There are few examples of businesses which have grown so quickly to such gargantuan levels of success as e-Sports. Fans around the world fuel the explosive nature of e-Sports competitions. Teams may have more than tens of thousands of followers and the energy generated by teams and crowds is unprecedented. During this special day of programming, learn what e-Sports is, what it takes to support the industry, and how it relates to traditional content production.

SMPTE 2020: “Game On” Esports Sessions

What’s It All About: The Heart and Spirit of e-Sports

Speakers 

Hillary Li - RIT 
Tyler Schrodt - 

Enjoy the ride from consoles to Arenas. What is esports? Why does it matter and why is it so popular? Join us for this exciting introduction to esports and get to know the human and technical aspects of competitions and all that precedes it. During this initial session, experts will explain the true nature of esports’ success. The human side of the industry is all about non-traditional athletes having an athletic experience, bringing communities together, and creating new communities of followers. In addition, this session will introduce the “magical” infrastructure that enables teams to compete “on a level playing field” across large geographic areas.

Take-Aways from this Presentation 

Learning Objective: Understand the structure of the scalable technology behind eSports, platforms and game development story, competition components, platforms used, delivery aspects, cameras, and broadcast aspects. 

Keynote: Visual Storytelling in the Age of Esports

Speaker  

Ian Sansavera - 1UP Studios 

Description 

From social-forward team content to intimate, episodic documentaries, Ian Sansavera will give SMPTE ATC attendees a closer look at the narrative opportunities within esports and the gaming industry.

The Magic Enabler: The esports Architecture 

Description 

So, what kind of infrastructure does it take to enable exciting team competitions to be played on a “level playing field”? Between the technology, production crew, callers, and many other pieces, it is a complex system. During this session, you will learn in detail about the architecture, individual technologies, and everything else needed to produce the magic of esports competition. 

Take-Aways from this Presentation 

Learning Objective: Understand the structure of the scalable technology behind eSports 

Speakers 

Christopher Witmayer - Industry Executive 
Robert Erickson - Grass Valley 
Darcy Lorincz - Engine Media Inc. 
Corey Smith - Activision Blizzard Esports 
Cameron Reed - Ross Video 
 

Roundtable Discussions

Attendees will get to engage in small, roundtable discussions on various topics. Limit of 20 people per table. 

Click Here to View the Schedule of Roundtable Topics and Moderators 

Boots on the Ground esports: Real World Experiences

Description 

The previous session explained the details of the esports architecture under ideal, theoretical conditions. There are, however, challenges that must be worked out and lessons that have been learned. There are also innovations in technology occurring and anyone of them could be a “game” changer! In this session, you will hear from the experts who have implemented esports competitions and met the challenges head-on. Hear how they solved issues and what new technologies are being tested. You will also hear a moderated expert panel discuss the potential opportunities the esports infrastructure has for more traditional content creators. 

Take-Aways from this Presentation 

Learning Objective: Understand the challenges overcome and the challenges still to be addressed 

Speakers: 

Ricardo Rodrigues - 
Robert Erickson - Grass Valley 
Michael Thuney - 
Marcus Bengtsson - 
Christopher Witmayer - Industry Executive 
Cameron Reed - Ross Video 

The Magic in Action: An e-Sports Exhibition

Description 

A live esports competition will bring ideas and information from preceding presentations to life in a live Twitch stream of a Rocket League esports match between Team Liquid and RIT Esports. Rocket League is a high-powered hybrid of arcade-style soccer and vehicular mayhem with easy-to-understand controls and fluid, physics-driven competition. One of the most critically acclaimed sports games of all time, Rocket League includes nearly endless customization possibilities, multiple game types, casual and competitive online matches, and more.