Meet Stuart Green, the new CEO at CAST Group, the Toronto-based company for previsualization, tracking, and automation technology, including wysiwyg and BlackTrax. Green succeeds CAST's founder and CEO, Gil Densham...
Live Design: What was your career path leading to the CEO position at CAST?
Stuart Green: My career path has been an exciting and rewarding journey from a grass-roots technician, to programmer, lighting designer and company director, before moving into education as a senior lecturer and external Examiner for BSc (Hons) courses in Lighting Design and Live Event Technology. Every step of the way, the valuable experience gained in those roles, combined with my education in business prepared me for becoming CEO of CAST.
LD: Gil Densham has left some pretty big shoes to fill, what would you say you have learned from him and what do you see as your biggest challenges?
SG: Gil is an inspirational and highly respected pioneer; he has left a lasting legacy at CAST and within the wider entertainment industry. I was privileged to work alongside Gil for a number of years and experienced first-hand how his visionary leadership helped create a working environment where everyone felt valued and empowered to contribute. Working with him, I learned the importance of strong communication, collaboration, and dedication to achieving the best results. As I take on this role, my biggest challenge will be continuing his legacy by leading the team to even greater success.
LD: How do you keep wysiwyg to be a viable product in a forever-changing landscape?
SG: Developing and maintaining wysiwyg (or indeed any software application) in an ever-changing landscape can be a challenging task. However, by being agile in our approach to product development, staying aware of the latest industry trends and making conscious efforts to understand customer needs we ensure wysiwyg changes accordingly and delivers the exacting functionality and quality tools required by lighting designers and programmers for speedy and professional drafting, pre-visualization and programming within theater, concerts and corporate events.
LD: How is the company different post-Pandemic?
SG: The pandemic taught us some important lessons that have contributed towards our roadmap for the future. CAST, like many companies in the industry, was impacted by supply chain issues forcing us to think differently and adapt to an ever-changing landscape. As a company we have become more agile and increased our creativity. Adapting, reallocating resources and developing innovative solutions and strategies has enabled us to become more competitive whilst providing quality products, services and support throughout the pandemic and beyond.
LD: What lies ahead for the company?
SG: CAST continues to develop innovative solutions for the live event industry. Most recently, we launched a new version of BlackTrax. BlackTrax BT-1 is a compact and affordable single integration tracking solution designed for small to medium size projects that delivers the same precision, control capabilities and reliability as BlackTrax in an easily portable kit. Blacktrax BT-1 opens up the world of lighting, media and audio automation to a whole new market of customers who may have previously thought this sort of technology was out of their reach.
wysiwyg is undergoing an evolution, with an accelerated road map already in place for 2024, to coincide with the 30th anniversary of CAST. wysiwyg 2024 will remain true to the original values of the product which is to provide designers and programmers with the most complete, all-in-one lighting design software for the entertainment industry whilst delivering the tools they need for the future.
With focus on innovation, there is no doubt that CAST will be at the forefront of automation and previsualization in the years to come.
LS: What advice would you give young people entering our industry today?
SG: The entertainment industry is a very exciting place to be right now; there are so many fantastic opportunities for those considering this as a career. No matter what your field of interest be passionate and be curious; learn about your craft in any way you can. Staying up to date with industry trends is important therefore carrying out research, developing the skills, knowledge and competencies needed for your desired field of work is a must. Don’t undervalue the power of reading! Having a good grounding in Science, Maths and Technology will stand you in good stead no matter what your field of interest or specialism. There are more routes into the industry than ever before, whatever you do, get your name out there and get to know people already in the industry. Attending trade shows such LDI are a great way to learn new skills and network. Always carry an up-to-date CV and business card, you never know when an opportunity may arise. You are the future generation of this industry; you will shape and innovate it. Be creative, passionate and hold true to your values but always seek to stand out from the crowd.
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