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The Astonishing Future of Immersive Live Entertainment | Willie Williams | TED

Multimedia show director Willie Williams has helped redefine live entertainment in collaboration with artists ranging from David Bowie to The Rolling Stones. He gives a behind-the-scenes look at his recent epic undertaking — designing and directing the rock band U2’s 40-night residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas, a blend of cutting-edge technology and imaginative…

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Multimedia show director Willie Williams has helped redefine live entertainment in collaboration with artists ranging from David Bowie to The Rolling Stones. He gives a behind-the-scenes look at his recent epic undertaking — designing and directing the rock band U2’s 40-night residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas, a blend of cutting-edge technology and imaginative visual storytelling — and shares what it takes to create unforgettable experiences that foster connection.

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53 Comments

53 Comments

  1. @Elizabeth_Milner

    August 14, 2024 at 7:07 am

    Your videos are just wonderful
    💙

  2. @ilk33158

    August 14, 2024 at 7:14 am

    I’m a Japanese high school student studying English.
    He speaks so fast!!
    I found this is “native speed”…
    I will come back here next year,after I gain “native ear”.

    • @MFJoneser

      August 14, 2024 at 7:29 am

      His accent is quite difficult, to be fair.

    • @TheBeliever1204

      August 14, 2024 at 7:51 am

      Wow. Must be so hard learning such a different language. Good for you! Few westerners could learn Japanese

    • @oto____8

      August 14, 2024 at 8:10 am

      another Japanese student here! I had to replay certain parts so many times to see y the audience was laughing haha

    • @MrLoobu

      August 14, 2024 at 8:16 am

      And someday, Canadian speed lol.

    • @Sincebrassnorstone

      August 14, 2024 at 8:43 am

      Would it help to put on subtitles? Or play at a slower speed?🎉❤

  3. @MFJoneser

    August 14, 2024 at 7:26 am

    Good luck to us humans. May compassionate love and courage and restraint lead our way.

    • @robnobilia

      August 14, 2024 at 2:55 pm

      Good luck is right. At the moment all I can see is that we’re well and truly fucked. But please tell me I’m wrong if you can.

    • @MFJoneser

      August 14, 2024 at 3:03 pm

      @@robnobilia i guess the cheeriest opinion i can share is that we think wishfully when we imagine humans going extinct. We seem determined to faithlessly and sadistically torture ourselves. We gaslight ourselves into believing cruelty has utility. We might move on from that logical error some day. Who knows?

    • @robnobilia

      August 14, 2024 at 3:08 pm

      @@MFJoneser I hope so. I really do. Thank you.

    • @MFJoneser

      August 14, 2024 at 3:13 pm

      @@robnobilia bravo. Thanks. me too my friend. Glad we could talk. Peace and abundance to you.

    • @robnobilia

      August 14, 2024 at 3:49 pm

      @MFJoneser  finally some words of love. Peace and love to you too.

  4. @prakashshetty5189

    August 14, 2024 at 7:58 am

    🙏💐🙏

  5. @MrLoobu

    August 14, 2024 at 8:15 am

    The only problem is Im a human, and I find none of it remotely entertaining. It’s just cheap fakes.

    • @orangutan4442

      August 14, 2024 at 9:00 am

      Matter of Perspective

    • @MrLoobu

      August 14, 2024 at 9:36 am

      @@orangutan4442 The other humans I’ve spoken with agree.

    • @orangutan4442

      August 14, 2024 at 9:47 am

      @@MrLoobu Entertainment is a lot of things. Some may or may not like the immersive design they created. People do not tend to see the reality the whole time. If they do, they won’t go to the show in the first place. These are some creative steps they took to find out how people would react. Looks like people loved it. Your human reference wouldn’t really support the show not being entertaining.

    • @paillette2010

      August 14, 2024 at 10:19 am

      Exactly. Having seen Van Gogh in various museums and read his biographies, I don’t need to sit around letting a room full of projections wash all over me.

      Hucksterism.

    • @MrLoobu

      August 14, 2024 at 11:27 am

      @@orangutan4442 The point is, we aren’t creating it.

  6. @顾予安

    August 14, 2024 at 8:18 am

    I am a college student from China, watching TED from my sophomore year to my senior year.

    • @hello27216

      August 14, 2024 at 9:16 am

      Isn’t it illegal based upon current Chinese law?

    • @thinkabout602

      August 14, 2024 at 9:41 am

      @@hello27216 very few follow that ” law “

    • @user-dt5nj3uk2s

      August 14, 2024 at 10:04 am

      So? Why would anyone care who you or where you are from lol

    • @user-em5su8jk8c

      August 14, 2024 at 12:11 pm

      why?😢​@@hello27216

    • @jasonhollenberg827

      August 15, 2024 at 9:21 am

      Congrats here’s a cookie 🍪

  7. @monalisa-bs4zs

    August 14, 2024 at 8:45 am

    Its cool and impressive but also not personal and the connections are face value. U2 is definitely lucky to have existed before current times and we are lucky to know they exist.

  8. @youtubesummarize

    August 14, 2024 at 9:04 am

    Here are the key points and the important details of this video, created by @NEX

    Key Points:
    1. [Key Point 1]: You2’s sphere in Las Vegas hosts 18,000 people, immersive sound and vision.
    2. [Key Point 2]: You’s creative team reinvented live shows over 40 years, embracing new tech.
    3. [Key Point 3]: Pandemic highlighted human need for physical, shared live entertainment experiences.
    Important Details:
    Here’s the timeline, created by @NEX
    00:00:04 Introduction to Immersive Live Entertainment
    • Speaker introduces the sphere in Las Vegas.
    • Describes the immersive experience for 18,000 people.
    00:01:46 Evolution of Live Concerts
    • Speaker’s journey from small clubs to stadiums.
    • Emphasis on creating emotional connections.
    00:02:56 Embracing New Visual Technologies
    • Introduction of multiscreen big video presentations.
    • Collaboration with contemporary art world.
    00:04:03 The Sphere’s Unique Design
    • Speaker explores the sphere’s immersive space.
    • Introduces the concept of virtual corners.
    00:05:41 Creating Illusions in the Sphere
    • Speaker creates realistic illusions in the sphere.
    • Adds features to enhance the illusion.
    00:06:41 Immersive Show Experience
    • Audience immersed in new worlds, senses overwhelmed.
    • Show manipulates sensory perception on a large scale.
    00:07:48 Pandemic’s Impact on Live Entertainment
    • Industry adapts to pandemic with XR Studios and VR.
    • Humans crave physical proximity for shared experiences.
    00:09:30 Emotional Response to Art and Environment
    • Renaissance painters used perspective to create emotional responses.
    • At the sphere, performers and audience become part of the environment.
    00:10:36 Shared Artificial Environments
    • Artificial environments shared among audience members.
    • Physical proximity produces profound connections.
    00:11:14 The Power of Music and Shared Experiences
    • Music brings people together and creates a sense of unity.
    • Comparison to the cathedral builders’ approach.
    00:11:48 Goals in Live Entertainment
    • Speaker’s goal to bring people together and create emotional connections.
    • Emphasis on empathy and shared joy.

    We hope this summary helps you better understand the video content! If you have other videos that need to be summarized, please visit @NEX

  9. @rainmanjr2007

    August 14, 2024 at 9:23 am

    I think VR will eliminate the need to travel and personally attend events or locations.

    • @kylebrown1272

      August 14, 2024 at 12:00 pm

      The sheep will walk of their own accord into the pods

  10. @hanifealia9193

    August 14, 2024 at 9:46 am

    I’m favoured, $27K every week! I can now give back to the locals in my community and also support God’s work and the church. God bless America.

    • @hanifealia9193

      August 14, 2024 at 9:47 am

      Thanks to Mrs Alice Louis

    • @hanifealia9193

      August 14, 2024 at 9:47 am

      She’s a licensed broker here in the states

    • @gaiapaolini9763

      August 14, 2024 at 10:39 am

      I know this lady you just mentioned. She’s really good with and on her job. She’s helped a couple of families and individuals’ finances

    • @aboekpaschal1014

      August 14, 2024 at 10:41 am

      I have heard a lot of wonderful things about Alice Louis on the news but didn’t believe it until now. I’m definitely trying her out

    • @gaiapescosolido5133

      August 14, 2024 at 10:43 am

      Started with 5,000$ and Withdrew profits
      89,000$

  11. @tatted_ayanda

    August 14, 2024 at 9:52 am

    Someone please share the link for the U2 performance at the Sphere

  12. @sasha_animates_change

    August 14, 2024 at 11:30 am

    his creepy laugh at the end 😬

  13. @miguelsuarez-solis5027

    August 14, 2024 at 12:43 pm

    Calling the cathedral builders the original go big or go home after mentioning the parthenon… smh

  14. @ChristopherCampNYC

    August 14, 2024 at 2:43 pm

    The Sphere is still underrated.

  15. @PerryJimda

    August 14, 2024 at 5:57 pm

    !!I recently sold some of my long-term position and currently sitting on about 250k, do you think Nvidia is a good buy right now or I have I missed out on a crucial buy period, any good stock recommendation on great performing stocks will be appreciated

    • @CharryZakoube

      August 14, 2024 at 5:57 pm

      You need an expert. I’m guided by Adviser Bruce Murdock a widely known consuitant.

    • @BensonTati

      August 14, 2024 at 5:57 pm

      I managed to grow a nest egg of around 120k to over a Million. I’m especially grateful to Adviser Bruce Murdock, for his expertise and exposure to different areas of the market.

    • @CharryZakoube

      August 14, 2024 at 5:58 pm

      My colleagues had a good laugh at me when I told them I started my journey with $50k capital and how I accumulated over 6 figures within a span of 7 months. They never believed me until I pulled out my P&L.

      I know that learning the ins and outs of the market isn’t for everyone, that’s why personally, Bruce Murdock oversees my investments.

    • @BensonTati

      August 14, 2024 at 5:58 pm

      Without a doubt! Bruce Murdock is a trader who goes above and beyond. he has an exceptional skill for analyzing market movements and spotting profitable opportunities. His strategies are meticulously crafted based on thorough research and years of practical experience.

    • @PerryJimda

      August 14, 2024 at 5:58 pm

      nice! once you hit a big milestone, the next comes easier.. How can i reach him, if you don’t mind me asking?

  16. @ragingsilence7

    August 15, 2024 at 6:45 am

    I’m looking forward to the return of Larry Mullen Jr and a new album from U2.
    Great presentation.

  17. @frankdelahue9761

    August 15, 2024 at 3:14 pm

    Notice his rough voice?

  18. @kyokoyumi

    August 16, 2024 at 6:29 pm

    7:53 This is a huge stretch lol No pandemic will ever last forever so to say something like this is kind of ridiculous.

  19. @tama5570

    August 16, 2024 at 11:11 pm

    Gonna be like the fetus fields from the Matrix movie in no time. Dont wanna leave the couch!

  20. @jamesie26

    August 18, 2024 at 9:43 am

    Thank you Willie, I was there at the final show, things haven’t been the same since 😂

  21. @user-yj4hk4oq9m

    August 19, 2024 at 2:48 pm

    🎶 Immersive concert experiences! 🎥 Designing cutting-edge visuals to captivate audiences. 💫 Blending technology, imagination, and emotion to create unforgettable live performances. 🤩 Redefining the boundaries of rock concerts and live entertainment.

  22. @sharifchi

    August 20, 2024 at 5:24 pm

    Thank you Willie for those amazing shows! 40 nights in the desert!💚💚💚💚

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