1	Rocky Mountain ACM SIGGRAPH June 25, 2004
2	Getting the Most out of SIGGRAPH 2004
3	Make a Plan (don’t stick to it) Lots of activities going on in parallel For example at 3:00PM Tuesday, choose between One of 9 courses - The Electronic Theater A papers session - Animation Screening Room A panels session - The Art Gallery A sketch session - Emerging Technology The Exhibition - …
4	Make a Plan (don’t stick to it) So it helps to make a plan Highlight the events that you want to see (especially those that only occur once during the conference such as a particular course) But be willing to deviate from the plan A course may be too easy or too hard or only parts of it become interesting Other opportunities arise (e.g., you snag tickets to a great party) You get tired or hungry
5	Transportation
6	Transportation Shuttle service is available from the airport to hotels SIGGRAPH provides complimentary bus transportation between conference hotels, LACC, and conference events Schedules are posted in hotels Several routes, find the one for your hotel Buses run every 15-45 min depending on time of day Many of the hotels are a mile or more from the Convention Center There is no mid-day bus service this year – plan accordingly
7	Transportation The SIGGRAPH bus system is very good, but there are a few “gotchas” You figure your first course is at 8:30AM so catching the 8:00 bus should be just about right. The problem is that 25,000 other people figured this out too. Busses right before an event or events will be crowded If you have been waiting in front of the hotel for a while, and don’t want to miss the start of the event consider asking several of those others hanging around if they want to pitch in a share a cab Know where to pick the bus up. For some events the busses pick up at the hotels, for others they only pick up at the conference center.
8	Receptions and Parties
9	Receptions and Parties One official SIGGRAPH reception Thursday: Pershing Square Not as much food provided as in past years Not all conference passes get into the receptions – you must have a reception ticket You can purchase tickets separately ( probably about $25) Chapters Party (pay as you go) Monday Evening Exhibitor Parties Usually need tickets from exhibitors
10	Surviving the Exhibition
11	Surviving the Exhibition Learn to use the booth numbering and keep the locator handy (or Palm version), you will likely get lost Plan your attack by identifying product areas and using guide to determine which exhibitors to see and where they are located If you are going to look for the freebees make sure one of your first freebee is a bag to carry things Don’t buy 3 books early in the day
12	Surviving the Exhibition On Tuesday look for the exhibit that draws huge crowds, then hit it as soon as the floor opens on Wednesday Ask around “what’s hot”? Don’t be afraid to ask questions, see demos Typically food service at the exhibition (or conference centers in general) is expensive and short of delightful.
13	Electronic Theatre Do NOT Miss this
14	Electronic Theatre Do NOT Miss this If your conference pass doesn’t include an ET ticket, you can purchase one for $50 You can attend either matinee or evening performance If the day/time of your showing is not convenient, you can exchange at the ticket exchange booth in registration Of the hundreds of computer animations submitted to the SIGGRAPH jury, the ET represents the best of the best The venue is generally large with no bad seats, but go early (and expect to wait in line for awhile) if you want your choice of seats
15	Electronic Theatre Do NOT Miss this Show is long – go to the bathroom before it starts! Plan on eating afterwards if attending the evening show If sensitive to loud noise, bring earplugs Expect an electric atmosphere
16	Animation Screening Rooms
17	Animation Screening Rooms ET is only part of the Animation Festival, there are many accepted works that are in the Festival but not in the ET Check the schedules if you want to see a specific category of animation After a long walk on the exhibition floor, these theatres are a welcome place to watch some great work as you catch your breath
18	Special Sessions
19	Special Sessions High profile events of general interest Real-Time 3DX: Demo or Die Computer Music Puppetry and Computer Graphics VJ: The Art of Live Video Performance Next-Generation Game Visuals
20	Other Activities
21	How to find others
22	How to find others Message board Receptions Chapters booth Internet Access Rooms Email them now figure out where to meet be specific, be very specific Exchange cell phone numbers now
23	What do I wear?
24	What do I wear? VERY INFORMAL Hot and sticky outside, cold at times inside Consider carrying a long sleeve shirt for sessions Bring some extra shirts (you may wear more than one a day if really hot) WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES Consider bringing two pairs
25	Local Information
26	Local Information Restaurants Nightlife Other Activities
27	Other Tips
28	Stories/Highlights from Past SIGGRAPH’S
29	Rocky Mountain ACM SIGGRAPH June 25, 2004