A Glimpse Behind the Screen: Albisola Superiore Event Explores Visual Storytelling

In Albisola Superiore, Italy, the “Manlio Trick” library recently hosted “The Invention of the Fantastic – The crafts of the Imagination in Pop Culture,” an event tailored for enthusiasts of animation, television series, and contemporary visual culture. This gathering, a collaboration between the Municipality of Albisola Superiore and Starfilm – Shipyard of Ideas, as part of the Cultura360 program, provided a unique possibility to delve into the creative processes that shape our collective imagination.

The Visionary: Armin Taghdisirad’s Journey in Character Design

The event featured Armin Taghdisirad, a character designer and visual development artist wiht international acclaim. His impressive portfolio includes collaborations with industry giants such as DreamWorks, Marvel Studios, and warner Bros. Taghdisirad’s work brings to life the characters and worlds that captivate audiences worldwide.

I am a character designer,so I create visual images that can serve the creation of a movie or a TV series.

armin Taghdisirad

Taghdisirad shared insights into his journey, from his early days as a graphic designer to his current role working on high-profile projects. He expressed his enthusiasm for having contributed to projects like Batman for Warner Bros., highlighting the rewarding nature of his work.

from Emmy Awards to the Bat-Family: Notable works and Future Aspirations

Taghdisirad’s portfolio boasts impressive projects, including Marvel’s What If…?, a Disney+ series that won an Emmy award, and upcoming DC Universe projects like Bat Family and Batman: Caped Crusader, a revival of the popular 90s series. He also contributed to dreamworks’ Gabby’s Dollhouse, a successful children’s series on Netflix. Thes projects showcase his versatility and skill in bringing diverse characters and worlds to life.

When asked about his favorite character to draw, Taghdisirad expressed a fondness for Batman, along with Hulk. Looking ahead, he shared his aspiration to work on Spider-Man, indicating his passion for iconic characters.

The fusion of Formal Education and Self-Learning

Taghdisirad’s career path involved a blend of formal education and self-directed learning. He attended the academy of Fine Arts of genoa and Pasadena’s Concept Design Academy, but emphasized the importance of continuous learning through online resources.He credits tutorials on platforms like YouTube and American external sites for providing valuable knowledge and skills.

A lot of tutorials have served on YouTube or tutorials on American external sites.

Armin Taghdisirad

Navigating the Rise of AI in Creative Industries

The event also addressed the growing presence of artificial intelligence in the creative industry. Taghdisirad offered a balanced perspective, acknowledging AI’s potential as a starting point for creative endeavors but cautioning against relying on it as the ultimate solution. He noted that while AI has impacted roles like concept artists, other roles such as layout and background artists remain resilient. He believes that AI is not yet capable of replacing the complete and consistent effort required in animated productions.

I don’t think artificial intelligence is still able to replace the coherent and massive work that serves in an animated production.

Armin Taghdisirad

The integration of AI in creative fields is a topic of ongoing discussion. According to a recent report by the World Economic Forum, AI is expected to create 97 million new jobs by 2025, while displacing 85 million. This highlights the need for creatives to adapt and leverage AI as a tool to enhance thier work, rather than viewing it as a replacement.

The Spark of Inspiration: A Childhood Dream

Taghdisirad traced his passion back to his childhood, recalling his captivation with Disney and Marvel movies. He was curious about the creative process behind these films and discovered that they were made in Burbank and Glendale, California. He began reaching out to artists listed in the credits, manny of whom generously offered advice and guidance.

It all started as a child. I watched Disney movies, Marvel, and I wondered where they created them.

Armin Taghdisirad

Words of Encouragement for Aspiring Artists

Taghdisirad concluded with a message for the next generation of creatives, urging them to pursue their passions and draw what they love. He emphasized the importance of practice and dedication,assuring aspiring artists that by focusing on their interests,they can develop their skills and become accomplished artists.

I would say to the children: try to draw so much what you like, not what they tell you. If you are at home, draw what you are passionate about until you know how to do it by heart. I guarantee you that you will become good artists.

Armin Taghdisirad

Enhancing User Experience with Facebook SDK

Integrating the Facebook Software Development Kit (SDK) into web applications offers a powerful way to connect with users, track engagement, and personalize experiences. This involves initializing the SDK, configuring app settings, and subscribing to events for real-time interaction.

Initializing the Facebook SDK

The first step in leveraging Facebook’s capabilities is initializing the SDK. This process involves setting up an request ID, enabling cross-origin resource sharing (XFBML), and specifying the API version. The initialization code typically resides within a JavaScript function that executes asynchronously.

                FB.init({
                    appId      : 'YOUR_APP_ID',
                    xfbml      : true,
                    version    : 'v16.0'
                });
            

Replace YOUR_APP_ID with the unique identifier assigned to your application within the Facebook Developer platform. Using the correct `appId` is crucial for proper authentication and data retrieval.

Event subscription and Dispatch

Onc the SDK is initialized, developers can subscribe to various events to respond to user actions and changes within the Facebook surroundings.A common event is xfbml.ready,which signals that Facebook’s social plugins,such as Like buttons and Share buttons,have been rendered on the page.

                FB.Event.subscribe('xfbml.ready', function(msg) {
                    edinews_dispatch_event('edinews_xfbml_ready',msg);
                });
            

The edinews_dispatch_event function, in this example, represents a custom event dispatcher that can be used to trigger further actions within the web application. This allows for seamless integration between Facebook’s social features and the application’s core functionality.

Asynchronous Loading and Execution

To ensure optimal performance, the Facebook SDK is loaded asynchronously. This means that the script is downloaded and executed without blocking the rendering of the rest of the web page. The following code snippet demonstrates how to load the SDK asynchronously:

                (function(d, s, id){
                    var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
                    if (d.getElementById(id)) {return;}
                    js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
                    js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/it_IT/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v16.0";
                    fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
                }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
            

This code dynamically creates a script element, sets its source to the Facebook SDK URL, and inserts it into the document. The async attribute ensures that the script is loaded without blocking the main thread.

Facebook Pixel and Event Tracking

Beyond social plugins, the Facebook Pixel is a powerful tool for tracking user behavior and measuring the effectiveness of advertising campaigns. The Pixel is a snippet of JavaScript code that allows you to track website visitors and their actions, such as page views, button clicks, and form submissions.

                fbq('init', 'YOUR_PIXEL_ID');
                fbq('track', 'PageView');
            

Replace YOUR_PIXEL_ID with your unique Pixel ID. The fbq('track', 'PageView') function tracks a standard page view event. You can also track custom events to gain deeper insights into user behavior.

Best Practices for Facebook Integration

• Use the latest SDK version: Keep your SDK up-to-date to benefit from the latest features and security updates.
• Handle errors gracefully: Implement error handling to gracefully manage potential issues with the SDK.
• Optimize for performance: Ensure that the SDK is loaded asynchronously and that your code is optimized for performance.
• respect user privacy: Be transparent about how you are using Facebook data and respect user privacy preferences.