Fusion

What is the state of themed entertainment today? It's a question on the minds of many longing for the escape themed entertainment venues provide, which, to a large extent, has been missing from people’s lives due to the global pandemic. Places are opening, albeit slowly and at limited capacities in most theme parks and attractions. Electrosonic’s thought leaders, Senior Consultant of Entertainment, Paul Kent, and Global Vice President of Immersive Experiences, Bryan Hinckley, provided an update on where the industry stands as a whole, how they think it will hold up through the pandemic, and what the outlook for IP-based attractions is beyond these COVID times. Before the pandemic, the IP-based attractions industry was growing at a rapid pace. Where do things stand mid-pandemic? “There’s a huge short-term challenge to all these operators, parks, and attractions and museums and live events,” Hinckley said. “This pandemic has been tremendously difficult on the industry. On the flip side, I think there’s an incredibly huge potential for this market and industry to continue to grow and expand.” People are craving the opportunity to go out and have those experiences once again. “Everyone’s looking at how to open up safely,” Kent said. “We’re looking at ways to use technology to make rides safe and keep people distanced. Ride vehicles originally configured to carry far more people are potentially going to be smaller vehicles to let family groups go through together instead of larger groups.” And, while Hinckley and Kent agree the pandemic currently leaves the industry in an unprecedented state, one thing that remains a constant during world crises: people look toward entertainment to lift their spirits and help them get back to a sense of normality. No one quite knows what that normal looks like, but Hinckley and Kent can assure IP-based attractions will be a considerable part of it.

John Kolesar, Enterprise Account Manager for Electrosonic, and Sean McChesney, Experience Technology Consultant for Electrosonic, stopped by the Fusion podcast to discuss the benefits and advantages of businesses having an on-site briefing center. “A briefing center is a themed, immersive, corporate space where visitors can interact with products, the brands, and the employees of the company,” Kolesar said. “The best interactions are done when there’s technology in place that supports the brand or message to create lasting memories for the customer.” Are briefing centers meant for only large-scale, enterprise-wide customers, or can they work for smaller businesses? “I think briefing centers can work for any size company, large or small,” Kolesar said. “The scale can be toned up or down depending on the brand, location, and real estate costs.” “Making meaningful, purposeful decisions about the layout of the space and the types of technology in that space is what is most important,” McChesney added. “Post COVID, it’s really about making guests feel comfortable (and) safe and (helping them) relate to your brand and enjoy the experience they have when they visit your site.” The pandemic’s created new considerations for briefing centers to create a safe and comfortable experience for guests; everything from virtual briefing technology platforms to touchless environments and logistics to get people from the building entrance to the center itself. “Even though there are many challenges to be addressed around these issues,” McChesney said, “people are looking forward to getting back to doing in-person briefings. The value of in-person collaboration has not changed. Our role as a supplier is to work together in a partnership capacity to address immediate concerns and transition that back to full-on collaborative, in-person sessions.”

Electrosonic made its name with its audiovisual solutions, but it also backs its solutions with managed services to support them. “Service used to be viewed as really an afterthought of supporting the client. You’d go and do the integration, figure out what they wanted from an SLA standpoint and do the service from there,” said Todd Miller, Electrosonic’s Director of Service Sales. “Today, it’s really a fully offered package where we’re offering the service as a built-in portion of the actual integration, itself.” The main parts of that package are Affinity, Panorama and Vista, with each giving customers a different component of support. Affinity helps maintain system functionality and uptime, taking issues out of house and making sure those keeping the products running are the ones most familiar with how they work. “If you don’t have the proper managed service package in place, it puts a strain on the relationship between the integrator, the product manufacturers and the client across the board,” Miller said. “We really connect the dots between AV and IT as an integrator and we connect the clients’ internal divisions, as well.” Panorama is another proactive method, allowing for remote monitoring of systems to reduce downtime and be able to solve a problem quickly when one occurs. Vista helps support the migration of on-site video conferencing systems to the cloud and also helps build digital infrastructure for the new hosted cloud video solution. “We spend a lot of our time thinking about these things and trying to solve customers’ problems,” said Graham Baker, the Technical Solutions Manager for Electrosonic. “Vista is about videoconference, primarily, but there’s a lot of things going on under the hood that support some of the needs of the client that are not immediately obvious.” That includes solving problems with how to join meetings, integrating the call with facilities in different meeting rooms or even different offices entirely and making the call seamless without a complicated login or invite code process. Affinity, Panorama and Vista all help make AV a process that can move to the back of mind, knowing it’s well-supported if something goes wrong.

The modern-day office space is getting a shake-up. Gone are the days of gray cubicles and harsh, fluorescent-lit office floors. Contemporary workspaces are seeing a monumental shift in style, design and function, with innovative tech companies like Google and Apple leading the charge. Silicon Valley start-ups are drafting up corporate campuses that focus on collaboration, play, innovation and superior user experience. So who helps create these workplaces and infuse them with technology, audio and visuals that enhance workflow, not detract from it? People like Sean McChesney, Experience Technology Consultant for Electrosonic, that's who. McChesney joins this episode of Fusion to discuss experiential technology in the workplace, elaborating on projects he’s worked on and rising trends he sees developing in the present-day workplace. With the tech-native Generation Z entering the workforce, offices are focusing more than ever before on seamless user experience. As McChesney puts it, Gen-Z employees are expecting “the iPhone experience” from their workspace, with tech not just for the sake of tech, but intelligently designed for usefulness. McChesney said implementing well-thought-out AV starts at the foundation, often collaborating with engineers and architects to ensure the company, its employees and guests get what they need from their spaces. This holistic approach fosters long term relationships and has led McChesney to work on projects with esteemed corporations. At the heart of it all is “collaboration,” McChesney said. Regardless of a company’s size, workplaces are about getting teams in a space where “person to person innovation” happens. What tech can play a part in fostering play, while aiding in high-output of innovation? By intelligently designing based on data collection, McChesney and Electrosonic craft a customized workspace that suits each company’s needs, budget and use cases.

Spies have captured global audience attention for centuries, be they real-world spies like the Rosenbergs, or famous fictional characters like James Bond. It’s no wonder the International Spy Museum is “the most successful paid admission museum in D.C.,” said Chris Cooper, the Spy Museum's Project Manager for Electrosonic. On this episode of Fusion, we take a peek inside the Spy Museum, getting to know the technology that brings the interactive exhibits to life. Be it souped-up Aston Martins or covert gadgets, visitors to the Spy Museum want an immersive experience. Electrosonic integrates the technology to make this happen and, much like a real spy, must make the tech invisible. “We try to make sure that the technology serves the purpose of telling the story, which in a lot of cases means that we need to make sure that the tech is hidden," Cooper said. As an Electrosonic Project Manager, Cooper has been a part of a lot of different projects, but none have been as thrilling or fascinating to work on as the Spy Museum. He thinks the public intrigue with spies stems from a fascination with “imagining what it would be like to be someone else.” The Spy Museum captivates audience attention with real spy artifacts and stories, culled from actual CIA, FBI, and NSA operatives. Electrosonic illuminates these stories with tech like RFID, interactives, and a game-like experience. Thanks to a recent facelift and overhaul from Electrosonic, new buzz about the museum has sparked intrigue and excitement in the community among new and returning visitors.

The Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre in Kuwait contains 23 galleries, 800 exhibits, a 4D theater and a 1 million-liter aquarium. Becoming the world's largest museum complex, the centre is a cultural and financial staple of Kuwait City. It was conceived and constructed over a five year period, headed up by none-other than Electrosonic. The launch was such a success that Electrosonic was awarded the 2019 Best Museum Project by Commercial Integrator's Integration Award. Respected by the industry, enjoyed by consumer, and admired by the creative, the Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre stands as an achievement of technical and creative skill. But how exactly was it pulled off from start to finish? To learn more about the design and construction process, host Daniel Litwin spoke with Simon George, Senior Entertainment Consultant, and Nerijus Linauskas, Senior Project Manager for Electrosonic. On this episode of Fusion, Simon and Nerijus broke down the initial pitch, the process for preparing and designing the multitude of exhibits, and what technical challenges had to be overcome to pull of the imagined scope for the centre. With a project this large, it was important that the team stayed passionate about the project during the entire five year process. "I think the key thing that needs to be understood is the people designing these museums are passionate about what they're doing and you very quickly become passionate about the project and excited about the project. And that is really a key element," Simon said. "If you don't have that passion for it you are never going to design something, you need to get under the skin of it and really appreciate what they are trying to say." Collaboration between all of the teams was extremely important because of the large scope and time-frame of the project. Luckily, finding inspiration for that collaboration wasn’t a problem. "The collaboration was like nothing else I’ve ever worked on...We all had the same aim which was basically to make this the biggest museum in the world," Nerijus said. Beyond that, Simon made the case for the Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre being a fantastic showcase for the AV industry. “...because there is a ‘what you provide is put a tv on the wall’ and some people can think like that and so this was a showcase for the AV community to show that no there's an awful lot more we can do than that," he said.

In 2016, Nintendo launched the wildly popular Pokemon GO, introducing everyday consumers to the joys of augmented reality (AR). The Oculus virtual reality (VR) headset is just one of many popular wearables that allow gamers to immerse themselves in a virtual world. The extended reality revolution is happeninQg before our eyes. In this inaugural episode of Fusion with Electrosonic, CMO Maurizio Capuzzo, and Yiannis Cabolis, director of technical innovation, shared their thoughts on the extended reality (XR) technologies that are captivating the world. “The AR/VR/XR revolution is happening,” Capuzzo proclaimed, and revealed that as immersive technology continually increases, it’ll blur the line between the digital and physical world. Cabolis added that visual technology has been around for quite some time, used largely by the gaming industry and in some educational applications. But these days, the majority of consumers experience XR technologies on their mobile devices or when visiting theme parks. The use cases for XR are expanding to R&D departments where developers and engineers can view prototype hardware designs in a virtual environment. From a B2B perspective, Capuzzo sees more VR expansion happening with opportunities for manufacturers and surgeons to undergo immersive training within a digital world. What will drive adoption is cheaper hardware and better storytelling in the virtual space. “The shift for the industry will move from the cost of the hardware to the content, to the experience,” Capuzzo contended. Cabolis believes that augmented reality has a lot going for it and is ready for mass adoption. Maturation in display technology and projections, and leveraging tech originally designed for military training are all making AR advancements possible. In his view, AR allows for the greatest creativity and has the most possible applications. “It’s something you can experience with others, and by yourself,” he said. Whereas VR is isolating, AR is a shared experience that many can enjoy together. Just look at Pokemon GO for proof. At the end of the day, though, these technologies aren't competing with each other. Cabolis and Capuzzo see the XR revolution as a team effort between AR, VR and MR. Each has its place and each, if done right, can transform the customer experience for the better.

When you attend a cutting-edge conference like InfoComm 2019, you honestly need time and brain power to digest everything you’ve seen. That’s why MarketScale host Daniel Litwin hosted a post-show conversation with Bryan Hinckley, president of Electrosonic, and Maurizio Capuzzo, CMO of Electrosonic, who give their tech and culture perspectives on the effect of the conference. Buzzing as bright as the pro AV technology on display were the vendor booths themselves, Hinckley and Capuzzo admitted. LG showed off their open frame OLED display featuring curved waterfalls and trees that hang overhead, which Capuzzo noted as a crowd favorite at the event. From 8K to transparent LED, there were a lot of technologies showcased at the event, but Hinckley particularly noted the re-emergence of transparent LED into the market. “There were a couple of manufacturers making transparent LEDs a few years ago, but there were technical issues, and for whatever reason, they left the market and left a void,” Hinckley said. “It looks like LG and Planar have figured out those technical limitations and created a new generation product.” Hinckley noted it wasn’t that long ago there was a transition between lamp-based projectors to solid state and laser phosphorous. “As we get brighter light sources, you’re going to see more interesting applications of light in new and interesting ways,” he said. Capuzzo said this all represents an exciting time for Pro AV technology and content creation.

Theme parks have become a place where fans and guests can travel into new worlds and experience much more than just a thrilling ride. These immersive experiences are getting bigger, more detailed, and are requiring the support of innovative AV installs. As consumers come to expect more from their theme park visits, where does AV fit into the puzzle to enhance the experience? On today's episode of the Pro AV Podcast, we get insight from thought leaders at Electrosonic: UK Senior Consultant Paul Kent, and US Vice President Chris Conte. With consumers setting the tone for what's next in theme park rides, the pressure is on. "The goal is to give them something that's better than what they could experience at home," Kent said. "It can be a challenge because you have all these fantastic movies and TV shows...then for them to come alive in a theme park, it's a real-time experience. There are big expectations," Conte said. "And no time for post-production like in the movies. The production has to be flawless," Kent added. So how does AV offer production teams the ability to pull off these immersive experiences, without getting in the way of the experience? It's a tight line to walk, because mismanaged AV installations can often pull end-users out of an experience if the installations aren't added in with direction and intentionality behind the design. "We're asked all the time, how we can create a 'wow' moment and pull people into the experience. It's the fun part of designing these attractions, but it can be tricky. Interactivity is a buzz word for designers and creators. They have to create a linear storyline while also considering the throughput of getting an audience through the ride in a few minutes," Conte said. "Group interactive much more challenging than an individual experience like VR. AR will really be the technology that's more viable in theme parks." That storytelling, at the end of the day, is what makes today's theme park attraction successful, and AV has to be a welcomed addition to the larger narrative of the ride, exhibit, or park as a whole. Conte, who had the opportunity to visit 'Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge' before opening to the public, had to point to Disneyland's newest attraction as a perfect example of a successful . "I was blown away by the detail, some of the best art direction I've ever seen. When you enter the ride, you are fully immersed into the world of Star Wars. It's not just the physical pieces. It's the sound, the lights, the technology. It's truly amazing," he said.

Would you build a building without a blueprint? Probably not. The same applies to AV design. That’s because technology in architectural design isn’t an afterthought—it’s an expectation, said technology master planning expert Robert Pourciau. He joined us on today’s episode of the Pro AV Podcast, brought to you by Marketscale to explain the practicalities of technology design and discuss the benefits this kind of planning has on your business. “We live in a service-oriented world, which makes the experience economy a facet in all our lives,” Pourciau said. “Technology is an integral component to drive it when seamlessly fused with spaces and content.” Pourciau, who is Director of Design Consulting for Burbank-based Electrosonic, pointed out that technology is often the differentiator in the experience economy — making things seamless, easy to use, and most importantly, memorable. The ability to fuse content and advanced tech features into a building requires this kind of advanced planning at the developmental stages of a building project. Electrosonic is making technology master plans a standard for the industry, and are an example of how the AV industry has shifted from solely integrators to consultants in the project process. For instance, Electrosonic provides a single point of contact for its clients to simplify coordination. Electrosonic is then ultimately responsible and accountable for the technology design, Pourciau said. “We provide the coordinated set of technology master planning documentation.”

On today’s MarketScale Pro AV podcast, we are joined by Electrosonic Pre-Sales and Design Engineer Doug Walker and Project Manager Bob Mann for a conversation on extended control room design. Control rooms are integral to companies that make mission-critical decisions daily. As Walker points out, the term “control room” does not mean the same thing to everyone, so the first thing that the technicians and engineers at Electrosonic do is begin by defining what that actually is and means to each individual client. For some, it could be a room with dials and valve switches and very physical devices, and for others, it could be a flight control room or be very software driven. “In the oil and gas industry, they’ve seen the control room attached to what it’s actually controlling, which can often be on a rig, or in a very hostile location, so with improved connectivity and better control rooms, it doesn’t have to be out in that hostile location anymore,” Walker says. Walker goes on to point out that now only essential personnel must be on the operated asset, on an oil rig for example, but people can operate the same resources remotely, which allows for better communication, and a lot of safety improvements. Technology has evolved, and as it has, people’s attitude and expectations have changed. That now means that we need to be able to access that information from anywhere. “In the oil and gas field, it’s more of what we call a controlled environment that the client’s looking to create,” Mann says. That allows teams to “monitor, implement, and replace faulty equipment” efficiently. “The most important tool that we’re providing is the ability to communicate immediately and seamlessly with any offshore asset,” Mann adds.

Every single day we learn new processes and develop new solutions that can help save us time and money. There are few people alive today that don’t have smartphones or don’t use some type of virtual assistant or smart device at either their home or workplace. Innovations in automation and smart design have permeated our entire culture rapidly. Who would have thought that five years ago there would be hundreds of thousands of Wi-Fi adapters that people could buy for $30 and install in their own home to control lights? That same convenience and untapped potential for growth is scaling all the way up to complete smart environments and their designs. Our guests today, Yiannis Cabolis and Andy Batwinas, Director of Technical Innovation and Design Supervisor at Electrosonic, come on the podcast to explain how these smart built designs and environments are driving unprecedented collaboration in the space, and putting more emphasis on the experience, for both the end-user and the AV professional. For the consumer, using this kind of design for immersive environments is giving them unparalleled experiences, from interactive museum exhibits to AR digital signage in retail. Cabolis and Batwinas explain their project at the Nature Research Center in Raleigh, NC, one that demanded unique designs for a plethora of media rich exhibits, a true multi-use space called the Daily Planet, and very specific video projection demands. With this project, Cabolis learned he had to go against the grain to deliver an experience-focused design for the end-user. "You need to know all the rules associated with any applications you design and only then one can know which one to break to create magic," Cabolis said. For the manufacturers, the experience-focused direction is bringing new collaboration to the industry, and a necessity for a deeper knowledge base around network efficiency. Since content is flowing in and out of the designs consistently, the equipment must be tested for functionality consistently during the installation process and periodically after deploymeny to ensure the scope of work has been included from the design. Beyond that, Cabolis and Batwinas explain how the designers and integrators on these smart built environment projects are being pushed to new creative heights, and how that's setting new standards within Pro AV. For more information on Electrosonic’s work in smart environment design, what the biggest missed opportunities and pitfalls are, how to avoid the “Flavor of the Month” syndrome, and what their favorite project driven by “The Experience” has been, give this podcast a listen.