Northstar · Compose
Design software

Compose.
Author the show.

A desktop application for designing Northstar shows on a laptop, completely offline. Drag-and-drop cues, time-aligned sequences, daily schedules, version control. When you're ready, deploy to Helm with one click.

compose · your-show.show
00:00 scene_1.open
00:04 fog.start
00:12 lights.fade(red, 2s)
00:18 effect.fire(zone_3)
00:22 audio.cue(sting_01)
00:28 scene_1.reset
What Compose gives you

A real authoring environment.

No proprietary timeline that locks you in. Compose stores shows as readable, diffable files you can put in version control and ship like code.

Time-aligned cues

Drop cues on a millisecond timeline. Group them into scenes. Branch into alt paths based on triggers from Polaris.

Live virtual rehearsal

Hit play on the laptop. Watch the show run in a virtual venue. Catch timing bugs before they cost a guest cycle.

Node bindings

Map cues to Polaris outputs by friendly name. Rename zones without re-wiring every cue.

Asset library

Audio files, lighting palettes, image cues, video clips — all kept in your project, deployed alongside the show file.

Version-control friendly

Show files are plain text under the hood. Diff them, branch them, code-review them. Roll back when Friday's change broke Saturday.

One-click deploy

Validate locally, then push to Helm over the venue network. Atomic swap. Undo fast if you don't like it.

Specifications

Runs where you do.

Compose is a native desktop app on Windows and macOS. No browser, no plugin, no cloud sync. Your show stays on your laptop until you push it.

Offline-firstNative desktopIncluded with Helm
Platforms
Windows 10/11, macOS 12+
CPU
x86-64 or Apple Silicon
Memory
4 GB minimum, 8 GB recommended
Storage
~200 MB for the app + your show project
Internet
Not required for normal use
Show file format
JSON-based, human-readable, diff-friendly
Deploy target
Any Helm on the venue network
License
Included with every Helm — no per-seat cost

See Compose with your own show file.

Book a remote walkthrough. Bring a show concept or an existing rig — we'll show you how it'd look in Compose.