 10:30am Pacific Time
Location-Based Experiences: The Plural Pipeline Challenge
Register here
via Zoom
Video will be recorded and put onto the The Pipeline Conference youtube channel
How are production pipelines designed for Location & Experiential Services (LBE)?
Arnaud Grosjean will explore the issues and challenges, including:
- How are production pipelines designed for Location & Experiential Services?
- What are the unique issues facing pipeline development teams and R&D for location-based services?
- What are the unique challenges to production scale & efficiency that the pipeline solves?
Speakers
Arnaud Grosjean – Solution Architect and Creative Technologist at Moment Factory
Arnaud Grosjean is a Solution Architect and Creative Technologist specialized in the convergence of multimedia, IT, and interactive system design. As a key member of Moment Factory’s Pipeline Team, he leads the R&D of disruptive workflows that bridge the gap between digital content creation and physical venues.
Arnaud’s work focuses on future-proofing immersive infrastructure. He actively explores the potential of “Digital Twins” and simulation technologies to virtually commission complex multimedia systems—testing lighting, media, and interactivity before physical deployment.
A vocal advocate for open standards in the Location-Based Entertainment (LBE) sector, Arnaud promotes interoperability through open protocols and formats. His expertise in blending AV architectures with IT backbones has been pivotal in major technical refreshes and large-scale activations, including the IP-based overhaul of the iconic Cipriani 25 Broadway in New York, the AT&T Discovery District, and the Hong Kong International Airport.
Executive Host
Marc Petit – Board Member at Moment Factory
Marc Petit is a veteran leader in computer graphics and real‑time 3D technology with over four decades of experience spanning software development, media & entertainment, and immersive digital ecosystems. He is best known for his tenure as Vice President and General Manager of Unreal Engine at Epic Games, where he oversaw the platform’s expansion across industries, including gaming, film and television, architecture, engineering, automotive, simulation, and manufacturing.
Before joining Epic Games in 2016, Petit served as a partner and Entrepreneur‑in‑Residence at Montreal’s XPND Capital, where he co‑founded Taxelco, an innovative, sustainable urban transportation venture. He previously led Autodesk’s Media & Entertainment division from 2002 to 2013, directing the development and global market strategy for major 3D and VFX tools such as 3ds Max, Maya, MotionBuilder, and Flame.
Most recently, he has shifted focus toward large‑scale immersive experiences and strategic advisory roles, including consulting with Moment Factory on real‑world interactive media installations. His career reflects a consistent focus on pioneering real‑time content creation, innovation in digital storytelling, and the fusion of technology with creative industries.
March 2026
Tuesday, March 24, 2026 from 9am – 10:30am Pacific Time
Experiential Pipelines: An Intro to Technical Direction for Special Venues
Register here
via Google Meet
Video was recorded and put onto the The Pipeline Conference youtube channel
With over a decade of technical leadership at ILM, Will has been at the forefront of some of the most groundbreaking projects in entertainment history. From his work on the revolutionary LED “Volume” technology for The Mandalorian to leading visuals for Dead & Company: Dead Forever at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Will specializes in bridging the gap between complex software engineering and high-end creative artistry. +3 In his upcoming session, “Experiential Pipelines: An Introduction to Technical Direction for Special Venues,” Will will dive into the unique challenges of designing for massive, non-traditional “canvases”—from theme park rides to city-block-sized architectural media. Key Session Highlights: The Shift to Spatial Design: How to manage perspective correction and anamorphic distortions for thousands of unique vantage points. Production Logistics: Strategies for moving petabytes of data across distributed playback systems without latency. The Future of LBE: A roadmap for transitioning traditional VFX workflows into the world of location-based entertainment (LBE).
Speakers
Will Muto – Lead Technical Artist & CG Supervisor at Industrial Light & Magic
Will Muto specializes in visual effects (VFX) pipeline development and tool creation for artists. He is a passionate, driven, and detail-oriented developer who is well-versed across the entire VFX production pipeline.
Executive Host
Eric W. Shamlin – CEO, Firebringer.AI
Eric Shamlin is a highly accomplished creative executive and producer operating at the intersection of traditional storytelling and emerging technology. Eric is currently CEO of Firebringer. Eric previously held leadership positions at a number of modern studios, including CEO of Secret Level, an AI-native entertainment studio that focuses on reimagining how stories are developed and produced across film, television, and advertising. With a career spanning three decades, Shamlin has held senior leadership roles at major organizations including Media.Monks, where he served as EVP Global Head of Entertainment, as well as positions at Apple and Omnicom. His work has been recognized with some of the industry’s most prestigious honors, including multiple Emmy Awards, Peabody Awards, and over a dozen Cannes Lions.
In addition to his studio leadership, Shamlin is a prominent figure in the professional creative community and a leading voice on the ethical integration of AI in media. He currently serves on the Board of Governors for the Television Academy (the Emmys), where he chairs the Innovation Standing Committee and the AI Task Force. He also holds the role of Innovation Chair for the Producers Guild of America and serves as an advisor for the SXSW film festival. An educator and frequent keynote speaker, he has lectured at institutions like UCLA and USC, sharing his expertise on the evolution of immersive media and the “democratization” of production through new technological tools.
Monday, March 9 from 1:50pm – 2:50pm Pacific Time
Global Pipelines Roundtable
In Person at GDC (Game Developers Conference) in San Francisco, CA – Not recorded
As production demands grow and workflows diversify, developing and maintaining a robust, adaptable pipeline is more critical than ever. This casual roundtable invites pipeline developers, TAs, and technical leads to discuss evolving pipeline trends, common challenges across studios, and share practical strategies for building efficient, scalable systems. Topics span from the VFX Reference Platform to cloud-native workflows, storage strategies, and MLOps integration. Join this conversation to exchange ideas and experiences with peers who are shaping the future of production technology.
Speakers
David Vega has been a python developer in the games and tech industry for the past 15 years. He has worked at large places such as Rockstar Games and Meta as well as startups and indie game studios. David started out as a character rigger and transitioned into coding naturally. Eventually, he fell in love with helping create tools and automated systems, which shaped the trajectory of his career into the pipeline-focused developer that he still is to this day.
Fran Zandonella Benjamin is passionate about leading teams to build people-friendly pipelines for creative work. As the founder of The Pipeline Conference, she facilitates and promotes the interaction and knowledge of like-minded Pipeline professionals around the world. Her focus is on creating outstanding international teams that write great software and provide exceptional support for artistic endeavors.