Presenter / Performer Recommendations

[John Patterson]

Who are the presenters, topics or performers you'd like to see at the next New Media Summit?

[Matthew Fincher]

I would like to see a presentation on "THE FACTS - Evidence for Chicago being THE New Media Hub for the 21st century." A hard nosed look at where we are now and where we want to go...

KNOW WHAT YOU WANT
First, how do we as a community define...

• New Media
• THE New Media Hub

...and why do we care?


YOU GET WHAT YOU MEASURE
Next, a discussion of real world measures and how Chicago ranks in each of these areas:
1. college's with new media programs here;
2. new media training centers here;
3. new media research & development institutions here;
4. new media infrastructure: transpiration, telecommunications, electric, etc;
5. new media companies here;
6. investors and financial institutions specializing in new media here;
7. how aware of and/or committed to forwarding new media is the local/regional political machine;
8. how do recognized leaders in new media view Chicago as a hub for new media

(obviously, there are many measures and we'll need to clearly quantify each one) The basic questions that need to be answered are: A) what are the real world ingredients needed to be THE hub for new media, B) what cities currently have these ingredients, and C) today, how does Chicago stand in relationship to all other new media centers around the world.

WHAT YOU FOCUS ON GROWS
Last, here's our plan to effectively strengthen the areas where Chicago's weak over the next 10 to 20 years and audaciously promote the areas where Chicago's strong today.

[Charlie Athanas]

I would recommend a presentation and performance by Chicago's Experimental Sound Studio (http://www.exsost.org/about-2/). ESS has been a global leader in the audio art community since the '80s and creates, exports, and imports cutting edge process, tech, talent, and performances to and from Chicago.

[Joanna Burgraf]

I think a fantastic person to present is Rick Valicenti, owner founder of Thirst, graphic design studio. He is a very talented individual, always pushing boundaries, an amazing thinker and engaging speaker. While in college he'd appeared in my textbooks and I've seen his work displayed in museums.

I worked for him as an intern and can honestly say it was one of the most creative spaces I have ever been in. My design philosophies and the way I approach projects stems from my time at the Thirst studio. The works at the studio has always been on the forefront of the latest technology.
I think he is a must for the Summit.

[Daniel Honigman]

How about Aza Raskin, president of Humanized?

[Heather Ronkoske]

What is "humanized?"

[Daniel Honigman]

Another guy: Greg Verdino from crayon. He's not local, but he's a great social media presenter!

[Mike Janowski]

1) William Gibson. Just to see what he makes about all this stuff that has happened in the last 25 years since he coined "cyberspace".

2) Mike Fayette. Good local/national perspective on the post industry, and the "convergence", as it's gonna affect us in the television business.

3) Brian Eno. He's always got something interesting to say, and he'd add a touch of refined English class to the proceedings.

4) Tim Berners-Lee. Let Rush Limbaugh know that he's the guy that invented the internet, not Al Gore. And let Rush know that he's a big fat idiot, too...not Berners-Lee, Limbaugh, that is.

5) Rupert Murdoch. Truly the King of All Media (sorry, Howard, but you're a pissant in a jester's costume), get him here so we can roast him with the tough questions his courtiers never ask...

[Charlie Athanas]

Another Chicago New Media institution is the University of Chicago's Electronic Visualization Lab (EVL). Since the early 80's they have been a leading force in computer graphics. They were instrumental in the creation and growth of SIGGRAPH, developed CAVE technology for 3D applications and were smart enough to develop a masters program that combined art and programming.

[zachary jean paradis]

EVL is at the University of Illinois at Chicago, not the University of Chicago. Just an FYI. Good idea though...

[Charlie Athanas]

I would also recommend getting someone from the Chicago office of IDEO to speak. Another world leader in innovation, right here in our backyard.

[Mia Wicklund]

I would like to see an introductory address given by someone who can define "new media" and/or "digital media". Suggestions: Mike Fayette, Howard Tullman, Reid Brody of Filmworkers, the guys at Nolo Digital. Maybe it should be a panel and include architects and interior designers who are on the cutting edge of green. Autodesk. The gardener who tends the rooftop garden of city hall, and figured out how to translate that in to a 3-D tour. "New Media" and "Digital Media" are used frequently as catch-all phrases, and they must be specifically defined if we are to understand what it is we are talking about. It must be clear that many of us are working in tapeless environments, we are telecommuting and mapping things out in real versus virtual time. We must understand what we are creating that is concrete media, definable, how it impacts industry. Many of us have come up through traditional systems and have adapted to digital in theory, at least, if not in practice just yet. Our community is fluid, we go where we need to and find a way to get there. Like water.

[Miguel H Gonzalez]

I'm sure we'd all like a turn at the podium table. One topic I'd like to explore in a forum is the emerging business model that favors partnered specialist shops (ideation, production, integration, data) versus the "end-to-end solutions" model of late-90s vintage.