Zach Blutner is the Managing Director of Inter_. Zach has built his career in tourism, museums, attractions, and experiences, all in New York City. Inter_ is an AI-led immersive experience. The experience is led by “I,” who is from the future and has returned to tell guests what it has learned. Guests visiting Inter_ get to interact with projection mapping, interconnected orbs, an interactive floor, and visually stunning interactive elements that often connect to a deeper meaning, message, or story for guests to explore. In this interview, Zach talks about the Interverse, layers in storytelling, and creating a sandbox.
The Interverse
“Interactive immersive experiences aren’t a new concept, but it’s a term that’s become hot now.”
When people think of immersive, they think of one giant room with projection mapping. While that is one avenue of immersive entertainment, Inter_ combines many elements into what Zach describes as “interversive.” This includes projection mapping, but multiple elements for guests to explore and interact.
Inter_ then fuses physical and digital art, resulting in the term, “phygital.” This creates an environment where the guest feels like they are the main characters in a movie, where they want to both participate and take photos and videos to share the experience with others.
Layers in storytelling
“The approach that I've had to experiences for many years is to create layers in your storytelling.”
Each immersive attraction is unique in its own way, and they all seek to tell stories. Someone can visit Inter_ and experience it on the surface level and feel satisfied with their experience, whereas others can go deeper into the message and story that they seek to deliver, which extends far beyond their visit.
The main focus of Inter_ is to demonstrate that we are all connected and we are all one. This can be sensed through the multiple layers of storytelling that Inter_ delivers, allowing guests to interact with one another, even if they didn’t come together, to go as deep as they’d like into Inter_’s message.
Creating a sandbox
“If they know what the rules are and they know what the objective is, then they’re good to go.”
When discussing Inter_’s employee culture, Zach shares his philosophy of creating a sandbox, which focuses on making sure that team members are comfortable, and that they have the tools to engage within the experience. Leadership should provide them with the guidelines and areas that are required, and then let them explore their unique capabilities within the sandbox.
This mindset originated when Zach was a tour operator, where he said he never created a script for tour guides. While the parameters should be put in place for what’s required, all team members should be encouraged to be their authentic selves. If it is not authentic, guests begin to disengage, which negatively impacts their overall experience.
To learn about Inter_, you can visit interiam.co, or follow them on LinkedIn, TikTok, or Instagram. To connect with Zach directly, you can reach out on LinkedIn.
This podcast wouldn't be possible without the incredible work of our faaaaaantastic team:
To connect with AttractionPros:
Episode 351 - Denise Beckson talks about first jobs, recruiting as sales, and government relations
Episode 350 - Lessons from the AttractionPros Community
Episode 349: James Jensen talks about going into the future, transformational experiences, and fear is an illusion
Episode 348 - Steve Balliet talks about working for a purpose, from the bean to the bar, and transformational leadership
Episode 347 - Björn Ingi Knútsson talks about Icelandic tourism, conquering yourself, and managing logistics
Episode 345: Minisode - Taking pictures for guests
Episode 344: Jill Raff talks about expectations management, screening for values, and reacting vs. responding
Episode 343: Minisode -The Desperation Hire
Episode 342: Jon Pausley talks about generational loyalty, leading with positivity and familiar but better
Episode 341: Minisode - Out of Office
Episode 340: Lessons from Iceland
Episode 339: Matt and Josh talk about premium experiences
Episode 338: Deborah Eicher talks about building unique rides, mentoring young talent, and future-proofing
Episode 337 - Dr. Patty Mason talks about a holistic approach to finance, an abundance mindset, and transformational leadership
Episode 336: Matt and Josh talk about getting past the honeymoon phase, using feedback to drive growth, and moving the goalpost
Episode 335: Amanda Verhoff talks about the premium sports experience, understanding the buyer and singing the same song
Episode 334: Jenny Williams talks about an effective media mix, non-profit marketing and tracking the right metrics
Episode 333: Dominic Wray talks about micro-businesses, breaking down silos and leaving the island.
Episode 332: Steve Thomas talks about lessons from the oil field, guest centricity, and no paper signs
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Commercial Edge: Unleash the Power of People
The emPOWERed Half Hour
HCI Leadership Revolution
Human Capital Leadership
The Power of Music Thinking
BusinessWISE
Business Wars