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2015 HPA Tech Retreat® ended February 13th after a dynamic week enjoyed by the largest turnout in the event’s history. This year’s Tech Retreat marks more than twenty years for the annual event, widely considered to be one of the most important and enlightening gatherings of the creative and technology community. The HPA Tech Retreat features a conference and curated demonstration area focusing on content creation, finishing, distribution and archiving.

Leon Silverman, President of the HPA, noted, “As our industry broadens its scope beyond traditional theatrical and television production and distribution, there are fundamentally new and exciting opportunities and challenges to tackle to make media compelling and accessible across a growing content ecosystem. Technology has been a principal driver of these changes and understanding how to create common approaches, standards and awareness is an important mission of the HPA, especially within SMPTE. The Tech Retreat brings our industry’s most creative and adept technical minds together to share, debate and discuss how the HPA community can help to lead the way and serve as a dynamic forum for this discussion.

During the conference, Silverman announced that the HPA^® name would be changed to the Hollywood Professional Alliance. The new name takes into account the expanding group of individuals and companies involved in the media and content industry. The character of the organization will remain vibrant and focused, and the new name is an acknowledgement of the widening scope of disciplines, artists and experts to which the organization seeks to represent. To read the announcement, click HERE.

Tech Retreat highlights include:

The HPA Supersession

Keynote – Not Your Father’s Post

Cyber and Content Security: Time for a Strategy Change

The Creative Panel

Next Generation of Cinema: New Technologies and Techniques: What they Mean for Filmmakers

Understanding the New Acquisition

From Snowflakes to Standards: Maintaining Creative Intent in Evolutionary Times

Drones for Dummies

The Annual Broadcasters Update

Personalized and Immersive Sound

DDP and IMF

The Cloud Demystified

Utilizing Fingerprinting Technology for Shot Matching

Enhancing the Creative Palette

Automatic Content Recognition

Among a roster of 100 all-star speakers were:

Francisco Artes, NSS Labs

Wendy Aylsworth, Warner Bros.

Bill Bennett, ASC

Stephen Beres, HBO

Michael Cioni, Lightiron

Carolyn Giardina, Hollywood Reporter

Kelly Day, Awesomeness TV

Sara-Duran Singer, Netflix

John Fithian, National Association of Theater Owners

Jan Frölich, Stuttgart Media University

David Geffner, ICG Magazine

Matthew Goldman, Ericcson

Ted Harrington, Independent Security Evaluators

Debra Kaufman, Industry analyst and journalist

David Keighley - IMAX

Barbara Lange, SMPTE and HPA

Carolina Lavatelli, Internet of Trust

Pete Ludé, Real D

Andy Maltz, AMPAS

Theresa Miller, Lionsgate

Loren Nielsen, Entertainment Technology Consultants

Bob Seidel, CBS

Andy Shenkler, Sony DADC New Media Solutions

Leon Silverman, HPA

Masayuki Sugawara, NHK

Larry Thorpe, Canon

Mario Vecchi, PBS

Eric Weaver, Entertainment Technology Center at USC

The Demo Room is a curated area for emerging technologies. This year’s demo room featured an extensive series of products, with over 30 new technologies making their debut amid more than 60 top tier demonstrations making early appearances.

During the Tech Retreat, Barbara Lange, Executive Director of SMPTE and HPA, discussed the relationship between HPA and SMPTE, “As HPA and SMPTE move towards consolidation, we will continue to support the independent mission and character of the HPA and its events, including the HPA Tech Retreat. The Tech Retreat continues to grow and evolve and speak to the changing audiences and topics facing our industry and we are proud to be part of what it means to a community.” Lange noted attendees at next year’s HPA Tech Retreat can expect the same unique focus and experience that is part of the Retreat.

Sponsors of the HPA Tech Retreat include Aspera, Avid, Black Magic Design, Christie Digital, Dolby, Fuji, Oracle, Quantum, Sohonet, Sony, and Spectra Logic.

The 2016 HPA Tech Retreat will be announced soon.

About the HPA Tech Retreat^®
The HPA Tech Retreat^® is an informal gathering, in the Palm Springs area, of the top industry engineering, technical, and creative talent, as well as strategic business leaders focused on technology, from all aspects of digital cinema, post production, film, television, video, broadcast and related technology areas, for the exchange of information.