he plans and develops interactive applications for immersive training and marketing and mixed reality experiences. Pereira is also a visiting lecturer at the University of Westminster, teaching young people who have no development experience how to make apps and games. He is also developing a video game and writing a comic book series.
What made you want to work in the world of pro AV?
My strong interest in technology and innovation, especially as it applies to communication. I believe a lot of the success in the products I develop comes down to user experience. One of my goals is to better understand and engage with a wider audience.
Where did you train to prepare for your audio visual career?
I came to the UK to study sound design. After I finished the course, I worked as a freelance sound designer for about seven years, working on film, TV and web content. At this point, I felt I needed a change and wanted to advance my career, so I enrolled in the Applied Audio for Interactive Media MA.
The programme gave me time and confidence to go outside my comfort zone and learn new skills. During this time, I started learning how to use the Unity3D game engine and C#. This changed everything and I started using Unity3D in my coursework. By the time I finished the Masters, I felt confident applying for games developer jobs.
As well as more formal qualifications, I learned so much of what I know online, especially on YouTube. The basis for everything I do today was acquired by following Unity3D’s tutorial videos, as well as the large community built around the company’s platform.
What does a typical working day for you at Inmarsat involve?
My typical day is always varied and includes meetings with the team, coordinating with other stakeholders within the business and liaising with external partners on the delivery of new content. My role involves planning and developing new interactive applications, including those for use with Oblong’s Mezzanine technology in the new IMPACT room.
What career achievement are you most proud of?
Working on the launch of Inmarsat’s IMPACT Room has been a real high point for me, and seeing its successful roll out within the business last year. Myself and the rest of the team proved we could take this idea and turn it into a reality within only a few months.
Which technology you have worked with has impressed you most, and why?
Oblong’s Mezzanine platform really allowed us to create the wow factor we needed in the IMPACT room. It has helped us create a truly cutting-edge environment which delivers an immersive and visual experience for our customers. The original brief for the project highlighted a need for a disruptive collaboration solution that would enable us to present complex solutions to our clients in a vibrant and interactive way – and Mezzanine has really helped us achieve that. Mezzanine’s Infopresence capabilities were crucial in providing an immersive, responsive, and data-rich environment, in which all participants and stakeholders could share content, better analyse key business data and allow realtime collaboration.
The IMPACT room demonstrates Inmarsat’s range of solutions. What does this entail?
The IMPACT room offers an innovative and engaging way to communicate with our partners and clients, using dynamic tools such as the gestural wand. Using Oblong’s Mezzanine technology and developing interactive applications that run on top of it allows us to present our content in a brand new way.
The IMPACT room features a display wall of 55in monitors tiled in a 4×2 array with two ‘cork board’ displays, to provide an expansive space on which to share ideas and content, from video footage to live data feeds. Also installed in the room is a state-of-the-art projection table which is driven by Mezzanine and enables participants to use the table as an active work space.
Using one of Mezzanine’s intuitive gestural wands, users can move content, video and images around any of the screens, zoom in and expand crucial elements in an intuitive way.
What challenges do you face in your role?
Our main challenge is changing the way Inmarsat communicates with our partners and clients, using new technologies, like Mezzanine and Unity3D, to deliver a fantastic experience that will lead to a better relationship with our users.
Who has had the biggest impact on your career and why?
One of my oldest friends and colleague, Joao Trindade. We’ve known each other since we were kids, and he’s also a developer. He was already working in tech way before I got started and he’s been my biggest supporter. I don’t think I’d be where I am now without him.