In 2007, I identified a market opportunity that almost no one in media was pursuing: live events distributed in real-time over the internet — not as recordings, but as interactive, multi-platform experiences with built-in audience engagement.
I spent the next decade building the infrastructure to deliver it. With co-founders Joey Brenneman and Erin Bigelow, I launched VirtualArtsTV — the first company in this space. We developed proprietary production systems, built interactive platforms, and produced over 100 multi-camera livestreams for clients ranging from Apple and Amazon to major performing arts organizations.
We produced the first interactive livestreamed play (50,000 concurrent viewers). We launched the first livestreamed performing arts festival (covered by ABC and CNN). We built educational programming models. We delivered theatrical broadcasts for national distribution.
By 2020, when the rest of the market scrambled to figure out virtual events, we had a decade of operational experience and proven production systems already in place.