Chris Pfaff moderated the ‘How to Create Immersive 3D Stories with Real Humans’ panel during SXSW 2026 on Monday, March 16th at 4:00 pm at the Austin Marriott Downtown in the Waller Ballroom A. Joining him were Lauren Michelle, CEO, Operaverse Corey Rosen, EVP, Creative Development, Production & Storytelling, Super 78 Richard Broadbridge, CEO, 4Dviews.

The session featured presentations on various techniques for incorporating real human capture – not avatars – in immersive stories.

You can watch the full session at:

And Part II:

HOW TO CREATE IMMERSIVE 3D STORIES WITH REAL HUMANS

The explosion of virtual stories across platforms has seen an increase in the integration of real humans in immersive experiences. The evolution of stunningly realistic volumetric video now enables real human capture and integration in scenes that are life-like and spatially adaptive. The innovations that are now making the human more prominent in complex virtual narratives are being led by producers and toolmakers who are building a network of dynamic volumetric artisans. This session features leading developers of mixed reality, VR, and mobile AR that render virtual humans – not avatars. Monday, March 16, 2026 Austin Marriott Downtown- 304 East Cesar Chavez St. Waller Ballroom A Chris Pfaff, CEO, Chris Pfaff Tech Media LLC

In case you missed me at The Polys – Immersive Awards this past March 23rd, at the Microsoft Garage in Manhattan, or have yet to check out the amazing live production on YouTube, you can now see my live-hosting gig as the announcer for the ‘Innovator of the Year’ Award, which was won by Super Splat. 

Michael Owen, Dario Loverde, Alex Coulombe, Alvin Graylin, and Chris Pfaff, after the Polys (and Alex Coulombe’s cartoon treatment)

Chris Pfaff hosts the Innovator of the Year segment during the 5th Annual Polys, at Microsoft Garage

Chris Pfaff and Elena Piech                         Chris Pfaff and Alvin Graylin               Ori Inbar, Yu Yuan, Alvin Graylin, and Chris Pfaff

Check out my sequence at 1:35:23-1:40:32 (teed up here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX6u3ksu9o4&t=5668s), where I navigate a super-packed Teleprompter script (the amazing Ben Erwin wrote this show, and produced it).

And if you would like to hire me for live-hosting, you can send a note to chris@voiceofpfaff.com  

On Wednesday, December 3, 2025, Chris Pfaff moderated the ‘Streaming and Beyond: The Future of TV Sports’ panel at the TV of Tomorrow Show NYC at Hudson Commons in Manhattan.

The conversation ran from FAST channels for niche sports to gamification of sports on TV, and AI personalization for viewers.

The expert panel consisted of:

•    Cathy Rasenberger, President, Free Live Sports
•    Christy Tanner, Chair, Swerve TV
•    Matt Felder, VP of Ad Sales, Fubo
•    Pete Scott, Chief Strategy Officer, Play Anywhere
•    Rob Bocchicchio, President, Centriply

STREAMING AND BEYOND: THE FUTURE OF TV SPORTS

Live-streaming sports is a global market that is valued at $32.4 billion and is projected to reach more than $100 billion by 2033. As live sports shifts to direct-to-consumer platforms, engagement matters more than ever, with AI and data shaping the experience. The gamification of sports is upon us, and features ranging from alt-casts to multi-view to real-time personalization will drive greater monetization of sports content, increasing fan engagement. This panel will discuss the production of a brave new world for sports content.

On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, Chris Pfaff moderated the ‘Future of Fan Engagement with AI’ panel at the 2025 Upside U.S. Sports Tech Summit at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, FL (the home of the two-time defending Stanley Cup champs, the Florida Panthers).

The session discussed tailoring content and experiences for individual fans and AI-powered fan engagement and training tools, and featured:

* Bill Chapman, Emmy® Award-winning live director and producer, Warner Bros. Discovery
* Pawl Osterreicher, co-founder and CEO, Respo.Vision
* André Antonelli, CEO, Machina Sports
* Steven Lund, head of sales, Cerbrec
* Robert Hull, CFO, Panini America

You can watch the full session at:

https://youtu.be/UTd6RCEIw94?feature=shared

ABOUT THE 2025 UPSIDE U.S. SPORTS TECH SUMMIT

The Sports Tech Conference, produced by Upside Global, features leading sports medicine, sports science, sports training, sports engagement, and sports management professionals in an all-day event that includes leagues (NHL, NBA, NWSL, NCAA), teams (Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, New York Liberty, Florida Panthers), schools (Florida Atlantic University, FIU, University of Miami), as well as leading venture capitalists (SeventySix Capital, Courtside VC, Wildcard Ventures, Cartan Capital, Stadia Ventures, Causeway Media Partners, Relay Ventures), and leading sports tech firms (Machina Sports, Vert Sports, Kinvent, Winback).

On Wednesday, October 8, 2025, Chris Pfaff moderates the session ‘The Future of Brand Integration and Sponsorship in Streaming’ at Streaming Media 2025 at the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica.

John Petrocelli, from Bulldog DM; Adam Gouttierre, from Hudl; Dylan Conroy, from JOURNY TV, and Scott Davis, from Global Logic, discussed brand integration in streaming, particularly live sports and entertainment.

You can watch the full session at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbn-eE-AFA8&list=PLcSb1s2U3uyCrjuw6HtDVgiW2dHvLH1Us&index=31

STREAMING MEDIA 2025

October 8, 2025

2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

B203. The Future of Brand Integration and Sponsorship in Streaming

Brand integration today goes beyond mere product placements or commercial breaks. It’s about creating organic connections between content and brand experiences with sponsored content, co-branded shows, and interactive experiences. This session digs into the ways brands are embedding themselves in video content.

Moderator:

Chris Pfaff, CEO, Chris Pfaff Tech Media, chris@chrispafftechmedia.com

Panelists:

John Petrocelli, Founder & CEO, Bulldog DM, john@bulldogdm.com

Adam Gouttierre, VP of Media, Hudl, tate.erickson@brandedpublicrelations.com, adam.gouttierre@hudl.com

Dylan Conroy, Head of Media Sales, JOURNY TV, dylan.conroy@journy.tv, philtrina.farquharson@finnpartners.com, barney.bishop@finnpartners.com

Scott Davis, CTO, Global Logic, scott.davis@globallogic.com, natasha.haksar@globallogic.com

On Tuesday, October 7, 2025 at Streaming Media 2025 at the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica, Chris Pfaff moderated a session – ‘The Creator Economy and the Future of Monetization’ – with some of the leading players in the creator space, including Jonathan Shrank, from TheSoul Publishing; David Williams, from pocket watch; Charlie Ibarra, from Creator Television, and Parker Jones, from Towerhouse.

You can watch the full session at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eCMUVXAWcw&list=PLcSb1s2U3uyCrjuw6HtDVgiW2dHvLH1Us&index=26

Tuesday, October 7
4:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
C104. The Creator Economy and the Future of Video Monetization
Creators are shaping the next wave of content, and that wave is rolling in fast. Join this panel to gain insight into the emerging creator economy and how to make it profitable.

Moderator:
Chris Pfaff, CEO, Chris Pfaff Tech Media, chris@chrispafftechmedia.com

Panelists:
David B. Williams, SVP & GM of Channels, pocket.watch, david@pocket.watch, autria.mashian@rcpmk.com
Jonathan Shrank, VP, Streaming & Content Partnerships, The Soul Publishing, jonathan.shrank@id.thesoul.io, eric@worldsfair.io
Charlie Ibarra, Head of Content, Creator Television, charlie@creatortelevision.com, laarni@creatortelevision.com
Parker Jones, CEO, Towerhouse, george@therightnow.co, parker@towerhouse.io

On Monday, October 6, 2025 at the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica, Chris Pfaff moderated an expert debate for Streaming Media 2025 – ‘Is the Future of Streaming Free or Paid/Hybrid?’ Jonathan Shrank, from TheSoul Publishing, and John Stevens, from V10 Entertainment appeared as “Team Free” and Rebecca Avery, from Integration Therapy and Jon Giegengack, from Hub Entertainment Research appeared as “Team Paid/Hybrid.” A spirited debate and discussion period ensued over the hour, but Pfaff determined that Team Free had won the day.

You can watch the full session at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi9FG2oSbhw&list=PLcSb1s2U3uyCrjuw6HtDVgiW2dHvLH1Us&index=11

Monday, October 6 
Debate #1: Is the Future of Streaming Free or Paid/Hybrid?
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
FAST executives and SVOD leaders square off on the future of free vs. paid streaming.

Moderator: 
Chris Pfaff, Chris Pfaff Tech Media, chris@chrispfafftechmedia.com Pfaff, Chris Pfaff Tech Media, chris@chrispfafftechmedia.com

Panelists: 
Rebecca Avery, Owner and Principal, Integration Therapy, rebecca@integrationtherapy.media
Jonathan Shrank, VP of Streaming & Content Partnerships, TheSoul Publishing, jonathan.shrank@id.thesoul.io, eric@worldsfair.io
John Stevens, CEO, V10 Entertainment, jstevens@v10sg.com, george@therightnow.com
Jon Giegengack, Principal, Hub Entertainment Research, jong@hubresearchllc.com, melissa.remo@beckmedia.com

On Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at Augmented World Expo (AWE) U.S. at the Long Beach Convention Center, Chris Pfaff appeared on a session – ‘Reality Creator Economy: XR and AI Collide to Unlock Massive New Frontiers in Reality Commercialization’ – that was moderated by Yu Yuan from MASA, and – in addition to Pfaff – featured Ben Erwin, from the Academy of Immersive Arts and Sciences, and Julie Smithson from METAVRSE and XR Women.

You can watch the full session at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkVM0B_UtnU

As XR platforms evolve from niche experiments to mainstream destinations, creators must navigate a complex landscape of revenue models—from virtual goods and subscription tiers to brand partnerships and platform revenue shares. This session will survey today’s proven monetization strategies for XR experience and content creators, then look ahead to the transformative potential of Generative AI and Agentic AI, including automated content generation, AI-driven personalization, and autonomous digital agents that can extend creators’ reach. We’ll also explore how collaborative metaverse and virtual world ecosystems—where thousands of creators co-build immersive spaces—can implement fair, transparent reward mechanisms. Join us to understand how creators can thrive today and shape tomorrow’s XR economy.