The Slap Heard Around the World: When Events go Off-Kilter
Typically, the headlines emerging on media the day post-Oscars are all about who won Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Actress. Not so with last night s 94th Oscars, as these headlines demonstrate:
Will Smith Smacks Chris Rock on Oscar Stage After Jada Pinkett Smith Joke Variety
Violence Instead of Words : Will Smith Condemned for Hitting Chris Rock at the Oscars The Guardian
CODA Triumphs at the Oscars but Onstage Slap Takes Center Stage New York Times
Just to recap the series of events for anyone who is, like, whoa, what did I miss? (perhaps due to a brief weekend coma or, I don t know, a 14-day Peruvian ayahuasca-fueled silent retreat ya, that one was for those of you who read Will Smith s recent memoir):
Comedian Chris Rock was onstage at the Oscars to present the Oscar for best documentary feature.
Rock first took a prod at Javier Bardem and his wife Penelope Cruz, who were both nominated for top acting Oscars, stating now, if she loses, he can t win.
This was followed up by a dig at Smith s wife Jada Pinkett-Smith, saying Jada, I love ya, G.I. Jane 2, I can t wait to see it.
The camera pans to Pinkett-Smith, who rolls her eyes, visibly annoyed.
12 seconds later, Rock is moving on with his announcements and then says uh oh as Smith approaches him.
Smith smacks him, and then turns around and returns to his seat.
Rock says to the audience, Wow. Will Smith just smacked the shit out of me , as the audience laughs.
Smith yells at Rock from his seat, keep my wife s name out of your fucking mouth , audience laughter starts to die down.
Wow dude, it was a G.I. Jane joke, Rock shoots back.
Keep. My Wife s. Name. Out. Of. Your. Fucking. Mouth, Smith reiterates even louder.
Flustered, Rock says, I m going to, before then saying, this is the greatest night in the history of television.
End scene.
For those of us watching the Oscars as it live streamed, it was widely originally assumed to be a part of the act (and judging by the audience s laughter, they thought so too). Until it became apparent that it wasn t. Watch the uncensored video here.
Less than a half hour later, Smith went on to accept his first-ever Oscar for Best Actor for his role in King Richard . During his acceptance speech he apologized, through tears, to the Academy and to his fellow nominees, and alluded to art imitating life, drawing parallels between his King Richard characters crazy father tendencies and his still-hot-to-the-touch outburst, stating love will make you do crazy things.
Pinkett-Smith has been quite outspoken about her battle with alopecia and has opted to embrace her hair loss by shaving her head, hence the sensitivity around the bald joke.
We are betting that the smack heard around the world brought flashbacks to any event planner who has ever had their live event proceed not quite according to plan. When the show must go on, when minutes matter, when your audience (or in the case of the Oscars, millions of spectators around the world) is watching, how can you roll with the punches (ha, see what we did there)?
Breathe
Yep, this is a biggie. Stay calm. People are watching and looking to the event organizers as an indication of how to react. Staying cool and collected will help to boost morale around you and will help you to think more clearly and rationally about your next steps. Strategies for staying calm during an event crisis include taking deep breaths, focusing on the present, and even temporarily removing yourself from the situation if needed.
Turn to Your Event Safety and Disaster Plan
Disaster planning is a must-do for large scale events. Disasters come in all shapes and sizes, not just of the smacking and swearing variety. Elements of your disaster plan should include:
- Venue layout with exits and muster points clearly identified.
- Strategies for potential health and safety concerns and event escalation processes.
- Evacuation and shelter-in-place plans.
- Clear direction on how to deal with unacceptable behavior from event stakeholders.
- Contact information for key personnel.
Keep the Lines of Communication Open
In the absence of communication, people will jump to assumptions. Which is why it is so important to have a crisis communications plan as part of your disaster planning, one that identifies all relevant stakeholders, how they can be communicated with in the event of an incident, and who is responsible for delivering this communication.
but Also be Clear About Who is Authorized to Speak
There is a reason why we didn t see Carl from accounting speaking to the media about the Smith-Rock altercation after the fact. Because Carl from accounting has no damn business speaking on behalf of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on public relations manners.
Choosing the right spokesperson is critical. This individual will serve as the public image of your organization and should be able to present the organization in a positive light. Spokespeople need to feel comfortable in their role and be able to speak confidently in a variety of contexts on a variety of topics, whether in one-on-one meetings with journalists, on the phone, in a public meeting, or at a press conference. Having a designated spokesperson will add credibility to your event and ensure your message is consistent.
Learn From the Experience
All event planners should conduct some manner of post-mortem after every event. The idea behind the post-mortem meeting is to review the various elements of the completed work, track the entire life cycle of the project, and illustrate aspects that need to be discussed. Depending on the size and scope of the event, this could be a brief recap of lessons learned, or it could be a deeper exploration involving multiple parties.
To get an idea of what feedback your team members have before the meeting, you can submit a post-mortem questionnaire. Having a pre-meeting questionnaire gives all members of your team the opportunity to share their thoughts and opinions and ensures that no random detail goes unnoticed. Anonymizing a survey often results in more honest feedback, and an anonymous survey itself can save you time in the meeting by allowing you to jump straight into discussing next improvements and steps.
Event planning done right is a continuous cycle of planning, organizing, executing, evaluating, and improving.
As any event planner can attest to, the reality is that troubleshooting and live events go hand in hand. Ideally that troubleshooting is more minor audio issues and less smacking and cussing, but without a crystal ball there really is no way to tell what fun surprises your event will have in store for you. Which is why event planning is best left to the experts a team that you know will stay calm and steer your event through the storm. Like the team at Decibel Events.
What Else Happened at the Oscar s?
While the Smith-Rock incident dominated headlines, there was also an award show that happened on Sunday, a big and high profile one where several meaningful honors were bestowed. Here are some of the non-violent highlights from last night s event:
- The Oscars had three hosts this year – Regina Hall, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes. As Schumer quipped, the Academy hired three women to host because it s cheaper than hiring one man. Zing!
- CODA , a coming-of-age story of a girl with deaf parents, was the big winner of the night, taking home Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Troy Kotsur. Kotsur, the first deaf man to win an Oscar, delivered his acceptance speech in American Sign Language (ASL), and instead of the typical clapping from the audience, the Oscar s audience raised their hands in a gesture of silent applause.
- Another first was Ariana DeBose, the first openly queer woman of color, winning Best Supporting Actress for her role in West Side Story .
- Dune took home six awards, including Best Cinematography.
- There was some long-awaited cast reuniting moments, including cast members from Juno , The Godfather , Pulp Fiction , and White Men Can t Jump . Also, there was a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion of sorts, as Chris Rock had appeared in the sixth season of Will Smith s 90s sitcom. Sorry, we couldn t resist.
- Fashion-wise, the red carpet did not disappoint. Timothee Chalamet, Kirsten Dunst, Jessica Chastain, Elimia Jones, Simu Liu, Venus Williams, David Oyelowo, Lily James, and Zendaya were especially fashion-forward.
Event Trends for 2022
COVID-19 has been hella disruptive for a number of industries, including the event management sector. Concerts, conferences, expos, weddings, sports tournaments, award galas, bar mitzvahs all were put on hold while the world socially distanced itself in an attempt to curb the spread. And while the COVID battle is not yet over, with a good percentage of the population now vaccinated we are starting to see a slow return to the concerts and the conferences and the bar mitzvahs. Here we take a look at some of the key trends that event industry experts are forecasting for 2022 and beyond.
Virtual Will Continue to Have a Place in the Events Realm
Event goers have had a big ol taste of webinars, online trade shows, and virtual conferences this past 20 months. And while many are chomping at the bit to get back to the face-to-face gathering of yore, there are just as many who have become accustomed to the online experience, the flexibility it offers, the vehicle-less commute to their home office, the dress shirt on top, pajamas on bottom work-from-home wardrobe coziness. And for these folks, hybrid events will reign supreme.
Pajamas on bottom coziness aside, there are several compelling reasons to consider incorporating hybrid events into your programming calendar:
- Distance and travel are no longer barriers to attendance attendees can join from anywhere in the world which gives opportunities for tremendous reach.
- Unique opportunities for wannabe sponsors 80{04d9822e7d95da125d508d8e1efbcf2edc79acd8aec1f0bbdcbd6a6f684f9bb3} of corporate sponsors have expressed interest in virtual and hybrid event sponsorship.
- All the data who doesn t love data? Virtual and hybrid events give insights galore into your attendee preferences and engagement, insights that can then be used to inform future decision-making.
- Increased return on investment some serious money can be saved through virtual vs live events and with increased reach and scalability, this can translate into attractive margins.
There May be More Variants to Come
First there was COVID-19. Then there was the Alpha variant, which made its first appearance in Great Britain in November 2020. And then Delta became the predominant variant. And then a year later, Omicron swept the globe. Will Omicron be the final mutation, the one that brings the global community from pandemic to endemic? Please, oh for the love of Pete, let the answer by a resounding yes . However, it s just too early to say. For the time being, event planners need to assume that the virus will continue to be with us as the ultimate unwanted houseguest for some time, and plan accordingly. This means contingency planning in the case of a surge. This means considering how to accept proof of vaccination, and whether subsequent boosters will factor into your attendee requirements. This means finding ways to prioritize health and safety for your event attendees while still providing a fun and compelling experience.
Sustainability Will be the Norm
Eventbrite had identified sustainability as the number one event trend in 2020, and this is still a leading trend two years later. After years fraught with rising sea levels, wildfires, and deadly weather events, climate change action is on the minds of many global citizens, and all organizations have a role to play in adopting greener policies and processes. Reducing paper waste, sourcing eco-friendly swag, encouraging recycling at events, and using biodegradable items are just a handful of the ways in which event planners can be environmentally conscious.
Technology Solutions Will Continue to Evolve
The pandemic fast-tracked a whole new world of event technology solutions as event managers scrambled to transition to fully virtual events. And the tech world did not disappoint in their mad rush to accommodate this sudden and universal need. Whether your event is in-person, virtual, or hybrid, there are several new technological developments designed to improve the event experience all around.
Artificial Intelligence: While we re not quite in Blade Runner territory, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming used more and more in the event management space. Chatbots are increasingly employed to inform and connect with event attendees. AI is used to remove language barriers at international events by instantly translating attendee communications. AI can even be used to provide an enhanced networking experience to attendees by strategically matching those with similar event goals.
Facial Recognition: Facial recognition is a neat-o technology that allows one s face to serve as their form of identification. While there are obvious security benefits to this technology, the potential convenience applications are also rather tremendous. Imagine if you will, a long line-up full of travel-wearied and tired event attendees who neglected to print out their event confirmation specifics. That is a recipe for disaster. Now imagine this same group simply looking into a camera before having their identity and registration confirmed allowing them to seamlessly move through to the event floor. That is a recipe for happy attendee stew.
Mat Technology: Yep, this is a thing. Mat technology involves clever flooring that comes equipped with data tracking capabilities to measure and report on event analytics like what booths get the most foot traffic, what times of day were busiest, where were the low traffic spots. For those who love data as much as we do, it doesn t get much better than this!
Diverse Representation Among Your Event Stakeholders
It s 2022. Still think that diversity and inclusion don t matter? Just ask the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), that group of international journalists who are responsible for the Golden Globes. Once considered to be a primary staple of the Hollywood awards season, a February 2021 Los Angeles Times piece exposed some controversial realities about this group, including the following tidbits:
- Former HFPA President Meher Tatna shared that there hadn t been a Black member in the 90 person group for over twenty years.
- 30 HFPA members were flown to the Emily in Paris set in France in 2019, a show that subsequently received two nominations despite being much less critically acclaimed than other shows featuring actors of color such as I May Destroy You and Insecure.
- HFPA members would allegedly sell their tickets to the Golden Globes for upwards of $40,000.
Given these revelations and the ensuing outcry from the broader entertainment community, NBC opted to pull the plug on the 2022 Golden Globes, stating we continue to believe that the HFPA is committed to meaningful reform. However, change of this magnitude takes time and work, and we feel strongly that the HFPA needs time to do it right.
Diversity and inclusion matter and should be kept top of mind when hiring speakers, sourcing panelists, securing committee volunteers, and in determining programming content. Your attendees should see themselves reflected in the planning and delivery of your event.
Putting These Trends to Work for Your Next Event
What corporate events is your organization looking to pull off in 2022? Whatever it is, Decibel Events can help you to pull it off flawlessly. As a leading event production and management firm with experience in organizing everything from presidential events to massive trade shows to high-end corporate events, Decibel Event is right on top of all event management trends and knows how to best incorporate them into your next event. Let us help you to bring your event to life.
Third Year in the Running: Decibel Event Management Has Been Selected As One of the Busiest Meeting and Event Planners in Greater D.C.
We strive to put our best foot forward for every event, from start to finish. So, when we’re recognized not one, not two, but three years in a row by the Washington Business Journal, we’re grateful to know our efforts have paid off. Being selected as one of the “Busiest Meeting and Event Planners in Greater D.C.” indicates trust from our clients and a job, or many jobs, well done.
This could not have been possible without our tireless team of designers, producers, creators, heavy lifters, tech whizzes, and peers, all of whom put in the hours, the effort, and the creativity needed to consistently exceed expectations with every event they handle.
Decibel has managed virtual, hybrid and in-person events throughout the year. We have strived to do our part to keep the events industry alive during these difficult times by taking all the necessary health precautions in addition to launching an upcycling program. We have also brought our experience with hybrid and fully virtual events to our clients, helping them adapt to new technologies and new ways of community building.
Of course, competition is necessary to push the creative boundaries of these events and raise the bar higher each year. We want to extend our congratulations to some of our fellow nominees this year, including Linder Global Events, Hargrove LLC, RJ Whyte Event Production, and J Street Group LLC, all of whom are innovators in the field.
2021 has been a year of learning and developing new strategies to meet a changing industry and a changing world. As we look down the rapidly unfolding path of digital and virtual technologies, we hope only to increase the standard of our own work and inspire others in the field to do the same. We are so grateful for this opportunity and look forward to staying busy for years to come!
For more information about how we stay so busy, visit www.decibelmanagement.com.
Miniature Facade Mapping
EVERYTHING ELSE, FACADE MAPPING
Over the past few months we have posted a few times about Facade Mapping and how clients can use it bring a whole new visual element to an event. We stumbled upon this mini version of facade mapping last week and we watched in awe at the details and talent that was put into this futuristic children s book. This is the first ever projection mapped pop-up book, at least that we have found!
While this may not translate to the event industry, the creativity is astonishing and opens up a whole new world for art and technology to come together. The background is a fixed paper pop-up book that without light is plain, empty, and just cut-out white paper. With the projection, the scenery comes to life and tells a story.
Are you as impressed as we were? Take a look for yourself.
https://vimeo.com/davyandkristinmcguire/icebook
Flash Mob
EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS, TIPS & TRICKS
I love to highlight events that just work. A simple, yet focused idea that is met with seamless execution can have great results. These don t have to be expensive, or overly planned. I also like to give recognition to my hometown when I can.
The Winston-Salem Symphony pulled off a great promotional event a few days ago by performing a piece in the Belk s Department store. While this was not your traditional flash mob, it still holds as a great example. I am sure they worked with the mall and Belk s prior to the flash-mobbing as it would be quite hard to sneak in a piano AND a timpani. Even though they tipped their hand to the location, it was on message for their group (to promote their upcoming performance of Handel s Messiah) and brought attention into the store itself. This is a great example of using a flash-mob event to reinforce your brands message.
Blank Canvas
COMPANY NEWS, EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS
It ended up taking a week, and a few minor miracles, but we were able to get our new summer road show vehicle to the fabricator. I must hand it to both Utilimaster and Whitney over at Polaris who helped pull this off! A few more photos of the delivery after the jump
It was a rainy day in New Berlin, WI but the flatbed finally made the 200 mile journey from Wakarusa, IN. The truck is now in the fabrication bay and we are taking measurements and developing a template for the custom build as well as graphics. Look for more photos as the build progresses!
2013 The Special Event Chicago, IL
BACKSTAGE, COMPANY NEWS, EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS, TIPS & TRICKS, TRADE SHOW
Do you remember that feeling when you were a kid and your parents let you walk through the toy section of a store? The pure joy and excitment of the latest and greatest thing? That is exactly how it felt to walk through The Special Event in Chicago a few weeks ago.
The Special Event is one of the largest trade shows and conferences for event professionals. Vendors bring their A-Game to show the industry what they are capable of. Thousands from around the country and world come together to see the best of the best in our industry.
The trade show floor had a little bit of everything. Different types of lighting to cater to any event, linens of every fabric, software for anything from layouts to registration, and much more in between.
We found quite a few potential vendors within the trade show and look forward to working with them in the future. Here are a few pictures from the tradeshow floor.
The conference portion was both interesting and informative. We learned a lot about the trends and issues in the event industry and are excited to bring the knowledge back to our clients.
We were also able to attend one of the extra events during the show. The ballroom was setup by some of the best vendors in the industry to resemble an upscale reception. Some of the best aspects included the ice DJ Booth by Nadeau s Ice Sculptures, the live music from the Becca Kaufman Orchestra, and modern furniture from Cort Event Furnishings and AFR Event Furnishings.
The Special Event was a great experience that every event professional should have at some point in their career. We learned a ton and met a lot of great people. Cannot wait until 2014 when the conference will be held in Nashville, TN at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Convention Center.
Political Debate Production
BACKSTAGE, COMPANY NEWS, EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS
Recently, we were invited to assist a campaign with advance work for the CNBC debate in Michigan. We spend a lovely week in Detroit advancing the debate at Oakland University, as well as various smaller events throughout the week. We love debate production and what goes on behind the scenes. This one was particularly well produced and we have some great shots of setup. The first few are of the hall itself, as well as backstage. The final shot is from the filing center and spin alley.
Stage Set- Andr Ch nier
EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS
This is a bit out of the norm for a dB Blog post, but thought it was worth sharing. I don t know many details, but this is a stunning stage set and production on Lake Constance in Austria. Love the creativity and talent shown here. Thanks to Gizmodo (by way of WSJ) for finding the photo.
We have included some additional information from their site: http://www.bregenzerfestspiele.com/en/node/1686
Andr Ch nier
Opera in four acts by Umberto Giordano
Opera in four acts, sung in Italian.
Music by Umberto Giordano. Libretto by Luigi Illica.
Premiere on 20 July 2011 9.15 p.m., Seeb hne
Duration: 2 hours without break
France in the year 1789. The aristocracy revels, the people groan. And between two stools stands the poet Andr Ch nier. Cherished by the rich for his moving verses, in his heart he remains a revolutionary.
Andr Ch nier, the most famous work by the Italian composer Umberto Giordano, is a brilliantly vivid historical drama and a human tragedy of shattering intensity. Set against the background of the French Revolution, the opera has strong appeal both as a passionate love story and as a historical thriller. Andr Ch nier is based on the life of a real historical character, a French poet who got caught up in the turmoil of the French Revolution, frst as an ardent supporter and then as a victim, mercilessly persecuted and ultimately sent to the guillotine.
Giordano s music is charged with a furious enthusiasm and stirring emotions. Historical dances and marches from the time before the French Revolution can be heard in the opera as well as classic Revolutionera songs including a ira and the Marseillaise.
The composer incorporated historical dances and marches from the time before the French Revolution in the operatic score, along with classic revolutionary songs like a ira and the Marseillaise. Together with rousing arias and thrilling duets they lend a unique flavour to the opera.
It seems as though Andr Ch nier was composed especially for the Bregenz Seeb hne. The opera presents a perfect mix of ingredients for the venue: a thrilling story and four strong characters, caught between the excesses of the Ancien R gime and the terror of the French Revolution. There is Andr Ch nier, an idealistic poet, and his adversary Carlo G rard, once a servant and now a revolutionary ringleader. And there is the young noblewoman Maddalena, who is feeing from the rebels, aided by her maidservant, who sacrifces herself as a prostitute in order to support her mistress fnancially. Giordano s music is verismo of the very highest calibre and drives the highvoltage plot forward with breathtaking speed. Artistic director David Pountney
Further performances
July 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 29, 30 and 31 9.15 P.M.
August 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 9.00 P.M.
The Italian composer Umberto Giordano and his librettist Luigi Illica translated the name of the French revolutionary and eponymous hero of the opera, Andr Marie Ch nier, into Italian. The French male first name Andr became the Italian male first name Andrea which is why the opera is entitled Andrea Ch nier in the original. The Bregenz production uses the historical figure s correct name for the title Andr Ch nier (the second name, Marie, is omitted). The revolutionary and poet was born in 1762 near Constantinople, today Istanbul, and was executed by guillotine in Paris in 1794.
Glass Packaging Institute 2012 Annual Meeting
COMPANY NEWS, EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS
In November we travelled to Naples, not just for the perfect weather, but for the 2012 Glass Packaging Institute s Annual Meeting. This was our first year planning this event for GPI and it was a successful event as well as a successful meeting for the members.
According to the Glass Packaging Institute, it is
The trade association representing the North American glass container industry. Through GPI, glass container manufacturers speak with one voice to advocate industry standards, promote sound environmental policies and educate packaging professionals. GPI member companies manufacture glass containers for food, beverage, cosmetic and many other products. GPI also has associate members that represent a broad range of suppliers and closure manufacturers.
Members went on a golf outing at the beautiful Naples Grande Golf Course and their accommodations were provided by the Waldorf- Astoria Naples. Members attended meetings regarding the upcoming trends and topics within the glass industry, cocktail receptions by the pools, and dinners all hosted by the outstanding banquet staff at the resort.
We produced the event from start to finish. We developed, maintained and monitored custom online registrations for the members. Decibel also designed graphics and gifts given to attendees, including custom USB drives for the members. We coordinated all of the banquet needs for the meeting, and facilitated all guest accommodations.
Next November we will be travelling to Sonoma, California for the 2013 GPI Annual Meeting.