CrashPad Podcast
By Alesia Hendley
CrashPad PodcastDec 01, 2021
Sayless Do More
Infocomm 2022 was a big return back to tradeshows! So it was only right that I conduct an interview with one of my best friends and mentors Alexis La Broi. Alexis is currently the Director of the Audio Visual Services Division at MidPoint Technology Group. Her career in professional audiovisual and technology services spans over 25 years. Beginning in Live Events and working in various leadership positions for major companies like PSAV, Swank AV, AVI-SPL, and PRG.
On this first episode of season 3, we discuss her new role at MidPoint Technology Group, pushing outside of our comfort zones, and practical things that we in #ProAV can do to start doing to make real strides within Diversity and Inclusion. To further connect with Alexis follow the links below.
Creating Into Existence
Robin Kinnie is the CEO of Mortor City Studios in Detroit Michigan. The mission of Motor City Woman is to amplify the voices of underrepresented groups in the broadcasting and podcasting industries. Robin also serves as the Detroit Chapter Head of Soundgirls.org, a national organization focused on increasing the number of women audio engineers. Robin not only concentrates on the representation of women behind the microphone but, also behind the audio board.
Her success and what she has built is creating a major pipeline for women and young people to find their way into audio. On this episode, I chat with Robin about her unique journey into this space and how she created these amazing spaces into existence.
Website: motorcitywoman.com
Audio Engineers of Detriot: aedetroit.com
Cyber Security & Creating Your Own Path with Taye Johnson
Cyber security is a part of technology that is often forgotten. We get so caught up in devices and apps that we don't even double think about the security aspect of the technology we love so much. So I invited technology consultant Taye Johnson to hang out in my CrashPad and not only talk about her expertise within data science and cyber security but her path into the industry. LET'S GO BLACK WOMEN IN TECH!
Be sure to connect with Taye on LinkedIn and join her for Women Who Code's one-day dev conference!
Women Who Code CONNECT Recharge ⚡️conference!
An Immersive Cultural Experience at SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
There’s a new addition to the iconic New York City skyline: SUMMIT One Vanderbilt. Blending elements of art and technology, SUMMIT takes the concept of an “observation deck” to entirely new heights featuring Samsung technology.
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt delivers an immersive experience that will change the way visitors view the most famous skyline in the world. The multi-level entertainment space features Levitation, two all-glass skyboxes allowing visitors to stand 1,063 feet above Madison Avenue, Ascent, a glass elevator to take them to the highest viewpoint of the city, and Apres, a lavish indoor café and outdoor bar to enjoy refreshments with the endless views.
Also nestled on the first two floors of SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is AIR, a 5-part story-driven, multi-space immersive experience, designed by visionary artist Kenzo Digital. AIR offers visitors a multi-floor, multi-space immersion that challenges their notions of physical reality, the city that surrounds them, and their sense of self. The transformative experience of AIR concludes in UNITY, an installation supported by a 750 square foot 1.2mm IWJ Wall Series Samsung Display. On this episode Harry Patz, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Display Division at Samsung along with PJ Alvarez, Director of Technology Operations at Summit One Vanderbilt stopped by to hang out and share the story of how this project became a reality.
Innovation at the Heart of Gateway
Gateway opened its doors in January of 2019 as a ‘landing’ and ‘launchpad’ for Scandinavian businesses, providing members with everything they need to help accelerate their success with state-of-the-art technology. The Gateway conferencing and technology space features advanced video conferencing solutions from Sennheiser, Barco, QSC, and more to provide a seamless coworking experience. On this episode, I am happy to welcome Charlie Jones, Global Alliance & Partnership Manager at Sennheiser alongside Greg Harper, President of Harpervision Associates to my CrashPad to chat about what all went into designing this highly functional workspace.
Connect with Charlie Jones on LinkedIn
The Hybrid Experience
Interlaced offers a full suite of products and services which saves companies time, ensures productivity, and delivers long-term value for organizations. For over 10 years, technology experts at Interlaced have been providing cutting-edge IT services to creative and innovative organizations, removing IT as an obstacle, and helping to fuel their business growth. We can’t talk experience without talking about IT. On today’s episode, Jason Wells CEO, and Mallory Randall, Digital marketing manager at Interlaced join me to chat about their strategic approach to creating an experience with IT.
Website: Interlaced.io
LinkedIn: Interlaced.io, Justin Wells, Mallory Randall
Facebook: Interlaced.io
Instagram: Interlaced.io
Doing the Groundwork with Latoya Flowers
From Audio, Projection-Mapping, to Film Making. Latoya is a Senior Multimedia Creative at the Field Museum in Chicago, where she collaborates with exhibit designers, content developers, illustrators, motion graphic artists, lighting designers, and music composers to create immersive multimedia experiences for traveling and permanent exhibitions. She created a projection mapping installation for the Wild Color exhibition the SUE Experience, highlighting scientific discoveries on the world’s most complete T.rex skeleton. She’s currently directing and producing her first feature-length documentary Still Searching supported by Hulu, Kartemquin Films and Still I Rise Films.
Latoya Flowers Website: www.latoyacharisseflowers.com
To Donate in support of Latoya's Still Searching documentary you can do so here: www.stillsearchingdocumentary.com
Dallas Texas Has a New Downtown Destination
TEXAS—Technology and media giant AT&T has built a new downtown Dallas destination venue known as the AT&T Discovery District. The four-block development, “where tech, culture, and entertainment combine to create unique experiences” according to The District’s website, includes a network of indoor and outdoor digital display and lighting assets that can be synchronized to create multi-sensory experiences.
On today's episode, we have three power players here to chat with us about what all went into this massive project. Stew Ives, Director of Systems, at SNA Displays. Justin Rankin, Studio Director Digital Experience Design at Gensler, and Roger Ferris, Creative Director Experience Design at AT&T!
For The Love of AUDIO!
For the love of AUDIO!
This is an episode for all of my audio heads. On this episode, I speak with Tony Ostrom president of the WiSA Association. Tony brings vast experience in developing brands, products, and technologies on an international level and has worked closely with WiSA technology for the last six years leading the development of one of the first WiSA certified multichannel audio systems on the market. Ostrom has developed product collections and marketing programs at several leading consumer electronics companies over the last 26 years. His creativity and technical background in the consumer electronics space will help drive the Association’s multiple new programs as they continue to accelerate growth and market adoption while establishing WiSA as the standard for high-definition, multichannel, wireless audio around the world.
To learn more about WiSA please visit www.wisaassociation.org for more details.
Absen Lights Up Fredericksburg Fairgrounds Movie Night
Drive-In movies were a thing of the past, but when a global pandemic hits communities found safe and fun ways to reconnect. One being Drive-In movies and other events, but the resurfacing of movie drive-ins wasn’t your grandmother and grandfather’s version of a drive-in. They came back in full effect with big bright LED Screens. Absen teamed up with Showtime Sound to power movie night at Fredericksburg Fairground in MD. On today’s episode, Jason Polk of Absen joins us to talk about what all went into this glamorous nostalgic event!
Link to their latest case study Windows of Peppermill
Jason Polk Linkedin
Email: Jason.polk@usabsen.com
Absen US Website: www.usabsen.com
The Heart of Asia
Before the pandemic, tourism was BOOMING. According to the New York Times, international arrivals dropped to 381 million in 2020, which is a 74 percent decline from a little over 1.4 billion in 2019. As we all begin to find our way back to safe travel, the importance of experiential campaigns to the tourist industry will continue to rise. Today Rafale Chang founder of Tiger Party is hanging out with me in my CrashPad to tell us how he continues to bridge the gap between the global audiences and brand creative advertising campaigns. Specifically, with an experiential campaign that was tailored for the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, that captured the hearts of New Yorkers in the center of Times Square.
Bridging Communication Gaps at Kalahari Resorts
Going to the local theme park is one of my fondest childhood memories. Riverside, now Six Flag New England was right and back yard growing up and it was the most exciting place to enjoy water rides in the summer. But on this episode, we’re talking about one epic family vacation experience at Kalahari Resorts in Round Rock Texas.
This resort has975 Guest Rooms, a gigantic Waterpark, and Theme Park, accompanied by a 200,000 square-foot Convention Center, ALL INDOORS! And Ping HD helped bridge communications throughout this large venue full of family fun! Today Dave Petricig Director of Channel Sales at Ping HD to share with us all that went into this ultimate family getaway.
The Chromaphone - A New Muscial Heartbeat
ESI Design an NBBJ Studio has done it again with an extraordinary Public Art Installation called the Chromaphone. This public art installation turns the plaza at 101 North Brand in downtown Glendale CA into a fun engaging destination and its visitors into musicians. The clocktower is outfitted with a display that is 63’ high and 12’ feet wide, but there is a load of technology that went into curating this experience at 101 North Brand. On today’s episode, Chris Niederer and Aaron Mack both of ESI Design an NBBJ Studio drop by my CrashPad to tell us all about what all went into the creation of the Chromaphone!
Check out this cool video that highlights all the Chromaphone brings to the city of Glendale: https://esidesign.com/work/101-north-brand-boulevard/
Digital First at WaFd Bank HQ
Businesses across the globe are looking for new ways to stay fresh, relevant, and cool! Including banks, the Washington federal bank known as WaFd knew they needed to revamp their headquarters beyond its physical space. NewReach a digital design agency, was brought on to consult and help implement a digital-first strategy that woven technology, branding, and content creation together. Today I have my friends Roger Starkweather, founder of NewReach, and Brand Strategist Steven Picanza hanging out with me in my CrashPad to tell us all about this banking experience they’ve created within WaFd Headquarters in downtown Seattle.
Modernizing the Columbus Metropolitan Library: Martin Luther King Branch
Telling the stories of the greats is never an easy task. But New Era Technology was hand-selected to integrate a vision that memorializes moments of Dr. Martin Luther King’s Life at the Columbus Metropolitan Library. The library was seeking different ways to renovate and modernize a branch dedicated to Martin Luther King. One of the main focal points was projecting onto the facade of the Libary. The pictures of this space we captivating. On this week's episode, Cody Ramey of New Era Technology stopped by to hang out with me in my crash pad to tell us what all went into bringing such a powerful project to life.
To further connect with New Era Technology visit their website and or social sites: www.neweratech.com
- Twitter: @NewEraTech_US
- LinkedIn: @New Era Technology, US
- Facebook: @NewEraTechUS
Project:
Massive Screen Becomes a Digital Canvas at The San Francisco Museum Of Modern Art
Museums all over the world are looking for different and unique ways to engage and welcome people back into their spaces. Recently the San Fransico Museum of Modern Art unveiled an art installation by an internationally recognized artist, JR. He filmed, photographed, and interviewed more than 1,200 people across various San Francisco communities. The final artwork became a digital mural scroll across an enormous LED display. The goal was to bring together faces and untold stories of everyday people. Today I have Jason Helton from SNA Displays and Andrew Yee from Sensory Interactive hanging out with me to give us an inside looking into this art installation at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Link to video timelapse: SNA Displays @ San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Connect with Jason Helton Executive, Vice President @SNA Displays on LinkedIn HERE
Connect with Andrew Yee, Senior Project Management Associate @Sensory Interactive on LinkedIn HERE
Kravet Retail Showroom Enhances Design Experience with OpenEye Global
Designing a space for designers is a challenge within itself. That’s why it took a special team of creative technologists and designers to pull off creating an immersive experience for the Kravet showroom center in New York City. If you haven’t heard of the Kravet brand before I am sure you’ve seen them represented in some form or fashion on HGTV. So today I'm happy to have Ed Flores, Chris Fox, and Bryan Meszaros from the OpenEye Global Team hanging out with me in my CrashPad to chat about what all went into designing this highly functional workspace for interior designers.
Click the link to get a glimpse into this design workspace: https://vimeo.com/386324185
OpenEye Global Website for more details on this project: https://www.openeyeglobal.com/kravet/
Fostering A Community of Creatives at StandardVision Studios
When I think of any piece of AV or signage I think about communication. How does this piece of gear help others communicate and tell their story. I’ve always looked at AudioVisual technology from a creative perspective. And today’s guest understands just how important it is to manufacture a piece of gear as well as the creativity that goes into telling a captivating story. Today I want to welcome Mark Escribano of StandardVision! I’ve always admired the StandardVision team for marrying art, technolog, and architecture.But today we are going to dive into StandardVision Studios! Which is a full service film production facility right in the heart of LA.
Get a glimps of this space on their webstie: www.standardvisionstudios.com
University of Miami Competitive Recruiting Experience
Recruiting some of the best talents in the country is a challenge for universities. Especially within college football, coaches from around the country are always finding new ways to recruit the best athletes for their team. The University of Miami knows just how hard the competition can be, so they created a Recruiting Rotunda which serves as a portal into their Athletics Building. This recruiting rotunda is experience-driven by audio visual technologies that captivate potential new students and tells the story behind their championship organization. So today I have Greg Greg Dieckhaus, Sr Sales Manager at Datapath hanging out with me in my CrashPad to tell us all about this experience within the University of Miami’s Recruiting rotunda.
Read more on the full case study here: https://www.datapathltd.com/case-studies/entry/datapath-helps-drive-miami-hurricanes-dynamic-recruiting-rotunda
Vegas Vibes with Premier Mounts & Ion Visual Solutions
When you think of the word casino, there are some natural words that come into play, gambling, slots, entertainment and more than likely VEGAS. Well look out because The Grand Casino Hotel and Resort in Shawneee Oklahoma is stepping up their game and kicking things into high gear by featuring a 90-foot-wide LED video wall display done right! So Today I have Charles ThornHill from Ion Visual Solutions, you all may know him by Chaz. and Curtis Rose of Premier Mounts hanging out with me in my CrashPad to tell us all about it!
The Grand Casino Hotel and Resort is a premier gaming and resort destination, featuring more than 125,000 square feet of gaming space and more than 2,000 slots. The decision in 2019 to install a 90-foot-wide LED video wall display was done with one goal: doing it right, by enlisting top providers to work together at the highest levels. The providers chosen are at the top of pyramid in the industry: Ion Visual Solutions, Premier Mounts, and Samsung.
Check out the video mentioned in this episode and get a glimpse of all the work that went into this project HERE: https://youtu.be/NVa2_yySPSc
Samsung's Digital Ecosystem Drives Virtual New Years Eve Experience
For generations NYC’s Times Square has been the heart of New Year’s Eve celebrations around the globe, with millions watching and counting down the seconds until the clock strikes midnight. However, this year’s celebrations, like many things, will look a little different. Events will be virtual and socially-distanced from home, putting Samsung’s stunning LED displays at One Times Square completely center stage as the world welcomes 2021.
To help everyone safely celebrate the new year, Jamestown – a global real estate firm and owner of One Times Square—home of the New Year’s Eve Ball Drop Celebration– is partnering with several high-profile brands, including Samsung, to create a memorable and immersive virtual experience.
On this episode Harry Patz, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Display Division at Samsung Electronics comes and kicks it with me in my CrashPad to talk all about it!
Also, on March 4th Samsung V/X LIVE 2021 takes place. This year's event is all about reimaging our virtual experiences. This virtual broadcast will focus on Samsung’s dedication to innovation and how we are reimagining the way you do business. Join in on the conversation and register here.
Date/Time:
- Thursday, March, 4, 2021
- 11 AM ET (10 AM CT | 9 AM MT | 8 AM PT)