CASE STUDY

Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame

Client Hamilton County

Location Cincinnati, OH

Date Completed July 2023

Overview

Trivium collaborated with Ohio’s Hamilton County to celebrate local Black musicians at the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame by recognizing the impact of these musicians, songwriters, and industry professionals over the decades. Exhibits include: Beat Maker, a drumming experience narrated by American hip-hop producer Hi-Tek; the Takeover, a site-wide video and light show that features local DJs Don Juan Fasho and Lincoln Ware, and artists Q Kidz and Dylan Morton, and plays every evening; and the Interactive Dance Consoles, a motion-sensing program that creates graphic effects like stars, shapes, and colored textures that react to people's movements as they dance to music by regional artists.

For some interactives, we worked alongside inductees and their collaborators. We interviewed singer-songwriter Penny Ford, funk icon William “Bootsy” Collins, the Isley Brothers, LA Reid, and others for the Meet the Stars showcase videos. We also shot green screen footage for our AR Band interactive in which visitors can virtually join a band with Bootsy or become backup dancers for Penny, creating memories they can download and take home with them.

Challenges

A key challenge was designing robust, cutting-edge interactive experiences for an outdoor environment that could withstand heavy public use while establishing these experiences as a must-see destination in Cincinnati. We collaborated with our hardware integrators on this project, Electrosonic, to determine the optimal hardened AV equipment to support the interactives and media. This included identifying the best combination of fabrication material and capacitive sensor technology to activate the drums in the Beat Maker interactive. Instead of touchscreens, we also used augmented reality that could be accessed via a visitor's mobile device and body-tracking technology where visitors could interact with the media using just their movements.

Approach

To produce and deliver the wow factor the client sought after, we employed cutting-edge technologies like motion tracking cameras that performed well in an outdoor environment to live-capture visitors during their experiences of Beat Maker, Dance Consoles, and AR Band. This project also included planning and production of multiple original film shoots and one-on-one interviews with inductee artists and musical groups to capture authentic stories and perspectives. In addition, the team collaborated closely with community groups and DJs on the Takeover experience to bring the musical culture of Cincinnati to life.

DELIVERABLES

Videos Highlighting Individual Inductees
Nighttime Dance Takeover
AR Experiences for Each Inductee
Interactive and Dynamic Dance Consoles
Digital Signage with Custom CMS
Website

AWARDS

“More than a walk, it's an amusement attraction.

— Alicia Reece, Hamilton County Commissioner and Founder of the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame

Outcomes and Impacts

Since its opening, the Black Music Walk of Fame has offered a one-of-a-kind, family-friendly, and free experience in downtown Cincinnati that invites visitors of all ages to engage with the city's musical heritage. Through immersive storytelling and media-driven experiences, the installation has fostered a deeper understanding and appreciation of Cincinnati's lasting influence on music history and global culture. By highlighting both iconic and lesser-known hometown artists as well as local festivals and institutions, the media we developed for this installation has strengthened that connection for locals and visitors alike.