Breaking It Down: Entertainment

This is the last post of this series, but definitely not about the least. Entertainment was a huge part of the 850-person fund-raising event for the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute hosted by the university's medical center.

Working with the UPCI/UPMC staff and chairperson of this event we started the process of creating the theme and event message by approaching the entertainment for the evening from an experiential standpoint.

The theme brought to us by the marketing department was The Power of Partnership. At start of planning, there were to be four tribute videos, each with a pointed message tying back to the theme that was woven through the unique entertainment concept into the messaging of the video itself.

But during the planning process that initial concept morphed as we reviewed logistics, timing and the budget. The result was four video messages yet instead of being followed by a specific entertainer they were woven throughout the performances. The link to the community came in the choice of local talent -- emcee Michael Keaton who was born in Pittsburgh, The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, the Pittsburgh Opera, Nick Dialoiso Orchestra and singer Jessica Lee (who performed during the reception). The only non-native was singer Kristin Chenoweth who gave a show-stopping performance.


The ballet..


The emcee of the evening was Michael Keaton, a Pittsburgh native son...

Kristin Chenoweth on stage, a show-stopper.


The Power of Partnership. Fundraiser chairs Susan McGalla and Cy Holzer.


Behind the scenes... Myself, Kristin and her musical director, Rob Fisher...


One more element to break down...Catering

The Monroeville Convention Center allowed UPMC to setup their own kitchen for the event so that Brad Kelly, UPMC's executive chef, could produce the food. AOO was in charge of the kitchen design; we created layouts, handled logistics and worked closely with Brad to ensure a flawless culinary experience.


Eric Rutherford (pictured below on the left) ran the floor for us that evening. We brought Eric on to keep everything running smoothly between all the elements such as setting up the kitchen, working with UPMC's chef and training the floor staff.



Now we are really done! This was the last thing that guests saw as they left the Monroeville Convention Center that night. It was a nice touch that extended the branding beyond the venue and the event.

GUEST BLOG by Rick Turner

Photo courtesy of Event Source

Dave's Introduction:
I have been working with Event Source for many years now. I look at their operation as the model to which all rental firms should aspire. Not only do they have the most up-to-date inventory, it's also very well maintained. However, what really sets them apart is their integrity. I've often seen Rick and the owners become involved in the event and its setup, even when they don't have to be. What is equally impressive is their commitment to the industry. Not only are they involved in the Cleveland, Columbus and now the Pittsburgh chapters of ISES, Rick is now also on the board of the SEARCH foundation. These are all reasons I am always happy to work with them and why I asked Rick to join the pack of guest bloggers on designdawgs.
David Merrell


A Well-Designed Plan
By Rick Turner

One of the challenges many designers and planners face is the logistical nightmare that comes with a number of vendors all vying for position. Whether it is a loading dock door, a forklift, extra staff, or something as simple as a few extra square feet, it is important to be mindful of the needs your vendors will have when they arrive at your venue. A well-designed event takes into account what happens before and during the event as much as it does the look of the actual event. The level of customer service you provide will help your event be a hit.

Our rental company, Event Source, had the pleasure of working with David and his team on the fund-raising event for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center that you have recently seen featured on designdawgs. In that first before-and-after post the transformation was amazing!

The 72-inch square tables and linen supplied by Event Source for the UPCI event

We were able to use some very unique rental products for this event, such as our 72-inch square tables, the matching square chargers, and custom 114-by-114-inch linens. While some of these items have been used in other installations, this was a first for our region. David’s eye for design was a great complement to the products that we keep in our inventory. Sometimes it takes an outsider’s view to really open up the infinite possibilities that are available through rental products.

What you may not be aware of are the hours of planning and scheduling that went into the organization of our rental products and delivery staff. As any good event professional can tell you, triple checking your supplies and staff sometimes isn’t enough…you have to be absolutely certain that every minute detail has been accounted for. A contingency plan is absolutely necessary and familiarizing yourself with the venue and the local suppliers and solutions is key. Since our company was viewing this event as our first large-scale foray into a developing market, we needed to be sure that our logistics shared the same sense of design that the event had.

A display of the rental company's diverse inventory at Event Expo.

We often begin each large-scale load in by arriving extra early to identify any day-of roadblocks that could hinder our operation. Something as simple as ice on the dock, or a tardy facility manager can really throw your whole schedule out of whack, so arriving a bit early helps immensely. You also need to strive to be organized. You never, ever know just who may be walking through the dock at any given moment. If your host sees a crew of uniformed, professional delivery service representatives, quietly and calmly unloading your products, that can set the bar for the rest of the event. In any case, that is how we operate, once again following the design of the event.

It is very important to treat each event with a positive attitude. Be careful to ensure that this doesn’t get thrown to the wayside during load out. The same levels of professionalism and customer service apply when the event is being torn down and packed onto the trucks. We all get tired and are eager to get back on the road, but I really believe that the job isn’t done until the host or client sends you a thank you note or appreciative email.

Can one misstep or miscue during load in or load out affect the level of customer service you strive to provide? You’d better believe it! Every facet of the delivery and pickup of your products should be assessed in advance so your staff has the right equipment, the right details and the right attitude when they are on site.

We’ve spent a number of years and a lot of money building our brand, and nothing we do is without a lot of serious thought. From scheduling our staff to packaging our products, everything is done with customer service in mind. We strive to partner with other vendors and event professionals that understand customer service and who “get it.” Since you’re obviously reading this blog, you’re in really good company!

About Rick Turner

Rick Turner has spent the past 12 years working in various roles within the hospitality, culinary and special events industries. He is currently the Director of Business Development for Event Source, Northern and Central Ohio’s premier special events rental company. In addition, he is co-founder and executive producer of Event Expo, a regional showcase of the products, services and ideas related to the special events industry. His work with Event Expo has garnered a number of awards and accolades from industry associations and media outlets. Rick is very involved with a number of civic and industry associations including ISES and is currently serving an unprecedented second consecutive two-year term as President of the Cleveland Chapter of HSMAI. His passion for the industry is best represented by his involvement with the SEARCH Foundation. Rick is the current Public Relations Chair for SEARCH, and works to make the industry aware of how SEARCH strives to assist event professionals in crisis."

Breaking It Down: The Dining Area and Flowers

The Dining Area

The stage

Here is another area of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center fund-raising event AOO Events produced at the Monroeville Convention Center.

The design objective was to create a night club feel that was elegant and understated and used a simple color palette of gray, black and fuchsia.

The Flowers

We started with a 72-inch square table. This is a lot of table to fill so we created a centerpiece with multiple pieces and candles. Each was set at varying heights to add another element of interest to the large room yet low enough so it didn't block the guests' view of the stage.

We used drift wood and blocks to create texture and heights and played with a pink floral palette varying the shades of pink from soft to dark.

The Tables

Behind the Scenes

The entrance featured one large floral arrangement. We had first planned for these floral pieces to stand at different spots around the reception. When Justin (our floral designer) and I finally stood in the space, we decided to use these to create one dramatic display dead center of the event space. This was the result, presented on a 72-inch round table.

Our floral factory! We had a team working for four days before the event to produce all the flowers.

The team...

Linen: Mosaic Linen of Pittsburgh

Chairs – All Occasions Party Rental, Pittsburgh

Tabletop rentals, chargers, square tables – Event Source, Cleveland

Flowers: AOO Events

Lighting Design: David Merrell of AOO Events and Curt Stahl of Images By Lighting, Los Angeles
Designer / Executive Producer: AOO Events

Breaking It Down: Lighting

Over the next week or so, as I begin to break down this 850-person fund-raising event that AOO Events produced for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), I thought the best place to begin is actually with the lighting.

This is because, when working with such a huge space, lighting is not only a very economical way to transform the environment, but also plays an important role in logistics and moving people through the space. It is a great way to direct guests' attention as well as to define smaller areas within the main space.

For instance, in the photo above, the lighting creates an intimate lounge area. It’s open to the rest of the event, yet the pattern on the floor “contains” it, giving it soft borders.

In a different way, truss lighting on the stage (pictured below) lets people know this is a main area within the space. It does this in part because of its height, but also truss is one of those elements that guests have come to associate with a "happening." We strengthened this message by also positioning a gobo behind it, making the area stand out. (I'll talk more about branding in an upcoming post about this event.)


Most important, this was a fund-raising event and so the design objective here was not to wow with large props or expensive effects that would leave donors wondering how their dollars were being spent. The important objective here was to create a design that was elegant yet understated. Lighting was our most effective tool to make a big statement, to add another design dimension, and to do so with a responsible eye toward budget.