Brad Bird, Pixar, DreamWorks, Aardman, And More Headline View Conference 2026

View Conference will return to Turin, Italy, from October 12-16 with a packed five-day program spanning animation, visual effects, games, cinematography, artificial intelligence, and virtual production.

Over the past several years, the English-language event has become an increasingly vital stop for animation and VFX hopefuls heading into awards season, and its 27th edition will feature more than 100 talks, panels, workshops, masterclasses, screenings, and portfolio reviews. Below are some of the biggest attractions headed to Turin for this year’s event.

Brad Bird Looks Ahead To ‘Ray Gunn’

Brad Bird will discuss his long-gestating animated feature Ray Gunn in Welcome to the Future, an hour-long conversation scheduled for October 13.

Bird’s appearance leads a strong group of sessions devoted to major upcoming animated features. Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, the writer-directors of Dreamworks’ Forgotten Island, will join Pixar’s Kenna Harris (Toy Story 5) and Sony Pictures Animation’s Tyree Dillihay (GOAT) for a panel about the future of filmmaking.

Each project will also receive its own spotlight. Harris will lead a behind-the-scenes presentation on Toy Story 5, while Dillihay will discuss GOAT. Crawford and Mercado will be joined by production designer Ryan Carlson and head of character animation Sean Sexton for a deeper look at Forgotten Island.

Pixar, Disney, Laika, And Aardman Take The Stage

Pixar director Daniel Chong and producer Nicole Paradis Grindle will present a session on the making of Hoppers. Pixar RenderMan artist Dylan Sisson will separately explore RenderMan XPU and the technology’s use on Toy Story 5.

Disney Animation producer Yvett Merino will talk about the studio’s upcoming holiday release Hexed, while Laika production vfx supervisor Steve Emerson will discuss the studio’s highly anticipated stop-motion fantasy Wildwood.

Aardman director Merlin Crossingham will break down the demands of directing a stop-motion feature, from shaping the larger production to managing its smallest details. Stop-motion artists can also attend a separate four-day puppet lab led by Oscar-winning filmmaker Chris Lavis.

Roger And James Deakins On Cinematography

Two-time Oscar-winning cinematographer Sir Roger Deakins and his longtime creative collaborator James Ellis Deakins will close the conference with Reflections on Cinematography.

The pair will discuss their creative process and careers in a conversation moderated by Cartoon Brew editor-in-chief Jamie Lang.

Blockbuster VFX

Several of the year’s largest films will receive dedicated visual-effects presentations.

Wētā FX senior vfx supervisor Eric Saindon will revisit the production of Avatar: Fire and Ash. Oscar winner Andrew Jackson will present a prerecorded session about The Odyssey, while Paul Lambert and Mag Sarnowska will unpack the effects of Project Hail Mary.

ILM animation director Hal Hickel will discuss The Mandalorian and Grogu, including the challenge of animating creatures and characters for live-action environments. Other sessions will cover Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Disclosure Day, Resident Evil, Masters of the Universe, House of the Dragon season three, Coyote vs. Acme, and A24’s Backrooms.

An executive panel featuring ILM head Janet Lewin, Sony Pictures Imageworks president Michelle Grady, and Skydance Animation president Holly Edwards will examine the future of cinema and the businesses creating its imagery.

AI, Games, And The Future Of Production

Artificial intelligence will be a frequent topic of discussion throughout the week, including the panel Every Pixel Will Be Generated, a keynote conversation between NVIDIA media and entertainment vice president Richard Kerris and Runway cofounder and co-CEO Cristobal Valenzuela.

Other panels will examine AI-assisted animation, artist-centered machine-learning tools, automated production, and the technology’s impact on hiring and creative control.

View’s games lineup, an increasingly important part of the event, includes God of War Ragnarök game director Bruno Velazquez, who will explain the game’s one-shot camera approach, along with presentations on Wolverine, Saros, and the Horizon series.

Hands-on programming begins October 12 with workshops covering concept art, Unreal Engine 5, Gaussian splatting, stylized rendering, virtual production, character development, and portfolio preparation. The main conference then moves to Turin’s OGR complex, with select evening screenings held at Cinema Massimo.

The complete schedule and ticket information are available through the VIEW Conference website.