5D: The Future of Immersive Design, Long Beach, CA

Against a backdrop of rapidly emerging technologies in design for narrative media, the 2007 conference 5D: The Future of Immersive Design brought together many of the most innovative and influential voices in interactive media, animation, architecture, design, film, and television. Produced by the Art Directors Guild (ADG) and the University Art Museum, California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), this first-ever conference took place on the university campus, and was attended by more than 1000 people from around the world. Panelists included visionary speakers such as The Museum of Modern Art’s Paola Antonelli, production designer and art director Rick Carter, whose films include Avatar and A.I.; and award-winning designer and creative director Alex McDowell whose credits include Minority Report and Fight Club. 5D was underwritten by Autodesk and went on to become the World Building Institute, a renowned multi-disciplinary knowledge space within the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts.