Tin Drum, Inc.
Tin Drum is a Pittsburgh-based mixed reality entertainment company that developed proprietary "Full Dimensional Film" technology to capture and present performances through transparent headsets. It produces immersive theatrical works at elite venues like The Shed, V&A, and Serpentine Gallery.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- Headquarters—
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Tin Drum, Inc. does
Tin Drum, Inc. is a private mixed reality entertainment company headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA that has developed a proprietary dimensional recording and presentation technology branded "Full Dimensional Film." The technology captures performances in three dimensions and presents them through optically transparent headsets in real time, allowing audiences to move freely around an empty performance space and experience a performer as a dimensional figure without a screen barrier. Tin Drum describes Full Dimensional Film as the first truly new visual medium since the advent of moving pictures. Its portfolio of productions includes THE LIFE (2019, featuring Marina Abramović, premiered at Serpentine Gallery London), Medusa (2021/2023, an architectural mixed reality installation co-created with architect Sou Fujimoto and artist Yoyo Munk for the V&A Museum and Pioneer Works), KAGAMI (2023, a virtual piano performance by the late Ryuichi Sakamoto, presented at The Shed and Manchester International Festival), and An Ark (2026, a 47-minute theatrical play starring Ian McKellen, premiered at The Shed as the first large-scale theatrical production created for mixed reality).
The company generates revenue through a project-based model combining ticketed exhibitions at partner venues, commissioned works with artists and institutions, auction sales of editions through Christie's, and companion publishing and merchandise (e.g., the Medusa book with Hurtwood Press). Its go-to-market is event-driven and institutionally anchored: each production is developed over a multi-year cycle and staged in limited engagements at high-prestige venues such as The Shed, Serpentine Gallery, V&A Museum, Pioneer Works, and international design/theater festivals, with awareness amplified through tier-one press and PR agency Bread and Butter.
Tin Drum operates with a lean team of approximately five employees, relying on an extended network of contracted producers, technical partners (4DViews for capture, Rhizomatiks for motion capture, d&b Soundscape for audio, Yamaha for Disklavier pianos), and creative collaborators (architects, scent designers, composers). Geographic reach spans the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Hong Kong, with leadership anchored by founder/director Todd Eckert. The company has no disclosed funding rounds or institutional investors, and its customer base is concentrated among a handful of elite cultural institutions.
Tin Drum, Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tin Drum, Inc.
- Legal name
- Tin Drum, Inc.
- Website
- https://tindrum.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Tin Drum is a Pittsburgh-based mixed reality entertainment company that developed proprietary "Full Dimensional Film" technology to capture and present performances through transparent headsets. It produces immersive theatrical works at elite venues like The Shed, V&A, and Serpentine Gallery.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tin Drum, Inc. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Immersive Mixed Reality Productions
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Performing Arts Companies (7111)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Camera Tracking, Motion Capture & Performance Capture (MPAHADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Immersive/Spatial Audio Production (Dolby Atmos, 5.1/7.1, Binaural) (MPAHAEAJ), Virtual Concerts & Music Festivals (Livestreamed Performances) (MPAGAOAD), Sound Design (Creative/Design-Heavy FX, World-Building) (MPAHAEAE)
Keywords
Tin Drum, Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Exhibition and Performance Ticketing: Ticket sales for live mixed reality performances and exhibitions at venues like The Shed, Serpentine Gallery, and international festivals. Productions run for limited engagements.
- Art Sales and Auction: Works sold at auction through prestigious auction houses like Christie's. The Life was successfully sold during Christie's London 2020 fall offering.
- Publishing and Merchandise: Companion books and publications for installations, such as the Medusa book published with Hurtwood Press.
- Commissioned Works: Collaborations with major artists and institutions to create bespoke Full Dimensional Film experiences. Partnerships with artists like Marina Abramovic, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Ian McKellen.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Tin Drum, Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tin Drum develops and produces Full Dimensional Film, a proprietary dimensional recording and presentation technology, and uses it to create large-scale mixed reality theatrical and artistic experiences. Productions are commissioned in collaboration with world-renowned artists and presented at flagship cultural venues and festivals worldwide, with audiences viewing performances in real time through optically transparent headsets.
Product overview
Tin Drum, Inc. is a mixed reality entertainment company that has developed Full Dimensional Film, a proprietary dimensional recording and presentation technology described as the first new visual medium since moving pictures. The company creates immersive theatrical and artistic experiences that blend live performance with mixed reality technology. Their portfolio includes An Ark (the first large-scale theatrical mixed reality production featuring Ian McKellen), KAGAMI (a virtual Ryuichi Sakamoto piano performance), Medusa (an architectural mixed reality installation), and THE LIFE (a Marina Abramović performance). These works are presented at galleries, festivals, and venues worldwide, with audiences wearing optically transparent headsets to experience performances in real-time.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Full Dimensional Film: A complete rethink of visual recording and presentation—the first truly new visual medium since moving pictures. It is dimensionally recorded and dimensionally presented, where the performance happens in the room with the audience in real time.
Products and services
- Full Dimensional Film Tin Drum's proprietary dimensional recording and presentation technology that captures performances volumetrically and presents them in real time in mixed reality, allowing audiences to move freely and alter their viewing experience.
- THE LIFE A 19-minute Full Dimensional Film experience featuring an original performance by Marina Abramović, presented in-the-round via mixed reality headsets; explores memory and human connection.
- Medusa A generative mixed reality installation exploring evolving architecture without physical form, created with scientist/artist Yoyo Munk and architect Sou Fujimoto; features thousands of hanging overhead columns whose motion is inspired by auroras and bioluminescent siphonophores.
- KAGAMI A Full Dimensional Film mixed reality experience featuring virtual performances by the late composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, including a virtual Disklavier piano intended to perform for years, decades, and centuries.
- An Ark A 47-minute immersive play in mixed reality exploring the human condition from childhood through death, directed by Todd Eckert and presented in-the-round via optically transparent headsets.
Quantifiable outcome
- THE LIFE was the first large-scale Mixed Reality exhibition ever presented to the public
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Tin Drum, Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Tin Drum, Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Tin Drum, Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- The Shed (An Ark)flagshipTin Drum and The Shed presented the world premiere of AN ARK - the first play created for and in mixed reality. Running January 9 - April 4, 2026.
- The ShedflagshipThe Shed in New York presented KAGAMI world premiere (June-July 2023) and AN ARK world premiere (January-April 2026).
- Pioneer WorkscorePioneer Works in Brooklyn hosted Medusa exhibition in 2023 with a new form adapted to the main gallery hall.
- Manchester International Festival / Factory InternationalcoreKAGAMI was presented at the Manchester International Festival at Factory International in July 2023.
- Hurtwood PresscoreTin Drum and Hurtwood Press published the Medusa companion book featuring essays by Yoyo Munk and conversations with various artists.
- V&A MuseumflagshipV&A Museum hosted Medusa as the headlining installation for the London Design Festival 2021, taking its initial form within the Raphael Court.
- London Design FestivalflagshipMedusa premiered as headlining installation for the London Design Festival 2021 in collaboration with Director Ben Evans.
- Christie'scoreTHE LIFE was successfully sold at Christie's London 2020 fall auction offering during a pause in COVID lockdown restrictions.
- Billions AgencyminorBooking agency for KAGAMI production.
- Bread and ButterminorPR agency handling marketing and press enquiries for Tin Drum.
- RhizomatikscoreJapanese studio involved in KAGAMI motion capture and visual production, led by Daito Manabe.
- 4DViewscoreFrench capture technology provider for AN ARK production.
- Sou FujimotocoreArchitect and conceptual designer for Medusa project, collaborating on evolving architecture with no physical form.
- SIMPLICITY (Shinichiro Ogata)minorDesigned and directed the KAGAMI scent in collaboration with Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Tin Drum, Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- teamLab: Japan-based collective producing large-scale immersive digital art installations shown at museums and festivals worldwide. Highly comparable to Tin Drum's model of monetizing mixed-reality art experiences at prestigious cultural venues, though at significantly larger scale.
- Felix & Paul Studios: Immersive VR/AR content studio producing high-profile documentary and narrative experiences shown at cultural institutions. Comparable in building premium immersive storytelling experiences with major cultural partners.
- Dimension Studios: UK volumetric video and VFX capture studio serving entertainment and live-event clients. Closest technical peer in dimensional/volumetric performance capture for entertainment applications.
- Meow Wolf: Immersive art experience company operating large-scale permanent and touring installations built around narrative and experimental technology. Comparable in monetizing immersive artistic experiences to mass audiences through ticketed venues.
- Artechouse: Operator of dedicated immersive art exhibition venues in Washington D.C., New York, and Miami. Comparable business model of monetizing ticketed mixed-reality/digital art experiences through partnerships with artists and cultural brands.
- Refik Anadol Studio: Studio creating data-driven, AI-generated immersive installations exhibited at museums (e.g., MoMA, Serpentine) and sold at auction. Comparable in producing premium-priced immersive digital artworks commissioned by cultural institutions and collectors.
- Magnopus: Los Angeles studio specializing in mixed reality, virtual production, and real-time 3D experiences for entertainment brands. Comparable in delivering mixed-reality and real-time production pipelines to entertainment and cultural clients.
- Rhizomatiks: Tokyo-based technology-driven art and performance studio led by Daito Manabe, working in motion capture and live performance. A direct collaborator on Tin Drum's KAGAMI and a peer in fusing real-time performance capture with stage production.
Broad incumbents
- Industrial Light & Magic: Lucasfilm's VFX and virtual production division operating stagecraft and LED-volume-based virtual production at scale. Comparable as a broad incumbent in performance capture, virtual production, and immersive visual storytelling, with much larger resources.
Emerging players
- Within: VR entertainment platform and content producer focused on premium immersive narrative experiences. Comparable in producing headset-delivered immersive entertainment, though distributed via consumer VR rather than venue-based exhibition.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Tin Drum, Inc. social profiles
Digital presenceTin Drum, Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tin Drum, Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Tin Drum, Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tin Drum, Inc. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tin Drum, Inc.
What does Tin Drum, Inc. do?
Tin Drum develops and produces Full Dimensional Film, a proprietary dimensional recording and presentation technology, and uses it to create large-scale mixed reality theatrical and artistic experiences. Productions are commissioned in collaboration with world-renowned artists and presented at flagship cultural venues and festivals worldwide, with audiences viewing performances in real time through optically transparent headsets.
Is Tin Drum, Inc. a public or private company?
Tin Drum, Inc. is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Tin Drum, Inc. founded?
Tin Drum, Inc. was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
How does Tin Drum, Inc. make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Exhibition and Performance Ticketing is the primary driver. The others are art Sales and Auction, publishing and Merchandise and commissioned Works.
Who are Tin Drum, Inc.'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are teamLab, Felix & Paul Studios, Dimension Studios, Meow Wolf, Artechouse, Refik Anadol Studio, Magnopus and Rhizomatiks. Industrial Light & Magic is listed as a broad incumbent. Within is listed as an emerging player.
Does Tin Drum, Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tin Drum, Inc..
What industry is Tin Drum, Inc. in?
Tin Drum, Inc.'s product category is Immersive Mixed Reality Productions. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAHADAC, Camera Tracking, Motion Capture & Performance Capture, with a secondary code of MPAHAEAJ, Immersive/Spatial Audio Production (Dolby Atmos, 5.1/7.1, Binaural). Its NAICS code is 512 and its SIC code is 7812.