The Boolean
by Anne McKinnon
CONTENT MARKETING, STRATEGY, & REPORTS
Ristband is a metaverse platform where events taking place in the real world can have a digital twin of the physical world happening in real-time, combining the excitement of a live event with the power and reach of digital social experiences. Accessible on Mac, PC and mobile. The Boolean is a part of Ristband’s founding team.
Innovate UK is the UK’s innovation agency, supporting businesses to grow through the development and commercialisation of new products, processes and services, supported by an outstanding innovation ecosystem. I participate in international UK missions to get a snapshot of emerging technology markets in foreign nations. This includes meeting with stakeholders, visiting relevant institutions, and gathering information to inform a full report. At the end of each mission, I have 6-8 weeks to write a ~50-page report. The goal is to further Innovate UK’s global strategy by providing the evidence base for where it should invest and identifying opportunities for UK businesses to build partnerships and collaborations with key economies. This report informs UK businesses and government and shapes international collaborations.
2024: Global Expert Mission to Canada on Immersive Technologies
2023: Global Expert Mission to the USA on XR and Mental Health Technologies (project link here)
2022: Global Expert Mission to Japan on Emerging Technologies and the Creative Industries (Report)
Geenee is an advanced video and image recognition platform that uses patented technology to deliver dynamic, curated content into the moments of daily life. Combining AI and feature-based image recognition to connect the off-line, online and immersive realms. The Boolean directed Geenee’s content marketing to reach clients, investors and media leading up to the launch of their SaaS drag & drop WebAR builder.
BOLD+BEYOND is a global Digital Creative Agency, based in Paris and Los Angeles, providing business strategy, advertising campaigns, digital and technology services to some of the world’s largest businesses and best-known brands. The Boolean worked with BOLD+BEYOND as a technology consultant, supporting clients across immersive technology and the aerospace industry.
VR Days Europe is a 3-day conference and exhibition in Amsterdam on Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality content, creativity and innovation. Over 140+ expert speakers from the worlds of health, tech, business and the arts. The Boolean developed marketing materials and strategy to reach a global audience across the verticals of business, science and art in XR.
AfterNow is an award-winning augmented reality studio with a diverse portfolio of products ranging from practical applications to large-scale entertaining experiences. Clients include Anthem, TMobile, Hersey’s and Hyperloop. AfterNow is recognized for its unique UX process that has produced successful ideas for multiple companies. The company’s vision is to enhance the way humans interact with machines to work, learn, play, and socialize. The Boolean supported content marketing initiatives for AfterNow’s blog.
PARTNERSHIPS, CURATION, & EVENTS
Marche du Film Festival du Cannes, Cannes XR is a program from the Marché du Film dedicated to immersive technologies and cinematographic content. The Boolean hosted the XR track, introducing the partnership between Cannes, Tribeca, and NewImages Festivals, moderating the lead sponsor’s panel by VeeR VR, and hosting the feature session with Orange (5G), Terrence Malik, Sam Malik, Marshmallow LaserFeast and AtlasV.
Augmented World Expo (AWE) is the biggest conference and expo for people involved in augmented reality, virtual reality and wearable technology. It is organized by a non-profit organization named AugmentedReality.Org, with the mission of “Advancing augmented reality to advance humanity”. The Boolean was brought in to curate and host sessions on the Gaming, Entertainment, and Media Tracks at AWE USA (Santa Clara) and AWE EU (Barcelona).
Mirocolabs is a multimedia creative agency specializing in immersive events, from interactive installations to mixed-reality concerts, that have been made for international festivals and galleries. Using cutting-edge technology and creative techniques, Mirocolabs creates entirely new forms of interactive experiences that blend gaming technology, cinema, live music, AI and coding. The Boolean supports project management and partnerships.
East City Management is an artist management company based in London and NYC with clients including alt-J, Wolf Alice, and Will Joseph Cook. The Boolean supported partnerships, bookings, and public relations with alternative electronic band Miro Shot’s live VR concert.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
MUTEK is an international organization dedicated to the promotion of electronic music and the digital arts. In 2022, The Boolean supported MUTEK with the launch of their first Immersive Collection on Steam (three XR artworks reimagined from live performances) the release of their Independent XR Study and Forum. Coverage was secured in leading XR media outlets, XR influencer blogs, and mainstream music outlets. In 2023, The Boolean led PR for MUTEK’s Forum of talks, workshops and roundtables running alongside the electronic music festival. Coverage was secured with leading music business, technology and culture outlets.
VenturePR is a public relations firm with two departments that serve B2B and B2C companies around the globe. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. The Boolean acted as a Senior Publicist with VenturePR, supporting clients across technology, law and entertainment
Believe Digital is a global digital music company headquartered in France which provides digital solutions for artists and labels. Believe has several brands including TuneCore, Nuclear Blast, Naïve, Groove Attack and AllPoints. Believe is one of the world’s leading digital music companies. Miro Shot released their first EP on All Points and Warp Publishing in June 2019. As US Project lead for Miro Shot, The Boolean supported with PR and partnerships securing coverage in the world’s leading technology and music publications, in addition to speaking opportunities and bookings at festivals such as SXSW, Cannes XR, VRHAM Festival and more.
ARTIST PR, DISTRIBUTION, and SHOW BOOKING
2023-current: Venice Bleach is a composer, producer and director creating immersive experiences that fuse A/V sets and digital art, exploring the connection between new technologies and traditional music performance. Recent original composition examples: Victoria Beckham Paris Fashion Show 2024, Djendeli Fashion House Spring 2024 Collection Video, Rift (short film) foley, soundtrack and trailer.
2023- current Pivots: electronic alternative band. Emotive vocals soundtracked by synth-pop melodies and shoegaze-esque guitars. Debut show at SXSW 2024, first single Residues out now.
AWARDS/ RECOGNITION
2019: CES Tech Media Trailblazer featuring talented, promising and diverse voices in media.
2019: Virtual Futures London “Imagine” short story.
2018: British Science Fiction Association
Virtual Futures London “Memories Inc” short story.
PUBLICATIONS
2022: Virtual Futures’ Near-Future Fiction Volume 2. Contributing Author. Release date: January 2022.
2019: Associate editor and contributing author to Charlie Fink‘s “Convergence” on 5G and AR. Released at SXSW, 2019.
SPEAKING | MODERATING | HOSTING HIGHLIGHTS
2023: the list will no longer be updated due to the frequency of speaking engagements. Please contact Anne here with booking inquiries.
2023: SXSW
2022: UNWRAP Festival Belgium
2022: Ibiza NXT Web3 and Blockchain Conference
2022: VRT Event on Radio and Broadcast in the Metaverse, Belgium
2022: AWE, Augmented World Expo Lisbon “This is how we play, the role of gaming in the metaverse”
2022: Real Time Conference: the impact the metaverse will have on the economy and our society
2022: Wallifornia Music Tech Summit (multiple sessions on music, gaming, and the economics of the metaverse)
2022: SXSW “Across the Metaverse: Independent Music in XR” (speaker)
2021: AWE Augmented World Expo (Moderator: Music x Metaverse x Gaming, and XR for Telepresence and Brand Activations), Presentor of the Indie Developer Auggie Award
2021: Cannes XR Festival de Cannes Moderator (Hosting: Evolver Prologue panel, VeeR panel, and Cannes XR, Tribeca and NewImages Panel)
2021: Wallifornia Music Tech Summit- “Augmented Venues”
2021 Athens Music Week: AR-VR Music Festivals & Gaming
2021 AWE (Augmented World Expo)- Telepresence for XR Collaboration
2021 Unlimited Realities– The Future of Industries “Virtual Concerts- the Future of Live Music?”
2021 Amplify Music– The Virtual Now “Livestreaming, Gaming, and New Experiences in 2021”
2020 5G, Music & Emerging Fan Experiences, Presented by Verizon 5G Lab & WXR Fund
2020 XR Intelligence panelist “What Are the Major Adoption Challenges & How Are Companies Tackling Them?” – online
2020 SXSW The Future of Live Music: Blended Realities, online- live session on demand now available
2019 XR Intelligence Gaming Seminar host, San Francisco, moderating:
What can VR Esports tell us about the wider VR gaming community?
The chicken & egg problem: Business models for content creators
Gaming focus: Trends, challenges, solutions & opportunities for VR gaming
2019 XR Intelligence VRX PitchFest Judge, San Francisco
2019 VRX Startup Track session host, Amsterdam
2019 VR Days Europe Music & XR Track host and curator, Amsterdam
2019 The Influx Reality Mixer, by The Influx Lab. Moderator: Can You Augment Creativity?
2019 VIFF (Vancouver International Film Festival) presenting in the Co-Production Market on the future of live entertainment with immersive technology.
2018 The Influx Lab panel moderator Augmenting Creativity with AR
WRITING & BROADCAST
2015-2024: The Boolean
2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 VRScout journalist- see VRScout author, Anne McKinnon
2022, 2021 ARInsider Guest Writer (example)
2019 VR Voice Sundance New Frontiers live broadcast
2018 The Startup Monthly
ADVISOR/ JUDGE
2022: Gamers 8 Esports Event XR Competition Judge, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
2021 & 2022 Wallifornia Expert. Wallifornia is an Entertainment & Technology hub based in Liège (Belgium), where startups, professionals & investors develop the future of their industries. Our core focus: MUSIC, SPORTS, ESPORTS & GAMING.
2019-2020 Kaleidoscope Fund Board of Directors. The Transformations Grant awards a monthly cash prize to XR projects that explore the future of the performing arts.
2018-2020 Current: The In.flux Lab is an event bringing an eclectic mix of creatives, technologists, business development executives and more, across the full spectrum of mixed reality advertising, content & commerce.
2019 Capitol Records Capitol Royal Innovation Event: VR experience curator
2019: CX:XR: LA’s premiere event connecting leaders in marketing, media and entertainment with VR & AR experiences and expertise.
MENTOR
2020: Women in Music Information Retrieval program, with support from Pandora and Spotify.
2019: Collision Conference Women in Tech Mentor Program Toronto, Canada 2019. Discussing change with mentees in one-on-one sessions.
THE BOOLEAN IN THE PRESS (HIGHLIGHTS)
2023: Canadian Music Week Making Noise With Anne McKinnon
2023: IQ Magazine Q&A with Anne McKinnon
2022: IQ Magazine: The Architects of the Live Music Industry
2021: Believe Music Blog Women In MusicTech #4: Anne McKinnon, Ristband Cofounder
2020: Replay Magazine: VRX Conference, Discussing what VR esports tell us about the wider VR games community
2019: XR for Business Podcast, Attending Digital Concerts in XR with The Boolean’s Anne McKinnon
2019: Forbes, Miro Shot Explores The Future Of Live Music With VR
2019: Free The Bid: Woman in Innovation, Women Directors Telling Groundbreaking Stories in VR/AR,” a West Coast gathering of all-star women working within the VR, AR, new media and innovation space.
2018: British Science Fiction Magazine – Virtual Futures: Near-Future Fictions Vol. 5 ‘Virtual Persons’
MEDIA CREDENTIALS
The Boolean covers major events in tech, digital arts and music. These include but are not limited to:
CES Consumer Electronics Show
Cannes Lions, France
Sundance Film Festival New Frontiers
VR Days Europe, Amsterdam
VR/AR Global Summit, Vancouver
VRLA Virtual Reality Los Angeles
AWE, AR/VR Conference and Expo
E3 Gaming Convention
Wired Energy, London
Nuit Blanche, Paris
DEW Digital Entertainment World
Tribeca Film Festival (Immersive)
New Images Festival, France
Please get in touch if you are interested in media support.
Image Above: Anne McKinnon (third from the right) speaking the VRT Media Event in Brussels.
The Boolean 