Offering an unrivaled program of world-class speakers, presentations, panels, hands-on workshops, and masterclasses, the conference immerses attendees in an inspiring, inclusive environment as they expand their industry knowledge, meet their heroes, embrace cutting-edge thinking, and advance their careers.
Featuring a stellar lineup of award-winning directors, animators, artists, game designers, thought leaders, and executives from Hollywood, Silicon Valley, and around the globe, this year’s monumental conference program will bring industry professionals, students, and enthusiasts together to explore their creative visions for the future.
"It is always a thrill to launch the VIEW Conference program,” shared Conference Director Dr. Maria Elena Gutierrez, who is the inspirational force behind the entire event. “This year's carefully curated collection of keynotes, panels, talks, workshops, and more is without doubt one of our finest. No summary can do justice to the incredible array of talent who will be taking our stage in October.”
This year’s incredible speaker line-up includes such luminaries as:
- Brad Bird: Writer & Director, Ray Gunn (Netflix)
- Sir Roger Deakins, Cinematographer & James Ellis Deakins, Creative Partner
- Joel Crawford & Januel P. Mercado: Writers/Directors, Forgotten Island (DreamWorks Animation)
- Kenna Harris: Co-Writer/Co-Director, Toy Story 5 (Pixar Animation Studios)
- Daniel Chong, Director & Nicole Paradis Grindle, Producer: Hoppers (Pixar Animation Studios)
- Yvett Merino: Producer, Hexed (Disney Animation Studios)
- Paul Lambert & Mag Sarnowska: VFX Supervisors, Project Hail Mary (Amazon MGM Studios)
- Tyree Dillihay: Director, GOAT (Sony Pictures Animation)
- Jerome Chen: VFX Supervisor, Spider-Man: Brand New Day (Marvel Studios)
- Matthew E. Butler: VFX Supervisor, Disclosure Day (Universal Pictures)
- Steve Emerson: VFX Supervisor, Wildwood (LAIKA)
- Hal Hickel: ILM Animation Director, The Mandalorian and Grogu (Disney)
- Ed Douglas: VFX Supervisor, Backrooms (A24)
- Peter Timberlake: VFX Supervisor, Obsession (Focus Features)
- Alessandro Ongaro: VFX Supervisor, Resident Evil (Columbia Pictures)
- Merlin Crossingham: Director, Aardman Animations
- Jan-Bart van Beek: Studio Director & Studio Art & Animation Director, Guerrilla Games
- Simon Weisse: VFX Miniature Unit Supervisor & Props Designer
- Michelle Grady: President, Sony Pictures Imageworks
- Holly Edwards: President, Skydance Animation
- Janet Lewin: Senior Vice President, General Manager, and Head; Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)
- Richard Kerris: Global Media and Entertainment Vice-President, NVIDIA
...and much more.
Explore the full VIEW Conference 2026 program here: https://www.viewconference.it/pages/program and register to attend here: https://www.viewconference.it/pages/registration
CGW is a proud media partner of the VIEW Conference, and our team is thrilled to be returning to Turin to capture on-site interviews with this year’s star-studded speaker line-up. We absolutely recommend attending this incredibly inspiring event in person. Preview a selection of unmissable program highlights below.
Ray Gunn: Director Brad Bird
Acclaimed Oscar-winning director Brad Bird will take the stage for a special presentation on Netflix’s neo-noir sci-fi mystery Ray Gunn, one of this year's most eagerly awaited animated motion pictures. "I am thrilled to welcome Brad Bird back to VIEW Conference," announced Conference Director Dr. Maria Elena Gutierrez. "Decades in the making, Ray Gunn is truly a passion project, and I know Brad will bring all his passion to our live stage in Turin, as he dazzles our international audience with his latest vision of the future."
Brad Bird is a two-time Oscar-winning film director, screenwriter, producer, and voice actor whose work has shaped some of the most successful and influential films in both animation and live action. Known for his distinct creative voice, Bird combines emotional storytelling, humor, and large-scale action in films that connect with audiences around the world.
Bird is one of the few filmmakers to achieve major success across both animation and live action, collaborating with major studios including Pixar, The Walt Disney Company, Netflix, Paramount Pictures, and Skydance Animation. In animation, he is best known as the creator of the globally successful The Incredibles franchise, and is the filmmaker behind the acclaimed films Ratatouille and The Iron Giant. In live action, he directed the blockbuster Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and Tomorrowland.
Cinematography Legends: Sir Roger Deakins and James Ellis Deakins
Legendary Oscar-winning cinematographer Sir Roger Deakins and his creative partner James Ellis Deakins — together known as Team Deakins — will be attending the conference in person for an exclusive conversation. In “Reflections on Cinematography,” the award-winning duo will discuss the art, craft, and science of cinematography — diving into their many decades of experience in the film business.
Sir Roger Deakins previously attended the conference in 2021, when he received the coveted VIEW Conference Visionary Award for his outstanding contribution to the visual arts. “I am thrilled to welcome Team Deakins back to VIEW Conference this year,” shared Conference Director Dr. Maria Elena Gutierrez. “As two of the leading lights in the world of cinematography, Sir Roger Deakins and James Ellis Deakins are sure to dazzle our audience with their wisdom and insights.”
One of today’s most honored cinematographers, Roger A. Deakins CBE, ASC, BSC, is renowned for his vast and varied body of award-winning work. His vast filmography includes Denis Villeneuve’s Prisoners and Sicaro; The Coen Brothers’ Fargo and No Country for Old Men; Martin Scorsese’s Kundun; Sam Mendes’ Skyfall; and Frank Darabont’s The Shawshank Redemption. He has been nominated for an Oscar 16 times and won the award twice for the films Blade Runner 2049 and 1917. He has also received 17 nominations for the top honor awarded by the American Society of Cinematographers and has been nominated 11 times for the BAFTA award, winning five of them.
James Ellis Deakins is Roger Deakins’ creative work partner. After beginning her career as a film lab technician and a production script supervisor, she met Roger on a film set and their creative collaboration began. She and Roger developed a unique working style which has continued to evolve as they enter into new enterprises including a podcast (“Team Deakins”), a website, Byways (a book of still photography), and Reflections (a visual memoir). James’ natural affinity with technology proved essential when productions moved from the use of film capture to digital.
Team Deakins create their approach to a film and execute the plan together. James oversees the many details that need to be coordinated which allows Roger to focus on capturing the visual. Working together, James and Roger have strived to create memorable images as well as share their knowledge with others.
Toy Story 5: Director Kenna Harris
Kenna Harris, co-director of Disney and Pixar's Toy Story 5, will be taking the stage at this year’s conference. Speaking in person, Harris will talk at length about the making of the fifth installment of the groundbreaking franchise — described by Variety magazine as a "nimble, moving, irresistible sequel."
"The Toy Story movies have been part of all our lives for an incredible thirty years," recalled Conference Director Dr. Maria Elena Gutierrez. "As we celebrate the release of Toy Story 5, it gives me tremendous pleasure to welcome the film's co-director, Kenna Harris, to VIEW Conference 2026, with a presentation that will propel our international audience to infinity and beyond!"
Kenna Harris joined Pixar Animation Studios in September of 2018 as a story artist. After working as a story lead on Pixar's 2021 feature film Luca, they then went on to direct their first Pixar short film, Ciao Alberto, which was released later the same year. Harris also recently served as the story supervisor on Inside Out 2, Pixar's highest grossing film of all time, before co-directing Toy Story 5 alongside director Andrew Stanton and producer Lindsey Collins.
Hexed: Producer Yvett Merino
Oscar-winner Yvett Merino, producer of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ upcoming animated feature Disney’s Hexed, will also be presenting at this year’s conference. Merino will take the stage to deliver a spectacular presentation including exclusive clips from this much-anticipated new movie, which arrives in theaters this November.
“Like so many people, I am counting down the days to the upcoming release of ‘Hexed’,” stated Conference Director Dr. Maria Elena Gutierrez. “It is a privilege to host this exclusive preview of the latest movie from Walt Disney Animation Studios, and I know Yvett’s presentation will cast a magical spell over our whole audience!”
Earlier this year, Merino was one of a select group of influential women to receive the VIEW Conference “Trailblazer” Award, which shines a spotlight on professionals who have made an outstanding contribution to the motion picture industry, recognizing the achievements not only of outstanding creative directors and artists, but also those active in the fields of public relations and politics, who dedicate themselves to the forging of meaningful partnerships within the arts and beyond.
Since joining Disney Animation more than 30 years ago, Merino has worked in a variety of production capacities on some of the most popular animated features of all time. After launching her career in the Technology department, she moved into the world of production as a supervisor on Tangled and continued in that role on The Lion King 3D, Wreck It Ralph, and in Disney Animation’s Development department. She then went on to serve as production manager on the Oscar-winning feature Big Hero 6 as well as the Oscar-nominated Moana.
Merino is the first producer in animation history to have two animated features in a row exceed over a billion dollars at the box office: Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Zootopia 2 and Moana 2. Zootopia 2 is the #1 MPA animated feature of all time, and she received the BAFTA and NAACP Image awards for her work on the film. She is also the first Latina to receive the Oscar for Animated Feature for her producing work on Encanto, for which she also received the Producers Guild of America Award, BAFTA, and Golden Globe. In 2023, she also produced the Emmy Award-winning Disney Animation 100th anniversary short film, Once Upon a Studio.
Forgotten Island: Directors Joel Crawford & Januel P. Mercado
This year’s program also includes a special presentation celebrating the release of Forgotten Island, the new original animated feature from Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation. Directors Joel Crawford and Januel P. Mercado will take the stage together to discuss the creative journey they undertook, sharing stories and insights about the production of this highly anticipated animated film.
“I am always excited to see a movie that celebrates human emotion and diversity while exploring the furthest boundaries of art,” stated Conference Director Dr. Maria Elena Gutierrez. “I know that Forgotten Island will be such a movie, and I cannot wait for Joel and Januel to share their filmmaking journey with our international audience in the gorgeous city of Turin this October.”
Joel Crawford joined DreamWorks Animation in 2006 and quickly became an integral part of the creative process, working as a story artist on Shrek Forever After, Rise of the Guardians, Bee Movie, and all three Kung Fu Panda films. After serving as head of story for the smash musical adventure Trolls in 2016, Crawford directed the Trolls Holiday Special for NBC. He made his feature film directorial debut on the DreamWorks Animation feature film The Croods: A New Age. Crawford directed the 2023 Academy Award, BAFTA, and Golden Globe nominated hit film Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which amassed nearly half a billion dollars at the global box office. Prior to joining DreamWorks, his story artist credits include The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water and Alvin & The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked.
Januel P. Mercado worked alongside Crawford, his long-time collaborator, as co-director on Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. He first joined the story department of DreamWorks Animation in 2008 and has contributed his talents as a story artist on a number of iconic films, including Kung Fu Panda, Penguins of Madagascar, and Trolls. For the 2020 film The Croods: A New Age, Mercado stepped into a leadership role on the film and served as head of story, where he supervised a team of story artists. Additional credits include Warner Animation's LEGO Movie franchise as well as a leadership position as supervising director at Nickelodeon Animation.
Hoppers: Director Daniel Chong & Producer Nicole Paradis Grindle
Daniel Chong and Nicole Paradis Grindle, the director and producer of Disney and Pixar’s action-packed comedy Hoppers will also be presenting at this year’s conference. Appearing live on stage, the team will share their secrets behind the creation of this fun and original animated feature.
“When an original animated film lights up the screen as brightly as Hoppers, it is a cause for celebration,” noted Conference Director Dr. Maria Elena Gutierrez. “Welcoming Daniel and Nicole to VIEW Conference 2026 gives us even more reason to celebrate. I know their presentation will leave our audience hopping with energy. Roll on October!”
Daniel Chong joined Pixar Animation Studios in February 2009 as a story artist, and has worked on several short and feature productions including the Cars Toons, TV special Toy Story of TERROR!, and the feature film Cars 2. He also worked on the Academy Award-winning film Inside Out. Prior to joining Pixar, Chong worked as a story artist for Disney Feature Animation, Blue Sky, Nickelodeon, and Illumination. He also created the Emmy-nominated TV series We Bare Bears for Cartoon Network, which ran for four seasons and led to an original TV movie.
Nicole Paradis Grindle began her feature film career at ILM on Who Framed Roger Rabbit before moving to Colossal Pictures. She joined Pixar Animation Studios in 1995 as producer of the Toy Story Activity Center interactive computer game. Since then, she has played various production management and producer roles on many of Pixar’s films, including A Bug’s Life, Monsters, Inc., Monsters University, and Incredibles 2; the Academy Award-nominated short film Sanjay’s Super Team; and the Academy Award-winning feature films The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and Toy Story 3.
Project Hail Mary: VFX Supervisors Paul Lambert & Mags Sarnowska
Paul Lambert and Mag Sarnowska, VFX co-supervisors on Amazon MGM Studios' spectacular space epic Project Hail Mary, will also be speaking at this year’s conference. In a dazzling live presentation, the award-winning team will transport the international audience across the cosmos as they explain the creative and technical process behind the film's stunning visual effects.
"Every so often, a film comes along that captures not only our imaginations, but also our hearts. Project Hail Mary is one of those films,” shared Conference Director Dr. Maria Elena Gutierrez. “I could not be more thrilled to welcome its production VFX supervisors, Paul Lambert and Mag Sarnowska, on to our stage at VIEW Conference 2026, and I cannot wait to hear what they have to say about the making of this beautiful new movie."
Paul Lambert is a four-time Oscar winning VFX supervisor with more than 25 years of experience in the motion picture industry. He won his Oscars consecutively with Blade Runner 2049, First Man, Dune, and Dune: Part Two. He has collaborated with some of the most acclaimed directors in Hollywood and has also won and been nominated for multiple BAFTA, Emmy, and VES awards. Throughout his career, Lambert has excelled in combining both the creative and technical aspects of visual effects, and many novel techniques and memorable visuals have originated from his projects. Notably, he is the sole inventor of the blue-screen keying algorithm "IBK," which is used in Nuke, the VFX industry's compositing software of choice. After spending two years working on Project Hail Mary, he returned to Arrakis to finish up the Dune trilogy.
Mag Sarnowska is an emerging VFX supervisor with over two decades of experience in compositing. She transitioned into on-set roles in 2019, leading to increased involvement in production-side VFX supervision. This shift enabled her to collaborate closely with directors, cinematographers, and production teams, ensuring that VFX were seamlessly integrated into each project from its earliest stages. Her creative approach and collaborative mindset have made her a trusted partner for filmmakers who appreciate ambitious visual concepts. She recently spent two years as co-VFX supervisor on Project Hail Mary, contributing to the film's development throughout pre-production, production, and post-production. Prior to that, she held similar responsibilities on Kraven the Hunter and supervised a small team for the TV series The Stand. She is currently working on the third installment of the Dune trilogy.
Horror Triple Feature: The VFX of Obsession, Backrooms, and Resident Evil
Horror fans, rejoice! VIEW Conference 2026 will feature presentations that take attendees behind the scenes of the top horror films that are currently sending shockwaves through the film industry.
Peter Timberlake, overall VFX supervisor on Focus Features' acclaimed horror movie Obsession, will peel back the skin on the film's stylish and subtle visual effects. Timberlake is also the founder of Queen Studio, a highly specialized independent VFX "micro-farm" capable of taking on work traditionally associated with much larger facilities.
Edward Douglas, overall VFX supervisor on A24’s Backrooms, will take attendees on a spine-tingling voyage through an infinite series of rooms and hallways as he explores the stunning visuals of this acclaimed horror film.
Alessandro Ongaro, overall VFX supervisor on Columbia Pictures’ reboot Resident Evil, will share how he harnessed visual effects to bring fresh blood to the horror franchise adapted from the classic Capcom videogame.
Visionary Leadership: Trio of Women Film Studio Presidents
At this year’s conference, three inspirational women film studio presidents will be sharing their insights into leadership in the industry: Holly Edwards, (President of Skydance Animation), Michelle Grady (President of Sony Pictures Imageworks), and Janet Lewin (Senior Vice President, General Manager and Head of Industrial Light and Magic). Lewin will also receive this year's coveted VIEW Visionary Award, presented for outstanding contribution to the visual arts.
"As a passionate supporter of inclusivity, diversity and gender equality, I am proud to welcome to VIEW Conference three women speakers who are all leaders in their field,” stated Conference Director Dr. Maria Elena Gutierrez. “Their collective contribution to the global film industry is immeasurable. It is truly an honor to bring them together at our beautiful venue in Turin, Italy, in October this year."
Special Installation: Virtual Production Stage
This year’s conference will feature a groundbreaking new technological installation. All ticket-holders will have access to a fully-functional virtual production stage equipped with state-of-the-art LED walls and supported by a full suite of the latest post-production technology. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet expert professionals and get hands-on with the equipment, learning techniques and exploring their own creativity as they experience the endless possibilities that virtual production has to offer.
Presented by the VIEW Conference in collaboration with Sony Corporation Japan and Texas A&M University, Virtual Production Institute, the virtual production stage will occupy the 3,200 square foot Duomo hall, a 62-foot-high domed space within Turin's spectacular Officine Grandi Riparazioni (OGR) conference venue.
Hands-On Workshop: Stop-Motion Puppet Lab
Attendees will also have the opportunity to register for an immersive four-day Stop-Motion Puppet Lab led by Academy Award-winning filmmaker and animator Chris Lavis, best known for Madame Tutli-Putli and the Oscar-winning The Girl Who Cried Pearls.
Lavis brings two decades of puppet filmmaking experience to this intensive hands-on experience and lecture series, covering puppet construction, animatic creation, and emotive storytelling through gesture and movement. Participants will create puppets, learn animation methods, and work to create short stop-motion sequences. This workshop is ideal for professional and aspiring animators looking to push puppets into new creative territory. Learn more and register here: https://www.viewconference.it/article/1250/stop-motion-lab
Learn more about the VIEW Conference and register here: https://www.viewconference.it