Matthew DuPlessie, Founder & CEO of Level99 and 5 Wits, joins Charlie Melcher to explore a different approach to immersive experience design.
Level99 is built as an open world of short, high-intensity challenges. Guests move through it in small teams, choosing where to go, repeating rooms, and improving over time. Progress carries across visits, so the experience evolves the more you engage with it.
Matt shares why they moved away from traditional narrative, and what changes when storytelling takes a step back and participation takes the lead.
To learn more, visit our website at fost.org.
To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.
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© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.
Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.
124 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011
Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher
Director, Carolyn Merriman
Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson
in collaboration with Charts & Leisure
Founder, Jason Oberholtzer
Producer, Meghal Janardan
Editor, Garrett Crowe
Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli
With special thanks to Matt DuPlessie, Madison Brown, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.
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