On this episode of Six Degrees, we traverse the limitless landscape of AR / VR / MR with Will Gee, cofounder of Baltivirtual. Baltivirtual, a full-service software studio creating state-of-the-art experiential media, exemplifies how new technologies are transforming the way we tell stories, learn, and interact with the world around us.

Will’s candid perspectives on the creative process lead our discussion about the profound potential for AR content creation, exploring how layers of sensory engagement – sight, sound, touch – can enhance the created experience and, ultimately, the impact of the story being told.

On this very special installment of Backstage Pass, we sit down with Tim Zanker, President of O’Keefe Communications (and, of course, our boss!) for an expert’s insider perspective on technology and storytelling in live event production.

We travel back in time to catch a glimpse of live events before the technology that dominates our production systems and processes existed, and learn about Tim’s fascinating and often-unpredictable path from fine arts major to roving lighting director and stage manager to the fearless leader of our spectacular creative production team, and owner of a thriving company. We talk about how the industry has and continues to change, and what matters most when introducing new technology into live event production. Hear how Tim saved the day (on more than one occasion), using experience, intuition, clear communication, and blind faith, turning a potential production nightmare into a magnificent live experience. Finally, we ask Tim how one sustains not only a strong team and solid brand, but also one’s personal and emotional self as a professional in live event production.

Tune into the conversation for insider insights and inspiring stories with Tim Zanker on Six Degrees of Storytelling: Backstage Pass.

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On this episode of Six Degrees of Storytelling, we learn about Ashley Crowder, founder and CEO of VNTANA, and how her company is pioneering interactive hologram experiences. Ashley defines “hologram” through VNTANA’s unique lens, and describes how the company fits into the broader industry landscape and historical context of the technology.

Of course, we navigate the overlaps of theater and human connection with hologram technology, and the power of collective experience fostered by AR & VR. Ashley enlightens us on how a drawing becomes a hologram, and how VNTANA’s holograms actually come to be, through volumetric capture, AI, and motion-capture.

We learn about data collection and VNTANA’s internal creative processes, and how companies use their technology to provide consumers unique experiences. Finally, Ashley tells us about some live events that have inspired her, and what she sees in the future of AR & VR.

So, join us as we dive into the world of holograms with Ashley Crowder, and learn how you could be in New York and Tokyo at the same time (or, at least, your tele-presence can be).

– Rachel & Brittney

Check out some of VNTANA’s Projects in action below!

More about our guest:
Ashley Crowder is the co-founder and CEO of VNTANA, an industry leading augmented reality platform for creating and distributing premium mixed reality experiences.

Prior to co-founding VNTANA Ashley graduated from USC with a bachelors and masters in engineering and gained valuable manufacturing experience at Gulfstream, Northrop Grumman and BP. She leverages her engineering background to guide VNTANA’s overall direction and technology development.

This podcast is brought to you by our Premier Sponsor:

ARt: Storytelling in Augmented Reality!

On this inaugural episode of Six Degrees of Storytelling, co-hosts Rachel Schwerin and Brittney Lanni are joined by special guests Cyrene Q (@CyreneQ), a social media artist, influencer and author, and Nancy Baker Cahill (@4thwallapp), multi-disciplinary artist and founder of 4th Wall.

Over the course of the episode we discuss the potential to create enriched experiences through augmented art. We discuss how augmented reality has evolved to be a new creative medium, enabling stories and shared experiences to be democratized.

We explore how augmented art opens doors to creating contextually-powerful public art, through existing social platforms like Snapchat, or emerging mobile platforms such as 4th Wall and Coordinates, enabling artists to flip the script on age-old paradigms.

More about our guests:
Cyrene Quiamco, better known as CyreneQ, is a social media artist, influencer and published author. She is known for creating art on Snapchat. Her art takes her audience in whimsical adventures as she overlays doodles and augmented reality on her videos. Quiamco’s work has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Business Insider and Mashable.

Nancy Baker Cahill is a multi-disciplinary artist and founder of 4th Wall, a free Augmented Reality (AR) app which allows users to place art in 360 degrees anywhere in the world. She also created the
ongoing, collaborative, AR public art exhibition Coordinates, a new feature on her app, which allows individual artists to activate their work in site-specific locations.

https://nancybakercahill.com/bloomberg-media-documentary