disguise (company)

disguise (company)
Name	disguise
Type	Private
Industry	Technology, Entertainment
Founded	2002
Founder	Charlie Foxtrot
Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
Key people	Charlie Fink (CEO)
Products	Media servers, visualization software
Website	disguise.tech

disguise (company) is a technology firm specializing in real-time visualization, media servers, and virtual production systems for live events, broadcast, film, and installation markets. The company develops hardware and software platforms used in concert touring, film stages, broadcast studios, theme parks, and corporate events. disguise platforms integrate with camera tracking, rendering engines, and content management tools to deliver synchronized playback, projection mapping, and LED volume workflows.

History

disguise was founded in the early 2000s amid a surge in digital content production driven by advances in GPU rendering and realtime graphics pioneered by companies such as NVIDIA, Epic Games, Autodesk, and Unity Technologies. Early work involved delivering playback solutions for touring acts and live events in the tradition of production houses like Rockwell Group and Cirque du Soleil. The company grew alongside developments in virtual production established on projects like The Mandalorian and cinematic workflows popularized by Industrial Light & Magic and Weta Digital. Strategic partnerships and integrations with vendors including Blackmagic Design, AJA Video Systems, and ArKaos expanded disguise's market into broadcast and fixed installations. Over time, disguise transitioned from single-purpose media servers toward comprehensive pipelines incorporating real-time engines, nodal compositing, and camera-tracked LED stages that echo practices at studios such as Pinewood Studios and Shepperton Studios.

Products and Technology

disguise produces a suite of hardware and software products enabling real-time playback, visualization, and virtual production. Core offerings include high-performance media servers that compete with systems by Avid Technology, EVS Broadcast Equipment, and Harris Corporation-class broadcast gear. The software stack interoperates with renderers and engines from Unreal Engine, Unity, and offline toolchains from Autodesk Maya and SideFX Houdini. Integration with camera-tracking systems from Mo-Sys Engineering and Stype enables LED volume synchronization used on productions similar to those executed by Sony Pictures Studios and Warner Bros. Virtual production workflows incorporate techniques from ILM, Weta FX, and Framestore while supporting industry standards like SMPTE timing and protocols used by Dante (networking) and PTP. disguise also offers visualization tools for previsualization and venue simulation used by architects and designers working in contexts akin to Foster + Partners and Zaha Hadid Architects.

Notable Projects and Clients

disguise systems have been deployed for major concert tours by artists and production companies comparable to U2, Beyoncé, Coldplay, and Radiohead', as well as for festivals and ceremonies resembling the Olympic Games opening ceremonies and Super Bowl halftime shows. Broadcast applications include studio reconfigurations and augmented reality sequences for networks such as BBC, CNN, Sky and productions tied to events like Eurovision Song Contest. In film and television, disguise technology has been used on stages comparable to those for The Mandalorian, Avatar, and high-end commercials produced by agencies like Wieden+Kennedy and Droga5. Corporate and experiential projects span clients similar to Apple Inc., Samsung, and Google for product launches and trade shows at venues such as ExCeL London and Las Vegas Convention Center.

Corporate Structure and Leadership

disguise is organized as a privately held company with executive leadership, product engineering, sales, and professional services divisions. The executive team has included leaders with backgrounds at Sony, Harman International, Cirque du Soleil, and Avid Technology. Operational units collaborate with external partners in hardware manufacturing and systems integration comparable to Barco, Christie Digital, and Leyard. The company maintains regional offices and studio facilities similar to networks of WME, Creative Artists Agency, and regional production houses in markets including Los Angeles, New York City, Berlin, Shanghai, and Sydney.

Funding and Financials

disguise has raised venture capital and strategic investment rounds from technology and media investors akin to firms such as Insight Partners, Accel Partners, and Atomico. Financial strategy has balanced product sales, recurring software licensing, and high-margin professional services resembling revenue models used by Autodesk and Adobe Inc.. The company has pursued growth through customer financing, partnerships with event production firms similar to Live Nation and AEG Presents, and by expanding rental inventory for large-scale tours and studio stages comparable to Panavision operations.

Awards and Recognition

disguise has been recognized by trade organizations and industry publications analogous to The Stage, Variety, Broadcast, and award bodies similar to the Royal Television Society and D&AD. The company’s work on virtual production and live events has earned honors in categories reflecting excellence in technical innovation, production design, and immersive experience, paralleling awards received by leading visual effects houses like Framestore and Method Studios.

Category:Technology companies