The Future of Grand Entrances: The LED and Projection Tunnel Experience

The Future of Grand Entrances: The LED and Projection Tunnel Experience

In today’s fast-paced world of events and experiences, the saying “First impressions matter” has never been more relevant. Whether you’re hosting a tech conference or a high-end gala, the entrance you craft sets the tone for the entire event. It’s the very first interaction attendees have with the atmosphere you’ve meticulously created, and it’s an opportunity to sweep them off their feet from the get-go.

One of the most immersive and breathtaking ways to welcome guests is by enveloping them in a world of light and imagery. Enter the LED and Projection Tunnel.

Why LED Tunnels?

Setting up a grand entranceway doesn’t just act as a portal to your event, it’s an avenue to tell a story. LED tunnels, with their capacity to display brand colors, dazzling effects, and even pulse with the music, capture the imagination of all who walk through them. They’re not just pathways, they’re experiences. LED walls, which have seen a significant resurgence over the past couple of years, can be synced perfectly to the theme of your event, enhancing its ambiance.

The Magic of Projection Tunnels

While LED tunnels offer a vivid and bright entrance, projection tunnels elevate the experience by adding layers of depth, movement, and storytelling. Imagine walking through a tunnel where the walls come alive with a narrative, where every step takes you deeper into the world you’re about to immerse yourself in.

At Alt Ethos, we’ve been at the forefront of experiential design. Our expertise in projection mapping and our innovative LED tunnels have been hallmarks of our work. Recognizing the potential of combining these two immersive technologies, we’re excited to debute the projection tunnel. It’s our latest offering in crafting unforgettable entrances for events.

Extending Themes Right from the Entrance

It’s essential to remember that the theme of your event shouldn’t just be confined to the main area. Extending these themes right from the entrance sets the mood immediately. Whether it’s the mysterious allure of a jungle, complete with trees, vines, and ambient sounds, or the vibrant festivity of a Hawaiian luau with Hula dancers welcoming guests, the entrance plays a pivotal role in setting the stage.

Sponsorships with a Twist

For those seeking unique sponsorship opportunities, integrating the entrance as part of a high-value package can be a game-changer. It guarantees that all attendees will witness the branding, seamlessly merging it with the event’s color scheme and themes. A well-crafted sponsored entrance can offer sponsors prime visibility while enhancing the overall aesthetic of the event.

Conclusion

The entrance is more than just a gateway; it’s a narrative tool, a mood setter, and a brand amplifier. As the world of events evolves, so do the techniques we use to make them memorable. At Alt Ethos, we’re passionate about pushing the boundaries of experiential design, and our LED and Projection Tunnels are a testament to that commitment.

If you’re looking to create a grand entrance that leaves an indelible mark, we’re here to light the way.

For more information of our LED Tunnel or Projection Tunnel for your next event,
Contact Us.

Epic Immersive Industry Summit 2021 and interview with Steve Boyle

Epic Immersive Industry Summit 2021 and interview with Steve Boyle

On August 29th and 30th at AREA15 Las Vegas, Epic Immersive welcomed immersive industry luminaries from Secret Cinema, Marshmallow Laser Feast, David Byrne’s Theater of the Mind, Broadway, Swamp Motel, Meow Wolf, Delusion, Mycotoo, AREA15, Boomtown Fair, Les Enfants Terribles, The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and more. As well as international guests from companies in China, India, Singapore, Russia, and Europe.

Epic Immersive is an immersive experience agency that has created 14-acre fictional cities and underground wonderlands. Companies like Apple, Google, and Facebook have commissioned Epic Immersive experiences.

The 2-day event included speakers Mycotoo’s Fri Forjindam, Fifth Wall Forum’s Stephanie Riggs, AREA15’s Michael Beneville, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Nataki Garrett, and the team behind VR theatre experience Welcome to Respite (Tribeca Film Festival 2021 Official Selection), with many more. 

Alt Ethos caught up with Steve Boyle, co-founder of Epic Immersive (co-created with Kimberly Flynn) to discuss event curation, announcements, and exciting future plans. 

  1. The Alt Ethos team really enjoyed The Immersive Industry Homecoming Summit. What was your process for curating the speakers; how did you go about choosing them?

We (Steve Boyle and Kimberly Flynn) worked together to identify the most compelling movers-and-shakers from the global immersive scene across a number of genres and mediums. It was of supreme importance to us that we threw a truly global event, and that our speaker roster reflected the incredible diversity of our field, highlighting femme and BIPOC creators. 

  1. We noticed that there were some announcements made at the event from the speakers. Can you please share some of those?

Two big ones come to mind: Stephanie Riggs announced the creation of Odeon Theatrical, a new platform that delivers AR content for live theatre, and Kim Adams announced the return of Adventure Lab

  1. What was the moment that surprised you the most at the event? Or a “wow” moment that comes to mind?

Steve: The wow moment for me was really just being there — those first moments especially when the energy is so high and the anticipation is there and we’ve really, truly come together for the first time in 18 months, with tons of safety precautions in place, and we’ve made it together safely. That was an amazing moment I’ll never forget.

Kim: Wow moments for me were in all the excitement and enthusiasm throughout the entire process from the speakers to our attendees, the positivity, excitement, support and joy from everyone involved and from everyone that attended was really magical. It was wonderful to feel the community excited to be sharing an experience again after such a long break.

  1. Any shout-outs you would like to share?

Huge, huge thanks to projectionist and technical director Jacob Vorperian, and our tech wiz Christie Casey.

  1. What are the future plans for The Immersive Industry Homecoming Summit?

Stay tuned! We’ll definitely be back in Vegas, and you’re going to want to be a part of a whole circuit of events we are planning in 2022.

  1. What’s next for Epic Immersive?

A return to large-scale immersive experiences in 2022. Once again, stay tuned for big announcements!

We thank Steve Boyle for taking the time to chat with us and appreciate all of the effort that the Epic Immersive team, speakers, and collaborators put forth to make this Summit such a special event. Bringing together a group of visionaries, technologists, and storytellers is no small feat. Alt Ethos enjoyed the projection mapping within the space, the deep conversation from the speakers, the diversity of the group, and the pace of the presentations. We learned deeply about different companies and artists doing cutting-edge immersive work. Also, let’s not forget about the unique container that the summit took place in. If you’re ever in Las Vegas make sure to visit Area15.

AREA15 is an immersive playground, all rolled into a vast and vibrant space. Throw an axe, wander through a bamboo volcano, race on a zip line, or explore other mesmerizing realms. From the futuristic to the thrill-seeking, there’s an experience for everyone here.

Epic Immersive creates story-driven immersive experiences with explorable, 360-degree worlds. From ticketed experiences to corporate events to marketing activations, they deliver epic, unforgettable journeys.

Perspectives of the Metaverse

Perspectives of the Metaverse

You may have noticed that the term ‘metaverse’ has been buzzing recently. If you’re wondering why that is, as BBC states, “there is a huge amount of excitement about the metaverse among wealthy investors and big tech firms, and no-one wants to be left behind if it turns out to be the future of the internet.”

The metaverse’s powerful decentralizing potential has been a prediction even before Mark Zuckerberg’s recent announcement, and the advent of the pandemic, which also plays its part in it. According to Reuters: “The accelerated interest in the metaverse can be seen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As more people have started working and going to school remotely, there has been increased demand for ways to make online interaction more lifelike.”

The global changed circumstances along with increased demand suggests that the developing metaverse is on the near horizon.

We only need our mobile phones to remind us of technology’s significant strides in a short time. As Adage says: “Hardware is becoming more compact, quicker and more intelligent. Thanks to 5G, almost everywhere now has fast, dependable connectivity. In the metaverse, computer vision is becoming more intelligent, allowing for both visual and audible help. All of this contributes to the immersion of the experience, making the transfer of knowledge and experience more rewarding and human.”

As such, the metaverse goes beyond common associations like gaming…

… and is poised to impact several sectors like education and retail. As WSJ predicts: ”Real-world businesses will be able to participate in the metaverse as well by offering virtual versions of their bricks-and-mortar facilities, Unity’s Mr. Whitten says. With existing online stores, customers can read product descriptions and make purchases. In the metaverse, customers would be able to visit virtual retail outlets and try out products in 3-D and at full scale before buying.”

As any new technology brings with it its own changes, integrating the metaverse will open new avenues for the way both consumers and companies interact. As Forbes states: “Companies will need to transition their marketing strategies from online ad buys to existing in a shared, virtual economy. Companies will need to do market research on their new customers in the metaverse. How people act and what their preferences are in the metaverse could be totally different than how they behave and what they shop for in real life.” 

A useful resource on this promising technology is Jon Radoff’s Building the Metaverse blog.

The blog covers a range of sectors like Business, technology and culture of all the virtual worlds, including: realities and experiences of the Metaverse, 2D, 3D, mobile phones, VR/AR, games, MMORPGs, social networks, digital collectibles, esports; game design, Unity, Unreal, free-to-play (f2p), blockchain, and NFTs. His post ‘What We Talk About When We Talk About the Metaversealso explores the meaning of the term ‘metaverse,’ how it has evolved, and what the future may bring.

Wikipedia Metaverse Definition.

The word “Metaverse” is made up of the prefix “meta” and the stem “verse”; the term is typically used to describe the concept of a future iteration of the Internet, made up of persistent, shared, 3D virtual spaces linked into a perceived virtual universe.

The Pathos Metaverse that Alt Ethos is launching.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this decentralizing technology is that it won’t just be one metaverse, but multiple, reflecting the unlimited creative potential and explorative possibilities of various entities. We’re honored to have been and continue to work with this unique technology through our metaverse design solutions. Our easy-to-use, dynamic, and engaging immersive platform provides exciting meeting places, magnetic events, and future-thinking hybrid-virtual-world solutions, pushing the boundaries of interactivity. To learn more about how your audience can create their own avatars and immerse themselves in your custom Branded World, please visit visit our metaverse branded solutions page.

The Meow Wolf Effect in Denver 2021

The Meow Wolf Effect in Denver 2021

Meow Wolf’s biggest attraction yet has finally come to Denver. But that’s by no means the whole story. For years, Denver has been preparing for Meow Wolf’s arrival in ways that are impacting not just the city but the entire region – and very likely beyond.

Millennials across the globe increasingly value experiences over material possessions.

For a while now, Denver has been the number one choice of those among them wanting to move to a new city in the US, and a third of Denver residents are now millennials (CNBC).  City government took notice, and laid plans to stay ahead of the curve with a multi-year community-generated cultural plan designed to fully integrate arts, culture and creativity into daily life, work and play. These ingredients of Denver’s special sauce are part planned, part serendipitous – and that recipe is the reason Meow Wolf and Alt Ethos CEO and Founder Ethan Bach (who had worked together in Santa Fe on helping to elect a new mayor and in Denver for the Meow Wolf announcement party) recognized the potential and established their primary operations in Denver.

Years in the making, the Meow Wolf Effect is still unfolding.

Early predictions were for 1.5M visitors per annum, but the surge of advance ticket sales suggests there may well be a lot more. Whatever the number, this massive new influx of visitors will have major implications for the creative economy (“Is Meow Wolf good for artists? Overall, yes” – Denver Post), the tourist industry, and the culture at large. It will transform opportunities for growth in entertainment offerings, art sales, retail, and dining, which will have a ripple effect across the region. It’s never been just about the Meow Wolf site itself.   

As Ethan says: “The Meow Wolf Effect is an intimate and intentional look into a cultural phenomenon sparking the creative economy in a way that I have not witnessed in my lifetime.

This is our moment of opportunity. If we keep harnessing our collective energy with strategic planning in order to make the best possible outcome, we can make a huge shift in the new economy.”

Read more in Alt Ethos’ article on The Meow Wolf Effect.

Or watch our community presentation.

Global Creative Connections through Immersive Virtual Worlds

Global Creative Connections through Immersive Virtual Worlds

On behalf of The Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) and Alt Ethos, we invite you to our virtual presentation “Global Creative Connection through Immersive Virtual Worlds” hosted in our new Pathos Metaverse, a 3D avatar platform, this Friday October 1st, 2021 at 2:00 PM MST

Please Register Here for the CCI Summit 

Alt Ethos Presentation: Come explore the future of art, technology, and global connectivity through virtual worlds from top creators and thought leaders in the immersive industry. The pandemic shot us into the future of digital engagement and immersive worlds. As some creatives quickly grasped the change to become known internationally, others were left confused. This talk will walk you through the history, present, and future of virtual worlds and how they will impact the global community, our professional lives, and our collective digital future. Speakers:

  • Julian Reyes, MC
  • Eric Dallimore, Moderator
    Panelists
  • Carlos Austin 
  • Ethan Bach 
  • Evo (Evonne) Heyning  
  • Celeste Lear 
  • Q&A from audience submitted in writing

Carlos Austin, Real-Time “In World (VR)” Live Multi-cam video switching and still photographer at Austin Photograph

Carlos is passionate about the arts with an emphasis on photography/video “in-world” TV production and emerging drone technology. An XR evangelist as this technology begins to mature. Helping create Broadcast television standards for capturing live events in virtual social platforms. Real-time switching live shows with a multi-camera setup. There are so many opportunities to communicate and educate the world through XR. 3rd Generation photographer and storyteller.

Ethan Bach, CEO Alt Ethos

Ethan Bach is the founding CEO of Alt Ethos: experiential design agency and Founder and Board Member of DATA (Denver Arts + Technology Advancement). Westword calls Ethan, “An entrepreneur with an eye on the future’s future.” Bach holds an MFA in Electronic Arts from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Alt Ethos is an award-winning design company and has been recognized in CodaWorx Magazine; the Young Industry Professionals, and by the Mayor of Fort Collins.

Evo (Evonne) Heyning, Metaverse Media. Creative Executive Producer

Evo Heyning is an award-winning producer, technologist, founder and creator focused on the future of participatory media. Evo focuses on collaborative teams that work across fields, sectors, and platforms to create meaningful global endeavors. Evo has created virtual beings, worlds, and campaigns for 20 years. Evo produced major live streaming concerts and campaigns for the White House including the launch of the Affordable Care Act and virtual worlds for diplomacy, civic engagement, and nonprofit development.

Celeste Lear, Immersive Event Producer & Designer, XR Entertainment Specialist, Music & Sound Director, Host, VR Consultant

DJ Celeste is an entertainment & event industry professional with 15+ years of concert, festival & conference production experience. Immersive technology expert skilled in designing & executing cutting-edge events both physically, virtually, AND in Virtual Reality. First in a new wave of DJs who design their own stages & perform as avatars in VR Festivals and Nightclubs. Executive music direction, production & clearance for International, multi-media installation projects for UN & UNESCO, including a large-scale video mapping experience in Paris.

Please Register Here for the CCI Summit

 

About Pathos Metaverse
Pathos Metaverse is a browser-based virtual world by Alt Ethos. For this panel, all of the speakers will be avatars in the Pathos Metaverse. Through live-action virtual cinematography, CCI participants will stream the event in real-time. Selected avatar audience members will also be in attendance and watching the entire production in the Pathos Metaverse.

Pathos Metaverse is an easy-to-use, dynamic, and engaging immersive platform. Pathos Metaverse provides exciting meeting places, dynamic events, branded virtual worlds, and future-thinking hybrid-virtual-world solutions, pushing the boundaries of interactivity.