Interactive Live Graphics on Stage

Date: 10th January 2019
Event: Events
Technology: Data Visualization, Interactive, Stage, Video Wall

Live stages are some of the world’s most dynamic places. Every moment is urgent and fleeting, which might be the essence of the audience’s excitement, and every detail can be changed until just minutes before the show. The only thing that is usually not live are the graphics on the main stage. With filmed or pre-rendered 3D content, creative decisions must be made very early in the production process and often cannot be reversed later on – a static monolith in the fluidity of the event. If organizers want to keep up the level of flexibility in their graphical content, they can switch to real-time graphics creation and authoring tools like Ventuz, which offer an abundance of dynamic and interactive functionalities.

Shorter Production Periods

Real-time graphics solutions differ from commonly known postproduction or 3D software tools in that they render the content during playout. This abolishes long rendering periods and the need for render farms or other costly hardware. Instead of a static movie file, real-time tools output dynamic content that, because it is rendered right there on the spot, can interact with incoming signals and translate them into the graphics without any delay.

This, of course, serves for much shorter production times and allows users to tinker with the content at any moment. Having arrived on site to find that the screen setup has completely changed? A swift adjustment, and all is well. Those famous last-minute changes the client wants after having seen the entire show during dress rehearsal? No problem with real-time tools such as Ventuz. Flexibility is the essence of real-time solutions and lessens stress both on the content producer’s as well as on the client’s side.

Dynamic Presentation Techniques

The level of flexibility extends into the show itself, where the content can react dynamically to changing circumstances. This begins on the data side. By implementing live data sources to stream in, for example, stock numbers or information from the merchandise management system, companies can present their very latest figures without having to touch the Ventuz project itself. This data can be used for displayed text or numbers, but can also serve to animate graphics, like graphs and charts, for a visually appealing and understandable approach. Live polls can be visualized in seconds, and social media integration has become a must-have. Real-time graphics ensure that you stay up-to-date and connected with the audience during live shows.

Ventuz real-time graphics are also capable of communicating with a large number of interactive devices, allowing the presenter to control the flow of the presentation and even change the rundown if necessary. Navigation through the content can be provided via a number of different technologies, such as a touch screen on stage or by turning the entire projection wall into an interactive device. A sophisticated setup in combination with powerful, dynamic content allows brands to communicate innovation and a hands-on mentality all at the same time.

Comprehensive Stage Tech Systems

The openness of Ventuz to other technologies allows show producers to easily implement 3D real-time graphics content into the larger hardware setup of an event. By connecting the graphics to sound, lighting, stage kinetics or pyro technology, the entire setup can operate as one system, serving for an immersive and holistic experience for the audience.

Embracing real-time graphics solutions for staging events holds many advantages for content producers and showrunners alike. It can lessen stress during production, allow the implementation of social media and innovative stage technology, and serve for a more dynamic, more entertaining experience. Ventuz Technology will display a selection of interactive stage setups at their booth at ISE 2019, booth number 8-K330.