Digital Hollywood: The AI & Entertainment Summit
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025
3– 3:50 PM Eastern Time Zone
Session III: A Virtual Event
Cinematic AI & Virtual Production: A World of Tools and Technology – Layers of Innovation
While the operative words remain “Creativity and Storytelling” the advances in technology are breaking new ground to accelerate that process. Starting with the scriptwriting and storyboarding process, AI and a host of visual tools provide breakthrough options. And virtual production workflows are leveraging real-time game engines, motion capture, and LED volume technology to create immersive, interactive environments that blur the lines between physical and digital production. Real-time rendering and ray tracing are also unlocking unprecedented levels of visual fidelity, allowing filmmakers to achieve photorealistic results without the need for costly post-production processes. By integrating these innovations into their pipelines, filmmakers can unlock new levels of creative control, flexibility, and efficiency.
Speakers:
Doug Hogan, Creative Technologist, Groove Jones
Matthew Wenhardt, Head of AI Production, Gennie
Margaret Burris, Unscripted Development Consultant, Reid AI Project, Moderator
Additional speakers to be announced
Doug Hogan is a Creative Technologist at Groove Jones with 18 years of experience working in the Feature Film, Advertising, and Theme Park industries. Known for bridging creativity and technology, he specializes in VFX Compositing, AI/ML, GenAI, and secure Agentic LLMs. He has led compositing pipelines for major studios, contributed to films like The Book of Life, SCOOB, and most recently Thelma the Unicorn. He has also taught VFX techniques at major institutions like Texas A&M and fxphd. He holds a BFA in Visual Effects and Film & Television from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Outside of work, Doug is an online community organizer of the VFX community, an avid rock climber, and a long-distance runner.
