The No Proscenium Podcast

MINDSHOW! There is pretty much NOTHING that gets me more excited about virtual reality than Mindshow: which turns an HTC Vive into a performance capture tool, allowing users to create animated stories with digital puppets. It's like having a film FX pre-visualization tool to play with. For years now I've been anticipating Mindshow's release to the public and now, this week, it is finally HERE. You can roll onto Steam right now and get it for free. To celebrate, we've got Mindshow CEO Gil Baron on to talk about it and the philosophy behind the software. Gil is one of my favorite people to talk all things immersive with, and I've been dying to do this episode for years now. If you're in NYC in October you can check out Mindshow and meet the team at the FUTURE OF STORYTELLING FESTIVAL, who are hosting them this year. (You should go.) This is a big episode in every sense. Gil's interview starts a bit after the half-hour mark (WHAT?) because our friend Ricky Brigante of Inside The Magic stops by to talk about the jam packed summer he's had. Hey: it's a holiday weekend. Consider this two shows for the price of one. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you're in the amusement industry, Kevin Williams is a name you probably know. Once upon a time he headed up the "DisneyQuest" project in Orlando for the Mouse House, and beyond that he's a consultant on numerous projects, the editorial voice of The Stinger Report and founder of The DNA: Digital Out-of-Home Interactive Entertainment Association. This year he's starting an all new conference focused on the Future of Immersive Leisure. We talked about that, his history in the amusement industry, and a whole lot more. Plus: David & Lisa of Room Escape Artist stop by to talk about the state of Escape Rooms, and I go into a little more about LEIA: the League of Experiential & Immersive Artists, which is coming together in the Southland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oh, do we have a multi-layered episode for you today. First, we turn to Jacob Patterson of Think Tank Gallery, as we drop in on the night of their media preview for their next big show Drinkin', Smokin', West Coastin'. Then we unlock the No Pro time machine (Where do you think all that Patreon money goes to?) to enter the world of Nocturnal Fandango before The Sudden Loneliness Gift disrupted their dreams and plans. That's where we find Jason and Kevin Davidson, the couple at the heart of that company, weeks after Have You Seen Jake? ended, before a tragic fire--an uncanny echo of stories past--took Kevin away from Jason. All that, and Noah shares his tale of a Technodelic experience.   Wait, what? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christian Dieckmann is the Chief Strategy Officer of 3D Live, a technology studio in Los Angeles that specializes in creating "holographic" 3D. Their LED video wall has made appearances at VRLA and other gatherings, showing that there is something magical to letting those of us outside a virtual space see what happens when participants and performers are interacting with virtual worlds. Christian is going to be speaking at the Future of Immersive Leisure conference at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas this September 13th & 14th. The conference organizers were gracious enough to set us up with Christian for this interview and our audience up with a 20% discount for the conference when they use the code NOPROSCENIUM. Shouldn't be too hard to remember.   All that, plus the end of the show notes where I talk a little about In Another Room, which makes its bows this week in LA. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After two years (!!) we're back with Annie Lesser for a conversation on how her work has evolved as she's become a mainstay of LA's immersive theatre scene. Plus: field reports from Noah about Midsummer Scream and a pop-up event for HBO's Big Little Lies that pulled in some of LA's best immersive actors and creators. What a week.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At this year's San Diego Comic Con the most buzzed about things weren't movies: they were immersive. Pop-up "marketing activations" for Westworld, Blade Runner 2049, and Mr. Robot drew on the talents and skills of immersive theatre makers and ARG crafters to created the biggest tentpole for immersive this side of Sleep No More. We check in with Daphne Mir and Maxwell Robison who checked out Westworld and Blade Runner 2049, respectively, to get a connoisseur eye view of these immersive gateways into some of Hollywood's biggest properties. Plus: our neighbor uses a garden hose throughout a very special announcement from Noah. Plus-plus: in LA this weekend? Swing on by MIDSUMMER SCREAM and catch our "STAGE & SCREAM" panel on Sunday. Featuring Zombie Joe, Shine On Collective, The Overlook Film Fest, and Unbound Productions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What can we say about this Open Forum edition?   Well: we crack open a can of worms and we go right in. That's what.   WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve Boyle, the CEO of the SF Bay Area's Epic Immersive stops by to talk about their work in immersive theatre and VR... and about their new show The Infernal Motel. Plus: A bit about the Future of Immersive Leisure conference this September in Las Vegas A call for submissions in next weeks OPEN FORUM episode An op-ed from Noah about some of the issues popping up in the SoCal immersive scene All brought to you by our generous Patreon backers.   Sustaining Backer: Ross Sigworth Music By: Chris Porter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lauren Ludwig of Capital W stops by to take a deep dive into the process behind her latest, the much talked about Red Flags. Which means we dive deep down the acting and process rabbit hole. What does that have to do with Jon Hamm?  You'll see. You'll see. Plus: "live events locksmith" Simon Rust Lamb jumps in to answer YOUR questions about getting a new production company off the ground. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Bucher of Sideshow Media Group joins us to talk about his upcoming book Storytelling For Virtual Reality, and in the process gets Noah to go way, way off script. (Warning: content advisory.) Plus the creator of the augmented reality/immersive theatre piece Transmission, which will be making its debut at the Edinburgh Fringe stops by.   Brought to you by our Patreon backers, including sustaining backer Ross Sigworth.     .    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.