Magian Design Studio

ABOUT OUR COMPANY

Magian Design Studio is committed to creative excellence applied to devising
elegant, effective and integrated digital media communications for the
cultural heritage, science, education, theme park and environmental sectors.

Magian delivers all aspects of multimedia design, production and implementation to the cultural sector internationally. We design and produce digital media projects for museums and science centres, zoos and aquariums, educational and other institutions.

We have extensive experience working with interactive multimedia for touchscreens, multitouch walls and theatres, on-line media, smartphone apps, software development, interpretive content development, video, audio and soundscapes, print graphics and the integration of media into exhibition design.

We consider collaboration a core value. We work closely with our clients, with exhibit designers and architects to design and develop media exhibit concepts, content, and technical infrastructure to produce the very best results using the most appropriate technologies within available budgets.

The wide range of skills and experience at Magian enables us to design for integrated projects from conceptual design to technical engineering, from pre-production to commissioning, and post installation support.

Our Services

Designing multimedia for exhibitions

Magian has many years of experience designing multimedia for exhibitions. Our designers pay close attention to sympathetically integrating media experiences into the exhibition design. We support of interpretive messages by weaving media into other forms of communication both to accommodate the wide variety of learning styles layeringvisitors bring to their exhibition experience and to enrich the messages.

Multimedia Concepts

Magian has more than 30 years of international experience designing media for exhibitions. We work across a wide range of media and types of public spaces within the cultural and heritage sector. Magian is able to contribute at a significant depth to project teams working to develop exhibit media concepts for museums and similar institutions.

Graphical interface design

Our graphic interface designers pay careful attention not only to usability but also to producing interfaces that are beautiful to look at and a pleasure to work with.

Technical infrastructure design

Magian is practiced at reviewing the technical infrastructure requirements of exhibitions under development and defining their suitability to the context, for the future, the budget and those entrusted with managing them "after the champagne has been polished off".

Specialist software research and design

Magian software developers are experts at finding creative solutions to make the intentions and aspirations of those envisioning media experiences possible. They also develop solutions that are practical and robust to serve the needs of visitors.

Producing Multimedia for Exhibitions

Magian's more than two decades of experience designing, developing and producing multimedia for exhibits around the world has given us a strong base from which to work with clients to realise rich and engaging experiences woven into the design and intent of exhibitions in museums and similar institutions. Over the period of time in which Magian has been working in this fascinating area, the company has been able to benefit from the way in which technologies have also evolved to deepen visitor experience.

Project Management

All Magian projects have a dedicated project manager who is the principal contact for the client team. At all stages of a project's life our project managers will liaise with project stake-holders, and maintain control over schedules, the budget and the integrity of the production process. Project managers work internally with creative and technical directors to safe-guard our client's vision.

Implementation of Graphical Interface Designs

Magian takes particular pride and care in the work we do to design effective and beautiful multimedia graphical interfaces. We are interested both in the surface beauty of a digital interface and the deeper issues of usability across all ages as well as in intuitive navigation.

Developing Media Rich Interpretive Content

While Magian regularly receives content for media programs directly from clients and other contractors on a project, we are also experienced in all aspects of content development for interpreting history, natural history, science and art. Working internationally, Magian is also familiar with working in other cultures and in delivering content in more than one language.

Specialist software development

Since its inception in 1993 Magian has been committed to research and development for all our software applications, notably the DiAC (Digital interactivity and Control) show-control system and MMaPS (Media Management and Publishing System). Our team of dedicated software developers are constantly working to push the boundaries of functionality for media exhibits, while remaining serious about sustainable, robust performance to meet the demanding standards of our museum clients.

implementation and testing
Magian has a strong commitment to thorough internal testing prior to implementation and on-site testing before our multimedia products are released for public display.
on-site software commissioning
Magian typically sends a technical team on-site to commission multimedia software developed for exhibitions. Magian does not purchase or install hardware to site but will always prefer to specify all aspects of hardware and connectivity for our projects to ensure that there are not incompatibilities between all aspects of the technical infrastructure, third party software and applications, and Magian's software.
remote site maintenance
Magian typically works with clients to set up protocols to enable easy access to networked multimedia programs to provide simple post-installation access for maintenance and troubleshooting. Magian software carries a 12 month warranty against software errors but we are also able to provide support in troubleshooting hardware if required.

Consultancies

Magian is well placed to assist clients in planning for the integration of media into either a single exhibition or an entire site. Magian staff can offer experience gained over many years working with hundreds of people – clients, artists and other designers, architects, story-tellers, hardware specialists and our gifted staff. We have gathered around us ways of looking, thinking, and being that contribute strongly to communication practice in the fields of culture and science.

Reviewing client multimedia briefs

Magian is practiced at being able to make rapid assessments of multimedia in existing exhibit designs. Our process typically covers a review of functionality within the planned built environment, suitability of delivery in relation to such things as light-levels and circulation, hardware costing against available budget, hardware suitability and lead-times, and scheduling for production.

Project Planning

Magian has a great deal of experience in the planning of projects. We take into consideration the procurement of hardware, sourcing and development of content, both graphic interface design and software development, rigorous testing and on-site implementation.

Hardware Advice and Specification

Over many years of developing projects in many different countries, Magian is expert at sourcing information for the needs of technical infrastructure as well as the specification of hardware of all types. We are also able to work within the requirements of different countries to minimise hardware costs.

Multimedia Hardware and Production Budgeting

Magian is practiced at providing reliable budgeting for hardware, technical infrastructure and multimedia production in the early stages of conceptual design for exhibits for all types of museums, visitor centres, zoos, aquariums, science centres and theme parks.

Our Staff

Gillian Chaplin and Les Gilbert constantly work to push the boundaries around visitor experiences. They are supported by a strong team of software and technical developers, graphic designers, audio engineers and videographers. Magian also works with a trusted group of content developers and project managers who join our project teams depending on the necessary specialist requirements of specific projects.

We have specialist knowledge of museums and similar institutions and the processes they go through to create public exhibitions. We have experience and expertise gained working in museums, zoos, aquariums and other interpretive institutions around the world. We have completed a great variety of international projects in many different cultures and countries.

Over the twenty-five years that we have been working with clients on four continents and in many countries, Magian has always had a team of dedicated people working to deliver interesting, and often ground-breaking projects. Our company has gathered a broad understanding of the possibilities for media in public places.

The people at Magian can take a media project from inception through to final implementation and post-commissioning support. All design considerations are accounted for to ensure that a project's creative vision as well as its budgets and schedules are met. Typically one of our team members will be a national who speaks the language and can assist us culturally when we work on projects that do not have English as the first language.

ABOUT OUR COMPANY