KeyShot World 2020 Virtual Launches Amid COVID-19 Lockdown

KeyShot World 2020, the forth in-person gathering of Luxion's KeyShot rendering software users, was originally set to take place in Pasea Hotel & Spa in Huntington Beach, California.

But COVID-19, the intensifying virus outbreak, and the statewide shelter-in-place order issued by California Governor Gavin Newsome last Thursday made it no longer possible.

This morning, the event launches as a week-long virtual gathering (March 23-April 2), the first virtual event for KeyShot users, featuring live sessions, accessible via Zoom conferencing application.

The sessions are also recorded and posted to KeyShot's YouTube channel.

According to Josh Ming, Luxion's director of marketing, the event kicked off with 593 unique viewers tuning in live on Zoom and 798 viewers on YouTube.

This week NVIDIA GTC is also taking place as a virtual event in a similar fashion. GTC Digital is free to attend.

At KeyShot World 2020 Virtual, George Olarte, staff designer at Spin Master, discusses using the rendering program to visualize and propose different packaging ideas.

Derick Cicero, serving as the moderator from his home, said, “This is meant to be an in-person event bringing together customers, presenters, and workshops to network around KeyShot ... Given the global situation, we decided to bring it online, and make it free instead.”

Ryan Levy, global training and creative specialist, Luxion, said, “Hope everybody is staying safe, wearing tube socks and sweat pants as they work from home. I wish we could have seen each other, gotten to know each other more, but I'm glad [KeyShot] got [the virtual show] together so quickly.”

Ironically, one of the giveaways for the virtual attendees is GoPro Hero 7, a head-mounted camera meant for outdoor activities. The winner may need to hold on to it until the shelter-in-place order is lifted.

Today's live sessions include “Diary of a Wimpy Package Designer” by George Olarte, staff designer at Spin Master, a toy and game maker.

Olarte's title and presentation (delivered to the backdrop of school exercise book pages) is an homage to the bestselling comic series Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

“HDRI, lighting .. I'm now talking to you like I know what these are, but I was really a novice at this,” he admitted.

KeyShot is a CAD-friendly rendering package, known for its simple and easy-to-learn user interface.

Olarte used KeyShot to render and propose various packaging design concepts for Meccano, an eight-legged spider-like robot, and the Boxer, an interactive AI-powered robot toy.

You can watch Olarte's session below:

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