Address by noted producer/ director/ effects supervisor to include examination of digital production methodologies of George Lucas and James Cameron

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- NAB and United Entertainment Media's DIGITAL CINEMA magazine are proud to announce that Los Angeles-based producer/ director/ effects supervisor Scott Billups will present the keynote address at the Sunday, April 7 portion of the NAB2002 DIGITAL CINEMA SUMMIT, in Las Vegas.

Presented by DIGITAL CINEMA magazine, the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the NAB2002 DIGITAL CINEMA SUMMIT is the NAB's first-ever conference specifically targeting the motion-picture industry's dramatic transition to digital technologies for film production, distribution, and exhibition. The NAB2002 DIGITAL CINEMA SUMMIT, to be held in room 701 of the Venetian Hotel's conference center, will explore the technologies, companies, and creative talents that are forging Hollywood's new century of digital filmmaking. These talents include director George Lucas, whose digitally produced STAR WARS 2: ATTACK OF THE CLONES premieres May 16.

Scott Billups is a noted visual-effects supervisor whose recent work includes director David Lynch's Oscar-nominated film "Mulholland Drive." Widely profiled in the entertainment media, Billups has been described as "One of the most respected and requested digital producers and special-effects conjurers in the entertainment business" (Paul Karon, Los Angeles Times); "Provocative and confident...at the far edge of digital thinking in Tinseltown" (Frederick Rose, The Wall Street Journal); "One of the most-accomplished, most-sought-after digital effects artists in Hollywood" (Andrew Marton, Premiere magazine).

Billups is also the author of the best-selling book "Digital Filmmaking," which actor/producer Marlon Brando describes as a "guide and mentor for me and...a critical assist in helping me to understand the world of digital technology." Billups is currently directing the digital movie "Mid Century," starring Faye Dunaway and John Glover. The film is slated for inclusion in the Marche'du Film at the Cannes Film Festival next month. Billups' other recent projects includes visual effects supervision and digital restoration on Matt Dillon's directorial debut, "City of Ghosts." In addition, Billups' film "Mid Century" is the cover story of the April issue of DIGITAL CINEMA magazine. He is a member of the SMPTE, IFP, and the Visual Effects Society, and has been a keynote speaker at MacWorld, Seybold, DigitalWorld, the Rome International Telephony Conference, and the Amsterdam Virtual Reality Conference.

"Scott Billups is a master of moving-image content-creation technology," states DIGITAL CINEMA Editor Brian McKernan. "From his previsualization work on the original 'Jurassic Park' to his award-winning title sequence for director Irving Schwartz's new movie, 'LArcney,' Scott has continually pioneered new motion-picture production techniques. And his years as a Contributing Editor to DIGITAL CINEMA and VIDEOGRAPHY magazines have established his reputation as a master at explaining the impact of new digital production hardware and software tools."

"I have tremendous respect for both George Lucas and James Cameron, and will examine and contrast the context of their well-substantiated views of filmmaking's digital future," Billups reveals of his keynote address. "Then I'll offer a timeline of where that future promises to take us."

"The movies are going digital--from cinematography to exhibition, and beyond," states Martin Porter, Senior VP and Publishing Director of UEMedia. "DIGITAL CINEMA is the magazine of record for this industry and proudly partners with NAB and SMPTE on one of the most important events for entertainment professionals worldwide. The NAB2002 DIGITAL CINEMA SUMMIT is one of the largest digital cinema education events of its kind and we look forward to advancing the artistry, craft, and technology of this new production and delivery medium."

The NAB2002 DIGITAL CINEMA SUMMIT will be held on Saturday April 6 and Sunday April 7 in room 701 of the Venetian Hotel conference center, in Las Vegas. The Saturday April 6 portion of the Summit will focus on standards development and technical issues, and is chaired by SMPTE Editorial VP Edward Hobson, SMPTE Engineering VP Peter Symes, and EDNet's Tom Scott, a member of the SMPTE's DC 28 Working Group.

The Sunday April 7 portion of the NAB2002 DIGITAL CINEMA SUMMIT is chaired by DIGITAL CINEMA Edior Brian McKernan, and is also scheduled for room 701 of the Venetian Hotel conference center. The Sunday Summit begins at 9 a.m. with Scott Billups' keynote and continues throughout the day with a series of panel discussions spotlighting: digital cinematography, postproduction, delivery, projection, and exhibition. Participating panelists include representatives from such companies as Sony, Panasonic, Thomson, Boeing, Kodak, Technicolor, and Qualcomm.

Register by April 3, 2002 and the cost to attend the two-day Digital Cinema Summit is $120 for NAB and SMPTE members and $150 for non-members. The on-site registration fee is $170 for NAB and SMPTE members and $200 for non-members. For NAB2002 Digital Cinema Summit program updates go to www.nab.org/conventions/nab2002/digitalcinema.asp or www.digitalcinemamag.com. For more information on keynote speaker Scott Billups go to www.pixelmonger.com.