(De)Constructing the Virtual Character in Motion Pictures 

In the last 30 years, virtual characters in motion pictures have grown from a novelty to a staple of movie-making. This talk for the NYU Abu Dhabi Institute examines is by Luca Fascione, a senior ray tracing engineer for NVIDIA; she outlines what goes into designing a movie character that captures audiences in a contemporary feature, explores the historical development of the corresponding technologies, and discusses the aesthetic and structural choices that led to the current understanding of what a virtual character is (or should be). Fascinating stuff.