CEO of Black Ink Presents
Website: blackinkpresents.com
Most recent: Labyrinth: In Concert
John Kinsner first started working in concert production as a teenager in Colorado Springs. His mom, who worked at the city’s Broadmoor World Arena, got him gigs as a runner or assistant. “She knew I was obsessed with music and WWE wrestling and all these events, and since I wasn’t the greatest student, she said I’d have to be a great worker,” he said. More than 20 years later, Kinsner has worked with Disney Concerts, Paramount, Danny Elfman, Elton John, and worked on, produced and developed tours for Live Nation, AEG, William Morris Endeavor, CAA and more.
He’s now CEO of Black Ink Presents, a film-to-orchestra service that has transformed iconic films like The Nightmare Before Christmas, La La Land and Batman into live concert experiences. Of founding Black Ink Presents, Kinsner says, “I realized this medium at the intersection of film, concert and media wasn’t going anywhere, and that I should start a business focused on helping film and video game makers leverage and launch their product into the live spectrum.”
Most recently, Black Ink Presents brought Jim Henson’s ’80s cult classic Labyrinth to life this fall. “I grew up loving and watching this movie on VHS, and Labyrinth was my introduction to David Bowie. The Henson and Bowie estates were very enthusiastic,” Kinsner says.
With technology constantly evolving, Kinsner sees the film concert experience evolving with it to create even more immersive experiences in the future. “If we can transport you inside of a story or inside a world, that’s the goal. If we can suspend your disbelief through the experience, then we’ve done our job. We’ll continue to incorporate new technology to make that happen,” he says. “One of my mentors said follow your passion, and the rest will fall in place.”
