Fulldome talks

Martin travels to Hamburg to meet Björn Voss, director of Planetarium Hamburg, for a conversation about a problem many dome operators know well: how do you make institutional change stick?A key part of the episode looks at Voss’s 15 years at the planetarium in Münster, where he worked inside a natural history museum before moving to Hamburg. He describes long-term audience growth as the result of changing the visitor experience itself: stronger programming, better live presentation, clearer audience focus, and patient team development. His point is practical and highly relevant for directors and operators: a renovation may create a short surge, but lasting growth is more likely when the public feels the format has genuinely changed.Voss talks through what that looked like in practice. He explains how he worked with a small team, gradually moved presenters away from passive, recorded formats, and built a more welcoming style for broad audiences rather than only for highly motivated astronomy enthusiasts. He also speaks openly about a common tension in planetariums: staff may want to present specialised science, while much of the audience mainly wants a strong shared experience under the dome.The conversation also covers the difference between running a planetarium inside a larger museum structure and leading a standalone institution. Voss reflects on programming freedom, staffing, marketing, repeat audiences, and the limits of refurbishment as a strategy on its own.He also sets out a wider view of the planetarium’s role: helping audiences understand how science works, why it matters, and why live presentation still has a special place in that mission.

Martin talks with Ryan Moore, Executive Director of Dome Fest West, about where fulldome programming is opening up and why many creators still misread the market.Ryan’s perspective comes from constant contact with planetariums, festivals and producers. In this conversation, he argues that better results start with a more precise approach: not treating fulldome as one market, but thinking in terms of venue type, audience, time slot and business model.For planetarium directors and programmers, the episode offers concrete ideas for extending use of the dome beyond standard school screenings. Ryan points to areas such as music-driven shows, meditative formats, adult evening events and producer-led rentals. He also notes the operational realities behind those ideas, especially staffing, venue mission and the limits of existing schedules.For creators, the discussion is equally practical. Ryan explains why content needs to be designed for the actual route to audience, why testing in a dome matters, and why close collaboration with a planetarium partner can save time and costly mistakes. He also cautions that sales alone are rarely enough to finance production, and that producers need a realistic understanding of how distribution works in this field.The episode also covers the development of Dome Fest West itself: from a screening-focused event toward a wider meeting point for business, programming and industry exchange. Ryan says that one missing piece in fulldome is better shared market intelligence, and explains why he wants Dome Fest West to help fill that gap.

What happens after you build Europe’s very first LED planetarium dome? Is getting $10M funding the hardest part, or does the real work begin after opening day?Host Filip Veselý (CTO at Krutart) sits down with Martin Fuchs (Creative Director at Planetum Prague) to break down the unfiltered reality of running an LED fulldome.In this episode, we cover:• The $10M Greenlight: How Planetum Prague convinced city officials to fund LED over traditional projectors.• The 210° Geometry Hack: The "dirty trick" that saved opening night when software limits hit.• The KFC Analogy: Why 99% of visitors still expect old-school stargazing—and how to pitch them digital art and live concerts.• By the Numbers: Scaling attendance to 500,000 visitors and hitting 2,000 sold-out shows in a row.• LED vs. Laser Projection: Is LED complete overkill for smaller community planetariums?

Are planetariums stuck in a traditional astronomy loop, or are they ready to become the ultimate hubs for modern entertainment? In the final episode of our special IPS mini-series, we dive deep into the tangible shifts happening under the dome. Forget passive star-gazing, we are talking about breaking traditional space monopolies, utilizing Japanese anime to pack the house with young audiences, and the cutting-edge reality of producing content with 8K VR drones. Plus, we explore how to inject gamification into your programming, and why you don't need a massive budget to master immersive sound if you know how to calibrate acoustics using just your own ears.Tomasz Banyś (Head of Planetarium at EC1 Łódź, Poland) with practical, budget-friendly advice on how to master immersive sound and calibrate dome acoustics using your own ears.Thor Metzinger (Video Producer at Fiske Planetarium, US) on the evolution of fulldome production—from stitched cameras to 8K VR drones—and why shared dome experiences (like the Las Vegas Sphere) will always beat isolated VR headsets.Filip Veselý (CTO & Co-founder of Krutart, Czechia) on why planetariums must break traditional astronomy monopolies and how Japanese anime can attract the next generation of audiences.Ubbo Grassmann (Director of Stuttgart Planetarium, Germany) on introducing gamification and interactivity under the dome, plus his top tips for networking and collaborating within the global planetarium community.Keywords: IPS 2026, planetarium, fulldome production, immersive audio, VR drones, Stuttgart Planetarium, Krutart, Fiske Planetarium, EC1 Łódź, future of planetariums, dome techGet in touch: [email protected]

Can planetariums become the ultimate social spaces for shared VR and live performances? In the final part of our mini-series from the IPS conference, we chat with five guests about why the dome is much more than just a place for astronomy. We explore the transition to LED technology, the magic of mixed-reality concerts, and why putting humor and human connection at the center of dome content is the key to bringing in entirely new audiences.Tobias Jogler (LWL Museum of Natural History, Germany) shares his enthusiasm for the rapid technical progress of the field, from the rise of LED domes to software development. He discusses how planetariums are broadening their focus beyond astronomy to art, architecture, and live concerts, and how they are preparing content for upcoming moon missions.Jenny Shipway (Co-chair of the IPS Education Committee) on her mind-blowing experience with a live VR concert in Japan and how these virtual communities can translate into in-person dome events.Michael Daut (Worlds) on how domes are evolving into multi-purpose community spaces and why shifting towards broader family entertainment and interactive programming is key to attracting new audiences.Balázs Forgács (Mobile planetariums, Hungary) explains the profound impact of storytelling and character development in planetarium shows. He details the rise of 8K and LED technology and explains how mobile and inflatable domes are bringing highly effective educational content directly to schools. Plus, he shares his stunning experience visiting Nagoya, the world's largest planetarium!Martin Fuchs (Creative Director at Planetarium Prague, Czechia), who works with the only LED dome in Europe, talks about the paradigm shift of the dome as a "shared reality" that bridges the gap between flat TVs and isolated VR headsets. He also shares how his visit to Japan inspired him to start developing a brand new, user-driven interactive show!Keywords: IPS 2026, LWL Museum, Planetarium Prague, Nagoya Planetarium, Worlds, LED dome, 8K projection, immersive storytelling, shared reality, astronomy, immersive technologyGet in touch: [email protected]

What is happening in the world of planetariums today? In this exclusive episode recorded live at the IPS conference, we sit down with leading experts and one passionate young fan to discuss how technology, AI, sound, and interactive outdoor programming are shaping the future of immersive spaces.Christian Theis (Managing Director of Mannheim Planetarium, Germany) shares why live interaction is crucial and how expanding programs outside the dome, through stargazing workshops and solar eclipse events, can engage entirely new audiences.Jonathan Horn (11-year-old astronomy enthusiast, Germany) gives us a refreshing kid's perspective on why anime shows (like Detective Conan and One Piece) are a massive hit in the domes and tells us his secret to the ultimate planetarium experience: taking a good nap during tranquil shows!Lauri Hynninen (Heureka Science center, Finland) dives deep into how artificial intelligence (AI) can speed up a producer's workflow, eliminate repetitive coding, and why his top filmmaking advice is: "Don't try to tell everything in one movie."Markus Schack (Director of Media Dome Kiel, Germany) introduces the game-changing potential of OpenSpace, a powerful, free data-visualization software, and discusses how AI is becoming an efficient tool for pre-production and automated customer service.Keywords: IPS 2026, planetarium, fulldome, OpenSpace software, AI in production, Mannheim Planetarium, Heureka, astronomy education, interactive domes

Welcome to the very first episode of Fulldome Talks, a podcast brought to you by Krutart! In this short pilot, our hosts Martin Jůza (CEO) and Filip Veselý (CTO) share the story behind the podcast and what they want to achieve for the global fulldome community.After 5 years of running Pitch.cz, a successful niche B2B podcast that connected the Czech filmmaking industry and circulated valuable know-how, Martin and Filip are bringing the same collaborative spirit to planetariums.In this intro episode, you’ll learn:The Mission: Why the ultimate goal of this podcast is to teach you "how to fill your dome" with excited audiences.The Inspiration: How Fulldome Talks aims to connect massive state-of-the-art facilities with passionate mobile dome operators to share practical tips, tricks, and deep conversations.What's Next: A sneak peek into our upcoming monthly format, expect long, deep-dive interviews (1 hour+) with planetarium directors and decision-makers.The IPS 2026 Mini-Series: How we packed our microphones at the IPS conference in Fukuoka, Japan, to bring you 3 special launch episodes featuring over 15 short, insight-packed interviews with global industry leaders.This podcast is built for the community, and a true conversation goes both ways. Listen in, subscribe, and let us know your feedback!Keywords: Fulldome Talks, Krutart, planetarium podcast, IPS 2026, Fukuoka, astronomy education, dome tech, planetarium director, immersive cinema, B2B podcastGet in touch: [email protected]