The FMX 2025 program is almost complete! A variety of panels related to this year’s “Rhythm of Change” have been revealed. Catch a plane or train to Stuttgart as the conference starts next Tuesday, running through May 9. In his keynote “25 Years of Chasing the Light,” FMX 2025 Program Chair Paul Debevec will trace the evolution of the light stage and explore where this technology might lead next.  A number of panels will touch on the impact of AI, including: The Artificial Elephant in the Room: VFX, AI, and the New Industry Reality - A dive into AI-powered tools, cloud-based pipelines, and strategies to turn disruption into opportunity. Global Perspectives on the Visual Effects Industry - Leading VFX professionals discuss the unique opportunities and challenges within their local industries. State of the Industry Panel Discussion - Aims to offer a wide range of perspectives on the current state of the industry and what the future might hold. The Secrets of Award-Winning Teams - Focuses on pulling back the curtain on the strategies, workflows, and mindsets that lead to extraordinary visual storytelling. Embracing Evolution in VFX – Skill Development and Collaborative Innovation - The necessity of upskilling, the importance of thinking outside the box, and expanding the perspectives are topics on this panel. AI and its Impact on Creatives - Explores the situation of supervisors, producers, and artists as well as students. Panelists include Ellenor Argyropoulos (Mermaid Toast); Bejoy Arputhara (PhantomFX); Jörg Bachmaier (Studio Babelsberg); Kevin Baillie (Eyeline Studios); Joseph Bell (HDRI Consulting); Christian Bohm (FX TD); Christina Caspers-Roemer (TRIXTER); Andy Cochrane (The AV Club Productions); Kim Davidson (SideFX/VES); Chris Edwards (The Third Floor); Laurens Ehrmann (The Yard VFX); Jim Geduldick (Spaceboy Labs); Carolyn Giardina (Variety); Johnny Han (HBO); Danielle Immerman (Wētā FX), Heike Kluger (VFX Supervisor), Markus Kranzler (Pixar), Hayley Miller (World VFX Day); Kamal Mistry (Autodesk); Jo Plaete (Metaphysic.ai); Javier Menéndez Platas (PFX); Robin Saxen (VFX Producer); Rajesh Sharma (ETH Zurich); Sebastian Sylwan (Technology Executive); Paolo Tamburrino (Autodesk); Esther Trilsch (SideFX); Lincoln Wallen (Framestore); and Nancy Ward (VES). On the “The Art of Animation” side, “The (Hex) Tech of Arcane Season 2” features Fortiche's CTO, Philippe Llerena, and matte painting supervisor Martin Bailly as they reveal the technical and artistic leaps of the season. Llerena details the scaled-up production, while Bailly showcases how they amplified Arcane's painterly environments, maintaining the handcrafted feel amidst greater 3D complexity. In the realm of “Expanding Realities,” “GOLDBERGS DREAM: From Plato’s Cave to an Immersive Concert Experience” is an extended reality concert that reimagines Bach’s "Goldberg Variations" through AI, spatial audio, robotics, and projection mapping. XR director Jana Günther (Supervolt), animation director Moritz Mayerhofer (NICE creative) and spatial audio engineer Daniel Deboy (DELTA Soundworks) will present the key creative and technical processes. They will explore the challenges and innovations behind the project, including advancements in robotics and spatial audio, as well as the creation of 82 minutes of computer-generated animation. As an added treat, in The 23rd Annual Animation Show of Shows, Ron Diamond brings 14 award-winning films by some of the most acclaimed directors in the world of animation to FMX. From Michaël Dudok de Wit’s poignant Oscar-winning Father and Daughter, to a hidden gem by the “King of Indie Animation,” Bill Plympton, to three all-new shorts from Croatia, Switzerland, and the U.S, the retrospective also gives a peek at a new generation of filmmakers. Source: FMX Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologist—L'Wren brings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.