Notch Showcast

#28 Notch 1.0 beta with special guest Matt Swoboda

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 20:04:08 GMT

In this special episode, Kat and Jake sit down with the Founder and Lead Developer of Notch, Matt Swoboda, to learn what's been happening for the past two years or so of Notch 1.0 development, and we also learn what Kat has been up to!

Join us as we journey through the evolution of Notch and discover what the next major version of Notch has in store!

Episode credits:

Researched and interviewed/hosted by: Kat Kemsley and Jake Triola

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post-production, additional editing, and mastering by Bent Stamnes

Episode cover background image by Arminas Kazlauskas

Episode links:

Luke Halls Studio

The Notch official Discord server

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#27 The journey to 1.0 with special guest Matt Swoboda

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 18:40:46 GMT

In this special episode, we sit down with the Founder and Lead Developer of Notch, Matt Swoboda, to learn how his game development and creative coding experience evolved into a real-time motion graphics package used by exceptional artists on the biggest live shows in the world.

Join us as we journey through the evolution of Notch and discover what the next major version of Notch has in store!

This is is the last episode of this season of the Notch Showcast; we hope you have enjoyed it and we'll be back in a few months with season 5, see you then!

Episode credits:

Researched, edited, and interviewed/hosted by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post-production, additional editing, and mastering by: Tor Øines

Episode cover background images and animation are development R&D creatives by Matt Swoboda

Episode links:

The Notch Blog

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#26 Live Events after COVID

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 22:39:29 GMT

To round up this season of the podcast we invited Laura Frank and Nils Porrman back to discuss some of the major changes we've experienced this year and to what the future of live events might look like.

In our previous conversations, Laura and Nils have shared their opinions on education, wellness, and community as well as virtual production and the changing shape of the industry. Today we’re going to explore some of these topics in more detail. So if you’re looking forward to live events after COVID, then this is the episode for you!

Episode credits:

Researched, edited, and interviewed/hosted by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post-production, additional editing, and mastering by: Tor Øines

Episode cover background image by dandelion+burdock

Episode links:

framework-community.com

dandelion-burdock.com

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#25 Developing a Solid Creative Process with FRAY_DEV

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 22:18:07 GMT

In this episode, we talk to Finn Ross and Adam Young from FRAY Studio to find out about the inspiration behind FRAY:DEV. We also talk about the benefits of learning by doing and the importance of developing a solid creative process. Adam and Finn share some golden advice on how to grow your confidence as a designer and ways to handle constructive criticism.

If you’re a creative who’s looking to get their start or an experienced designer with a lot of wisdom to share, then this is the episode for you!

Episode credits:

Researched, edited, and interviewed/hosted by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post-production, additional editing, and mastering by: Tor Øines

Episode links:

https://www.fraystudio.co.uk/dev

https://www.notch.one/portfolio/back-to-the-future-the-musical/

https://shows.acast.com/notch-showcast/episodes/back-to-the-future-the-musical

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#24 Screens producing with Laura Frank

Tue, 25 May 2021 20:24:42 GMT

Laura Frank has worked in entertainment technology for over 25 years. Starting her career as a moving light technician, she established herself as a top lighting programmer with projects spanning rock tours with David Bowie and Madonna, to Broadway shows like Spamalot and television events like the Concert for NY. As the media server market started to evolve, Laura made the shift to screen content and control. After a decade of refining a media delivery workflow, she established herself as a Screens Producer leading a highly regarded Media Operations team for prominent events around the world. Her shows included the MTV Video Music Awards, The Game Awards, the Turner Upfront, and the CMA Music Awards.

In this episode, Laura shares her journey to becoming a screens producer and the tricks she’s learned along the way to optimize her workflow. We also discuss the challenges of the COVID pandemic and the benefits of building a strong, connected community.

If you’re interested in what a screen producer is, what they do and how to get on the road to becoming one, this is the episode for you.

Episode credits:

Researched, edited, and interviewed/hosted by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post-production, additional editing, and mastering by: Tor Øines

Episode links:

framework-community.com

An evening with Screens Producer Laura Frank (YouTube)

Screens Producing & Media Operations: Advanced Practice for Media Server and Video Content Preparation (Book)

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#23 Managing Client Expectations (and a Virtual Production Primer)

Tue, 18 May 2021 17:18:17 GMT

In this episode, we speak to Nils Porrmann of Dandelion + Burdock. Last year, Nils co-authored two extensive blog series entitled "Mixed Reality Studios, a Primer for Producers" and "Virtual Production with Notch and disguise". If you are about to embark on your first virtual or mixed reality project - or even if you are a seasoned pro - this is the episode for you!

Listen as Nils shares his secrets to managing client expectations as well as the budget, time, and labor considerations you need to make if you're pitching a virtual production.

Episode credits:

Researched, edited, and interviewed/hosted by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post-production, additional editing, and mastering by: Tor Øines

Episode links:

https://dandelion-burdock.com/articles/mixed-reality-studios-a-primer-for-producers

https://dandelion-burdock.com/articles/virtual-production-with-notch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKXWNhmQX6w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTpHulUWr-w

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#22 Getting started with XR for live production

Tue, 11 May 2021 14:56:00 GMT

In this episode, we speak to JT Rooney and Scott Millar of XR Studios. Scott (CTO) and JT (CCO) have been behind some of the largest, most innovative live productions on the planet (including Katy Perry at American Idol, Billie Eilish, the MTV Awards, and Gorillaz), and at the forefront of virtual production workflows for live events.

Listen as they share their extensive experience in the world of live production, how to stay focused on the creative and dispel the myth of "perfect XR".

Episode credits:

Researched, edited, and interviewed/hosted by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post-production, additional editing, and mastering by: Tor Øines

Links to Showcases:

https://www.notch.one/portfolio/virtual-production-gold-at-the-mtv-movie-tv-awards/

https://www.notch.one/portfolio/gorillaz-song-machine-livestream/

https://www.notch.one/portfolio/american-idol-katy-perry/

https://www.notch.one/portfolio/billie-eilish-where-do-we-go-the-livestream/

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#21 ‘Criolo XR’ Live Stream on Twitch

Tue, 04 May 2021 13:51:58 GMT

Welcome to season 4! In this episode, we speak to Tito Sabatini, creative director at Duo2TV, and director Denis Cisma - two old friends who combined their talents in concert design and film to create Brazil's first XR live stream concert for acclaimed artist Criolo.

Listen as we break down some key looks from the show which include face tracking, performance capture, full virtual set, AR elements and live IMAG effects. We also talk about the challenges of creating a virtual production for the first time and the thrill of directing a live broadcast.

Episode credits:

Researched, edited, and interviewed/hosted by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post-production, additional editing, and mastering by: Tor Øines

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#20 Holiday Special

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 13:23:04 GMT

In this Holiday Special episode, Kat is joined by Notch founder Matt Swoboda and VP of Sales Sarah Cox to look back at the rollercoaster ride that was 2020, and forward to what 2021 might have in store. They share their favourite productions and personal highlights of the past year and dive into what Notch is working on for its next major release.

We want to direct a special thanks to the Notch community who inspire us every single day with the work they create and share with us.

Episode credits:

Interviews and editing by: Kat Kemsley

Produced and additional editing by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post-production and mastering by: Arto Koivisto

Cover dog: Albie

Special episode mentions:

@aggressivetv, @piwolf, @tigrelab, @silentpartnersstudio, @XR.Studios, @t2visuals, @algorithm.ie, @synthestruct, @satorestudio, @wemakeeventsofficial, @miii_design_in/, @grossestennis_xr

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#19 Inside The Boys

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 18:42:20 GMT

In this episode we find out how a small team of creatives re-imagined the talk show environment for Amazon Prime’s ‘Inside the Boys’.

Amazon Studios approached Technical Director Brandon Epperson for a COVID safe workflow that could produce their nine-part TV series in just four weeks! Today Brandon shares why he decided LED virtual production was the way to go. and

We are also joined by his good friends at Aggressive TV, Daniel Shapiro and Alex Topaller who directed the animated set design, opening credits and branding. The team chose Notch as their content creation tool for real-time reactive animations. Art Director Federico Gonzalez also joins us on the line to share how his team at Tigre Labs created the set-pieces in Notch.

Join us as we discuss set extension, what virtual sets means for the future of art departments and always needing more time!

Episode credits:

Interviews and editing by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post production, additional music and mastering by: Arto Koivisto

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#18 Potential Energy

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 11:46:39 GMT

Brett Bolton is a freelance audiovisual artist from Las Vegas, Nevada. He’s well known for his work on some of the largest tours on earth, but he still manages to make time to explore personal projects.

In this episode, we talk about Potential Energy, which premiered at LDI’s SPLNTR event in 2019. This interactive installation invites participants to break open the walls around them and allow the creative energy to flow. Brett used a clever combination of Notch, TouchDesigner and Ableton Live to create this amazing interactive piece.

Episode credits:

Interview and editing by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post production, additional music and mastering by: Arto Koivisto

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#17 MTV Video Music Awards

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 15:02:51 GMT

From industry veterans Silent Partners Studio, we're joined by Art Director Claudine Boulanger and 3D animator Patrick Gosky who share how they created the virtual main stage for the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards.

The VMA’s was the first major awards show in the US to be broadcast since the COVID-19 pandemic and created some unique challenges for the team. Silent Partners found innovative ways to re-create the buzz of a live audience using a combination of a virtual stage powered by Notch, and several video compositing techniques.

In this episode, we go deep on what it's like to create content for a huge show such as the VMAs, and in the process you learn how to optimise your virtual production projects like a boss. We're also joined by seasoned Notch artist Brett Bolton who also worked on the show, and Claudine and Patrick get to hear the audience reaction to their designs.

Episode credits:

Interview and editing by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post production, additional music and mastering by: Arto Koivisto

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#16 Independent Music Awards 2020

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 13:18:05 GMT

Creative Producer Urs Nyffenegger has been surprising audiences in the live broadcast space for almost two decades. As an early adopter of virtual workflows, he’s had his fair share of challenges. With a vision to extend reality using real-time graphics, Urs has had to fight both perceptions and red tape in the broadcast industry to get to where he is today.

In this episode, he shares his approach to a range of virtual productions that encompass all of the “R’s”: AR, MR and XR. Shows discussed include the AIM Awards, Simply Divine and the Pakistani Super League..

Episode credits:

Interview and editing by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post production, additional music and mastering by: Arto Koivisto

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#15 Interactive & Immersive Championship

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 14:07:40 GMT

Educator and entrepreneur Elburz Sorkhabi wrote the first ever TouchDesigner book, a free and open publication, complete with video tutorials. When he’s not working on projects for clients, he’s running the Interactive Immersive HQ, a community platform for all things interactive and immersive.

Last month, Elburz ran the Interactive Immersive challenge which invited designers from all over the world to create projects in front of a live stream audience and panel of judges - including our own founder Matt Swoboda.

Interactive and audiovisual designer Ginger Leigh, also known by synthestruct, was one of the competition finalists. She wowed the judges in the integration challenge with her clever combination of Notch, TouchDesigner and Ableton Live.

In this episode, we talk to Elburz and Ginger about the future of real-time, what a powerful combination TouchDesigner and Notch is, and; as a little bonus; which member of the Notch team is described as "a gentleman and a scholar", tune in!.

Episode credits:

Interview and editing by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post production, additional music and mastering by: Arto Koivisto

Cover image is a composite of the Interactive & Immersive Championship logo, and the project "Disperse" by Synthestruct.

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#14 NGHTMRE

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 10:40:56 GMT

Motion graphics artist Tanner Thompson used his experience of live concert design to create a series of virtual productions for EDM artist NGHTMRE. With NGHTMRE’S US tour ‘Portal’ cut short, Tanner rolled with the punches and created an online experience inspired by the real-life tour. Tanners team at T2 Visuals were able to accomplish a high level of production with only a couple of people in the room.

The shows so far have used Kinect depth sensing cameras to teleport NGHTMRE to otherworldly stages created by Tanner and his team using Notch and Cinema4D. For the virtual Lollapalooza festival, T2 Visuals re-recreated the Chicago skyline using photogrammetry techniques rendered in Notch.

In this episode, we talk to Tanner about creating an otherworldly at-home festival experience in these strange times.

Episode credits:

Interview and editing by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post production, additional music and mastering by: Arto Koivisto

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#13 Pound the Pavement

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 08:39:30 GMT

Creative Director Kev Freeney and Notch Designer Dillon O’Sullivan welcomed the challenge of creating The Blizzards ‘Pound The Pavement’ music video during a national lockdown. After initial plans for a live-action music video were put on hold, they began exploring the possibilities of using the Perception Neuron motion capture suit for an offline workflow.

The Algorithm team developed a hybrid real-time/offline workflow to produce the video remotely and in a short amount of time. The result of this experimental workflow is an enchanting video which brought The Blizzards together during a time of isolation.

In this episode, we talk to Kev and Dillon about their background in animation and VJing, how their trip to the 2019 NotchCon opened their eyes to motion capture and the use of Notch, and where they think music videos are heading.

Episode credits:

Interview and editing by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post production, additional music and mastering by: Arto Koivisto

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#12 Alter Ego

Tue, 26 May 2020 12:49:15 GMT

Alter Ego is a generative video installation reflecting on the use of social media and the rise of artificial intelligence in our democracies. The artwork presents thousands of images uploaded in real-time by millions of Instagram users. Bespoke code sorts the images using popular hashtags, and Notch transforms these images into an organic web of particles which re-form as an AI-generated Instagram influencer. In this episode, artist Cadie Desbiens-Desmeules shares her design story.

Episode credits:

Interview and editing by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post production, additional music and mastering by: Arto Koivisto

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#11 IMAGINE UAE Festival City Mall

Tue, 19 May 2020 12:08:12 GMT

IMAGINE is a nightly spectacle at Dubai's glamorous United Arab Emirates Festival City Mall. Created as the centerpiece of the Diwali festival of light celebration, IMAGINE features six water screen and over 70 projectors. Produced by Foraus, Video Producer Travis Poe joins us in this episode to share his design story and to talk about the ins and outs of creating magical shows.

Episode credits:

Interview and editing by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post production, additional music and mastering by: Arto Koivisto

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#10 Learning Notch

Tue, 12 May 2020 11:03:58 GMT

In this special episode, we're joined by former Notch course attendee and professional motion artist Olly Venning, and Armin Kazlauskas, our in-house Notch training specialist. We talk about the difference between in-person and online training, Olly compares the experiences he had when he "re-took" the online version of the Notch Essentials course. We also cover various tips and tricks for learning in this unprecedented time, how to stay focused, and finding inspiration.

Episode credits:

Interview and editing by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post production, additional music and mastering by: Arto Koivisto

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#9 Artechouse NY: SUBMERGE

Tue, 05 May 2020 11:07:40 GMT

SUBMERGE was a month-long installation which celebrated the Pantone colour of the year - Classic Blue. This carefully considered design combines 360 -degree projection and interactive screens for an unforgettable immersive experience. Curated and produced by ARTECHOUSE in collaboration with INTUS Interactive Design, this exhibit is a class in successful immersive design. Media artist, Gilberto Castro shares his design story

Episode credits:

Interview and editing by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post production, additional music and mastering by: Arto Koivisto

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#8 Printworks

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 11:32:24 GMT

Printworks used to be Western Europe's largest newspaper printing facility, and in 2017 the warehouse was reborn as a 5,000 capacity clubbing space. Renowned for its spectacular audio-visual shows, Rebel Overlay has been at the heart of the bold visuals which define the venues signature style. In this episode, Rebel Overlay founder Spencer Heron shares his design story.

Episode credits:

Interview and editing by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post production, additional music and mastering by: Arto Koivisto

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#7 Back to the Future the Musical

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 12:42:37 GMT

FRAY Studio is a multi-award winning studio, and in this episode Creative Director Finn Ross talks us through their work for "Back to the Future the Musical" for the Manchester Opera House. Finn has almost two decades of specialist experience in live show design and has won Tony, Oliver and Drama Desk awards for his work on shows like "The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-Time", "American Psycho" and "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child", to mention a few.

FRAY Studio have recently started blog series focused on their efforts to pivot away from using traditional tools such as After Effects for real-time tools such as Notch. You can read about that in their blog, and follow them on Instagram.

If you are interested in donating spare CPU and/or GPU power to Folding@Home and disease research, you can read more about it on their website and join the Notch Fam team here.

Episode credits:

Interview and editing by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post production, additional music and mastering by: Arto Koivisto

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#6 Emeli Sande - Real Life Tour

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 18:47:16 GMT

Bluman Associates create entirely real-time stage visuals for UK solo singer Emeli Sande’s ‘Real Life’ tour. Colourful, theatrical deisgns created by Bluman Associates Kyle Reseigh are controllable live from the lighting desk. ‘Real Life’ toured theatre venues around Europe and the UK. Notch Designer, Kyle Reseigh – along with his colleagues Kumar Kamalagharan and Pod Bluman, as well as Lighting Designer Chris Richardson – explain what went into making the unique show.

Episode credits:

Interview and editing by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post production, additional music and mastering by: Arto Koivisto

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#5 New Year's Eve Special

Tue, 31 Dec 2019 10:28:50 GMT

In this New Year's Eve Special episode of the podcast, our host Kat sits down with three of her colleagues to talk about significant events in 2019 and what the new year might bring for Notch. Guests are Notch CEO and Founder Matt Swoboda, VP of Sales Sarah Cox and VP of Marketing Bent Stamnes.

Episode credits:

Interview by: Kat Kemsley

Edited, mixed and mastered by: Bent Stamnes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#4 BTS - Love Yourself

Tue, 24 Dec 2019 11:00:58 GMT

BTS is a seven-member boy band from Seoul in Korea that is taking the world by storm. The Love Yourself World tour sold over 1 million tickets worldwide and hit stadiums in the US, Europe, Asia and South America. All of it Now created rendered stage content, IMAG effects, in-camera AR content, and the technical integration of the entire AR system used for the show.

This production is a world first, using integrated AR camera system on a touring show, and in this episode, Kevin Zhu – designer and technical director of the AR elements for the show – shares his design story.

Episode credits:

Interview and editing by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post production and mastering by: Arto Koivisto

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#3 Flying Lotus 3D

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 07:15:45 GMT

The Flying Lotus 3D show is an immersive audio-visual experience featuring a variety of cutting-edge visual content, including real-time animation and camera treatment, all displayed on stereoscopic 3D LED panels. The show is a crazy mash-up of delectably obscene aesthetics, all brought together by Strangeloop Studios, to create a window to another world.

In this episode, Creative Director and founder of Strangeloop Studios David Wexler shares his design story and how an initial hesitation to do a fully 3D show got turned around into enthusiasm by using the right tools for the job.

Episode credits:

Interview and editing by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post production and mastering by: Arto Koivisto

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#2 IICON at Glastonbury

Tue, 10 Dec 2019 16:55:14 GMT

This year’s Glastonbury Festival unveiled a brand new stage from Block9, IICON. The twenty-meter head-shaped stage is a structure of megalithic proportions. IICON is an impressive architectural showpiece in and of itself, but at night it comes alive with bespoke content created in Notch. LED panels in the VR visor glow and three-dimensional video maps onto the entire structure animating the surface of the head.

In this episode, Mike Wilson - the lead 3D artist for the project - shares his story, and dives heavily into the details of what it takes to work on a project such as IICON.

Episode credits:

Interview and editing by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post production, additional music and mastering by: Arto Koivisto

Additional resources for this episode:

The official Notch showcase page
Timelapse video of the build (from The Guardian)

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#1 'A World Beyond' Music Video for Fleurie

Wed, 04 Dec 2019 19:32:21 GMT

'A World Beyond', the new music video from solo pop-artist Fleurie, tells a story which ventures across time and space. Behind the scenes is an equally adventurous story. The team at MEPTIK immerse Fleurie in underwater and intergalactic dreamscapes with cutting edge XR production techniques.

Utilizing Notch for real-time animation, combined with positional data from the BlackTrax tracking system, Fleurie is able to with the ethereal world around her, creating an exciting journey for the artist that carries through the message from her song.

In this episode, MEPTIK's founders Sarah Linebaugh and Nick Rivero share their design story and more.

Interview and editing by: Kat Kemsley

Produced by: Bent Stamnes

Audio post production and mastering by: Arto Koivisto

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.