<h2>From Normal life to Shelter-in-Place<br /></h2>
<p>With the current Covid-19 situation both in the USA and around the globe, uncertainty abounds. Large swaths of the community are being asked to stay home except for non-essential errands. For an industry that is normally focused on creating experiences for public spaces and groups of people, this can feel like having the rug ripped out from underneath us. As conferences and public gatherings have been cancelled, experiential work will have to evolve to meet the needs of this new reality. But as we are changing the way we approach our work to take it from public to private spaces, this time offers us a lot of creative opportunity, as well. <br /><br />Britelite’s main office is currently on “Shelter in Place” orders in San Francisco, and many of our projects have paused while we evaluate what is the safest course of action for our team, clients, and end users. While we are pausing, we can also harness our collective creative energy to help create work that helps people navigate these uncertain times. <br /></p>
<h2>Great experiential work is transformative</h2>
<p>At its best, the work we do transforms your sense of place while creating awe and wonder. Immersive experiences can provide relief from the everyday, something that is helpful during normal times and critical now after being stuck indoors for days on end. While experiences are being redefined to meet this new normal on a daily basis, they are even more relevant now when people are hungry for connection and interaction. We can design these experiences to give people a sense of joy or calm, to entertain and help pass the time, or to inform and make the scary less so. The technology to support these experiences can create connections between people, even as we are all apart. </p>
<h2>Can spectacle co-exist with being solo?</h2>
<p>Whether it’s a giant projection mapped building, a reactive light sculpture or a VR field trip, experiential work can be thought of as providing wonder, education, and utility. These categories are just as relevant today as they were several months ago the only difference is how we apply them. Being stuck in your home and without other physical participants changes how we think about and approach the user experience for interactive and immersive works, in addition to the functionality and end result. </p>
<p>This shift is taking individual experiences and working to connect them to a group interaction rather than taking a group interaction and breaking it down for the individual. While there has certainly been a traditional value to the group experience when working with experiential initiatives, there has always been a strong focus on making sure that every individual user feels deeply connected to the experience and has an easy time of engaging with it. Given the change of venue and environments we are working within now, following some basic guidelines can help with success and still leave users delighted by engaging with an experience.</p>
<h2>Work with what you have </h2>
<p>Even through these extraordinary times, there are still compelling stories to be told and communication is more important than ever. Recognizing the potential to connect with people in a more intimate environment has led us to look at the ways people communicate on a daily basis and try to wrap stories into those styles of interaction. </p>
<p>At Britelite we often use web based front end to create the interactive layer of our installations and have become familiar with integrating sensors and user inputs into a web based system. This means there is a limited amount of change in the way we need to build systems to take them from public installations into private homes. Using web based platforms such (as Web AR), easily downloaded experiences, and streaming experiences are a gateway into getting work in front of people in their homes. </p>
<h2>Tap into available hardware</h2>
<p>We usually try to target the most technologically forward hardware we can get access to when planning new activations and installations but this new environment is shifting the focus to technology that everyone has easy access to. While a state of the art Transparent OLED might have been the target display for a public window installation, we need to be thinking in terms of smartphones, tablets and home computers for the immediate future. This does not mean that the quality of the experience needs to be sacrificed, though, because most of these devices have a host of embedded sensors that can be leveraged to create truly compelling experiences. With the host of point cloud tracking systems embedded in almost every personal device these days, we have already been leveraging them to create non-traditional interactive experiments using nothing but handheld devices. </p>
<h2>Think small</h2>
<p>While experiential work is often focused on large footprints and spectacle, this new reality is a chance to turn that on its head and find compelling ways to design and build for smaller screens and environments while still creating impact and a sense of wonder. We have jumped into this design challenge and view this as an opportunity to explore a type of interaction that is not often our focus. Playing with this smaller scale and embracing it can have huge payoffs if you can achieve the transformation of that space or at the very least transport your users out of it.</p>
<h2>Using experiential to navigate this time</h2>
<p>More than anything we are living in a time of extreme uncertainty. While this is something that people are dealing with on a daily basis this is a time where we can use non traditional interaction and communication to help connect people and bring some level of familiarity to a very foreign feeling time. There are new problems and challenges cropping up every day and an industry that was built on solving non traditional problems is set up to thrive in this environment. </p>
<p>We can think of this as a time where people have an opportunity to connect with artists and creators that they love, and the experiential agencies are in a great position to facilitate this communication. We have opportunities to entice people to interact and create themselves, and bringing digital participation into experiences will push people to find new ways of creating and sharing with the world. We can create and share new ways of connecting friends and family that were not as critical several months ago but are vital now. The experiential industry is able and ready to address the needs of the world we all live in now and the opportunities to innovate in this time should be exciting not scary. We are all in this together and we will create new and more immersive ways of connecting and sharing even if we are all in our homes when we do it. </p>
<h1>Getting Inspired</h1>
<p>To get you inspired here are some resources and experiences you can try at home:</p>
<p>Marpi’s <a href="https://marpistudio.itch.io/wave-atlas" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wave Atlas</a> and <a href="https://marpistudio.itch.io/aquarium" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aquarium</a> interactive art pieces</p>
<figure><iframe style="width:500px;height:281px;" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/eq1MAeIhXuw" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/clpZTa7GJbU" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://uploadvr.com/couch-live-shared-virtual-living-room/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Couch Live</a></p>
<p>Hang out with friends and family in a VR and Non VR communal space</p>
<figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/QjVOkCJXxAE" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYyJUEtYv-ZW7BgjhP3UbTg/videos" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Virtual Disney World </a></p>
<figure><iframe width="500" height="281" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/GY1hrKUUxvU" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><h2><br /></h2>

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Spectacle in the time of Self-Isolation

<p>One retail show to rule them all — The National Retail Federation’s main trade show event, held in New York, united over 40,000 attendees representing 18,000 retailers from more than 99 countries. It is a very technology heavy show featuring fortune 500 tech companies like Microsoft, Intel, SAP and HP.</p>
<p>An important trend in the retail industry is creating exciting experiences for customers, not just transactions. This often requires retailers to lean on emerging and immersive technologies to help them create these experiences.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Britelite</a> attended NRF to design + install an interactive experience to showcase a collaboration between <a href="https://www.sap.com/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SAP</a> + <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microsoft</a>. We also had a chance to explore the show, and experience all that the big show had to offer.</p>
<h2><br /></h2><h2>INTERACTIVE WALL</h2>
<p>Britelite was excited to attend NRF 2020 and we produced an interactive wall installation to promote the new SAP + Microsoft alliance. The alliance is important because it combines the technical, industry and platform strengths of both partners to deliver new and unique capabilities for retailers.</p>
<p>Using a combination of projected visuals, printed graphics and advanced sensors, we created an interactive wall that told four different stories of business cases enabled by the alliance.</p><figure><iframe style="width:500px;height:281px;" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/385833188" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><p>The sensing technology doesn’t require any traditional or visible sensors, the wall itself became the touch surface. Visitors were intrigued by non traditional interaction and marveled as animations lit up and the room came to life. In a show filled with large high definition screens and LED walls, this was a refreshingly different presentation.</p><figure><iframe style="width:500px;height:281px;" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/385833396" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><p>The exhibit created great opportunities for people from SAP and Microsoft to start conversations with their customers about the alliance.</p>
<h2><br /></h2><h2>MAIN FLOOR EXHIBITS</h2>
<p>Given that this is a retail-focused show, many of the exhibitors focused on creating realistic, simulated retail stores that they could use to demonstrate the value of their products and services. This is a small sampling of the exhibitors that caught our eye.<br /><br /></p>
<h4>Intel</h4>
<p>Intel’s presence at the show involved a docent-led tour through a series of experiences, each highlighting a different partner and use case. This impressive video wall was built with repurposed phone and tablet screens.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_8979.jpg" alt="" /></figure><h4>SAP</h4>
<p>SAP is a major vendor of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, used as the operational backbone of many businesses. The main SAP booth replicated a retail village, providing visitors with the opportunity to experience demonstrations of the various solutions on offer. SAP recently acquired Qualtrix, a company that focuses on gathering customer feedback, and presenting Qualtrix capabilities through interactive demonstrations was a major part of the activity here.</p><figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0fr5YmWIg_g" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><h4>Salesforce</h4>
<p>Salesforce is a major vendor of customer relation management (CRM) software, and they had a significant presence at NRF. Their brand presentation is about helping their clients navigate a forest of opportunity, and this was communicated at NRF through a massive free-form video wall and custom-built props.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_8918.jpg" alt="" /></figure><h4>Bossa Nova</h4>
<p>Bossa Nova makes robots that travel up &amp; down the aisles of a store, monitoring inventory levels and notifying staff if they find exceptions. In addition, it connects to analytics software, allowing retailers to adapt on the fly to changing market and demand conditions. (This wasn’t the only product of its type – this is becoming mainstream very quickly.)</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_891b.jpg" alt="" /></figure><h2><br /></h2><h2>INNOVATION LAB</h2>
<p>The Innovation Lab on the 4th level of the conference center hosted a number of interesting companies, including startups as well as the innovation and R&amp;D arms of larger businesses. These are some of the interesting things we noticed.<br /><br /></p>
<h4>A.I.</h4>
<p>Artificial Intelligence is everywhere, and is especially noticeable in retail. The combination of cameras, sensors and A.I. aspires to give physical retailers as much analytic info as online retailers. Many booths featured dramatic “computer’s eye” views of typical retail scenarios, showing off the ability to generate detailed analytics in real-time.<br /><br /></p>
<h4>Drones and robotics</h4>
<p>Retail is a very labor intensive business, and there is a great deal of interest in using robotics and automation to allow employees to focus on customer service, as opposed to moving inventory and carrying out routine tasks such as inventory.</p><p>The combination of drones with A.I. allows for great opportunities to improve efficiencies. At least two companies were showing drones optimized for indoor flight, combined with computer vision and A.I. As with many of the Innovation Lab booths, live demos were the star of the show.</p><figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bQqn4vDDtVc" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><p>At Britelite we are always looking for new technology and non-traditional uses of existing technology so this was a very interesting event to attend, and we found many opportunities. If you are a retailer, a technology company, or otherwise interested in creating memorable experiences, please take a look at our <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/work/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">portfolio of work</a> and <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/contact/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">contact us</a>!</p>

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Retail's big show: NRF 2020

<p>Britelite had the opportunity to attend CES 2020! As a creative technology company and research center we often turn to emerging technology to be the center pieces of our projects, and CES keeps us a tone to what we will soon be utilizing, and gives us clear production examples from the world’s best futurists. With prestigious keynote speakers and artful presentations CES is an annual must attend for us.</p>
<p>CES typically sets the tone of trends for tech that we expect to see each year, but this year CES felt more like a futurists walk through of what’s to come over the next twenty five years…</p>
<h2><br /></h2>
<h2>SCREENS, SCREENS, AND MORE SCREENS</h2>
<h4>LG’s amazing wave display at its CES booth</h4>
<p><br />LG’s wave display was by far the largest showstopper at CES2020. The intense immersive experience is baffling due to its grand size, clarity, but also the realization that the wave display means curved TVs. It features 200 55-inch OLED TVs, 128 of which are curved. Check it out:</p><figure><iframe width="480" height="270" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><h4>Have you made it to 4k?</h4>
<p>Sony’s new televisions aim to deliver the most immersive viewing experience in their class, with evolving technologies and premium large screens, made to deliver content the way creators intended. Have you made it to 4k yet though? Well Sony is making sure that you will want to jump straight to 8k. Here are the highlights of Sony’s new series of T.V.’s.</p>
<figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XlcMgGB0EVA" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><h4>Samsung’s New Vertical 4K TV ROTATES | CES 2020</h4>
<p>With social media and youtube on the rise for the most views (ahem beating out standard t.v. shows) it makes sense that Samsung created a rotating 4k TV ‘Sero’. Sophisticated and unique, Sero is designed to be paired and used with your smartphone.</p><figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eDoaYIJwm1s" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><h2><br /></h2><h2>SONY</h2>
<h4>Atom View</h4>
<p>The future of production is looking virtual with the Atom View: A Virtual Production Technology using 3D Volumetric Capture. Showcasing their new Atom View technology with the aid of the Ghostbusters Ecto-1, Sony displayed the background of a set changing in real time with the movement of the camera, ensuring the final image has the proper perspective and depth. Here is a little more on the atom view:</p><figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ps3LdPpnYcs" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><h4>Holographic display<em><br />3D Spatial Reality Display Technology</em></h4>
<p>This is the holographic display we have all been hoping for. Sony showed its strengths in combining technologies at this year’s CES, and we have now surpassed the princess leia hologram moment in Star Wars thanks to Sony. To simply put it, Sony integrated sophisticated high-speed vision sensors and face recognition algorithms to a light field display and it was magic to see. It can be easily applied to VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) content, providing a versatile volumetric content creation environment to creators in various fields such as entertainment and product design.</p><figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A6TaE0UqpUk" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><h2><br /></h2><h2>THE FUTURE OF COMMUTING LOOKS SLEEK</h2>
<h4>The best surprise of CES? The Sony car.</h4>
<p>Sony made a car? Yes! The Vision-S, an electric concept car focused on “safety, entertainment, and adaptability.” It incorporates Sony’s automotive-focused imaging technology, and is surrounded by an array of sensors creating a “Safety Cocoon,” with a 360-degree view of its environment and any potential hazards.</p><figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CxhjKExMrD0" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><h4>Hyundai’s flying cars</h4>
<p>Is this real life? Being desensitized by all that CES has to offer, I almost walked past the Hyundai section, until I saw the impressively huge Uber x Hyundai flying taxi at CES. The Jetsons future is feeling very real at the moment and it is said to be a service that could be up and running by 2023.</p>
<p>The vehicle is designed to fly for up to 60 miles and has a cruising speed of 180 miles per hour. Uber says it hopes to begin demonstration flights this year.</p><figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6MDsR7Oz4Kg" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><h4>Audi Intelligence Experience: the empathetic car</h4>
<p>This was a noteworthy experience — not only were we impressed by the empathetic car, but we were impressed with the presentation. It was a 360 projection wrapped car, displaying the demo on the inside of the car, giving a fully immersive presentation along with scents to match the scenic drive. <a href="https://www.cobaltindustries.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cobalt Industries</a> x Audi presented an experience that felt achievable, with smart homes and connectivity on the rise, this car was a perfect example of where we should already be. The “Audi Intelligence Experience ” shows how it’s done: The car knows its user and their habits and uses intelligent functions combined with artificial intelligence to increase the passengers’ safety, wellbeing, and comfort. After a short time, the empathetic Audi is familiar with the user’s preferences and implements them autonomously.</p><figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iHt2cEvnCzA" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><p>There is plenty more to write about from CES 2020 — AI is paving the way for smart cities, collaborative technologies are becoming the future instead of the hoaky upgrade of the same tech, and we will be featuring all of this in a series of upcoming blogs. To keep up with our <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/blog/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">blogs</a>, check in with us on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/briteliteimmersive/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Instagram</a> where we post our latest updates!</p>
<p>When we look to grand events like CES to navigate us towards what to expect in the future, I think many people expect what’s on display to already be finalized, when in reality these are working concepts being displayed in technologically advanced ways.</p>
<p>At Britelite that is what we specialize in, we transform how brands engage. As a Creative Technology agency we build immersive and interactive installations within physical spaces – from customer experience centers to connected spaces, commercial real-estate developments, retail spaces, live events, and more. We combine strategic design with large scale technologies to create experiences that have a powerful and irresistible effect. Most importantly, we transform how brands engage with their audiences by applying creative thinking to experience design, spatial engineering, and application development.<br /><br /></p>
<p>If you’re excited by the combination of:</p>
<ul><li>Ambitious design and flawless execution</li><li>Visual impact</li><li>Alignment with an organization’s business goals</li></ul><p>Then check out our <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/work/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a>, and <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/contact/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">contact us </a>for a preliminary discussion on what we can do for you.</p>

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CES 2020: The future of tech and industry

<h2>PLANTING THE SEED</h2>
<p>The North Point Mall in Alpharetta, GA was having a problem that a lot of traditional retail spaces are having these days, how do you create memorable, shareable, and inspiring experiences for visitors? What does it take to transform a retail space into a magical environment? At Britelite that is our specialty.</p>
<p>Britelite and its partner, NatureMaker, proposed a dramatic interactive solution: a 35 ft tall tree with individually addressable illuminated leaves, able to come alive and adapt to the seasons, special events and holidays. A project of this magnitude requires bringing together some unique skills, everything from the meticulous craftsmanship of the tree, manufacturing of custom designed lighting fixtures, and a software ecosystem to keep it feeling immersive, impressive and fresh.</p><figure><iframe style="width:500px;height:281px;" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/374501770" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><h2>MAKING IT GROW</h2>
<p>The Center Court at Northpoint mall is a beautiful central location that is designed to encourage community and relaxation in a busy and sometimes overwhelming retail environment. The LED tree installation became the focal point of the center court, a visual embodiment of the community that Northpoint Center was trying to create.</p>
<p>To make something that captured the attention and imagination of visitors we knew that that scale of the tree had to be instantly impressive. It is over 35 feet tall and roughly 40 feet in diameter. The tree features over 77,000 individually addressable LEDs housed inside almost 10,000 leaves on 648 total branches.</p>
<p>We worked with our partner Naturemaker to create the most realistic trunk and branch fabrications possible. We wanted to balance the technology and LED look of the leaves with a very natural feeling tree structure and that is just what Naturemaker was able to achieve. As soon as we saw the test materials they sent over, we knew that this was going to be one of the most impressive installations we have had the pleasure of creating.</p>
<p>We installed the tree over the course of two weeks in October with a fantastic team of partners to help make this complex and beautiful installation a reality. We wanted to make sure that not only was this a captivating, instantly recognizable feature, but that it was built for long term reliability and safety in this very public environment. While this is a highly custom installation we tried to make sure that the key foundational components would be easy to replace in case of any issues, because this installation is such a key part of the mall ecosystem that any downtime is unacceptable.</p>
<h2>MAKING THE LEAVES</h2>
<p>To make something that we knew would be as awe inspiring as we had imagined, we had to go to the source and start with completely purpose designed components. The leaves of the tree are a totally original design, engineered in partnership with Britelite’s LED supplier. The leaves are designed around a custom circuit board with 8 LED elements, diffusing the light in pleasing ways that works in the challenging ambient lighting conditions of the venue.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/pasted-image-0-1-5-1442x1080.png" alt="" /></figure><p>We iterated quickly through various different designs, using CAD files to create 3D printed prototypes that let us explore different shapes, materials and assembly strategies.</p>
<p>An especially challenging part of the project was designing the branches on which the leaves are mounted: given the public setting of the tree, it was important that wiring be entirely enclosed. Britelite worked with a manufacturing partner to design a fully enclosed metal branch structure, and coordinated logistics with the LED supplier to ensure that they shipped fully assembled branches.</p>
<h2>BRINGING THE TREE TO LIFE WITH SOFTWARE</h2>
<p>As with any Mall space, it is the type of location that locals visit over and over again. Knowing this it was a key requirement that the animations on the tree remain fresh and interesting, with plenty of variety for repeat visitors. In order to do that, Britelite designed and implemented software that would automatically cycle through many different lighting states, creating fresh experiences that are not tied to a regular schedule. Even if guests show up to view the tree at the same time everyday it will never look the same.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/PthRTzzQ.jpeg" alt="" /></figure><p>The Fall leaves pattern is one of the launch animations, evoking feelings of changing leaves and seasons that mirrors the Southern landscape.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/IMG_6760-1440x1080.jpg" alt="" /><figcaption> A peach tree pattern honors the tree’s home in Georgia.</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/zZpwbY0A.jpeg" alt="" /></figure><p>We created this pattern that evoked cherry blossoms, and since cherry blossom season is an important event in Atlanta, we wanted to celebrate that part of the culture.<br /><br /><br /></p>
<h2>EVOLVING ANIMATIONS</h2>
<p>Britelite designed and developed a custom lighting control system, that allowed for realtime previews of animations on the tree, as well as directly controlling it. We used advanced C++ frameworks for speed and efficiency. An advanced LED control protocol (DDP) allows configuring the LED controllers and reading their status, essential for a project of this scale.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/pasted-image-0-3-3-1440x1080.png" alt="" /></figure><p>The system is built by combining several basic animation patterns into more complex animations, and then defining an animation program for the tree that incorporates these. These animation programs are based on seasons, holiday or special event, with a number of additional animations that can be triggered randomly over the course of a day.</p>
<p>New animation programs can be created without the need for further programming, so the tree can evolve over time, and seasonal programs can be added or enhanced.<br /><br /><br /></p>
<h2>CLIENT CUSTOMIZATION</h2>
<p>Britelite developed a content management system that allows creating, modifying and scheduling animations for the tree. For example seasonal and holiday programs can be planned in advance, and custom programs created to support brand specific promotions.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/Screen-Shot-2019-11-21-at-2.00.28-PM-1445x1080.png" alt="" /></figure><p>This content management system uses a simple web-based interface that can be used on a tablet while standing next to the tree, in order to preview changes directly.<br /><br /></p>
<h2>BUILDING THE TREE</h2>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/pasted-image-0-4-3-1440x1080.jpg" alt="" /></figure><p>The actual installation of the tree required a lot of coordination between Britelite, Naturemaker, and the facilities team at North Point. In order to make this happen, meticulous project management and record keeping was essential. A “dress rehearsal” was set up, with the tree fully assembled at Naturemaker’s site in Carlsbad, California. Once we were confident that the project would be exactly what we wanted it was time to pack it up and send it to location in Georgia. The Georgia installation was a seamless experience thanks to the expertise of all the onsite teams and it came together exactly as we had hoped.</p><figure><iframe style="width:500px;height:281px;" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/372493519" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><p>North Point LED tree construction timelapse (4 minute) from Britelite Immersive on Vimeo.<br /><br /><br /></p>
<h2>IMPACT</h2>
<p>We knew that this would be an impressive project, but we could not imagine how amazing it would look installed until we started to see it come together. Even during the construction process, visitors to the center were enamored and engaged, taking pictures and sharing socially.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/ysumDTuw.jpeg" alt="" /></figure><p>Merchants near the tree expressed a great deal of enthusiasm, and could think of multiple opportunities to make use of the tree. For example, the jewelry store next to the tree is actually ordained and able to perform weddings, and the tree is a perfect setting them for this. We would love to see our installation used to enrich all types of events that take place in this public gathering space.</p>
<p>The Northpoint Tree was a resounding success and we are so grateful to our clients and partners for helping to make this a flagship project we can all be proud of. At Britelite we love to create beauty and wonder in the world and seeing the public reaction to this project proved that we were able to create special moments that will stay with visitors long after they leave the mall. We look forward to a continued partnership with Nature Maker and hopefully we will get to make more of these beautiful installations in the future. If you are in Alpharetta, GA stop by the Northpoint mall and check out this amazing installation. You won’t regret the trip.</p>
<h2>IN OUR EXPERIENCE</h2>
<p>We’ve found that activating public spaces through the use of interactive technologies can have a significant payoff in terms of visitor impact. The <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/blog/portfolio/bespoke/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bespoke event hub at San Francisco’s Westfield Mall</a> continues to entertain and engage even casual visitors with its interactive video walls.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/pasted-image-0-7-3.png" alt="" /></figure><p>Another high impact public space implemented by Britelite is <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/blog/portfolio/amgen/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amgen’s Immersive Research Center</a>, which positively impacts employees, partners and other visitors to the facility.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/pasted-image-0-8-3.png" alt="" /></figure><p>While the North Point tree is brand new, other experiences of large scale public art give a hint of what is possible:</p>
<ul><li>The Bay Lights in San Francisco led to some businesses along the Embarcadero reporting up to a 30% increase in business.</li><li>Olafur Eliasson’s Waterfalls in New York led to an estimated impact of $200m on the local economy while they were installed.</li><li>Teamlab’s “Borderless” exhibition in Tokyo is now the most visited art exhibit dedicated to a single artist, with 25% of visitors travelling internationally with the primary intent to see it</li></ul><p>Using interactive and technology to revitalize office and commercial spaces makes a lot of sense!<br /></p>
<h2>ACTIVATE YOUR SPACE</h2>
<p>With the North Point tree, Britelite is proud to present a project that is both visually striking and helps the organization achieve its purpose.<br /></p>
<p>The beauty and scale of the illuminated tree already adds a sense of wonder to the space. The ability to program animations on the tree in response to seasons, holidays, special events and promotions enables the client to further drive engagement and encourage visitor traffic.<br />If you’re excited by the combination of:</p>
<ul><li>Ambitious design and flawless execution</li><li>Visual impact</li><li>Alignment with an organization’s business goals</li></ul><p>Then check out our <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/work/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a>, and <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/contact/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">contact us</a> for a preliminary discussion on what we can do for you.</p>

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Creating immersive moments inspired by nature

<p>To usher in the holidays we have a Britelite Monthly! This Britelite monthly will give you a tour of the creative technology experiences you can visit in the San Francisco bay area. At Britelite we feel it is important to support our inspired community of local artists and this month we have a range of artworks to ring in the holiday season. From festivals to sculptural artwork, we have compiled a list of bay area must see events.</p>
<h2><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-arctic-refuge-experience-step-in-step-up-tickets-77775898807" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">THE ARCTIC REFUGEE EXPERIENCE</a></h2>
<h4>NOVEMBER 21 -24, 2019</h4>
<h4>Located at Capitol Art in San Francisco</h4>
<p>This one-of-a-kind art installation will allow you to experience a year in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Described as a mix of breathtaking film, 4D technology, and immersive sensations, you can be transported to the Arctic Refuge without ever leaving San Francisco.</p>
<p>Prepare to be awed by America’s last great wilderness with over 66 million pixels of projected video, 20 channels of sound and tactile sensations. If that’s not enough for you, and you want to integrate yourself into the history of the Arctic, you can be a part of the movement #ProtectTheArctic. Experience Created by Future Colossal.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/giphy-2.jpg" alt="" /></figure><h2><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ideo-wunderfaire-2019-tickets-81389372805" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IDEO WUNDERFAIRE</a></h2>
<h4>December 5th, 2019</h4>
<h4>Located at IDEO in San Francisco, CA</h4>
<p>When a global design company puts on a faire before the holidays, you have to go, right? IDEO’s Wunderfaire is back for its 11th year! IDEO wrangled their favorite local craftspeople for this shindig and to stick with the theme of go out and do good, this faire is no exception: A portion of Wunderfaire’s proceeds will be donated to Youth Spirit Artworks, an interfaith “green” art jobs and job training program located in Berkeley, California which is committed to empowering homeless and low-income San Francisco Bay Area young people, ages 16-25.</p>
<figure><a href="https://www.exploratorium.edu/glow" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/https-cdn.evbuc_.com-images-80745159-161240994071-1-original.20191112-230720.jpeg" alt="" /></a></figure><p><a href="https://www.exploratorium.edu/glow" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><br /></a></p>
<h2><a href="https://www.exploratorium.edu/glow" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GLOW: FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS</a></h2>
<h4>Thursday, December 5, 2019–Sunday, January 26, 2020<br />Exploratorium, Pier 15 (Embarcadero at Green Street)</h4>
<p>The Exploratorium is described as a public learning laboratory exploring the world through science, art, and human perception. The space is filled to the brim with interactive and immersive arts, making learning that much more appealing to a wide audience of San Francisco Patrons, and tourists. To celebrate the holidays the Exploratorium is presenting Glow: Festival of Lights. This annual festival of lights, is pulling together some pretty special installations and kinetic sculptures.<br />Featured installations at Glow: <br /><a href="https://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/calendar/kaleidoscope" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><br /><br /></a></p>
<h3><a href="https://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/calendar/kaleidoscope" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kaleidoscope</a></h3>
<h3>By Karina Smigla-Bobinski</h3>
<p>Experience a landscape of astonishing visual effects in the interactive installation Kaleidoscope. Constructed as an 8-foot-square light table, artist Karina Smigla-Bobinski’s Kaleidoscope invites you to manipulate layers of inks comprised entirely of the primary colors. Each touch of the surface generates hyper-dynamic new images that visualize the motion energy into engaging, chaotic patterns.</p>
<figure><a href="https://www.exploratorium.edu/exhibits/buckyball" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/kaleidoscope-square_38168271791_o-web.jpg" alt="" /></a></figure><h3><a href="https://www.exploratorium.edu/exhibits/buckyball" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Buckyball</a><br />By Leo Villareal</h3>
<p>Inspired by the shape first explored by futurist and inventor Buckminster Fuller, Buckyball is a towering 25-foot illuminated sculpture featuring two nested geodesic spheres. Composed of 4,500 LED nodes arranged along a series of pentagons and hexagons, Buckyball is animated by custom software programmed by Villareal to display over 16 million distinct colors.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/BuckyBall.jpg" alt="" /></figure><h3><a href="https://www.exploratorium.edu/exhibits/cubatron-core" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cubatron Core</a><br />By Mark Lottor</h3>
<p>Bask in the cascading colors of this tremendous, torus-shaped sculpture by returning artist Mark Lottor. Twenty-six feet in diameter and eighteen feet high, Cubatron Core is made of 3,840 individually controllable RGB LEDs.</p>
<figure><a href="https://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/calendar/after-dark-december-5-2019" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/glow-series.jpg" alt="" /></a></figure><p><a href="https://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/calendar/after-dark-december-5-2019" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">If you are looking for an adult only version of Glow, we recommend After Dark: Glow.</a></p>
<p>We are very excited for these experiences that are coming to the area this season. With so many creative technology events in our community, we want to hear from you, let us know what artists and events you’d like to see us feature — <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/contact/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Message us here.</a></p>
<p>Britelite Immersive is a creative technology agency that designs experience centers and immersive environments. Read more about our <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/services/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">capabilities</a> or view our <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/work/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a>.</p>

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The Britelite Monthly: Holiday edition

<p>This week we debuted our most ambitious LED project to date, The tree of lights located at The North Point Mall in Alpharetta, Georgia. An interactive tree reaching heights of 35 ft tall with illuminated leaves, able to change with the seasons and holidays. The tree of lights is a destination attraction that transforms a traditional mall courtyard into an immersive gathering space.</p><p>To make this a reality we partnered with NatureMaker who creates incredibly realistic tree sculptures from their Carlsbad, CA workshop. In business for over 36 years NatureMaker has developed remarkable sculptural nature pieces to compliment any exhibit, Indoors, outdoor, and even aquariums. At Britelite we value our relationships with our partners, and we can’t help but want to know more; with that, we sat down with the owners of NatureMaker, Gary Hanick &amp; Jim Paul to tell us a little more about their start, their business, and what inspires them…</p><h5>“<em><a href="https://naturemaker.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Naturescaping</a>” in the 21st century encompasses a broad scope of design options, including multi-story icon oak trees under historic domes; a walk-through rainforest in a tropically themed atrium; even a grove of birch trees landscaped 62 floors in the air.</em></h5><h5><em>Architects and planners now have the freedom to creatively incorporate the element of “nature” in their most cutting edge restaurant, hotel, library, museum exhibit, residential and theme park designs. As free-standing elements, or as “column clad” trees (designed to camouflage pillars or I-beams), NatureMaker arboreal sculpture, when integrated into the interior landscape design, brings the outdoors in.</em> “ – <a href="https://naturemaker.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NatureMaker</a></h5><h5><strong><br /></strong><strong>How would you describe what NatureMaker does?</strong></h5><p><strong><br />Jim:</strong> For the last 36 years we have built our interpretation of how trees grow, as organic and realistic as possible and in the case of the North Point project it was more of a combination of that realism with the technology of your work.</p><p>The tree sculptures are used to transform the feeling of a space, dependant on what goals the client has set. For example a natural history exhibit and you need ancient trees there, or way-finding, like how The North point tree project helps direct the traffic.</p><figure><em><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/acacia-gondwana-2.jpg" alt="" /></em></figure><p><em><strong>“Every tree is different”</strong></em></p><figure><strong><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/pasted-image-0-23.jpg" alt="" /></strong></figure><p><strong>How do people respond to your trees?</strong></p><p><strong>Gary</strong>: People have responded beautifully to North Point, while people were setting up especially at night, people would just sort of flock to it, and after the fact, when it was completed there has been an increase of traffic around the tree. So the response has been really good.</p><p>Most of our trees tend to be very realistic and people often wonder how did they get trees to grow here. People get kind of amazed, it’s usually very positive, people just love trees. If you have a restaurant and put a tree in there, those are the first seats people are going to ask for. </p><figure><strong><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/sumomaya-overall-interior-1030x687.jpg" alt="" /></strong></figure><p><strong>How did NatureMaker get started?</strong></p><p><strong>Gary:</strong> It all started with Bennet Abram’s art in San Francisco – NatureMaker started off in the mountains, and that was Bennet’s inspiration, the national forest. It started as something Bennet wanted to do on a more serious basis, everything he did prior to trees was tiny, but expanded his vision from micro to macro. Bennet has been gone for 15 years, but back in the 90s he was asked to work with LEDs but the technology was not up to where it is now, but I know if he was around to see the tree at North Point, he would be really happy, it really is the four seasons, which is something he always inspired to create, the four seasons of life. The project would be near and dear to him, the technology of it, and what the technology does. That’s what made this particular tree special to me.</p><p>“The long and storied journey of NatureMaker began in the mountains of Idyllwild, California in 1983, when Bennett Abrams and Gary Hanick began experimenting with hardwood limbs and branches and other natural materials they found while exploring the forest. Their earliest works, conceived as “sapling” trees, became recognized as objets d’art by major retailers such as Macy’s San Francisco and Marshall Fields in Chicago.</p><p>Later their artificial trees were discovered by architects and interior designers and are now found in museum exhibits, libraries, lobby designs, restaurant interiors, themed environments, residences and all sorts of interior landscapes.” –<em><a href="https://naturemaker.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> NatureMaker</a></em><strong><br /><br /></strong></p><p><strong>How would you describe the North Point project to someone that has never seen it?</strong><strong><br /><br /></strong><strong>Gary</strong>: A friend described it as the dancing tree, because of the particular programming of the tree, but to me it’s the tree of light, the four seasons of the oak tree. Jim described it as a wayfinding tree – a play on nature and technology, people are going to want to see it. How Britelite programmed the various leaves and what it does, it’s also a fluid tree because it’s never constant, it’s always shifting and pulsating, and moving. An abstract oak tree, part of what it does is make people feel better in terms of elevating people’s moods and consciousness, I think it has a positive effect.</p><figure><strong><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/IMG_6760-1440x1080.jpg" alt="" /></strong></figure><p><strong>From your perspective, What is the value of this project to the viewer?</strong></p><p><strong>Gary</strong>: Here’s a story — a couple years ago we were asked by a fundraising member of burning man to create one of our trees with LED lights, which we knew nothing about, even though we had been making trees for all these years. That’s where the idea for North point sort of got hatched, and our friend encouraged us to do this tree at burning man, well she went to burning man and she was telling me people were blown away by it, and the first night of burning man there was a wedding under the tree – at burning man it was the number one most photographed feature for that month. That is one of the goals with North Points, a photograph destination.<strong><a href="https://naturemaker.com/installations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><br /><br /></a></strong></p><h2><strong><a href="https://naturemaker.com/installations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TREE OF TENERE</a></strong></h2><h3>Created in collaboration with Symmetry Labs</h3><figure><iframe style="width:500px;height:281px;" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/8L8pzVQ6v38" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><figure></figure><figure></figure><figure></figure><figure></figure><figure></figure><figure></figure><p><strong>What elements of nature inspire NatureMaker the most?</strong></p><p><strong>Gary &amp; Jim: </strong>It depends on what kind of tree the client wants, like for instance I like oak trees for inspiration – it’s like a dancing person when you really look at it, and people just really like to be around other people, so they are just naturally drawn to trees like that. We collect things from all over the world that inspire us, that we can use in the future.</p><p>We are inspired by the location of the project site as well. We did a project in Fresno for the airport, and they had us go to the Sequoia National Park for inspiration. We were able to collect artifacts with the national park service, and it ended up being a great opportunity and lent to the project.</p><figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/sequoia-trees_fresno-int-airport.jpg" alt="" /><figcaption>“We are ultimately Inspired by the location of the project site.”</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/sequoia-walk-through-fresno-int-airport-2.jpg" alt="" /><figcaption>Sequoia walk through by NatureMaker</figcaption></figure><p><strong>There is a long list of what makes NatureMaker installations sustainable, and I’m excited to talk about that with you: Did you always know you wanted the works to be eco-friendly?</strong><br /><br /><strong>Gary &amp; Jim:</strong> Absolutely, when Bennet Abrams started this company, that was his whole ethos – he wanted to preserve what is, and not run it over. We are not trying to replace nature. Everything on the trees is recyclable, and mostly pre-recycled content, and almost zero VOC, everything we use is water soluble. “<br /><em><br />“NatureMaker’s artistic trees are constructed of raw materials with a recycled content of 75%, depending on the design. Our artistic trees are designed for durability, ease of disassembly, and minimal maintenance. 50% to 75% of the component parts are designed to be readily recycled at the end of the tree’s life.” – NatureMaker<br /></em><strong><br />Are you looking for new and improved ways to lessen environmental impact?<br /></strong><strong><br />Gary &amp; Jim:</strong> We are always looking for new and improved ways to do everything, each tree is supposed to be better than the one before. We just recently switched to water soluble primers to prevent rust, and it’s all safe, that’s our latest improvement.<br />We are proud of it, these designs will be around long after we are gone.<br /><strong><br />Tell me about NatureMaker’s role in the North Point project?</strong><br /><strong><br />Gary &amp; Jim: </strong>We were commissioned to build the tree for burning man, and a friend showed one of the developers of North point images of the burning man tree, our friend made that initial connection more than a year and a half ago. Developers are paying attention to what’s trending now, to bring together the community.<br /><em><br />“Brookfield properties sought a high impact feature as a centerpiece for Alpharetta Georgia’s North Point Mall revitalization. In partnership with NatureMaker, Britelite created an immersive tree installation for the Center Court of the property. The North Point tree is an ever-changing Illuminated tree with a 30’ canopy and over 77.000 individually controllable LEDs. The tree features custom LED leaf and branch fixtures, mounted on a hand-sculpted artisan tree.” –<a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Britelite Immersive<br /></a><strong><br /></strong></em></p><figure><em><strong><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/Brookfield1WEB.jpg" alt="" /></strong></em></figure><p><strong>How do you see your business evolving or changing in the future?</strong><br /><strong><br />Gary &amp; Jim:</strong> We have the engineering, technology, and the artistry to do these big interactive trees, indoors or outdoors, that’s what we really enjoy doing. Everyone wants what’s new, everything changes, we have to evolve.<br /><strong><br />What is your most memorable project?</strong><br /><strong><br />Gary &amp; Jim: </strong>The last project we did, everything else fades into the background, because we are focused on the present.<br /><br /></p><figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/unnamed-11.png" alt="" /></figure><p>Thank you to <a href="https://naturemaker.com/portfolio/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gary and Jim of NatureMaker</a> for taking the time to be interviewed! We have a follow up blog coming next week that dives deeper into the “tree of lights” North Point project. If you would like to learn more about how this project came to life, stay tuned.<br /><br />Britelite Immersive is a creative technology agency that designs experience centers and immersive environments. Read more about our <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/services/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">capabilities</a> or view our <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/work/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a>.<br /></p><figure></figure><figure></figure><figure></figure>

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The art of trees: An interview with NatureMaker

<p>Creators within the design community seem to have a few predetermined career paths, such as marketing and advertising. However, a good storyteller/designer can hold a special place in any creative environment, and the movie industry is a perfect example of that. Designers are crafting movies unlike we ever thought possible, such as Minority Report, Oblivion, Isle of Dogs, Alita: Battle Angel and more. From typography, posters, trailers, to graphic pieces in movies, here are some of our favorite creators in the movie industry…<br /><br /></p>
<h3>The Concept Artist</h3>
<p>Concept artists, also called “conceptual artists,” create visual images of ideas. Often they work with other art departments to ensure that the right visual style is reflected in each part of the project, as they are an essential part of the creative and production process in movies. This role demands a mastery of artistic techniques and skills, such as working with paint, pencils, software programs, or whatever it takes to draw weapons, vehicles, environments, graphics, or the characters needed for any given movie.<br /><br /></p>
<h2><a href="http://www.jparked.com/#/transformers-4/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JPARKED</a></h2>
<p>Better known as John J.Park, this artist has paved the way in movies, games, theme park experiences, and inspiration as a conceptual artist. Educated at the Art Center College of Design, he is now leaning into an education role, as the co-founder of Brainstorm Burbank. When a creative is willing to lend their years of expertise to educate, we can’t help but list them as an inspiration sensation. Let’s take a look at some of his work. <br /></p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/Alita-Battle-Angel-Concept-Art_CGRecord2.jpg" alt="" /><figcaption>Lead Conceptual artist for Alita: Battle Angel</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/Alita-Battle-Angel-Concept-Art_CGRecord.jpg" alt="" /><figcaption>“A huge shout out to Dylan Cole and Ben Procter for giving me the opportunity to work on this project. Also a big thanks to Steve Joyner for being a fantastic Production designer on this show.” – J.Park</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/Table_design_refined.jpg" alt="" /><figcaption>Transformers 4</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/shot_D.jpg" alt="" /><figcaption>Transformers 4</figcaption></figure><p>If his range of work and experience in the movie industry interest you, we recommend checking out his mentorship – <a href="https://www.brainstormschool.com/jp1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mentorship Online with John Park.</a></p>
<p><a href="https://altcinc.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><br /></a></p>
<h2><a href="https://altcinc.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ASH THORP</a></h2>
<p>Creative direction, art direction, graphic design, VFX – CGI, photography, cinematography, animation, and director are just a few of the skills/titles that the prolific artist Ash Thorp holds. It’s no wonder that Ash Thorp made it onto our list of Inspiration Sensations, in fact we have taken to <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/blog/ash-thorp-artist-creative-director-teacher/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">writing about Ash Thorp</a> in the past, when he launched <a href="https://www.learnsquared.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Learn Squared</a> with a team of other artists…</p>
<p>“Yep that’s right people, Ash Thorp, the infamous graphic designer himself, is taking his all-around creative acumen to the classroom. To be specific, Ash Thorp is teaching “Futuristic Character Design” and “UI and Data Design for Film” for Learn Squared. Recently created, Learn Squared is fostering the next gen of creative minds, with Ash Thorp and other professional creatives as the driving force.</p>
<p>This is a big deal as Ash Thorp is the mastermind behind the astounding UI graphics in Ender’s Game and Total Recall. Thorp has also contributed to the design direction and concepts for Person of Interest, Prometheus, X-Men First Class, the Amazing Spiderman 2, and more. So as you can see, having Thorp as a teacher and Mentor can really pack on the fuzzy feelings of giddy excitement back into your education.” – <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/blog/ash-thorp-artist-creative-director-teacher/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ash Thorp, the artist, the creative director… the teacher?</a></p>
<p>Deeply involved in the creative community Ash Thorp the educator, artist, and leader has an inspirational portfolio. Let’s take your curiosity to the next level, and show you some of Ash Thorp’s creative involvement in the movie industry.<br /><strong><br />The Great Hack<br />Role: Design, Animation, CGI, Art Direction</strong></p><figure><iframe style="width:500px;height:281px;" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/349922843" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><p><strong><br /></strong></p>
<figure></figure><p><strong><br /></strong></p>
<figure></figure><p><strong>Captain Marvel:2017<br />Role: Design + Art Direction + Concept Design<br /></strong></p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/ALT_C_CAP_MARV_MIND_MELDING_WEB_AT_010.jpg" alt="" /></figure><figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/ALT_C_CAP_MARV_NAV_WEB_AT_018.jpg" alt="" /></figure><h3>The Graphic Designer</h3>
<p>The role of a graphic designer in film/television production is responsible for creating any graphic pieces outlined in the script. They also create promotional materials, like movie posters and digital content. Our next Inspiration Sensation explains in best….<strong><br /><br /></strong></p>
<p><strong>The secret world of Graphic design for filmmaking</strong><em><br /></em><em>Source AIGA</em><br /></p><figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SzGvEYSzHf4" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><p><em><br /></em></p>
<figure></figure><p>This brings us to our next artist…<a href="https://www.annieatkins.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><br /><br /></a></p>
<h2><a href="https://www.annieatkins.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ANNIE ATKINS</a></h2>
<p><br />Annie Atkins specializes in graphic design for filmmaking to put it simply, but to boast it’s easy to see her creative acumen gives contextual layers to each film with color palette, typography, and time period choices in her work. Atkins has designed the graphics for three Oscar-nominated films: the animated feature The Boxtrolls, Spielberg’s Cold War thriller Bridge of Spies, and Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel—which went on to win an Academy Award for Best Production Design.</p>
<p>Tracy in Isle of Dogs, in front of eighteen maps of the Japanese archipelago, each one individually hand-drawn.<br /></p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/Tracy.jpg" alt="" /><figcaption>Tracy in Isle of Dogs, in front of eighteen maps of the Japanese archipelago, each one individually hand-drawn.</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/jeff.jpg" alt="" /></figure><figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/Screen-Shot-2019-10-29-at-10.31.39-AM.jpg" alt="" /></figure><p>Her talks are inspiring, and walk you through an organized and colorful mind, it is no wonder she has worked with Wes Anderson. She has another talk coming up with <a href="https://www.annieatkins.com/talks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Adobe MAX </a>Nov.4.2019 – Don’t miss it!</p>
<p>That wraps up this round of Inspiration Sensations, but it doesn’t include the full list of artists working in film that we are inspired by. Some notable artists are John Underkoffle, Ellen Lampl, Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima. If you have made it this far, we highly encourage you to do your own research and discover artists that inspire you! Let us know what artists you would like us to feature or interview next.</p>
<p>Britelite Immersive is a creative technology agency that designs experience centers and immersive environments. Read more about our <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/services/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">capabilities</a> or view our <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/work/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a>.</p>

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Inspiration Sensations: Movie Edition

<p>At Britelite, we’ve been incorporating lighting into our projects from the very beginning. We initially used controllable fixtures, however, developments in lighting technology, especially around LEDs, have opened up many new possibilities. Let’s go through the different ways you can use light to enhance an immersive experience, and the skills and capabilities required.</p>
<figure><em><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/peachtree.jpg" alt="" /></em><figcaption>A closeup of our latest LED project, showing a “peach tree” program</figcaption></figure><h2>LEDS AS ACCENTS</h2>
<p>Adding LED lighting is a great way to add impact to an interactive experience. People today are already very familiar with screen-based experiences, so using LEDs to complement and enhance an interactive installation makes a lot of sense.</p>
<p>For our <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/blog/portfolio/visa-2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Perfect Pint project at Visa Payment Forum</a>, we used LEDs to highlight specific interactions in our automated beer pouring kiosk. LEDs were used to draw attention to an NFC card reader, an automated selfie-camera, and most importantly, a freshly poured beer!<br /><br /></p>
<p>In this project, we integrated Arduino micro-controllers with LED strips, and connected them to the core app that drove the kiosk.<em><br /></em></p>
<figure><em><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/perfectpintCIE.jpg" alt="" /></em><figcaption>LEDs are used to draw attention to the augmented reality selfie camera, the NFC card reader, and the freshly poured beer!</figcaption></figure><p>For the gala celebrating the <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/blog/portfolio/cpmc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">opening of CPMC’s</a> brand-new Van Ness hospital, we created a network of sensors to read smart bracelets worn by the attendees, in order to provide a personalized experience.<em><br /></em></p>
<figure><em><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/pasted-image-0-21_200203_025743.png" alt="" /></em><figcaption>Smart wearable bracelets were a key element of the gala, allowing for greater personalization and interactivity.</figcaption></figure><p>We used animated LED rings to draw attention to the sensors, and indicate when the bracelet had been successfully scanned. Here the implementation used Raspberry Pi computers, which managed the sensors and drove the LEDs. At the same time, these computers are capable enough to be integrated into our overall event management system.<br /></p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/CPMPCIE.png" alt="" /><figcaption>A guest plays the labor simulation game, after checking in using her bracelet and the wearable sensor (on the right)</figcaption></figure><h2>LEDS AS A DISPLAY SURFACE</h2>
<p>Another highly impactful way of using LEDs is as a display surface, using them to present videos and animations, but in a much larger and brighter format than a typical screen.</p>
<p>For the CPMC gala mentioned before, we were charged with transforming the VIP floor by using light. For this, we built a system of LED panels that completely covered the walls, creating a truly immersive space.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/CPMCCIEWL.jpg" alt="" /><figcaption>Panoramic view of the LED panels set up</figcaption></figure><p><em><br /></em>These panels can be used with the popular ArtNet standard for lighting control, which requires setting up a network of all the LED control boxes. We designed and built custom 8’ x 5’ LED panels, using a new type of tubular LED fixture designed for use in chandeliers. We adapted an existing software package to play back video clips and map them onto the lights, with algorithms to make them change over the course of the evening.</p>
<p>These panels are designed to be easily moved and redeployed, and we used them again at San Francisco Design Week, in a completely different layout. (Shown here at our R&amp;D lab).</p>
<figure><a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/blog/britelite-at-sfdw/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/MarpiCPMCCIE.png" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Panels flanking an interactive piece by Marpi, at San Francisco Design Week</figcaption></figure><h2>SCULPTURAL FORMS<br /></h2>
<p>The most exciting application of LEDs, however, is in building large scale sculptural works. We are currently working on a project to make a large tree with LED leaves.</p>
<p>This project required a very wide range of skills and capabilities. Working closely with a manufacturing partner, we designed leaves with built-in diffusion and developed a custom PCB with the LEDs. We also came up with a strategy for keeping the wires internal to the tree branches.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/treecomputercie.png" alt="" /><figcaption>Interactive tree control software</figcaption></figure><p>For the software side, the client was very insistent that there should be a great deal of variety in the patterns shown on the tree. We created a system that makes it very easy to define ever-changing light patterns, with interesting events to punctuate the tree programming over the course of the day. Unlike other systems, nothing is pre-recorded: everything is generated “live” over the course of the day. Internally, we used an advanced protocol for lighting control, more efficient than DMX and easier to configure. (Our lead developer: “It worked on the first try! That never happens!”)</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/autumntreeblog.jpg" alt="" /><figcaption>Autumn state on the tree</figcaption></figure><p>An important feature of this installation is a custom content management system that allows the user to easily schedule animations and content for the tree. This is a crucial component for building installations that not only look beautiful, but also help achieve a customer’s vision.</p>
<p>For another customer, we explored the creation of a large-scale volumetric (3D) display using LED columns. For this, we would model all the content and animation in three dimensions, and display it on an array of custom fabricated LED tubes.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/bloglights.png" alt="" /><figcaption>Rendering of 3D volumetric LED installation</figcaption></figure><h2>THE FUTURE!</h2>
<p>Going forward, we are very excited by many of the new developments in this field. One very exciting advance is the use of LEDs with multiple channels, beyond the typical red, green and blue (RGB) components. For example, adding a dedicated white channel (RGBW) allows for a wider range of colors, and really creates a powerful impact. Some LED projects are now using an extra amber channel (RGBA) to create unusual effects. For example, Leo Villareal (famous for the Bay Lights) is using LEDs with an amber channel for his London Bridges project.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/pasted-image-0-22_200203_033302.png" alt="" /><figcaption>Illuminated Rivers project, showing RGB + Amber LEDs in use</figcaption></figure><p>Another exciting area is new physical formats. For example, we recently saw this LED mesh display at Newark airport, and were very intrigued with how this can be used to create free-form sculptural shapes.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/blogcieface.jpg" alt="" /><figcaption>LED mesh installation at Newark airport</figcaption></figure><p>Finally, we are very intrigued by the possibility to make these large scale projects reactive and interactive. This large scale installation by TeamLab allows users to “send” shapes into an enormous volumetric display, using a simple web app:</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/pasted-image-0-1-4_200203_033534.png" alt="" /></figure><h2>GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS</h2>
<p>If your organization is interested in building an impactful LED installation, here are some important things to keep in mind when looking for a partner:</p>
<p>1. Experience with creating interactive and immersive experiences<br />2. Deep skills and capabilities, including:</p>
<ul><li>Creative design – it’s got to look good and original</li><li>Physical design – if it’s big, make sure it is strong and robust</li><li>Networking – these pieces have a big networking and infrastructure component</li><li>LED control software – making sure that content is fast, bright and ever-changing</li><li>Content management software – allow customer to adapt and customize the LED experience</li></ul><p>3. Close relations with suppliers, to ensure that you are getting the best and most current products available, and to allow for customization.<br />4. Focus on building to last, ensuring that the LED project will work reliably for a long time<br /><br /></p>
<p>If this sounds like something your <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/services/">organization</a> needs, please reach out to us and <a href="http://www.briteliteimmersive.com/contact/">let’s talk</a>!</p>

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Creating immersive experiences with light

<p><strong>A champion of installation art, and an inspiration to many, artist Charles Gadeken took some time to answer a few questions from Britelite. Featured in one of our recent <a href="/blog/inspiration-sensations-immersive-installation-artists/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Inspiration Sensation</a> blog series, here is a little more about Charles Gadeken…</strong></p>
<p>A local Bay Area luminary of industrial art, Charles Gadeken has been working in the Bay Area art scene for 25+ years. His industrial art includes elements of LED, movement, flame, hydraulics, and electricity to increase the visual and physical impact of his works.</p>
<p>“Focused on engaging the imagination both in the objects he creates and the method of their creation, Charles is dedicated to increasing artistic community and public awareness of art. Many of his pieces are interactive, encouraging spectators to become participants in the artistic experience. He not only makes art, but also uses his artistic practice to encourage others to do so. Charles has inspired hundreds of people to participate in art-making and personally trained volunteers in the process of creating and installing art for private collections and public art for various commissions.”</p>
<p>– <em>About Charles Gadeken</em></p>
<p><a href="https://www.charlesgadeken.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.charlesgadeken.com</a></p>
<h1>The interview
You have been waiting for</h1>
<p><strong>How would you describe your work?</strong></p>
<p>To be honest, I don't love talking about my work. I like making it and putting it out there for people to experience and enjoy. I try to make whimsical things of beauty, that inspire happiness and tap into people's imagination and playful sides. I tend to use natural forms like trees and flowers, then put my own "post-nature" spin on them. It is also very important to me that people engage with my art, so I incorporate interactive elements in most of my work, and I often collaborate in the art-making process with others.</p>
<p><strong>CROWN at Burning Man 2018. Video by Kimberly Sikora</strong></p><figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6ZXWD432yGw" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><p><strong>What made you get into this field of work?</strong></p>
<p>Some things that really appeal to me about being an artist are being able to exercise my creativity and being my own boss. Art-making gave purpose and meaning to my life as a young man, and an artist is really the only thing I can be! I particularly lean towards metalwork and industrial art because I am good with my hands and because I had such great inspiration in San Francisco art scene. Large metal sculptures also lend themselves very well to collaborative art-making, which is another passion of mine. I got into Interactive art because it is really engaging and gives control of the art to the viewer, who becomes a participant rather than a spectator.</p>
<p>I have gotten into making permanent public art to have something that lasts, that many people see, and to have a legacy.</p>
<p><strong>TABULA , Video by Allen J. Mort</strong></p><figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xortkOTJytk" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure><p><strong>Can you tell us about your current project, the permanent interactive kinetic art installation on the Stanford campus.</strong></p>
<p>I am a co-instructor for EE185, a class in the Electrical Engineering department at Stanford. Over 3 quarters, we will design, prototype, and manufacture an interactive kinetic art installation to celebrate the department’s 125th anniversary. My main goal is to introduce a whole new group of students to collaborative art, to encourage and empower them to explore ideas and make art that speaks to them. They will be implementing their engineering and programming skills for embedded electrical elements and creating a system architecture for the installation. We will be exploring light properties with dichroic glass and kinetic art with tiny motors.</p>
<p><strong><br /></strong></p><p><strong>How do you think about your works in relation to their location? Do you build them to fit a specific place, or do you consider them standalone artworks?</strong></p>
<p>For commissioned public art, I must always think about the location of the art, the history of the space and the audience it will speak to. My architectural lightwork, TABULA, in Palo Alto was created to become part of the structure of the building. I have many ideas for future artworks that I think are beautiful and compelling. Thus, when I apply for a public art funding opportunity, I have several proposals to choose from to fit the space and the goal of the funding agency, or I come up with something new if nothing fits.</p>
<p>But most of my past artworks are solitary sculptures that are standalone. My Burning Man artworks are definitely inspired by the large expanse of the landscape and the participatory nature of the art there. However, some of these pieces (Aurora and Squared) have subsequently been installed publicly to great success.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/CharlieGadeken_SanBernardino006.jpg" alt="" /></figure><p>“ENU” at Beyond Wonderland 2017. Photo by Kimberly Sikora</p>
<p><strong>How important is it to keep up with technical developments relating to your field? Eg evolution of LEDs, materials?</strong></p>
<p>I am lucky to have a good relationship with Mark Lottor,who is consistently designing new LEDs for complex control systems. I depend on many people to implement my artistic visions on the programming side, so I think it is important to collaborate with them by implementing technologies that they like to work with. We have developed our own custom software for our control systems for all of my LED artworks. I love to read about new ways to make things, new tech, new ideas, new materials. I am always searching for the next amazing thing.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/image-asset.jpeg" alt="" /></figure><p>ROSHANAI at Burning Man 2016. Photo by Hank Leiter</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/image-asset-2.jpeg" alt="" /></figure><p>ROSHANAI at Burning Man 2016. Photo by Meike Gugel</p>
<p><strong>What upcoming technology are you most excited about? What would you most like to work with in the next year?</strong></p>
<p>​EL film, color changing paint, wax rams, dichroic and trichroic films and glass, RGB lasers, some super black nanotube paint, satellites, magic.</p>
<p><strong>How do you feel the Bay Area is supporting its artists? Any advice for other artists working in the Bay Area?</strong></p>
<p>It is incredibly hard to be a professional artist in the Bay Area, since it is so expensive to live here. It’s hard to be even a hobbyist, because most people work their “day jobs” so much of the time here! I know that SFAC has a lot of support available for artists of various sorts, and they sponsored my temporary public installation of Squared in SF, which made my longtime dream of having my art in my city come true. For almost 20 years, I have been dedicated to supporting artists through the Box Shop, where I provide studios, workspace, and access to quality tools for hundreds of artists. I also engage and train dozens of volunteers with each of my Burning Man projects, fostering their artistic tendencies. My advice would be to seek out collaborative art groups and people who are inspiring to you, and make sure to patronize places like the Box Shop that are trying to keep art alive in SF. Be on the lookout for funding opportunities and apply for everything within reach!</p>
<p><strong>Is collaboration important in your work? What are some of your most important collaborations? Who would you like to collaborate with?</strong></p>
<p>Collaboration is very important in my work! I have a lot of ideas, but I don't have all the expertise to execute on them. I have collected quite a group of collaborators, who help me with numerous things including engineering, computer-assisted design (CAD), lighting design, software programming.</p>
<p>Thank you Charles Gadeken for your time, and we look forward to writing more about your art! At Britelite we have taken a great interest in our ever evolving community of artists, let us know what artists you’d like to see us feature/interview! To see some more of Charles Gadekens’s work, visit his website: <a href="https://www.charlesgadeken.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.charlesgadeken.com</a></p>
<p><strong>Britelite Immersive is a creative technology agency that designs experience centers and immersive environments. Read more about our <a href="/services/">capabilities</a> or view our <a href="/work/">work</a>.</strong></p>

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Interview with Artist Charles Gadeken

<p>At Britelite, most of our projects involve dramatic and unusual presentations of interactive works. In order to build these projects, we use designs and software that go beyond those used in typical web and application development. This article describes some of these tools, how we use them, and how we integrate with other systems to create powerful and stable solutions.</p>
<p><strong>Why creative technology needs its own tools</strong></p>
<p>Creative technology tools are often designed to enable the “creative” side of the equation, by making powerful technology available to artists, designers and creators whose primary focus may not be writing code.</p>
<p><strong>There are three things they have in common:</strong></p>
<ol><li>Easy to get started: they all present high level modules that can be used directly, without a lot of setup</li>
 	<li> Very rich and responsive multimedia output: they all support high quality, real-time video and audio presentation</li>
 	<li>Easy to extend and connect: they can all be extended to support new capabilities, in particular new and unusual input devices such as depth cameras and large scale touch interfaces</li>
</ol><p>Trying to do these things from scratch using traditional coding environments is a lot more work, since a lot of setup needs to happen. (Similar challenges do exist in software development in general: frameworks and libraries are getting a lot of traction overall. Creative tech tools are especially focused on multimedia and interactivity.)</p>
<p><strong>Tools that we use</strong></p>
<p>I’ll go over three different categories of tools that we use:</p>
<ol><li>Multimedia creation environments, like Touch Designer</li>
 	<li>Game development systems, like Unity</li>
 	<li>Coding frameworks, like Cinder</li>
</ol><p>I’ll also talk about how we integrate these systems with each other, and with other application development environments.</p>
<h1>Multimedia creation environments</h1>
<p>These are software tools designed to allow creators to build interactive works without writing a lot of code. They include ways of defining installations that use a graphical user interface, where blocks and modules can be connected on a screen to create an installation.</p>
<p>We use Touch Designer, by Derivative Inc. This tool is particularly well known for its visual quality and high performance realtime graphics. Touch Designer was first released in 2008, and is closely related to the Houdini visual effects program. It is able to integrate a large variety of physical sensors and other systems. When the built in blocks are not enough, a developer can write programs in Python that extend Touch Designer.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/pasted-image-0-20.png" alt="" /></figure><p>We’ve used Touch Designer to build large-scale interactive video walls, and for playback of very high resolution videos. This giant living wall would respond as users walked in front of it:</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/0.jpeg" alt="" /></figure><p>Other examples of multimedia creative tools include the famous Max/MSP, which has been around for 30 years and is now part of the Ableton family of creative tools. Another system that we are very interested in is Notch, by Disguise, which is able to produce impressive realtime 3D visuals.</p>
<h1>Game development systems</h1>
<p>Video game developers have many of the same challenges as creative technologists, trying to express a creative vision that is immersive and responsive. In recent years, tools used for developing video games have become increasingly used for building interactive installations and even business applications.</p>
<p>At Britelite we are big fans of Unity, a very popular game development system. Unity is famous for letting a developer build software once that can be used on a number of different devices, such as mobile phones, computers and video game consoles. Unity is also well-known for its extremely well-stocked Asset Store, an online market place for software snippets, 3D models and everything else that you could need to build a game. A strong point of Unity is the very strong support for AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) systems. It is possible to quickly build an interactive 3D scene and make it available to users of many different systems.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/pasted-image-0-1-2.png" alt="" /></figure><p>We used Unity to build this robotic surgery simulation game, that was presented at the <a href="/blog/portfolio/cpmc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">opening gala for a new hospital in San Francisco</a>. For this project we used a special display called a Multitaction screen that responds to touch and to objects placed on it.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/VNC_Table2WEB-1.jpg" alt="" /></figure><p>We also used Unity to create <a href="/blog/portfolio/visa-2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">automatic beer pouring kiosks</a> for a very high profile event. On this project, we integrated Unity with a variety of sensors, including a pressure mat to detect when a user approached, an NFC payment sensor and a depth camera for taking AR (augmented reality) selfies of a user wearing their favorite team’s colors as facepaint.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/PerfectPint5_1920WEB-1.jpg" alt="" /></figure><p>There are other game systems as well. Unreal Engine by Epic is very well known, and we use it in situations where very realistic rendering of 3D systems is required. We are also intrigued by Amazon’s Sumerian system, which is particularly good for building AR and VR applications.</p>
<h1>Coding frameworks</h1>
<p>When ultimate flexibility is required, there is no substitute for writing code. Many systems have emerged to make it easier for creators to build code-based projects.</p>
<p>A very well-known example is the Processing environment, which provides an easy-to-use development environment for writing code in Java. It is free and open-source, and it includes a vast number of extensions for different creative effects and interfaces. However, Java is subject to significant performance limitations, so there is a lot of work to make higher performance languages accessible to creators.</p>
<p>We have had good experiences using the Cinder framework, which is a library of modules that support graphics and interactivity using the C++ language. While harder to use than purely graphical systems, C++ is able to provide very high performance in the finished apps, and frameworks like Cinder save a lot of development time.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/pasted-image-0-2-3.png" alt="" /></figure><p>We used Cinder to build the control software for this elaborate LED illuminated tree:</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/unnamed-7.png" alt="" /></figure><p>Another framework similar to Cinder is OpenFrameworks, which also allows creators to quickly build media rich applications.</p>
<p>Finally, we often have to program tiny computers called Arduinos that will connect to specialist sensors and devices. The Arduino environment, originally developed for education, has grown over the years to support a vast number of embedded systems. We frequently use Arduino to build software to integrate physical sensors.</p>
<p>For this project, we built a series of tiny circuit boards with optical sensors, that allowed for accurately establishing the physical position of an architectural model, in order to project video imagery.</p>
<figure><img src="https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/blisf-website/Bluxome8_1920WEB-1.jpg" alt="" /></figure><h1>Integration</h1>
<p>There are many creative technology projects that are limited to a specific event or performance. At Britelite, however, we are building projects to last. Our clients expect our projects to run reliably for a long time, to be able to change content, and to integrate with other systems.</p>
<p>We have developed an extensive skill set and software library for integrating creative technology tools and techniques with classical software development platforms. For example, we can build a simple website that allows a customer to change the content that is shown on various different displays and installations. Another key capability is being able to deploy new versions of software to interactive installations, without having to be onsite. We can collect usage data to prepare analytics reports – very useful to show the impact of an interactive piece.</p>
<p>For a recent gala to celebrate the opening of a new hospital, we integrated the following types of systems:</p>
<ul><li style="font-weight:400;">Multi-touch table with surgical simulation game</li>
 	<li style="font-weight:400;">Large touchscreens for wayfinding</li>
 	<li style="font-weight:400;">Reactive living wall</li>
 	<li style="font-weight:400;">Interactive holographic displays</li>
 	<li style="font-weight:400;">Smart wearable bracelets to allow for customized experiences</li>
 	<li style="font-weight:400;">A registration microsite for the event</li>
 	<li style="font-weight:400;">Realtime analytics</li>
</ul><p>Britelite’s own proprietary infrastructure managed software for more than 60 separate computer systems, allowing deployment of software and configuration changes centrally. This software backbone allows to connect immersive and interactive installations with front-end and back-end software tools that make our projects much more robust and cost effective. Britelite was able to manage all the technology at the event with a very small and efficient team, and was able to provide the event organizers with detailed analytics almost immediately.</p>
<p>If you are interested in creating powerful interactive experiences for your organization that go beyond the demo, please <a href="/contact/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">get in touch</a>!</p>

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Working with Creative Technology Tools at Britelite

Rhys Sullivan

Oculus

Unreal Engine

I made a small app for my @oculus quest in @UnrealEngine which lets me use my spin bike to race in VR! #ue4… https://t.co/Rsaa8W6tFJ

Champlain College Game Programming. I make games in Unreal Engine using C++ and Blueprints. VR is pretty neat.

RT @RhysSullivan: I made a small app for my @oculus quest in @UnrealEngine which lets me use my spin bike to race in VR! #ue4 #gamedev #Ocu…

Britelite is a creative technology agency that builds immersive & interactive installations within physical spaces. We transform how brands engage.

Welcome to the Darkside