Green-screen catwalks, the latest invention from the Bosco, debuted at this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in partnership with H&M. Event guests were styled in H&M gear; then, they chose a motion-graphic backdrop from a selection of some 25 styles and walked or danced in place on a moving treadmill. Using green-screen-compositing technology, the Bosco staffers created videos of users walking virtual runways, and the festivalgoers were able to instantly share their six-second videos across all social media platforms. Pricing on rentals varies per activation, and the booths can be set up at events throughout the United States and Canada.
Photo: Courtesy of the Bosco
Super Frog Saves Tokyo, billed as “storytelling plus social theory,” provides video booths for private events, with a twist: the event narratives are filmed in slow motion. The video setup comprises a RED Epic Camera, four LED lights, and a backdrop operated by two or three staffers. The resulting videos require an estimated 25 hours of production. The company has a baseline fee of $6,000 for event rentals, and the final cost can be impacted by date, location, and other details.
Photo: Courtesy of Super Frog Saves Tokyo
The Self Enhancing Live Feed Image Engine, or “S.E.L.F.I.E.” mirror, was created by New York-based digital agency iStrategy Labs. A Web camera and facial-recognition software are hidden behind the two-way mirror, along with LED lights that provide a countdown and simulate a flash, and are triggered when guests stand in front of the mirror and smile. The photo is then instantly posted to Twitter with a watermark or logo. Though it is not available for rental, the invention can be custom-built for companies to own, and pricing ranges from $35,000 to $50,000.
Photo: Courtesy of iStrategy Labs
Foxtales invites event guests to step into a so-called “storybooth” that creates branded photos and HD videos. In addition to a customizable touch-screen interface, the booths have built-in D.S.L.R. cameras and proprietary photo-processing techniques. The pictures and videos populate a mobile-ready storyboard and can be instantly uploaded using Wi-Fi, 4G Internet, or a hard-line connection. Pricing is from $1,500 and includes five hours of run time, the customized storyboard gallery, on-site reps, and post-event analytics.
Photo: Courtesy of Foxtales
Doodlebooth is a Chicago-based company that puts a hand-drawn spin on traditional photo booths. Illustrator Jana Kinsman, who has designed custom illustrations for clients such as CB2, sits with guests and quickly sketches their portraits as take-home keepsakes; the images can also be scanned into online albums that guests can digitally share. Pricing is $650 for three hours, and there’s no extra cost for transportation to events in Chicago and nearby Evanston and Oak Park. Kinsman will travel to events throughout the country for an additional fee.
Photo: Brent Knepper
Photoboothless recently launched Instaboothless, a photo system that prints out physical copies of photos taken on Instagram at an event. Guests take photos on their smartphones, then tag them with a specific hashtag which automatically uploads them to the Instaboothless printer. Designated event photographers also roam the crowd taking pictures of guests with the Instagram app and sending them to the printer. The prints include space for custom graphics and messages. Pricing starts from $650, and the system is available nationwide.
Photo: Courtesy of Photoboothless
Oh Snap! Smile offers a budget-friendly $725 booth for New York events, but the sky is the limit with its custom options. The company works with clients to create unique backdrops and props that incorporate brand imagery, plus quirky setups like their bed photo booth. They can also include social media integration.
Photo: Courtesy of Oh Snap! Smile
Yolo Photos has transformed a working 1965 Volkswagen Beetle into a photo booth. Guests climb into the backseat to take photos, where the ceiling is covered in colorful fabric daisies. The standard package costs $1,200 and includes 35 miles of travel from Boca Raton, Florida. The car’s interior and exterior can also be custom-branded for events
Photo: Courtesy of Yolo Photos
The Bosco offers video confessionals and photo booths with unique functions like a booth that creates images that appear in 3-D when viewed with 3-D glasses. The animated GIF function takes four pictures, then prints a physical copy and combines the photos into an animation that instantly uploads to the Web. The Bosco is available to rent throughout the world, and the company can design custom options, too.
Photo: Courtesy of The Bosco
Rotobooth is powered by a hacked rotary phone that takes a series of pictures after the user dials his or her cell phone number. The user is texted a link to the images, which he or she can choose to download or share via social media. The New York-based company is in the process of expanding to cities like Chicago, San Francisco, and Austin.
Photo: Courtesy of Rotobooth
At this year’s Rolling Stone Live Super Bowl party, producer Toast created a "trashed hotel room" where guests could take photos and pretend to live the rock star life. The event took place at the Bud Light Hotel, a Wyndham property in New Orleans rebranded for the weekend.
Photo: Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images for Rolling Stone
7. Place It at Entry Points
Just as common as a red carpet are the rope-and-stanchion barricades that denote an entrance or V.I.P. area. Among the ways the Art Gallery of Ontario displayed the hashtag for its annual Massive Party fund-raiser on April 19, was the use of small signs placed atop stanchions.
Photo: Emma McIntyre for BizBash
Photo: Courtesy of PhotoTap
