Event Design Break Down: Entertainment

Gladys Knight!

This is the second post on the fund-raising event that AOO Events produced for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for its cancer institute. The theme was Celebrate a Future Without Cancer.

Each year entertainment is a huge part of this event. This year the event's chairperson was dead-set on having Sheryl Crow. I agree that she is a great performer but as the producer of the event, it's my job to look at the elements not only separately, but as a whole. Not only did Sheryl not fit within the budget, but she wouldn't fit with the demographics of the audience -- an older audience -- or the format of the event.

Challenge: Present an alternative that worked on all levels.

I saw Gladys Knight as being the perfect fit, yet before I went down that road I had to at least see if Sheryl Crow was a possibility. One never knows with entertainment. There is always a chance that an entertainer's price might be lower if she was already in town. But it turned out that she wasn't available at all and this opened the door for me to suggest other entertainment ideas, Gladys being top of the list.

Once we had settled on the entertainment, the next challenge was the final number. The client really wanted an anthem-like number for a "we-are-the-world" type of finale; one where all the medical center and university VIPs would come on stage, lock arms and sing with Gladys.

Logistically, this was not an easy thing to accomplish. First of all, they'd all have to be called in early for rehearsals, then leave their tables during dinner to get backstage early for the song. Not the type of thing you want to put your big donors through! Plus, Gladys' people weren't really keen on it. But the client had said "David, I know you will make it happen." So, regardless of my objections, I was going to have to make this work. Or ... find another way to make something special happen.

A BRAINSTORM

While all this was going on, I was watching a Tyler Perry movie one night. At the end, during the rolling of the credits, I heard Gladys singing a song entitled “I Hope You Dance.” Originally written and performed by LeeAnn Womack, this song is absolutely anthem-like, and the meaning of the song is to dance, to celebrate life, versus sitting on the sidelines.

I jumped up from my couch and said, "That's it!" We contacted Gladys' management a few days later when we made the offer and put in our request that she perform that number for the finale. Sure enough it was a fit! I talked with Gladys after the event, and told her that I had heard that song in the movie and said I knew it was perfect for this event. She thanked me for asking it to be a part of this event, as she LOVED that song and really never got to perform it outside that recorded music track! That alone was gratifying, hearing that from such a superstar.

And to create that we-are-the-world moment? By working with the video company, we created a montage of all those important people and Gladys agreed to be scripted to introduce it. It played during the finale.

BUILDING EMOTION UPON EMOTION

The goal with an event like this builds a series of emotions to that one final moment that we achieved with Gladys.

Ade Obayomi and Melissa Sandvig

One of those moments was a beautiful dance routine performed by Melissa Sandvig and Ade Obayomi. I had seen them perform this routine on “So You Think You Can Dance” years ago. It was created by celebrity choreographer Tyce Diorio and was actually titled the Breast Cancer Dance. It was moving to the point of having most everyone in tears. I remember thinking to myself, "One day I am going to get that on stage." This client. . . this year. . . . this theme. . . it was perfect.

Melissa and Ade in the final pose of the Breast Cancer Dance.

Dance is a celebratory expression of life, and while the breast cancer dance was a poignant moment, the two other solos that Melissa and Ade each performed were completely celebratory and light at heart. A perfect injection into a gala for what normally would be heavy handed subject matter.

I am constantly getting teased by my friends for watching these reality shows with younger subject matter. But the reality is, it keeps me on the pulse of what is new, young, hip and happening. If I didn’t expose myself to these programs, then I would just be putting out more mature, ok, older, subject matter. And our job as designers and producers is to stay up on what is cutting edge. Melissa and Ade helped me make this gala more celebratory, young and edgy!

Plus adding in the dancing also helped reinforce the "Celebrate" title AND tied Gladys' finale song into it.

The Nick Dialoiso Band played during dinner break and for all the walk offs. They were revealed behind the scrim when they played during dinner breaks, a clever way to conceal a live band and then reveal them.

Emcee David Conrad

The direction I gave to our script writer, Ruth Moyte of Red Dandelion Creative, was to allow the seriousness to remain when there was business to be done (this program includes many different speakers from the university and community), but keep it celebratory and light the remainder of the time. Which she did with the speeches and the introductions as well material for the emcee. In this case it was David Conrad, an actor and a native of Pittsburgh, who tied the entire program together beautifully.

Thanks to everyone for an amazing event!
Design, floral, production: AOO Events; Rentals: All Occasions Party Rentals; Linen: Mosaic Linens, Pittsburgh; Audio/Visual/Tech Support: Vision Tech; Lighting: Images by Lighting; Catering: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Event Break Down: Design and Conception

We were back in Pittsburgh again for the annual fund-raising event sponsored by University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for its Cancer Institute. This year the theme was Celebrate a Future Without Cancer. Who wouldn't celebrate that? And to do so, the clients wanted a festive atmosphere using jewel tones.

A Design Challenge

The event was for 800 people and held at the Monroeville Convention Center, a large space. And because it's a fundraiser, our eyes are always on the budget. After the stage treatment, our main design elements are flowers and lighting.

When I hear jewel tones I think emerald green, ruby red, sapphire blue, and amethyst gold. These are not easy colors to carry into flowers. In fact, I don't think truly deep jewel tones even exist in flowers with the exception of red.

Jewel tones certainly do exist in lighting and linen but you don't want to use too many otherwise the look becomes too busy. Plus, blue greens and purples are hard to "push" onto walls because of the dark nature of them. They create a more moody feeling rather than one that is light and celebratory. I began to thing that the client, while saying jewel tone, really meant bright, saturated colors.

The toughest part about creating a visual concept is that everyone has their own definition of these terms. My solution was to focus on the word "celebrate," and that seems to be the best answer for us to come together on the idea of an event awash not in jewel tones but in orange, gold and fuchsia.


And to really say "celebrate" we created gobos for the walls that emulated fireworks explosions in those tones.

Floral arrangements in oranges, rich pinks, yellow, and red were set off by linen in muted brown and copper. I wanted a neutral base so the flowers would really pop once they were lighted with pinspots.

Design wise, this was an conservative, older crowd. My natural inclination with design tends to be younger and edgier. but I found a balance of the two by adding a touch of excitement with several custom-built, avant-garde iridescent beaded chandeliers.



The best thing.
The venue AND the layout were the same. We learned from last year's layout as to what worked and what didn't and then improved upon it.



Stay tuned for a unique twist on a stage treatment and how we worked with and incorporated several styles of big-name acts into this event!

ISES Mastermind Series Features David Merrell

The ISES LA Mastermind article series begins today with a four-parter on David Merrell, president and creative director of AOO Events

(and lead designdawg)!

To read it, click HERE

Check back in on Monday for the mastermind's work for a fund-raising event for the
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Cancer Institute!

The stage is set! Tune in next week!

Event Design Break Down

Coming Next Week!

We break down the elements of this stunning fund-raising event AOO Events produced and designed for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Upcoming posts will cover:

• Design Concept and Execution
• Entertainment and Logistics-- the great Gladys Knight!!
• Lighting
  
• Floral
  
• And how we integrated our efforts with Food and Beverage.

You won't want to miss this party! It all starts next week on designdawgs.

Locations We Love: Gainey Vineyard

The wine country. I know that visions of Napa and Sonoma just popped into your head, but there are actually several outstanding wine countries located close to Los Angeles and easy for out-of-town corporations and brides to access. Recently we produced a corporate event at the Gainey Vineyard located in the Santa Ynez Valley, just north of Santa Barbara.

The group, based on the East coast, was taking in Southern California sun in style by staying at the beautiful Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara. They wanted to explore the area with an off-site event so what perfect way than a trip to the wine country (which from that location is only about a half hour away)?

Plus, the timing was perfect. It was October which is harvest time at the vineyards so there is a lot to see and learn as the grapes are brought in from the vines.

After a tour of the winery, guests were treated to a food and wine pairing with each buffet table decorated with its own arbor. Tables for the casual dining style were set as were high-boys for cocktail dining.


Then guests were taken back to the entrance area. With its garden-like feeling, it was the perfect area for a sit-down dinner.


As String Theory played, guests were wined and dined at square tables set with two different, yet complimentary colors of linen inspired by white and red grapes and provided by La Tavola Linen.

Simply delicious.

Design Dawgs At The Special Event

The stage was set for a talk...For several years I've been moving the designdawg concept -- a format for design trends and ideas -- from the online world to offline reality. Through seminars I'm able to talk one-on-one with my colleagues who have appeared on this blog as guests.

But of course, when the topic is design, we like to make sure to bring it! Our team here at AOO Events designed this vibrant stage with furniture from Hire-Elegance and a cool white disc drape from Dazian.

Tom Budas, our Director of Marketing and recent recipient of the Marketing Professional of the Year award, and I talked about recent events produced and designed by AOO Events, citing trends and cool resources.

And here, the dawgs all come together -- Hillary Harris, Executive Producer of Special Events at Warner Brothers, Curt Stahl and Raymond Thompson from Images by Lighting and industry videographer Brett Culp from Brett Culp Films. The discussion is spirited and passionate and the audience left with a plethora of new, great ideas that will take their event design to the next level.

With even more guest bloggers lined up this year at designdawgs, it's clear that we're going to need a bigger stage set and couch at The Special Event in 2012!

Tom Budas Named Marketing Professional of the Year!

We are back from a week in Las Vegas at the Event Solutions Conference and Tradeshow. We returned roughly a pound heavier yet a million miles lighter. In fact, we are walking on air!

That pound is the beautiful award that Tom Budas, marketing director of AOO Events, toted home from the Event Solutions Spotlight Awards. Tom was named Marketing Professional of the Year and we couldn't be prouder! The award is that much sweeter because it comes from peers and colleagues in the industry who recognize the work that Tom does at AOO as well as within the industry to elevate both to the highest of professional standards.

All dressed up! Tom Budas, Jahon Pilichowski, and David Merrell on the
red carpet of the Spotlight Awards in Las Vegas. You dawgs!!