Timeline & DMX Workflows

Here is a video from our Youtube going through several workflows with Timo Martens and Michael Memmersheim of Rec TEC AG. This presentation was given using an early version of 25.1. Link to timestamps in the Youtube Description, as well as below.

00:00:00 - Opening Remarks by Miles Kipper
00:01:53 - Timo’s Introduction
00:05:04 - Timo’s Background
00:05:34 - Michael’s Background
00:07:50 - History of Video Design in Touring
• Evolution from 1970s analog projectors to 1990s IMAG, LED walls, and modern AI-driven content.
• Key milestones: Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, U2’s Zoo TV, HD video in the 2000s, and AR/XR in the 2010s.
00:12:20 - Stage Design Roadmap
• Workflow overview: initial client calls, budgeting, team meetings, visual proposals, technical planning, content creation, preprogramming, rehearsals, and show tweaks.
00:16:48 - Designing Visual Content: Best Practices
00:21:41 - Introduction to PIXERA Workflows
• Transition to discussing PIXERA-specific workflows and project examples.
00:22:58 - HOOK's Early Projects
00:23:28 - HOOK's Pivot to PIXERA
00:25:46 - PIXERA Timeline Workflow Demo
• Overview of a Zurich radio show project with 800 sqm LED screens.
• PIXERA handles multi-channel audio playback, click tracks, countdown screens, and timecode sending/receiving.
• Integration of video playback, Notch, and IMAG.
• Michael’s initial concerns and successful execution with PIXERA support.
00:28:42 - Michael on Timeline Workflow
• Challenges of long timelines (e.g., 20-hour timelines for late songs).
• Introduction of hot regions in PIXERA 2.0/25.1 for shorter, offset-based timelines.
• Future feature: timeline jumping to specific hot regions.
01:58:34 - Hybrid Workflow Challenges and Solutions
• Issues with long timelines and scrubbing for song navigation.
• Hot regions with offsets for efficient song management (e.g., 4:52 song duration at 11-hour timecode).
• Upcoming crossfade time implementation for smoother transitions.
02:01:13 - Hybrid Workflow Demo (Rapper Show Example) (Core of Michael’s Demo)
• Showcase of a hybrid workflow combining timeline and DMX control for flexibility.
• Challenges with low-quality content (e.g., gradients, PNGs, GIFs).
• Solution: Two additional timelines:
   ⁃ Flash Timeline: White squares with color and strobe effects, controlled via DMX (opacity, RGB, strobe speed).
   ⁃ Color Correction Timeline: Multiply-blend white squares for real-time content color adjustments via DMX.
• Collaboration with lighting operator for dynamic control of 20 fixtures.
• Result: Transforming poor content into a visually compelling show.
02:08:00 - PIXERA 25.1 New Features
• Custom Asset Route: Unified content folder structure across directors, eliminating RX cache folder confusion.
• Render Bridge: External process for Notch, NDI, and Unreal playback, preventing crashes if third-party software fails.
• Open API for integration with tools like TouchDesigner.
02:14:35 - Notch Integration Demo
• Example 1: Toilet paper and moving lights with DMX-controlled chaser in Notch.
• Example 2: Church mural with a DMX-controllable mirror ball, demonstrating real-time rendering and input device flexibility (e.g., tracking systems, MIDI).
• Zero latency between real lights and Notch visuals.
02:17:36 - Resource Management in PIXERA
• Disabling Notch rendering on the user interface to save resources.
• GPU usage comparison (A6000 at 36% vs. A4000 at 100% for Notch playback).
• Preview file options (original, high, medium, thumbnail) for low-spec computers.
02:19:34 - Multi-Director Workflow
• Use of Reaper for audio and marker export to Premiere, After Effects, GrandMA, and PIXERA.
• CSV-based marker import for play cues, ensuring synchronized song structure across teams.
• Multi-user file distribution: Automatic content syncing across directors and clients, with preview file generation.
02:21:24 - Content Distribution and Storage
• Flexible content distribution from a laptop to directors and clients.
• Deleting original files post-distribution to save laptop space.
• Network drive integration with client/manager caching for efficient content delivery.
• Smart content allocation based on server usage (e.g., only relevant content grabbed from NAS).
02:24:08 - Closing Remarks
• Invitation for lunch break and post-lunch discussions.
• Open Q&A and hands-on file exploration with Timo, Michael, Conor, and Miles.

PIXERA 25.1  | 17. June 2025 | M.B