The immersive arts and entertainment cognoscenti showed up at the School of Visual Arts Graduate Theatre in NYC on Thursday, January 22nd for ‘Immersive Theatre: Volumetric Capture Smashes the Four Walls.’ Some of the leading players in the field, including Richard Broadbridge from 4Dviews, Todd Eckert from Tin Drum, Inc., and Leigh Tanner from HTC VIVE Arts, and Chris Pfaff SXSW from Chris Pfaff Tech Media LLC gave detailed presentations on experiential theatrical and musical works that leverage how volumetric video enables human-like presence, emotional depth, and audience connection in ways that traditional stages simply cannot.

Todd Eckert, who produced ‘An Ark,’ which had premiered the previous evening at The Shed (NY), showed how the four actors, including Sir Ian McKellen, took to the volumetric recording process. Richard Broadbridge discussed his work with Eckert on ‘An Ark’ and their previous collaborations, including ‘KAGAMI’ with Ryuichi Sakamoto. Leigh Tanner discussed ‘Playing with Fire,’ the spectacular musical experience with pianist Yuja Wang, currently playing at Philharmonie in Paris.

We had a who’s who of the New York VFX/virtual production/immersive theatre crowd, from Brandon Powers to James George (who received a bravura shout-out from Todd Eckert) to Alon Grinshpoon. Many thanks to Terrence Masson and Trilby Schreiber from SVA, who made it possible.

This was a real watershed event for volumetric video in the immersive theatre space.

You can watch the entire session at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjiWe89ZvZw

Richard Broadbridge (4Dviews), Todd Eckert (Tin Drum), Leigh Tanner (HTC Vive Arts), Chris Pfaff (Chris Pfaff Tech Media)

Todd Eckert presents and discusses the making of ‘An Ark’

Close-up of Todd Eckert, Tin Drum

Richard Broadbridge, from 4Dviews, presents 4Dviews’ work in immersive theatre

Leigh Tanner, from HTC Vive Arts, discusses the making of ‘Playing with Fire’

Todd Eckert, Richard Broadbridge, and Leigh Tanner before the event

Chris Pfaff, with James George (Adobe) and Alon Grinshpoon (echo3D) after the event

Michael Gold (SVA), James George, Richard Broadbridge, and Kefei Li, from Sculpt AI after the event

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 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 Thursday, June 12, 2025, Chris Pfaff moderated the expert session ‘How to Create Life-Like Immersive Stories with Volumetric Video Production’ at the Long Beach Convention Center, with panelists Richard Broadbridge from 4Dviews, Lauren Michelle from Operaverse & The Chipped Nail, and Corey Rosen from Super 78.

You can watch the full session at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM1z_MSdvs8&list=PLLri17oDqCEXMqpqT78XH7n_EvfxeBZ1a&index=14

HOW TO CREATE LIFE-LIFE IMMERSIVE STORIES WITH VOLUMETRIC VIDEO PRODUCTION

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 enable virtual humans – not avatars – to live and perform in immersive environments.

Chris Pfaff moderated an expert virtual panel for Streaming Media Connect, on February 27, 2025, ‘App, Crackle, Pop: What a Video App Really Needs,’ with Bruno Giner, NPAW; Ankit Awasthi, Amazon Prime; Deirdre Magrane, Tubi; Tom Hurlbutt, Crunchyroll, and Jason Williams, Plex.

The session discussed the product considerations and technical issues surrounding app development for video publishers. You can watch the full session at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-jpftHBl9M&list=PLcSb1s2U3uyDMnUvP0RMv0WnVwp25b6OS&index=15

Chris Pfaff moderated an expert session – ‘Removing the Friction of Content Discovery on CTV’ – at the (virtual) Streaming Media Connect conference, on November 14, 2024, with the following panelists:

Chris Rodriguez, CCO – Revry

Monica Williams, SVP, Digital Products & Operations, Content Distribution – NBCUniversal

Gatsby Frimpong, Co-Founder & CEO – Gatsby TV

Katrina Kowalski, SVP, International Content Programming and Acquisitions – Pluto TV

The premise of the session was that today’s streaming providers deliver endless amounts of content, which can overwhelm viewers who are simply looking for something to watch. The content discovery process often takes far longer than viewers are willing to wait. FAST channels have the power to redefine content discoverability by using data to serve customers the content they want to watch and help them find new content based on prior viewing habits. FAST platforms have a vast amount of data available to them, but only a small amount of it is being used to its full potential. Incorporating viewership data into the content discoverability process can remove the pain points that have bubbled up in the new streaming landscape, lead to more engagement with the content, and open up more opportunities for advertisers to reach their target audiences. This session looks at the success of genre channels and provides attendees with insight into how they help their viewers find their content faster.

You can watch the full session at:

Chris Pfaff moderated the ‘Now It’s Personal: AI and Streaming Personalization’ panel at the virtual Streaming Media Connect conference, on Tuesday, August 20, 2024. The expert panel featured Chris Regina, CCO, TCL; Shobana Radhakrishnan, sr. dir., engineering, GoogleTV, Arash Pendari, founder/creative director, Vionlabs AB. and Alex Gruber, chief product officer, Deltatre.

You can watch the full session at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RvJ4JUPhIY&list=PLcSb1s2U3uyA8AMciRoww3BTj6QwoOQII&index=4&t=503s

‘NOW IT’S PERSONAL: AI AND STREAMING PERSONALIZATION’

Many of the ways AI is poised to alter the streaming ecosystem happen behind the scenes, involving the streamlining of workflows or the automation of repetitive production or delivery tasks. But AI also has the potential to transform viewing experiences, making them more personal and immersive. The panel explores what’s possible and what’s probable and how we can expect to see AI’s real-world impact on streaming experiences take shape in the months and years to come.