How DisruptAR and Red Thread Reimagined Hewlett Packard Enterprise's Discover Event with Pixotope

Corporate video might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of virtual production - but DisruptAR, leading experts in virtual productions, and Red Thread, a creative storytelling production agency are changing that perception together.  
As a testament to their success, one of the virtual production programs produced at the 2023 Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Discover Event, Adapting for An AI World, was just awarded a bronze award for Thought Leadership in the category of Branded Content in the record breaking 45th Annual Telly Awards.

The Telly Awards honors excellence in video and television across all screens and is judged by leaders from video platforms, television, streaming networks, production companies. 

What is HPE Discover? 

HPE Discover is a bi-annual technology showcase designed to highlight the company's leadership in critical technological fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Edge Computing, and Hybrid Cloud Solutions. The event serves multiple purposes—it's a platform for HPE to announce new products, foster new relationships, and introduce innovative business models in these key areas. HPE Discover is also an opportunity for industry leaders, technologists, partners, and clients to engage with the latest technologies that are shaping the future. 
Spanning three days, HPE Discover is a hybrid event, offering both in-person and remote components to ensure wide-reaching impact. This allows HPE to connect with a global audience and share its vision and technological advancements widely.  

Leveraging Individual Expertise for Shared Success 

HPE Discover Edge Studio was designed with clear objectives, aiming to position itself as a leader in AI, Edge Computing, and Hybrid Cloud technologies. The challenge for DisruptAR and Red Thread was to translate this message into a tangible experience with a minimal on-site footprint, all while capturing branded studio content of the highest quality. The partnership approached these hurdles with a dynamic, problem-solving mindset, embracing their agility in order to make necessary on-the-fly adjustments. Their efforts culminated in a production studio that not only impressed HPE executives and clients using the evolving capabilities of virtual production in a corporate setting. 

DisruptAR and Red Thread each played crucial, yet distinct, roles in transforming HPE Discover. DisruptAR, with its focus on cutting-edge virtual production technology, took the lead in the execution of the virtual environment. DisruptAR was responsible for integrating advanced virtual production tools and software, including Pixotope, to create the immersive, digital landscapes that served as the backdrop for the event. Their role encompassed everything from the initial setup of the green screen studio to the technical management of the live virtual production, ensuring that the event's virtual elements ran smoothly and efficiently.  

Red Thread injected creative vitality into the project, focusing on narrative development and visual storytelling. The Red Thread team worked closely with DisruptAR to ensure the virtual environments were both technologically advanced and rich in storytelling elements that engaged viewers and made sense from a brand perspective. Red Thread's expertise in crafting compelling digital narratives helped in designing the content to reflect innovative HPE themes, such as AI, edge computing, and hybrid cloud solutions, making complex technologies accessible and fascinating to the audience. 

"Red Thread has really been out ahead of us using their decades of experience in broadcast television and digital programming to really bring innovation to us, to help us understand how they've used it, how they can implement it, and that they have the right expertise in people to do that."

Jack Richard, Global Integrated Marketing Senior Director, HPE 

The Power of Pixotope  

The backbone of this successful event was a meticulously planned virtual production workflow, integrating tools such as Cinema 4D and Unreal Engine to create a visually stunning virtual environment. Key to this setup was the construction of an eco-friendly green screen set, completed in just one day. Behind the scenes, six main crew members worked in unison, each leveraging customized control panels designed to streamline the production process.  

At the core of this technological marvel was Pixotope, a software platform designed specifically for virtual productions. Pixotope seamlessly combines real-time rendering with compositing and virtual set capabilities, allowing DisruptAR and Red Thread to bring their visions to life in a flexible and efficient way. Pixotope's uniqueness lies in its blend of flexibility, user-friendliness, and innovative features, which together facilitated the realization of a complex production with moving parts. Through its interface, Pixotope enabled operators to quickly address and adapt to the evolving needs of the production, bolstering the project's success. 

Impact and Results  

The collaboration between DisruptAR, Red Thread, and Pixotope for HPE Discover set a new benchmark in virtual production for corporate events. The seamless blend of technical innovation and creative storytelling captured the attention of attendees, both in-person and online, resulting in a highly immersive and engaging experience. The ability to visually represent complex technological concepts in an accessible and compelling manner helped demystify AI, edge computing, and hybrid cloud technologies for a diverse audience. This reinforced HPE's position as a thought leader and sparked increased interest and conversations around HPE products and solutions. 

The positive feedback from HPE executives and clients alike underscored the success of the event, signaling a growing trend toward the adoption of virtual production techniques in corporate communications. The collaboration demonstrated how combining technological prowess with creative vision produces events that meet and exceed expectations, opening up new avenues for innovation in virtual event production.  

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