Staying inspired, up-to-date with latest technologies and work in the community is very important to me. Every year I try and go to at least one big conference, and as many small talks/exhibitions as I can. You can get a lot of out them, and also meet some nice people.

I've been going to the Reasons conference since it used to be Flash on the Beach, back in 2007. Every year I come away feeling refreshed, inspired and full of ideas. I always make notes on my favourite bits, and this it the first year I've actually typed them up, to share some of the wealth.

So, here are the notes of my best bits.

Jon Howard - The Future of Digital Creativity

Nice touch of using PollEV to get audience feedback, http://www.polleverywhere.com/
Ai - Watson being used to look over science papers.
A future with no more work? Kodak (63,900 employees 2003) - Instagram (7 Employees)
Mentioned watching this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc
He showed an HTML game builder aimed at kids, that's still in development. Looked great, worth keeping an eye out for.

Chris Gannon
Mocha AE tracking data - live interactive video.

Gareth James
Smile detection, Skype photo frame & Not so Secret Squirrel https://twitter.com/xsecretsquirrel

Bertrand Carrara & Yi-wen lin (Separate talks about the same game)
Interactive poem game based on a Chinese myth.
http://kuafu-thegiant.com/

Abi Fawcus
Talked about why the industry should be hiring more mums. They have super powers.

Jolyon Russ
#istoleyouridea http://www.tipthismuch.in/

Michele Brigante
Touch screens with tactile response.
http://www.foolproof.co.uk/thinking/enhancing-the-touchscreen-experience/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo1n5CyCKr0

Ben Foxall
Finding images by colour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBpcNU-tBi0

</Elevator Pitch>

Mario Klingemann - Eigenartig

Code art is like music, but not like actual painting. Algorithms are similar to melodies.
Talked about the Dunning Kruger effect - This explains it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyOHJa5Vj5Y
His joy of order. He wrote a algorithm that would scan through the images on the British Library's Flickr, then sort them into image categories. Crazy stuff. http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/en_uk/blog/i-became-an-algorithm-at-the-museum-of-modern-art

Sara Blake - Be A Snortvart: Process, Creativity, Business, and Being Yourself

http://hellozso.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_Klimt - http://www.klimt.com/
Document your work, to allow you to look back at your progress.
Try to get lost in life, this helps you find new things.
"Don't wait for someone to hire you"
http://patperry.net/

Yuri Suzuki - Sound Interjection

http://yurisuzuki.com/
http://yurisuzuki.com/soundchaser.html
Road Melody http://www.noiseaddicts.com/2008/09/car-musical-instrument-melody-roads-japan/
Sounds of the Earth http://yurisuzuki.com/works/the-sound-of-the-earth-2/
Sound Taxi http://yurisuzuki.com/works/sound-taxi-2/
White noise calms down crying babies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANgLcpO6tiI
http://www.teenageengineering.com/products/oplab
http://dentakulondon.com/

GMUNK - Come Take a Journey Through Time and Space

http://www.gmunk.com/
He made some of the original Flash titles.
OFFF titles http://vimeo.com/101587594
http://work.gmunk.com/Adobe-Logo-Remix
http://work.gmunk.com/OFFF-Cincinnati-2014
http://work.gmunk.com/Tycho-SEE
http://work.gmunk.com/Flash-On-The-Beach
You've probably seen this too. http://work.gmunk.com/BOX-DEMO

That's all.

Jon Howard - The Future of Digital Creativity

Florian Schmitt - To hell with facts, we want stories!

James White - The Journey, not the Destination

Brendan Dawes - Everything Starts Out Ugly

Kate Moross - Anti-Inspiration

Elevator Pitch - 20 speakers - 3 minutes each

Mario Klingemann - Eigenartig

Sara Blake - Be A Snortvart: Process, Creativity, Business, and Being Yourself

Yuri Suzuki - Sound Interjection

GMUNK - Come Take a Journey Through Time and Space