Talking Stick Resort

A wonderful visual journey in anamorphic content

As we continue to evolve, we aim to emphasize our commitment to innovation and new technologies to improve each guest’s experience.

Fletcher Hickey AV Manager
Talking Stick Resort

Fletcher Hickey AV ManagerTalking Stick Resort

Our contribution to the amazing Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, took the form of a  ceiling consisting of a massive digital screen in the main entryway of the hotel (a circular rotunda measuring 40×40 feet). The effect here was truly breathtaking. You could liken it to a sky theater—and through a ‘forced perspective’ effect, we were able to create a wonderful visual journey using technology that’s generally referred to as anamorphic content.  

The vision for this project was to create an amazing first impression for all visitors. We wanted people to walk in and think: “Wow, I’ve never seen anything like this before! It’s breathtaking!” The goal was to transform the rotunda into a memorable first stop for people visiting the hotel and casino. We wanted this to be such a mind-bending spectacle that people would pull out their phones, take pictures and videos, post them to social media, and spend just a few moments staring in wide-eyed wonder at the display. And the effect was truly wildly successful! 

One of our favorite aspects of this display is the fact that it’s not filled with ‘distasteful’ imagery. For example—there are no coupons, advertisements, specials, or announcements being displayed. Our approach to this truly once-in-a-lifetime digitally artistic spectacle was to treat it with an ultimate sense of reverence and respect. And honestly, this was one of our favorite challenges of the project. 

The content sourced for such a stunning display obviously needed to be first-class and beautiful. And putting it together was most certainly an artistic labor of love and passion. There are many scenes, for example, that pay homage to the two Native American Tribes whose culture led to the creation of Talking Stick, the Pima and the Maricopa—as well as to other cultures. The content that plays across the screen contains a tribute to the Arizona desert landscape, brilliant footage of wildlife (butterflies, eagles, coyotes, horses, etc.), and breathtaking scenery of mountains, deserts, rushing rivers, etc. For the lunar New Year, you may be lucky enough to witness some sacred elements of Chinese culture—including a magnificent flying dragon! There are also holiday-themed scenes, scenes for special ceremonies and festive occasions, and even fully immersive anamorphic content that comes seriously close to being real 3D

If you stand in the room for long enough, you may feel like the moon overhead is literally shining down onto you with translucent beams from the ceiling. You could also experience a giant anamorphic 3D butterfly—swooping down from the sky, as if to land on the ground beside you. 

It’s a brilliant display. And if you’re ever near Scottsdale, Arizona, you should take the opportunity to stop by and at least stand beneath it for a moment.