darkroom.engineering’s Post

The five stages of building a studio. 1️⃣Stage 1 - Uninformed Optimism This is the bright and shinny object stage. The studio model looks beautiful. The approach solves so many of the pain points you and others have experienced. The numbers are great. Or beyond great. This is it. This is the opportunity for you. This stage is the trap. Unicorn founders have fallen for it. Top VCs have fallen for it. Top notch operators have fallen for it. Why? They have mastered one or more key studio aspects in their careers already. This just seems like doing more of the same and the parts that they don’t have experience in they can learn or bring people in to support them. The path to get to studio success is not so simple. The complexity is in the nuance. Nuance you don’t yet know. 2️⃣ Stage 2 - Informed Pessimism Reality starts to set in. Building a studio is not as easy as you thought. The complexity starts to show up. Initial investor interest has become challenging questions you have not fully thought through. The journey to build a studio starts becoming a lot clearer. The road will be long, difficult, and full of a lot more challenges. 3️⃣ Stage 3 - Valley of Despair 😢😢This is where most drop out. After months or years trying to make the studio happen. How difficult building a studio is fully hits. You question if the journey will be worth it. Life’s obligations force a change or another shiny object pulls you away to the next opportunity. 4️⃣ Stage 4 - Informed Optimism You know. Really know. You are not there yet, but you see the path. Things are starting to come together. Now it is about executing. It will be hard. You now know why it is so hard. Focusing on putting the effort and reps in to achieve the next stage to unlock the magic. 5️⃣Stage 5 - Success Your uniformed optimism has been forged in to Achievement. You have built a successful operating studio. This is the beginning of the next 20 years or more of company building. Where are you in your studio journey?

**While we're letting you know about tech news and other exciting trends in technology, let us take a moment to share how we work at Void Studio to bring your ideas to life!** At Void Studio, we believe in creating solutions that meet and exceed your expectations. Our process is designed to ensure transparency, collaboration, and the highest quality results. Here's a breakdown of how we work: **1️⃣ Understanding & Discovery** The journey starts with you. We dive deep into understanding not just what you want, but what you *need*—what you're truly trying to build. Through detailed discussions, we get to know your business, your goals, your customers, and the competitive landscape. This helps us pinpoint exactly how we can best support you in building a product that stands out and succeeds. **2️⃣ Design & Feedback** Once we've identified your business needs, we move into the exciting phase of prototyping. We create an initial design that acts as a preview of the final product. But the key here is *feedback*. We present the prototype to you, gather your thoughts, and refine it based on your input. Our motto during this phase is simple: **fail fast, fix often**—because we believe that constant improvement leads to perfection. **3️⃣ Development & Testing** With your approval of the design, we move into the development stage. Our skilled team leverages cutting-edge technologies to build a solution that’s fast, secure, and scalable. Throughout this process, you're kept in the loop at every step. We believe in developing the *right* solution, which is why your feedback and insights remain essential all the way through. **4️⃣ Deployment & Maintenance** After rigorous testing and ensuring everything is running smoothly, we deploy the final solution in a live environment. But our work doesn’t stop there! We make sure the system is optimized, secure, and performing at its best. Plus, we provide ongoing maintenance to ensure your solution keeps pace with changing needs and stays top-notch. This process ensures that we deliver a solution that aligns with your vision and performs flawlessly. At Void Studio, it's not just about building tech; it's about building trust and delivering excellence! ✨ Stay tuned for more updates and exciting tech insights from the Void Studio admin!

Before you start building your venture studio (Or as you are building it) Watch this 13 Minute Preview (Full video in the link below) ⤷ https://lnkd.in/eg28pZ8m This is my 10+ years of experience within  the studio space wrapped in 60+ minutes Followed by a series of: - Case studies  - Lessons learned - Common traps to avoid And studio specific structures and frameworks  that will enable you to see more clearly while building P.S. This presentation serves as the basis for the  Universal Venture Studio Design Course. Click the link below for more information  → https://lnkd.in/eg28pZ8m (And to watch the full video that I’ve posted below)

I’m leaving the title off today’s post, instead opting to start with a short story about a studio searching for a service partner. Let’s see if you can identify the mistake made by the founder, whom we’ll call Jamie. Jamie’s studio is facing a problem. After several internal discussions with their team, they’ve mutually agreed to seek out a service provider for assistance. Jamie begins their search by asking friends and colleagues, who have faced similar challenges, about the providers they’ve used in the past and which ones performed well. Jamie receives a list of potential service partners and supplements that list with their own research. They then arrange meetings at an upcoming conference, preparing questions to better understand how these service providers can offer help. Following these initial meetings, Jamie prepares a shorter list of the most promising potential partners for further discussion. They involve more members of their studio in these second meetings so they can describe the problem they’re facing in more detail to the final candidates. The providers then take the information they’ve learned from that meeting and prepare proposals to send to Jamie. Jamie’s team evaluates the bids, does a bit of due diligence to make extra sure the provider they’ve chosen can deliver, and informs that company of their winning proposal. After a bit of negotiation, the deal is signed, and the engagement officially begins. …did you see it?  What mistake did Jamie and their team make? The major mistake is that Jamie went to market with problems, not requirements. Or in other words - instead of spending the time to define exactly what their studio needed in advance to solve their problem, Jamie left it up to the potential service partners to define the solution. Why is failing to define requirements upfront such a mistake?  Well, let’s take a look: - Less Competitive Pricing: Without detailed documentation of project requirements, proposals from providers may be priced higher than necessary due to uncertainties and scope creep. - Difficulty in Comparing Proposals: Proposals are likely to vary significantly in approach and scope, making direct comparisons difficult and complicating the decision-making process. - Higher Risk of Capabilities Mismatch:  Jamie’s team did not specify the capabilities required to solve their problem, leading to a less targeted search and the potential selection of a candidate lacking the necessary skills. - Over-Reliance on External Definitions: By allowing the service provider to define the solution, Jamie’s team risks adopting a solution that caters more to what the provider can offer rather than what is best for their studio. The ironic part of all of this is that someone at Jamie’s studio will still need to go through the process to define requirements, goals, timelines, methods for accountability, etc - to create alignment with their chosen partner.  

Fiero Studio is like an iceberg, and here's why 👇 In case you're not familiar, we’re building a super advanced piece of tech, masquerading as a design tool. Why are we doing this? Because complicated stuff slows us down, costs a ton to keep up, and is just a headache. Sometimes it's harder to get rid of a complicated solution than it is to make it. Complicated solutions become the problem. Think about game engines today. They're clunky, old-fashioned, make you learn coding, and are really hard to figure out. So while Ruan Pearce-Authers, our tech cofounder, is taking care of the bottom of the iceberg, I'm here to make that tech mess simple. And let me tell you, simplicity isn't easy. Solving a problem with a simple solution takes a lot of hard work, thinking, and really understanding the issue. It's about finding a smart fix instead of making things more complicated. And when people say 'Fiero is intuitive' or 'It's like Figma but for making games', that's music to my ears. It means we're nailing our philosophy. #founderstories #startupjourney #gameengine #fiero

🚀 Just got invited to the Unicorn Studio closed beta, and WOW! 🤯 In just 2 minutes, I created a WebGL effect that would have taken an hour before. Check out this preview: https://lnkd.in/d7eqVJJx 🔥 Key takeaways: • Create WebGL effects without code • Embeds easily in Framer, Webflow, or custom sites • Massive time-saver for designers and developers This tool is bridging the gap between complex web graphics and accessibility. The possibilities for full website designs are closer than ever! Thoughts on how this could change web design? Let's discuss! 👇

✨"Hello Everyone! Welcome to the Unveiling of My Third Clone Creation - Introducing the Next Level of Innovation!"✨ 🌟 Sundown Studio is a full-service creative studio focusing on the end-to-end design and production of environments for best-in-class brands. 🌟 🌟basically its clone of the sundown studio.🌟 ✨ Here's what Sundown Studio is all about: 1️⃣ Solo-Created Brilliance: This clone is the result of my solo creation efforts, reflecting my dedication, passion, and meticulous attention to detail. 2️⃣ Harnessing the Power of Code: Despite encountering some challenges, such as the smooth scrollbar feature not functioning as intended, I've successfully implemented Locomotive JS CDN and CSS. Additionally, Swiper is seamlessly integrated into my website, enhancing its functionality and user experience. 3️⃣ Responsive Design:Here i used the some mediaquery for the User experience is paramount. That's why every website created at Sundown Studio is fully responsive, ensuring seamless engagement across desktops, tablets, and mobile devices. 4️⃣ Innovation Through Solo Exploration: Constantly exploring new techniques and pushing the boundaries of design, I deliver results that exceed expectations. Whether it's incorporating the latest trends or customizing solutions to fit unique needs, Sundown Studio is always one step ahead. #SundownStudio #SoloCreatedExcellence #DesignAndProduction #JavaScript #CSS #ResponsiveDesign #Innovation

When do you recognise revenue? Pixel & Palette Design Studio was abuzz with excitement after securing a high-profile project worth $100,000. Gavin Clark, the studio's trusted Account Manager, meticulously worked out the project timeline, ensuring a smooth four-month execution plan. His counterpart, Sophie Ledger, the financial whiz, was quick to identify the implications of the client’s upfront payment on their financial performance. Gavin and Sophie held a meeting to sync on the project's financials. They agreed that while the entire sum was invoiced in Month 1, the revenue should be recognised as the work was delivered. Gavin’s detailed project schedule indicated that the team would generate $25,000 of value each month. Sophie, with her finance acumen, and Gavin, with his project insights, decided to adjust the recognised revenue accordingly. They were committed to an honest portrayal of the studio's earnings and performance. As the project unfolded, Gavin and Sophie would meet monthly to see if the value generated was in line with what Gavin had predicted when the project commenced. They would adjust revenue accordingly while also consciously leaving enough revenue for the latter months of the project. By the project's end, Gavin's project management and Sophie's financial strategies ensured that Pixel & Palette's financial reports precisely mirrored the actual work and value provided. Their collaboration was a testament to how cross-departmental teamwork can lead to an accurate representation of a company’s financial health. Gavin Clark, with his project management acumen, and Sophie Ledger, with her financial expertise, exemplify the collaborative spirit of Pixel & Palette Design Studio, ensuring that creativity and accuracy go hand in hand.

Permanent or temporary studio holding company? Dilution or not in the studio itself? It’s not so simple. Permanent holding companies have to be designed with long term operation in mind. Too much dilution in the holding company and the amount remaining after investors that their cut won’t be enough to keep the studio founders engaged, pay the team adequate bonuses, or cover studio operations. This puts the studio at risk of shutting down or going through a difficult captable readjustment. Investors in these holdcos get to participate in returns from every single cohort of companies built, depending on how the investment is structured. Non-particaipation in the previous cohorts that their investment did not fund are common. Either way, participating in future studio builds that you did not finance is an amazing bonus, even if you take a little dilution. This is a great deal for investors and a potentially problematic one for studio founders. Long term investors can be a major advantage. Family offices bring a powerful network and often deep industry insights. Their long term investment approach can make ideal studio partners, further improving a studio’s capabilities. High net worth Individuals fit this mold as well. Institutional investors often have a challenge with a permanent structure. Studio holdco dilution must be managed well. Below 30%, there is little risk. As dilution approaches 50% though, studio founders will start to feel the pinch splitting returns between operations, team bonuses and their share. Discussing a change starts to become a certainty. Will the studio shutdown and restart in a new form? Will the studio’s captable be cleaned up to allow more returns to remain for the growing studio? Will the studio consider an IPO, allowing a fundamental shift in their business model? Or should the situation be avoided entirely? Either through better captable management or by using a different studio capitalization approach such as temporary holding companies or a shift to the dual entity model. Which do you prefer?

Elgato just dropped Streamdeck Studio, a professional version of their macro launcher that's absolutely perfect for virtual production stages! We use the little sibling of these decks all over the place on ours to control screen content, lights, OSC control- you name it. Some details: 🧰 Starting today for $899.99, the Stream Deck Studio is a collaboration between Elgato and Bitfocus AS, whose Companion software has already brought more advanced functionality to the original Stream Deck, letting you connect multiple controllers and configure them remotely through a web browser interface. 📺 Stream Deck Studio measures almost half a meter in length and connects with a single USB-C input on the front. There are also two more USB-C ports on the back, one offering a connection to a PC, and another can be used to power the device instead of the Stream Deck Studio’s 25W Ethernet connection. It’s also possible to connect several Elgato Stream Deck Studios. 🧰 Stream Deck Studio runs on Bitfocus' acclaimed Companion software. However, the developer's latest software, Buttons, offers a superior user experience with advanced functionalities built especially for Stream Deck Studio. The interface is fully customizable through the software, allowing users to define layouts with personalized icons and text labels for quick identification, making navigation fast and intuitive. 📺 The software integration also enables instant visual feedback on the device’s LCD keys, confirming real-time actions and system statuses. In addition, the two rotary LED encoders allow quick navigation and dynamic control. An onboard RFID/NFC reader uses the software to manage user authentication and permission-based access control. Multiple Stream Deck Studio devices can be linked and configured in Buttons to function as a unified control surface for larger systems requiring even more control. For more information, visit: https://lnkd.in/gPPusmcN #virtualproduction #ledwalls #automation #filmmaking #creators #ibc #ibc2024