Earlier this month, I joined project partners in one of Europe’s most scenic capitals for the 7th General Assembly of the TRANSMIXR project. Hosted at Modul University Vienna (perched high above the city with sweeping Danube views), the meeting mixed immersive media demos, updates from across the pilots, and a good dose of catching up with some very clever people.

Over two packed days, we dug into the latest developments across the News Media, Broadcast, Performing Arts, and Cultural Heritage use cases. From volumetric stagecraft to storytelling with AI tools, it’s clear the project is hitting its creative stride. I particularly enjoyed seeing how each pilot is not just progressing technically, but also surfacing questions around accessibility, audience experience, and what “presence” really means.

Day two brought back-to-back showcases (plus some very welcome coffee breaks), giving everyone a chance to see the tech in action – and, more importantly, discuss what’s working, what’s still fuzzy, and where we go next. The Performing Arts session, in particular, had everyone buzzing about latency, lighting, and how to make live mixing feel less like debugging and more like directing.

Huge thanks to the organisers for an energising GA in a stunning location. Bonus points for the social dinner at Glacis Beisl – proof that immersive storytelling and Austrian schnitzel pair surprisingly well.