The Technology Solutions Provider for your Big Idea

from blue sky to blueprints

design & Engineering

Our design firm is well-versed in all types of themed entertainment technology. The design team here has a diverse background, from themed entertainment, to live events, to large venue audio, video and control systems, and even maritime entertainment design and life safety. We plan, design, and draft audio, video, lighting, special effects, and control systems on any scale. However big your idea, we can design a system for you that will make it look, sound, and feel just as you imagine.

The unique constraints of your project require specific solutions. We'll carefully evaluate your requirements and mastermind a solution just for your application. We are able to leverage our experience to confidently recommend the right system components for your particular project. If necessary or desired, our art department can produce technical, artistic concepts suitable for presenting to stakeholders and key decision makers. We'll also help you write requests for proposal, standards, scope of work matrices, and other documentation. Only once you are satisfied with the plan will we move on to the technical design.

Our designers and engineers strive to produce drawings that are complete and easily understood. We believe that the integrators should be able to read drawings quickly, relate them to the real world environment, and know exactly what is required for installation. You'll receive comprehensive, accurate drawings to explain the constituent parts and the signal flow. We'll also provide you with all the relevant supplemental documentation for your new system.

unlocking the potential of your system

Technology & Programming

Today's shows and entertainment venues rely on increasingly complex, high-tech digital systems. Of course, these require careful programming and configuration to function correctly. Our veteran programmers with backgrounds in the entertainment industry and other relevant sectors are the key to getting the most performance from your system. Thoroughly acquainted with show control systems, they are skilled with QSC, Medialon, TAIT Navigator, Alcorn McBride Inc., and more. We have programmed for multiple projects which have won TEA (Themed Entertainment Association) Thea Awards.

Development services offered by Forward Thinking Designs include show control programming, and network design and commissioning. We also write custom Q-SYS plugins and if necessary, can even provide software solutions from scratch. Whether tuning your audio system to perfection, scripting your show control system to trigger at precisely the right moment, or even developing custom software, we can make the different parts of your system work together. We also pride ourselves on exploring the latest technologies, and in finding new and exciting ways to leverage established products. We stay ahead of the curve, so that your project will stand out from the rank and file.

Technology Partners

There are many fine choices for audio, video, lighting, special effects, and show control systems. Over the years, we've come to expect a high level of quality and reliability from certain vendors, but we're ultimately manufacturer-agnostic. We're not loyal to one particular brand; we're loyal to the right choice for your project.

DSP Plugins

We have our own suite of DSP plugins for Q-SYS and other platforms. We had to program these tools for ourselves because they didn't come in the box. They've proven their worth to us over the years, and we have continued to refine and polish them for select clients and other professionals who find them indispensable.

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Our proven plugins improve the capabilities of your DSP system, and can also decrease your overall programming time. If you are interested in licensing our DSP plugins for your project, please contact us directly for additional information.

Ottomater is a cue-based show controller plugin for Q-SYS. The ease of programming and flexibility is ideal for both operator-controlled live performances and automated shows. With a simple, logical approach to building cues and firing commands, Ottomater is the smartest show control plugin out there for the QSC Q-SYS ecosystem.

it's all about the details

On-Site Management

Careful attention to details during the commissioning of your project can help you avoid surprises during opening week. However, you may have limited time to attend to the minutiae. Fortunately, Forward Thinking Designs thrives on those details. We are conscientious and meticulous, with decades in our books managing the technical aspects of themed entertainment. Let us partner with you during the final stages of your project so that you can approach the big day with confidence!

During the installation, you need to know that someone is looking out for your interests and making sure that you are getting what you paid for. We are experts in keeping our projects on schedule and coordinating the efforts of different vendors. We'll make sure that no corners are cut during the integration process. We'll also work with those vendors and your in-house staff to fully test the new system before vendors and contractors leave the job site.

Finally, thoroughly documenting the project and training your on-site personnel is absolutely critical to the future success of the project. The owners and operators should know the final product at least as well as we do. After all, your staff is a very big part of the equation. Unfortunately, this important step is often overlooked. We can produce standard operating procedures, user manuals, and troubleshooting guides based on your system's unique design, implementation and programming. We endeavor to put as much care into documentation and training manuals as into your design and programming. In short, the job just isn't done until after we've finished the training manual and trained your staff on the completed system.

With us managing your project, you're free to focus on your next big idea!

decades of experience

meet the thinkers

Evan Hall

Chief of Big Ideas

Melanie Hall

Coin Wrangler

Dale Whealton

Mastermind of Design

Arthur Litke

Mastermind of Devising

Addison Burnside

Mastermind of Development

Don Matz

Mastermind of Technology

Marshall Riley

Creator

Corbin Wescott

Creator

Ed Llerena

Creator

Conner Purzycki

Creator

Drew Corbeil

Software Originator

Louie Hall

Technical Resident

Jason Doppelt

Collaborator

Daryl Leong

Collaborator

Dave Hall

Hype Facilitator

Zach Washington

Collaborator

Michael Rogers

Hype Facilitator

Tara Rogers

Executive Zookeeper

Q-Sys

The Dog 

join our team!

Find out more about positions for which we're currently accepting applications.