At its July meeting, SMPTE Hollywood will host a panel of experts for a discussion on the critical importance of standards in the motion picture and television industry. Providing the technical framework upon which the industry depends, standards are central to SMPTE’s mission—and yet people are often unsure of what the term means.

In a lively Zoom session scheduled for July 22nd at noon Pacific Time, three leading technology experts will discuss the history of standards, SMPTE’s critical role in the development of new standards, and how intellectual property rights and patents apply to standards. For those interested in the technical basis underlying virtually every aspect of entertainment content, it’s an event that is not to be missed.

Panelists

JiNan Glasgow George is globally-recognized expert in intellectual property and patent strategy. She has spoken about IP at the UN Economic Commission for Europe and been a featured speaker at IP conferences in India, Italy, France, South Africa, Mexico, United Arab Emirates, Ghana and across the U.S. Through her law practice, NEO IP, George helps clients create patent assets, increase valuations and position themselves for exit. She developed Patent Forecast®, an AI-based software leveraging patent data to identify trends and provide competitive advantage for companies and entrepreneurs. She is registered to practice law in North Carolina and with the US Patent and Trademark Office. She is a contributor for Forbes and has degrees in engineering, law, and theology from NC State, UNC Chapel Hill, and Duke University, respectively.

Bruce Devlin is SMPTE Standards Vice President and founder of Mr MXF. He has also enjoyed C-level positions at other media companies. He wrote the book on MXF and is a recognized world expert in media files and formats. His free video series, Bruce's Shorts, is designed to help professionals improve their skills in file-based technology.

Thomas Bause Mason is SMPTE’s Director of Standards Development. He is responsible for maintaining the technical infrastructure for both the standards community and SMPTE HO. Formerly owner of Open Media Consulting, Bause Mason began his career in Cologne, Germany, as a computer programmer for automation software in the nuclear and automobile industries. He also worked at West German Television (WDR) and Cologne Broadcasting Center. In Los Angeles, he became a post-production consultant and built and managed the encoding operations for Ascent Media. Joining NBCUniversal in 2005, he focused on emerging technology, spending two years in London to support the company's international business. Throughout his career, Bause Mason has assisted industry organizations in the development of standards, technical recommendations and study group reports. He holds several patents and is a SMPTE Fellow.

Moderator

Maureen O’Rourke is Technical Quality Control Lead Operator for the Walt Disney Company and Disney Digital Studio. Before joining Disney in 2010, she served in senior quality control roles with Vision QC, BluFocus, the Post Group and THX.

The event is produced for Hollywood SMPTE by Jim DeFilippis, Maureen O’Rourke, Eric Gsell and Allan Schollnick.

As always, SMPTE Hollywood meetings are free and open to all, even non-members.

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July Virtual Meeting: What Are SMPTE Standards and Why Are They Important?