National Book Festival Load In
COMPANY NEWS, EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS, TIPS & TRICKS
Load in for the 2011 National Book Festival began today. Thankfully the weather held out and we were able to get a great start on the week. Some photos of the build are below
As mentioned above, here are some photos of our Monday progress. Got a number of tents up and began the decor install. Great work by Select Events, Legacy Scenic and Productions and EventEQ, and a big thanks to Fleishman-Hillard and the Library of Congress for the event. We are hoping to post more photos throughout the week as the event shapes up. Check back to check out our progress.
Facade Mapping and Facade Projection: Washington, DC
EVENT INDUSTRY, FACADE MAPPING, LIVE EVENTS
Many of our clients are exploring the use of facade mapping and facade projection for their own events and activations. We have seen this technique used at product launches and festivals around the world and around the nation. I have not seen many examples of facade mapping in Washington, DC, so I was particularly excited when I heard that one of our vendors, EventEQ, was working as part of a team to do just that. I have included a great photo here and you can check out the video below.
EventEQ provided the video projection technology at the National Portrait Gallery for the HITT Contracting 75th anniversary celebration. We all know it takes a number of great companies to pull this off and the Hutchinson Design Group (producer) and BARTKRESA (projection design) did a great job leading the project. For a bit more information on the technical side, there is a great article about the system here.
Custom Trade Show Booth Install
Custom Trade Show Booth Install
Just wrapped up a custom trade show booth install at Hilton Worldwide for the DoubleTree by Hilton brand team. Check out the photos below and in dB gallery for some behind the scenes looks at the build!
Thanks to the team at Gensler for the design and concepts, as well as DoubleTree for the creative space. We loved working on this project. Hope everyone enjoys the cookies!
Decibel Vendor Spotlight: Rose Brand
BACKSTAGE, EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS
We have been using Rose Brand for years at Decibel (dB), and our partners have been using them for much longer. For those that don t know, Rose Brand provides custom fabric and draperies, as well as production supplies and rental equipment. At dB, we use their equipment on what seems to be every show that we produce, and some of this hardware literally holds up each and every sign onsite.
In the last few weeks, we have seen a couple amazing videos highlighting the great work at Rose Brand, especially with their custom sewing and fabric. We have included them both below. If you are interested in other projects from them, head over to their blog, Know-How.
United Nations for World Humanitarian Day
The first example is the fabrication and construction of what turned out to be the largest compound curved indoor projection screen. The screen weighed in at 1,000lbs and was 46 high and 224 wide. This was built for SuperUber in the General Assembly hall at the United Nations for World Humanitarian Day. In addition to the video, they have some great behind the scenes photos on the Rose Brand Facebook page.
I Was Here United Nations World Humanitarian Day Video
Pan American Games
Another very cool example from Rose Brand is their work on the center halo and projection screen from the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. The surface for the projection was a 350 long and 104 tall screen. Rose Brand included their plans for the projection screen and halo on their blog. It is a great example of how they accomplished the build.
As with many shows of this size, the production credits are quite extensive and involved many partners. Five Currents, LLC, produced the Games while the design and automation of the halo and curtain was headed by PRG. Great work all.
NSBW 2011
COMPANY NEWS, EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS
We are back in full swing at the 2011 National Small Business Week events in D.C. Just finished the second day and getting ready for Friday. A few quick photos below.
As promised, below are a couple of images from the event.
That s a Wrap: Decibel s 2012 Campaign Trail
COMPANY NEWS, LIVE EVENTS
With the 2012 presidential election season over, we ve finally returned from another great year of campaign events. While on the road, we worked with some great agencies, toured the country and delivered some really amazing experiences for our clients.
Republican or Democrat, these political events present their own set of unique challenges and requirements. For corporate and planned stage venues, we need time to plan, draft, make revisions, and use a variety of rendering and mapping software, from Meeting Matrix to Vectorworks, to help ensure everyone on the team is executing from the same drawing. Many campaigns simply don t allow that luxury, and often we re forced to retreat back to pen and paper, whiteboards, or as shown in the photograph, even chalk on concrete walls.
Fishersville, VA
A perfect example of this was our campaign stop in Fishersville, Virginia on October 5th. We helped to organize and coordinate a venue for more than 15,000 supporters, together with a lineup of speakers, fireworks and musicians that included legendary country star Trace Adkins.
Finishing a separate event in Iowa, we had less than 24 hours from when we received the outlined sketch until we were supposed to be onsite in Fisherville. The staff lead from the campaign had a very specific idea for how he wanted the show to look. The idea was revised, edited, and set into motion.
We had an entire site to build out, as there was absolutely no infrastructure at the venue. We designed and printed side scrims, ordered the related services including power and tenting, additional av, fencing, bike racks, etc. and within 72 hours we were ready for the show.
Needless to say, it was a huge win.
It was the first political event of this scale for the campaign, and it set the bar for those to come. This event saw some iconic images captured, with over capacity attendance, an above the fold article and photographs on the local front page, and mentions in CNN, C-Span and several other national media sources.
Ames, IA
Another great event we produced was the rally at Kinzler Construction in Ames, Iowa on October 26th, though it too had a unique set of challenges. Because of busy schedules at the venue location, we weren t able to get started with onsite construction until 4pm. With the event beginning at noon the following day, we knew we d have to hustle to get everything in place.
This set the stage for an overnight build in freezing temperatures. We were ready for this, but wanted to have a working plan to maximize our efficiency, get done that evening, and get out of the cold.
Gathering around our whiteboard in the one building with heat (a natural gathering point), we came up with what we thought was a great plan that is, until we got a last-minute call from HQ changing our event from an informal rally to a more stately speech. Starting from scratch, we built a brand new event on the same site (using white boards one and two).
By the next day, the sun came out, it warmed up for the several hundred people in attendance, and the event was billed as a pivotal moment for our campaign.
Fredericksburg, VA
The next event production was one of the most challenging for our team.
In Fredericksburg, we began setting up the first site at 6am. Seven hours later when we broke for lunch, everything seemed to be in great shape. That s when a weather call was made and the event moved indoors, a half mile down the street.
While part of our crew began packing up the event site we had just set up, we took our initial walkthrough of the new site. Luckily, it had a fantastic load-in potential, including loading docks, flat concrete (something that we REALLY take for granted sometimes), and blank canvas with rig points. The audio was tough, but we made it work. What we really wanted to nail down was the setup. Our gear was at the other site, so we used what was available to sketch out the plan. It was from this rough sketch on concrete that we built the entire show.
We used a number of decor assets to make this work, including one of our larger US flags as a backdrop for the campaign bus. It takes two to rig something this size, but only one to pose for photos. It made for a long night, but the event was a success.
Despite these challenges, we had a great time out on the road. To respond to the dynamic and unique set of requirements we faced, we were forced to be resourceful, responsive and diligent. In the end it paid off. We met new friends, worked with some great agencies, and most importantly, produced and delivered some great events for our clients.
Royal Wedding
EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS, TIPS & TRICKS
There are thousands of pieces that go into an event this size, and from the coverage, it certainly looked as if they nailed them all. Instead of focusing on the overall event, there was one piece that really did stand out in my mind, the floral, and more specifically, the trees inside the Abbey.
According to Professional Florist, Shane Connolly designed the arrangements from flowers to the trees throughout Westminster Abbey. Instead of a lavish design with out-of season arrangements, the flowers were all seasonal and British.
The article from Professional Florist below gives the detail.
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, eschewed ostentatious out-of-season flowers in favour of a simple bouquet made mainly of lily of the valley for her wedding to Prince William.
The seasonal British flowers, designed by florist Shane Connolly, were a nod to the less than lavish wedding that the couple said they hoped to plan. Although a reported 50,000 spent decorating Westminster Abbey with field maple and hornbeam trees suggested the couple didn t have things all their own way.
All the trees and flowers were selected by the Middletons and arranged by Shane Connolly s team. Each choice came with a reference to the language of flowers. Lily of the valley is associated with trustworthyness. Maple suggests humility and hornbeams are linked to resilience.
Shane Connolly s web site bears the By Royal Appointment to HRH The Prince of Wales crest, and promotes the florist as constantly striving to delight its clients.
Behind the Scenes Look at the Romney NASCAR Event
COMPANY NEWS, LIVE EVENTS
Just a few photos and a quick video of setup for the NASCAR Technical Institute event. It was awesome to get the opportunity to have the vehicles up on stage!
NASCAR from Decibel Management on Vimeo.
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!
Decibel Management Custom Interior Signage Design and Build
BACKSTAGE, EVENT INDUSTRY, LIVE EVENTS, TRADE SHOW
Decibel Management was hired to design, develop and install custom graphics, signs, trade show pieces as well as custom paint to complete the Marketing Center at 555 12th Street in Washington, D.C. We worked with a great team at Legacy Scenic and Productions, as well as Matrix Frame USA to complete the install. The original concept was from the architecture firm Gensler, as well as Cushman & Wakefield, along with the construction team of HITT Contracting.
555 12th Street Marketing Center- Behind the Scenes with Decibel Management from Decibel Management on YouTube.
