Tom Salamon is a pioneer of immersive theater, starting with his first production Accomplice: New York, widely regarded as an influential work in the early days of immersive experiences. In the years since, his productions have been attended by 2.5 million attendees and surpassed sales of $40 million. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Time Out New York, The LA Times, The Hollywood Reporter, LA Weekly, Gizmodo and New York Magazine, and he has written and directed work in New York City, London, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Washington DC, Glasgow and San Diego.
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A creative and innovative thinker with a vast knowledge of the immersive world and experience design, with the ability to conceive unique projects and lead and collaborate with a large team to see them through to execution, Tom stays ahead of the curve and sets new trends in immersive engagements.
Tom> The emotional impact a compelling experience can achieve is going to profoundly affect the participant and linger with them long after the experience itself has ended. Modern research has shown that people value active experiences more than purchases. In other words, memories are more valuable than things. If agencies and brands can give people an unforgettable and engaging experience, it will stay with them much longer — and affect them more deeply — than a passive campaign.
Tom> First you have to come up with the killer concept that is going to engage and thrill people. As I say above, you have to make it memorable and compelling; that’s not as easy as it sounds. Next, you have to be able to make it accessible to all kinds of people: young, old, eager or sceptical. If you can create something that allows all personality-types to engage at their own comfort level, that’s when you’ve really got something. And third, the event itself has to pop so much that participants are going to share it and increase the reach far beyond the physical footprint.
Tom> A brief that shows the client is looking to do something unique and not just follow what’s been hot already always gets me juiced. Frequently events are just following the latest trend, but that just makes a participant feel like ‘oh this is just like that other thing.’ I’m eager to set a new trend, show people something they haven’t seen before, give them something new. If a client is open to that, it’s endlessly inspiring.
Tom> I like to look at it from the perspective of the participant: what is the user experience? When I’m in it, what am I seeing, what am I hearing, and most importantly, what am I feeling? I like to paint that picture as clearly as possible when developing a treatment, placing you at the centre of the action.
Tom> A deep dive is absolutely essential. I pride myself in capturing the voice of a brand or an IP as if I’d been working with that material for years. Tone is tricky and so essential, and it takes a lot of research. I will always, ahem, immerse myself in research.
Tom> Excitement in an idea and the discipline to get it there. Collaboration is always a ‘yes, and’ game, and you want to work with people who will plus-up the idea, make it better, sharper, more thrilling. It does not come easy—there’s always a push and pull—so you have to be willing to keep going until it gets good and then keep going until it gets great.
Tom> Film is my first love, and still the medium I love most, and I think my work has reflected that. I’m always trying to make attendees feel like they’re in the centre of their own movie, and my love and study of film has enabled me to incorporate a lot of filmmaking methods into my productions, utilising all the elements of film: lighting, sound, narrative, dialogue, music, pacing, tone, and so on.
Tom> I would say it’s easy to get pigeonholed into whatever the last big thing you did was. For me, lately, it’s been family-based IP (Bluey, Encanto, The Little Mermaid) and so that’s what I get offered at the moment. But prior to that I’d done site-specific work for adults (a hotel in London, multiple venues in Hollywood) and clue-based mystery experiences, and then that’s what people think you do. I’ve done virtual experiences online, I’ve written TV spots for celebrities, I’ve done brand activations, and so on. I think people who are interested in doing unique work are inspired by different opportunities and mediums, and rise to the occasion when presented with new challenges.
Tom> At the end of the day the client needs to be happy and satisfied, so you always have to put that first. The best scenario is if you can make a case for your best ideas, getting the client excited, while also taking any and all notes from many voices and incorporating them into the project, hopefully in a way that makes the whole endeavour better. A successful collaboration takes trust and confidence on all sides.
Tom> I come from a theatre background — my early days in experiential were working with world-class theatres — which has always fostered an environment of inclusivity and diversity. This has been much more progressive than in the workplace, which took years to catch up. So I learned long ago that it’s essential to include diverse voices and talent so that a production be holistic and representative. And certainly I’ve worked with extraordinary talent with experience far beyond my own, and I learned everything I could from them. I am always happy to share whatever I’ve learned with those that are eager and inspired.
Tom> When I look at an immersive experience, I look at it as the participant is IN a film. That’s what it makes you feel like if it’s working, that they’re the protagonist and everyone is an extra in their story. So film — my first love — is always a huge inspiration, and I try to incorporate many aspects of filmmaking into my productions.
Tom> I think being overly reliant on tech for experiential can get dicey. For one, tech can fail and if you’re reliant on it your experience falls apart. Secondly, our lives are constantly tech driven all day every day. I think the human element — connection — can be much more impactful.