When art and technology collide, the opportunity for immersive experience and sensory engagement can be taken to new heights. Hence, a chance glimpse of the UK’s “Gadget Man” featuring SensoryCo’s SmX-1 Scent Generator sparked the imagination of accomplished perfumer and scent artist Alfonso Hernandez-Nicolai, inspiring new tech and aroma applications for live events and concerts.
Alfonso Hernandez-Nicolai
Hernandez-Nicolai, an alumnus of LA’s Institute of Art & Olfaction (IAO), is passionate about making fragrance more accessible as well as exploring the technical and elemental components that create scent. His curiosity and innovation have manifested in the form of sensory storytelling encapsulated in the poetic nature of scent. This is the principal foundation of TEOREMA, his experiential scent studio that partners with brands, performing artists, and creatives alike to transform communication through scent. As the darling of last year’s Scent Week, Los Angeles, Hernandez-Nicolai joined the IAO as a programming partner to present a fully immersive multi-sensory screening of the neo-noir classic film Blade Runner. As part of his Cinema SENTIR film series held at The Aster Hollywood, a boutique hotel and private members’ social club, these screenings feature 4D sensory activations of scent, taste, and atmospherics, which transform the cinematic experience into a hyper-sensory environment using ambient “scent scores” cued to sync with the on-screen action.
Hernandez-Nicolai was tapped by Dream Crew to integrate fragrance into live performance installations with the SensoryCo scent system selected for potential concert tour installations.
Working with SensoryCo to Introduce Scent into A Multi-Venue Live Concert Tour
Opportunity:
Create an ambient fragrance reflective of a performer’s persona that is portable and has scaleable distribution capabilities to support a multi-venue concert tour.
The Scent:
Based upon the scents defined by the production company, Hernandez-Nicolai focused on cultivating an ambient fragrance reflecting a persona that could transform a space while communicating a mood and an emotion during specific musical songs or specific scenes in the specified show. For example, silk rose petals were to be dropped during a live performance. To enhance the vibe, Hernandez-Nicolai infused notes of amber rose and tobacco and blended them to create a sensual, moody fragrance that fits the tone and general sense of romance and intrigue depicted. The sensory combination of sound, scent, and sight can create a very authentic experiential effect.
The Process:
Hernandez-Nicolai experimented with many different technologies for scent distribution and could not find a solution that could meet the logistical demands of a concert tour. SensoryCo’s scent generators and scenting systems demonstrated a high performance, scale-able output while easily portable for travel, set-up, and production control. Hernandez-Nicolai and SensoryCo’s design team worked together to create a custom scent system solution that took into account the size of the venues (height and depth of environment), placement of systems (proximity to intended audience), airflow, automated release timing, the density of smell and lingering content. Once the scenting system was identified and tested, SensoryCo took Hernandez-Nicolai’s fragrance formula to create scent cartridges that held the “signature” aroma.
The Technology:
To satisfy the design parameters presented by different concert venues, SensoryCo provided a plan that would apply several SensoryCo SmXT1 large-space scenting units to be placed strategically throughout each space. The units would be assisted by fans to distribute aroma from each placement to a more expansive target area. The SmXT1 is unique in that it provides a highly saturated output of sub-micron scent particles into space, all from a very compact device. The fans pull and dilute the output while providing the ability to cover large areas. Scents are triggered using a direct DMX connection or switched relay, so the timing and output can be very precise.
Challenges:
“Of the many variables and factors considered in the delivery of a successful scent solution, the fast turn-around and delivery required to, literally, get on the road. Designing an immersive solution coordinated with live music and entertainment was done in real-time with formulation, R&D, testing, and a large run of shows extremely quickly. On the technical side, finding a scent distribution machine or generator to distribute targeted scent in very large venues (such as Madison Square Garden) was difficult, but SensoryCo’s scent systems did not have these limitations.” – Alfonso Hernandez-Nicolai
Success:
“This has been the best relationship I’ve developed with a vendor so far. Having focused on product design to really, specifically trying to build fragrances for immersive experiences, it has been really great to find a company that understands that this industry is looking to expand its ability to connect with customers and clients through scent. SensoryCo has been readily available to problem solve, and the partnership has been amazing in terms of communications. The team at SensoryCo has gone above and beyond to make things work and they’ve truly been open to feedback. I look forward to working with them on future projects and to explore how to implement fragrance in different types of atmospheres with different approaches…even take a more directional approach.” – Alfonso Hernandez-Nicolai