ISE 2026 Sessions
Come over to the SPARK stage in Hall 8 to see frame:work presentations
The AI Empowered Pitch
12:30 – 13:30
Hall 8.1
As AI transforms the way we generate and communicate ideas, creative video professionals face new questions about authorship, value, and workflow. In this session, Michael Al-Far and Maarten Francq unpack how AI is reshaping the economics and craft of visual storytelling, from AI-assisted pitch decks to full-scale video production. They’ll discuss the emerging middle ground between traditional artistry and machine-driven creation, exploring if human intuition, narrative skill, and collaboration remain irreplaceable. The conversation examines how our community can evolve with these tools and embrace efficiency without abandoning excellence. We’ll look at how to sustain creative integrity in a world where “good enough” comes faster than ever.
Michael Al-Far is a creative centipede and a Belgium/British designer.
Michael has extensive experience with Live Shows, Musicals, Performance Art, Music Festivals and Film & TV. He is passionate about design and the creative process of translating a client’s dream into reality, using contemporary techniques, materials, and technology.
Innovation and leading-edge technology are the main drivers for Michael’s designs and concepts. He believes we need to look forward on our way to explore new ways of design and entertainment.
Michael is involved in Film, Broadcast and Live Entertainment all around the world. He started in the movie industry as an electrician and made it through the ranks to Director of Photography for Film & TV. With the introduction of 3D design programs, a natural migration followed into 3D design for concepts, lighting, and visual content.
He is a pioneer in media server AR/XR technology and Virtual Production for film and broadcast and is co-founder of Virtual Innovation Partners in Belgium running the Benelux’ largest Virtual Production Studio.
Michael Al-Far
Creative Director
Malfmedia
Maarten Francq trained as an industrial designer, but through a ManaMA in Multimedia and Vitrual Reality he quickly made the leap to designing and controlling complex video systems for festivals and large events.
As a VJ and video artist, balancing on the edge between art and technology, he has worked worldwide on projects such as Tomorrowland Atlanta (US), the Sjarjah Light Festival (UAE) and the Ghent Light Festival (BE). In the music industry, he has worked on stage show concepts for Marco Borsato (NL), Robbie Williams (UK) and Titziano Ferro (IT), among others.
Since the technology developed within the live entertainment industry has also entered the broadcast world, he has been very actively involved in the development of extended reality applications, proof-of-concepts and world’s firsts in the virtual production area. With Disguise, Notch, Resolume and Touchdesigner as his main tools.
Driven by a desire to spread knowledge, Maarten Francq became head of program at the Royal Institute for Theatre, Cinema and Sound in Brussels for the Professional Bachelor of Audiovisual Techniques and in that capacity, together with the entire team, rewrote the entire curriculum in order to incorporate this technology shift in the programme.
Later on, while still working in the industry, he became a researcher plugging audiovisual proof-of-concepts in the market, mostly focusing on data, protocols and inter-disciplinary showcontrol. This research led to starting a PhD in ‘AI in Live Entertainment’ latest October and the release of two fully AI generated videoclips for Belgian’s famous artist DAAN.
Driven by a passion for the audiovisual arts and technology used to drive experiences, Maarten had been involved in numerous mentorship projects, launching and supporting young talent in the industry and is currently starting up the educational wing of Lab of Tomorrow, the entertainment tech innovation hub of Belgian’s largest festival Tomorrowland.
Maarten Francq
Founder
Lowstreetmedia
Accidental Software Development for Live Events
We’ve all been there: your media server needs to do something it wasn’t designed for, your show control can’t quite handle the data flow, and you’re holding three systems together with MIDI, OSC, and hope. This talk charts a journey from visual programming to actual code, building custom tools for live events & immersive experiences. The uncomfortable question: in 2026, is writing your own code now easier than fighting with industry software that almost does what you need?
15:30 – 16:30
CC 8.23
Rich Porter is a seasoned professional in the entertainment industry, renowned for his expertise in video system design and media server programming. With over 18 years of experience, Rich has worked with some of the biggest artists and brands worldwide.
As the co-founder of The Hive, Rich has been instrumental in the company’s success, making it a go-to destination for top-tier artists and brands seeking innovative multimedia solutions. He has collaborated with industry giants such as Avenged Sevenfold, Disclosure, Gorillaz, Dave, Stormzy, Carrie Underwood, Lady Gaga, and Beyoncé to deliver cutting-edge visual experiences.
Rich’s expertise also spans high-profile events and productions like Marvel Universe Live, Jurassic World Live, Disney On Ice, the Brit Awards, and the MTV Awards. His work consistently elevates the visual spectacle of these productions.
Driven by a passion for technology and creativity, Rich continues to innovate in his field. With a strong track record and commitment to excellence, he remains at the forefront of the entertainment industry.
Rich Porter
Co-Founder
The Hive
American Icon: Delivering Massive Pixel Counts for Immersive Experiences
From Motor City to Sunset Boulevard, American Icon: A Mustang Immersive Experience invites audiences on a time-traveling, culture-shaking journey through six decades of speed, rebellion, and cinematic style. Behind the wheel of this production is Dandelion + Burdock, the creative technology studio responsible for translating the Mustang legacy into a living, breathing, multi-sensory environment.
This session looks under the hood of the production pipeline behind American Icon. The Dandelion + Burdock team unpack the real production challenges behind delivering content at extreme resolutions – larger than the Las Vegas Sphere – from render-farm constraints and asset-management headaches to new tooling requirements and the sheer logistical strain of moving multi-terabyte workflows across global teams. More importantly, we’ll explore how these pressures are reshaping the role of content teams, who must now design smarter pipelines, innovate on process, and build new ways of working to keep up with the scale of expectation.
As immersive environments grow in ambition, the content pipeline has become the new bottleneck. Higher pixel counts, increasingly complex canvases, and the demand for bigger and better visual impact push creative teams into uncharted technical territory. Mustang Immersive was no exception.
16:30 – 17:15
Hall 8.1
Dickon Knowles is a creative director and partner at dandelion + burdock, a studio specialising in high-end content for immersive experiences, live events and narrative-driven digital worlds.
With a background spanning 3D animation, real-time workflows, virtual production and emerging AI pipelines, he leads projects that blend technical innovation with strong conceptual storytelling, including work for the Ford Mustang: American Icon immersive experience, NBA All-Star Weekend, Samsung Unpacked and other large-scale brand environments.
Dickon Knowles
Director of Content
dandelion + burdock