Balance Digital Media Studios’ latest success story almost didn’t happen.
The De Pere-based company landed a contract to reimagine the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum just prior to the death of its founder, Darren Lutz. Co-founder Tina Lutz says she had second thoughts about how the company would move forward with the biggest project it had ever landed without her late husband.
“He was a force of nature,” Lutz says. “It is important that the legacy of the company goes forward. What we’ve learned over the last 24 years is literally anything is possible.”
It helped that Balance Digital Media Studios had assembled a team that included not just its 13 staffers, but also other companies that could bring additional expertise to the job, says Brett Nooyen, vice president of application development. Nooyen says it’s an example of how Balance puts its clients first.
“What Darren always said was ‘Make the client the hero,’” Lutz says.
The result is a state-of-the-art museum at one of the most iconic sports venues in the world.
The museum features virtual simulations, immersive audio/visual presentations, touchscreens, digital projections and compelling narratives.
It brings together the high-tech innovation and creativity of the Balance staff. Lutz says the company hopes it is another leap in progress. She says Balance’s history is punctuated with “pivots,” including the pivot that led to the company being founded Sept. 11, 2001.
Initially focused on 3D animation, the company developed project management software that predated applications like Basecamp but offered similar communication tools.
“It really started our endeavors with clients that weren’t local to us,” says Heidi Klessig, vice president of client relations. “Most people in Green Bay didn’t need the things we were doing — so they said — so we started working with people all over the world. This tool allowed us to be connected to them at a time when social media, phones, emails and Skype weren’t a thing.”
The next pivot came in 2008 when instead of letting an economic downturn dictate contraction, Darren Lutz led the company to explore augmented reality. Balance developed “The Rocks in My Socks” children’s book.
The book was a proof of concept that Balance Digital Media Studios has continued to develop.
“It’s really a powerful technology. It was this actual interactive experience that could transform the environment that you’re in,” Lutz says.
Balance soon partnered with CineMedia to create Noovie ARcade, an app that makes the pre-movie ads interactive. Movie-goers could download the free app and wait for prompts that announce the start of the games and watch as the entire theater turns into a shared AR game room.
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 derailed the effort, but Balance turned the setback into opportunity. The team members were asked to broaden their skill sets and embraced that by crosstraining each other and collaborating on personal projects.
“We had a really talented team of developers and designers. They were all used to one specialty, right? Darren and Tina said ‘Take a step left with us,’” Nooyen says.
And once again, Balance dove into technology by recreating its augmented reality applications accessible as online virtual reality experiences for clients. It created new market opportunities and contributed to the latest success with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.
“That’s what’s cool about this little company,” Lutz says. “We’re pretty nimble.”
