Sydney-based event studio NeonDynamo is warning brands the only way their events will be remembered is by “stepping out of the box” rather than playing it safe.
The immersive studio sat down with B&T ahead of this year’s Vivid Sydney with TIME:WARPED, an experimental fusion of lasers, projection, and sound at the Argyle Cut. The installation, created in partnership with ER Productions—who’ve worked with artists like Dom Dolla, Rüfüs Du Sol, and the Chemical Brothers – promises “a fully immersive experience” designed to challenge the boundaries of event design.
“The Argyle Cut has typically been a very ambient space with just projection on the ceiling,” NeonDynamo managing director Heath Campanaro told B&T. “For the first time, we’ve incorporated quite a major laser show into the content. Vivid has never really had that collision of projection-mapped content and lasers coming together as one.”
Creative director Simon Connell added that “the projection canvas has been doubled to cover the sides of the tunnel, giving this extra layer of immersion that, coupled with the lasers and some physical effects like haze, will make the whole space really surround you.”
The installation is expected to be an eight-minute “time machine” of sound and visuals.
“It starts off quite slowly and ambiently, then builds up into a crescendo of lasers and lights and a thumping electronic soundtrack,” Campanaro said. “We hope people get stuck there because they love the show and want to see it multiple times.”
For brands, NeonDynamo believes TIME:WARPED demonstrates the value of risk-taking and creativity in experiences. “From my perspective, it is doing something unexpected,” Campanaro explained. “Challenging brands to do something different that’s never been done before… that’s where there’s great green space.”
Connell highlights the power of audience feedback: “That real-time reaction, to see your audience respond as they’re seeing it play out in front of them, is a really powerful way to see who you’re appealing to.”
The pair cautioned that standing out is no longer about the flashy technology used.
“Brands are competing with live music, festivals, museums, galleries, and all of these experiences just keep getting bigger, better, and more immersive and creative every day,” Campanaro said. “Brands need to consider themselves an entertainment company as much as a seller of products or services. Only at that level do people remember you and really resonate with them.”
According to them, even the small details matter.
“It’s about connecting on an emotional level,” Connell told B&T. “Even the tiniest thing – a piece of music, the way a piece of content hits a wall or a beam of light – if you can get them with that, you’re already halfway there.”
When asked what advice they have for brands wanting to cut through in a saturated experience landscape, Campanaro said: “Just think. Don’t be scared to break the paradigm just because you’ve always done it a certain way, or everyone else does it a certain way.”
“Fortune favors the brave, and when you do something really out of the box, you get great cut-through.”
Connell highlighted the importance of aligning creativity with brand purpose: “It’s always about your audience. It’s about finding something that will surprise them, in the context of what your brand really stands for, rather than doing something crazy for the sake of shock.”
According to the pair, budget should never stifle imagination.
“It’s easy to surprise and delight with millions of dollars of production, but the real challenge is finding clever ways to do it without that. That’s why so many great creatives come out of Australia and New Zealand, because they’re forced to think differently to deliver the same jaw-dropping moments.”
TIME:WARPED runs at the Argyle Cut from 22 May to 13 June 2026.
