Storyeum

SHOWCASE in Entertainment Venues  

Storyeum is a multimedia, multi-sensory, storytelling experience set in a unique underground theatre in Vancouver's historic Gastown. Storyeum tells the history of British Columbia through a combination of the latest multimedia technology and live performance.

PIVOD was commissioned, as part of a consortium, to provide Storyeum with a facility-wide integrated media control and show playback system. The system controls a range of equipment by direct control of devices and playback equipment, and macro-level control of larger sub-systems.

At the core of the Storyeum solution is the PIVOD SHOWCASE system, a highly scalable device control and show control system on which multiple shows can operate in parallel throughout many different exhibition and performance spaces. The show control solution is based on an Ethernet network and the sequencing, control and playback of the content and associated devices is performed by the SHOWCASE system.

The system comprises 30 channels of video projection with nearly 180 channels of audio spread over the 10 performance spaces. Over 120 separate speakers and amplification channels are individually processed via digital signal processors to ensure optimum quality and sound reproduction. Each performance space features an 8 channel surround system with many spaces further enhanced with specialised subwoofers in addition to the vocal reinforcement speakers. The 17 performers wear radio microphones that are processed through an independent audio chain. Each of the rooms also has controlled special effects such as fog, smoke, fans, rain and other mechanical effects such as lifts, trucks and a full sized replica steam train. There are 8 racks of equipment distributed across the show space. The last space is a massive 3 story high, 16 meter diameter circular lift platform capable of carrying 150 people. It contains 12 synchronized projectors with 14 channels of audio filling the lift for a 10 minute experience while the lift rises.