Ed Lantz, Mark Laisure, and Kate McCallum from the team at Vortex Immersion Media join Cirina Catania, OWC RADiO host, and share their experiences about working with Dr. Jancy McPhee, and Larry O'Connor of OWC, to help bring the Humans in Space Art Competition to the world.

We also go under the hood with Vortex Immersion Media as Ed, Mark and Kate explain how they have created next-generation immersive entertainment journeys with a focus on a deeper, more meaningful experiences and positive social impact. Their every-popular "Mesmerica" immersive visual musical journey features the music of James Hood and has been playing to sold-out audiences since its inception.

Ed Lantz is the Founder, President and CTO, Vortex Immersion Media, an entertainment technology engineer and immersive experience designer. He designs 360 digital dome venues and produces and directs those experiences. According to Ed, "It is a visual musical journey with poetic narrative." It most certainly leaves audiences happier when they leave than when they arrived.

Joining him is Mark Laisure, the CEO of Vortex Immersion Media. He is one of the world’s leading designers of transformative 360 immersive entertainment and an inspirational speaker, producer and C0-Host of The Life Changes Radio Show and Live Event Series. Mark focuses on sharing and embracing "change" in order to "do life better."

Kate McCallum is a Producer, Content Strategist, Writer, supporting Vortex Immersion Media with business and creative development.

James Hood's Mesmerica 360 experience has been playing to sold-out audiences since its inception. This unique event enables guests to share an immersive experience that is truly out of this world.

In This Episode

00:39 - Cirina introduces Mark Laisure, CEO of Vortex Immersion Media. Ed Lantz, Founder, President and CTO, Vortex Immersion Media, and Kate McCallum, a Producer, Content Strategist, Writer, supporting Vortex Immersion Media with business and creative development.05:25 - Mark talks about the involvement of Vortex with Humans in Space Art.09:24 - Ed shares the vision of Vortex Immersion Media and the story of how it began.13:36 - Kate shares her experiences in being a producer, writer, and consultant, and how she decided to work with Ed.19:50 - What is Mesmerica?23:56 - Kate explains how they produce James Hood’s Mesmerica in various domes and planetariums in the country.28:13 - On a stage director’s standpoint, Ed elaborates on directing a live immersive performance being projected in a dome.34:17 - Ed points out the challenges of filmmakers in producing stories in a dome format.39:08 - Kate shares how they researched the science of happiness and positive psychology while making Mesmerica.43:02 - Visit Mesmerica 360’s website at mesmerica.com to learn more about the show.

Jump to Links and Resources

Transcript

This is Cirina Catania with OWC Radio. I'm back again, and we have been talking in the previous few minutes with Mark Laisure and Ed Lantz about their involvement with this wonderful challenge called Humans in Space Art, and we're able to get Kate on the phone Kate McCallum, which I'm really excited about. Kate is a writer-producer, and she was on this team. The Vortex team was one of the major sponsors of this event. So, Kate, I want to ask you because you weren't here earlier. What was your involvement, and how do you feel about this project? 

KM: I work with Vortex in the capacity of creative development kind of business strategy from a more interpersonal level with the artist and the creative community, as well as heading up a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that we launched back in 2004, called the c3: Center for Conscious Creativity. So Vortex generously has been a supporter of our nonprofit as well. And we are able to kind of have our headquarters here, and also host events and support artists through our 501(c)(3) nonprofit doing work that is exploratory or more on the social impact s...