Working in show control within the live entertainment space is one of the most dynamic and rewarding roles in the industry. It’s where creativity meets technology, and where a talented global community brings performances to life.
However, alongside the excitement, live events specialists often face time-consuming technical processes, repetitive tasks, and the challenges of juggling multiple systems. These issues can slow down creativity and complicate production workflows, taking some of the fun away.
That’s why the latest updates to Disguise’s Designer software have been developed with a clear goal: to eliminate common pain points and give live events professionals more time and freedom to focus on what they do best – delivering unforgettable experiences.
Unlike updates that add bells and whistles for the sake of it, this new toolset is grounded in real-world needs. Each feature is built in direct response to feedback from the live events community, with the aim of simplifying day-to-day tasks and removing workflow roadblocks.
Take the new Coloured Layers feature, for example. Inspired by renowned Lighting and Video Designer, Dan Scully, who had previously created his own workaround to streamline timeline visuals, this now-official tool lets users colour-code show timelines for faster, clearer sequencing. It’s already being used in productions like Disney’s Hercules in the West End, helping teams implement faster creative changes and smoother show control.
But some workflows are highly specific to the individual, and live events specialists want greater agency in defining and selecting the tools that work best for them. That’s where the new plugin framework comes in.
Intended to extend Designer’s functionality without disrupting existing systems, it gives users access to a growing library of ready-made plugins, as well as offering the ability to build their own. Whether it’s triggering Python scripts, integrating third-party systems, or building web-powered UI widgets, the framework puts powerful automation tools directly in users’ hands.
The impact of these tools is already being seen in major productions. At Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival 2025, Video Director and Show Programmer, Charly Camina used the new framework to integrate his own software, StageSync, into Designer for Latin star Junior H’s main stage set. The result? Seamless cueing and triggering across lighting, video, and pyro, ensuring smooth, efficient show control from start to finish. Among the plugins available, Luma AI’s Video Generator stands out as a gamechanger for early-stage design. It allows users to generate AI-powered video content from simple text prompts and instantly import clips into the timeline, saving hours in the ideation phase by allowing quick access to customised visuals and easing stakeholder buy-in. Even more transformative is Ask AId3n, a built-in AI assistant that doesn’t just answer software questions – it can also execute tasks directly in the project. For example, when programming repetitive cues for something like an awards show, Ask AId3n can automate the sequencing itself in seconds.
Crucially, AI tools like these aren’t about replacing human talent – they’re about amplifying it. By removing repetitive steps and simplifying complex workflows, they empower workflow specialists to do what they do best and focus fully on the creative and collaborative elements of show production.
The live events community asked for smarter, faster, and more intuitive tools – and we listened. With these updates, production teams now have more power than ever to streamline their workflows, solve technical hurdles, and bring bold creative visions to life with less friction and more freedom.
Read more in the latest edition of TPi Magazine.
