What’s hot from CES 2022 January 2022 saw the in-person return of one of the most exciting technology symposiums, Consumer Electronics Show (CES). While there were notable last-minute exhibitor absences and 45k attendees vs the 170k that attended the 2020 show, a slightly subdued CES delivered an impressive lineup of tech that felt equal parts ...

Before we delve into what Extended Reality can do and it’s impact for events, we firstly need to explain “What is Extended Reality”? Extended Reality is the umbrella term for an environment that blends the physical and virtual world together combining Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality and Virtual Reality. Extended reality has many applications for enhanced ...

With in-person events beginning to return, meeting organisers are proceeding cautiously and looking to their event services partner to deliver events safely and responsibly Encore recently partnered with the Canberra Region Tourism Leaders Forum Group and delivered their Tourism Advisory Forum for 90 attendees at the National Convention Centre Canberra (NCCC). The group were focussed on delivering their event while minimizing the risk of COVID-19 for industry delegates. The Encore team utilised a contactless, QR code scanning, check-in product to minimise infection risk from close contact with standard check-in systems. The contactless system delivered a fast and seamless experience for attendees while checking in, to avoid long lines and close contact with others. It required attendees to scan a QR code located on a poster or LCD screen at entrance points, which then linked to a landing page for entry confirmation. Attendees took on average just 10 seconds to register at multiple locations! The on-site team at the NCCC also delivered the event in accordance with Encore’s MeetSAFE guidelines which were developed with key areas of focus in mind: event design, room layout, traffic flow, technology enhancements, and cleaning guidelines. Carla Huetter, Director of Sales & Marketing at the NCCC commented, “We feel very strongly in collaborating with our industry partners to achieve the very best results for all delegates trialling new technologies. It’s an opportunity for true innovation as the meetings industry reshapes in the current circumstances”. “The check-in system gave us the piece of mind that attendees would be safely distancing, which was our priority. The technology was quick and easy to use and worked brilliantly. The team did a great job of delivering the event in a safe way giving our delegates the peace of mind that the venue was clean and all measures were in place for social distancing.” Stuart Buchanan, General Manager ACT at Encore commented, “Contactless Check-In worked perfectly. Not only was it effortless in execution, it also delivered in speed and ease of setup, while security on who was attending was easily monitored by our onsite team who acted as VIP concierges, monitoring via tablets. We could see who was onsite and who was yet to arrive.” ... Read More

Encore delivered the annual United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees World Refugee Day gala, but this year’s event was different. It was delivered as a fully virtual event with 700 guests in attendance from their homes and was the first time the event has ever been delivered virtually. The event celebrates refugees and their stories and raises much needed funds for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Agency’s global operation against corona virus. The goal was to raise $150,000 for refugees in crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Yemen, Bangladesh, and other regions in need around the world. It also celebrated the charity’s 20 years achievements and work for those in need. The evening saw a number of speakers including VIP Australian actors Cate Blanchett and Marta Dusseldorp accompanied by Japanese Australian journalist Kumi Taguchi as MC. The brief was to deliver a production quality webcast with the ability to bring in virtual speakers from around the world and enable audience members to interact with others at the event. After detailed discussions, Encore produced the event webcast from their production studio and utilised a green screen showing an abstract background of UNHCR branded to create a professional look for the MC’s virtual stage. From there Kumi Taguchi was able to introduce the event and speakers virtually from their location. Other speakers were live streamed from their homes or other locations. The Encore team created a webpage for attendees to sign in on and to watch the event via the webcast's live stream. The solution also included the ability for viewers to network with other attendees via a chat function and donate, plus customisable web skin designed using the UNHCR’s brand guide lines. The evening was a total success. All the individual elements and presentations worked together seamlessly and the fund raising goal of $150,000 was exceeded. Leigh Zimmermann, Events and Community Fundraising Manager with UNHCR Australia was delighted with the result, “The webcasting platform was fantastic! The team were amazing and made every request I had easy to achieve. They were so responsive. Cannot fault their support and delivery on this event. This online event was a brand new way of doing things for us and it was very nerve wracking hosting something online when we never had before. They helped in every way, allowed us to multiple tests, answered all questions and concerns. I would recommend and definitely use the platform again” Michael Magafa, National Sales Director at Encore commented, "As this was the first time the client had delivered the event virtually, it was vital that we supported them every step of the way and made them feel comfortable. The event was inspirational and genuinely created an atmosphere of community and celebration despite being virtual." Find out more about Encore's Virtual and Hybrid event solutions ... Read More

See how we used custom table projection mapping to create an extraordinary dining experience for this year's Living Grand dinner at Grand Hyatt Melbourne; delivered a holographic-like experience for the Top Secret 2019 Dinner in Canberra, built a 48m wide custom stage set for Volkswagen and so much more. Below you’ll see a snapshot of some the amazing work our teams produce to help inspire your next events! If you have any questions about the events or our solutions please get in touch with our National Sales Director, Michael Magafa . VICTORIA Living Grand Client Appreciation Venue: Grand Hyatt Melbourne Encore had the pleasure of partnering with Hyatt Australia to deliver a unique culinary and visual journey for its VIP clients as part of the annual Living Grand event. Hosted at Grand Hyatt Melbourne in February, Encore created the immersive experience by combining audio visual theatrics, lighting design and creative styling with the world-class custom projection mapping to stimulate sight, sounds, taste, small and touch. Watch the video below to re-live the Living Grand Dinner 2019 48 VIPs were led down a dark tunnel into a dimly lit room, surrounded by black drapes with ambient music playing in the background. The room was sparse, with minimal styling and theming building intrigue as to what was to follow. Once guests were seated, the journey began, completely immersing them in the sounds and visuals, complimenting the menu course by course. The entree took guests underwater with sounds of the ocean filling the room and swimming fish flawlessly projection mapped onto the tables and drapes. Then when the sorbet was served, it was accompanied by images and sounds of ice breaking and shattering throughout the room. The main course was themed fire and smoke. Diners were blindfolded before the sounds of burning wood and fire floated through the air. The Encore team then projection mapped fire onto the table while mains were served. Along with the sizzling of food on the grill, the room was filled with low fog slowly rising from the floor as the guests took off their blindfolds. The final course was an ode to Willy Wonka with the room lighting up with the colours of liquorice Allsorts, a chocolate river flowing down the tables and the infamous theme song of the Oompah Loompas playing. For this night to be a success, the timing of the projection and audio had to be perfect. Grand Hyatt Melbourne General Manger, Ilan Weill was thrilled with the work Encore produced. “We of course appreciated your innovation and hard work to meet the deadlines and listen to us. However, the special thank you I would like to convey is for your partnership and amazing spirit working and having fun with us on what was a last-minute idea and turned out to be a fully produced wow type of night. Your patience, great attitude, talent and how you joined forces with us on the night was felt by everyone involved and we really appreciated working together as one team,” said Mr Weill. “We are delighted to call you our partners – Thank you again!” QUEENSLAND Volkswagen Customer Xperience Summit 2019 Venue: Royal International Convention Centre, Brisbane Delivering a big stage solution for Volkswagen Encore was set the challenge to create a memorable high-end audio-visual feast communicating the ‘Iconic’ theme for the Volkswagen Customer Xperience Summit 2019. The event welcomed over 800 delegates in two streams from across the Volkswagen dealer network at the Royal International Convention Centre, Brisbane on 19-21 February 2019. Conceived and convened by Volkswagen Australia Director of Customer Experience and Marketing Jason Bradshaw, more than 800 Volkswagen Group Australia staff and delegates from the nationwide dealership network have attended what is believed to be the biggest customer training exercise held by an auto importer in this country. The commanding stage set delivered a massive impact. Encore’s technical team created a mammoth screen consisting of 5 custom borderless screens combined to form one large canvas of 48m wide, this included two curved screens at either end to frame the 28m custom black acrylic stage. Over 150 pixel mapped LED neon tubes encased the top and bottom of the screens creating a futuristic feel and complementing video content. Two circular stages made of black reflective acrylic built either side of the screens created a platform for two of the latest Volkswagen vehicles launched at the event. This impressive event delivered a series of captivating on-screen animated experiences on the huge projection surface which flowed thru to the pixel mapped lighting effects adding an extra level of excitement and drama. The central screen was also recessed to enable the speakers to make a dramatic entrance from behind the stage set. By day the impressive stage was beautifully lit with red and blue with spotlights shining on the cars and reflective stage. During the conference the dramatic staging hosted Omar Johnson VP of Marketing for Apple, followed by presentations by a number of guest speakers and dealers. During the gala event in the evening the premium dealer awards were presented. The lighting show was ramped up to the maximum, plus pyrotechnics, the release of thousands of streamers and CO2 canon blasts to celebrate the major awards. Michael Magafa, National Sales Director for Encore was delighted with the impact created by the giant stage set and the overall seamless delivery of the event. “The brief was to create a big impression, so we delivered a huge solution! The stage encased the entire room and the team designed an impressive lighting and projection solution to captivate the guests. I am very proud of the team’s flawless delivery for our client.” AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY Top Secret 2019 Dinner Venue: National Convention Centre Canberra Encore Event Technologies (Encore) served up an incredible holographic-like experience for some of Australia’s leading event industry professionals, at the “Love and Desire” themed Top Secret 2019 Dinner on Friday 22 March. Hosted by the National Convention Centre Canberra (NCCC), as part of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), this dinner was part of a 3-day program run by the Canberra Convention Bureau (CCB). The program consists of a series of individualised experiences for an exclusive group of national meeting planners. Showcasing business event product and services, the program allows Canberra’s events community to demonstrate the calibre of events in our nation’s capital. The hero of the night was Encore’s expert use of a holographic mesh screen, highlighting the venue as a premium event space and showcasing the technology available when holding an event at the NCCC in conjunction with Encore. Using the holographic mesh screen, Encore created animated content such as a hot air balloon that appear as though it was floating through the air. Known for their innovation, Encore really broke the mould for the Top Secret 2019 Dinner bringing Stephen Wood, General Manager of the National Convention Centre Canberra into the room through a hologram. Guests were able to watch Mr Wood standing onstage, interviewing himself as if there were actually two of him. The use of holographic mesh screens is usually only seen at big budget events such as Eurovision and the Grammys, or on television. However, Encore were able to demonstrate to event managers how this technology is possible at their events with the right team and the right venue. Mr Wood commented, “We love working with Encore, they always manage to outdo themselves with their innovation and creativity, and this event was no exception.” The theme for the 3 day familiarisation was “Love and Desire”, based on the current exhibition on display at the National Gallery of Australia. On each table were large 2D Scenic Panels on custom frames, designed to look like garden lattices in the shape of hearts as a nod to pre-Raphaelite theme of the “Love and Desire” exhibition. Directly above the tables were 20 LED Kinetic Lights, programmed to move with the music and change colour throughout the night, creating a truly spectacular lighting display. Also taking inspiration from the “Love and Desire” theme was the night’s entertainment. During the event, two actors from the Shakespeare by the Lake performance rose up after being hidden as guests and began to perform some of the Bard’s most famous sonnets. Continuing the surprises, instead of using one main screen, Encore set up four 60in televisions across one truss structure on the main stage. They displayed the animated logos of Encore, NCCC, CCB and IHG in front of scrolling panoramic shots of Canberra spread across the 4 screens as a single wide screen image, showcasing the beauty of the city. “This was a truly sophisticated and memorable event. The National Convention Centre Canberra and guests were delighted with the outcome, and we can’t thank Encore enough,” said Mr Wood. VICTORIA Lunar New Year Venue: Crown Melbourne New technology for New Year Celebrations at Crown Melbourne VIP guests from China celebrated the Lunar New Year in style at Crown Melbourne on Friday 22 February. Encore created an atmosphere of opulence and splendour with their stunning table projection, multimedia, audio visual services and styling. The highlight of the evening was the spectacular custom table projections that greeted guests as they entered the River Room and found their seats. The content projected onto each individual table was the perfect blend of Chinese tradition, opulence and technical innovation. On each table, cranes flew around the circular table, fish swam between glasses and flowers grew from plates as the different animated looks circled each table and even individual plates. On top of the Lazy Susan, the menu for the night was projected in both English and Chinese, rotating, so all guests could read it. Then as food arrived, Encore masked the projection on the Lazy Susan and plates, so the colour didn’t affect the look of the food while the areas surrounding each continued with projected with animation. As well as the projection mapping, Encore created a beautiful light show adding excitement to the entertainment while enabling the projection show to shine. Encore’s beautiful styling enhanced the theme. Red was chosen as the main colour as it symbolises luck, happiness and joy in Chinese culture. The team used varying shades of red in the lighting, stage set and table projections, while also laying red carpet to cover the entire floor and hanging red swagged drapes to create a seamless look. Two large screens framed either side of the stage with a sign displaying a custom designed Year of the Pig insignia in the middle of the stage. Also outlining the stage was an intricate stage set that was Laser cut to look like lattice in a traditional Chinese garden interwoven with cherry blossom branches. During the night, guests were entertained by a high energy violinist, lion dancer, and magician. Each entertainment act had their own animated table projection to complement their performance – a sparkling display of glitter for the violinist, a small animated dragon for the lion dancer and the magician’s logo for his performance. AUCKLAND New Years Eve Venue: SKYCITY Convention Centre Auckland Encore Event Technologies (Encore) treated guests at the SKYCITY NYE Party 2018 to a showstopping, Las Vegas-themed audio visual spectacular at SKYCITY Convention Centre, Auckland. The talented team at Encore were entrusted with the event, designed to enthral the most valuable of VIP’s on the biggest party night of the year – and they didn’t disappoint! Capturing the unique and glamorous atmosphere of a Las Vegas show, guests were transported to one of the world’s most famous districts with a palpable sense of anticipation and excitement. Encore created the stunning aesthetic with bold and colourful lighting choices, innovative stage styling and carefully crafted audio to support the entertainment that immersed the audience in the Las Vegas theme. The hero of the night was Encore’s lighting solutions. With over 100 LX Fixtures around the room and moving LX fixtures attached to truss droppers and totems on the stage, Encore turned the back wall into a lighting backdrop. To keep guests entertained, the stage was framed on either side by two 20ft screens and two 16ft screens, all displaying multimedia content created by Encore. This custom content was projected onto the screens using four 7K laser projectors and a Barco S3. Guests danced the night away with back-to-back entertainment such as illusionists, dancers, singers and an 8-piece band. During these acts, the lighting became part of the show, working seamlessly into the performances on stage. SKYCITY were once again thrilled with Encore’s work and the creativity and efficiency they demonstrated in producing an unforgettable night. Encore have been creating mesmerising events at SKYCITY for 15 years, managing to outdo themselves each time. QUEENSLAND Cairns Taipans Season Celebration Venue: Pullman Cairns International The CQUniversity Cairns Taipans celebrated their 20th anniversary year and the 2018-19 NBL season on Friday 22 February at the Pullman Cairns International. It was a celebratory night for the Taipans, marking 20 year history as well as acknowledging they are the only local sports team competing at a national level, so club officials wanted to give their players, local supporters and sponsors an unforgettable night. As the in-house event services provider, Encore was tasked with delivering an experiences befitting of the occasion. Inside the Grand Ballroom, Encore created the stage set using interlocked 2D and 3D Scenic Panels. When lit, the intricate patterns of the Scenic Panels cast beautiful shapes and shadows turning the backdrop into a feature piece. In the centre, the team engineered a 3D Scenic Panel formation in a diamond shape which became the frame for the 20th Anniversary logo. Each element of the stage set was spaced one metre back from the next creating visual depth and an innovative 3D effect. Lighting design was key to the overall event concept using a variety of equipment from moving lights, uplights and washes, profiles and more. The creative lighting choices were set to a theme of orange, navy and purple – the Taipans team colours. Centrepieces were designed using the team’s basketballs placed on top of glass vases – a simple, yet very fitting design for the event and its guests. Following the main awards ceremony, it was time for the party to begin. With the DJ playing through the flawless sound system and Encore’s lighting operator putting on a show with unique lighting effects, guests had a great time dancing and celebrating. -- Partner with the production specialists for your next event At Encore, we believe in turning ordinary events into extraordinary experiences. With Australia's largest range of event production solutions at our fingertips, we have the creativity and technology to bring your event vision to life. From conferences, galas and exhibitions to sale incentives, product launches and touring roadshows; we have the network, experience and equipment to deliver your event seamlessly. Get in touch with us today to start discussing the requirements for your 2019 events. ... Read More

See how we used custom table projection mapping to create an extraordinary dining experience for our first Experience Encore event; delivered exciting new concepts for gala dinners and awards nights; and even hosted a four-day conference in the Outback! Welcome to our final edition of AMP for 2018! AMP Newsletter is our chance to show ...

Everyone in events is familiar with large-scale projection mapping; on buildings, on stage, and at activations. But there’s almost limitless potential to tell your story on a much more personal scale. Sharing a meal is one of the most intimate human social rituals, and projection mapping onto the dinner table is emerging as a fantastic way to communicate, delight, and impress your audience. At Encore Event Technologies, we’ve been teaming up our amazing digital artists with our high-definition projectors and tech crew to create breathtaking, Insta-worthy, wildly shareable content that transforms any meal into a multimedia event. Projection Mapping for Personalisation For Dom Pérignon, we took the long and storied history of the company and used its immediately identifiable visuals to completely brand a dinner for 100 VIPs at Sydney’s Ivy Ballroom. The dining table became a canvas for telling the Dom Pérignon brand story with customised animated content projected onto it. Personalised name cards in the shape of the Dom Pérignon logo were projected onto place settings, followed by custom graphics perfectly aligned with crockery, cutlery, and glassware. Each course had its own projected content, complementing the menu and highlighting the decadence of Dom Pérignon Champagne. Projection mapping was a visually striking way to intertwine the brand's rich history with the intimate dining experience and left guests wanting more! Projection Mapping for Branding At the National Convention Centre Canberra, we used the colours and images associated with the annual Enlighten Festival of outdoor art, illumination, and culture to personalise a lunch for 40 special guests, selling Canberra as a destination for world-class business events. Local food and wine were complemented by animations, with each dinner plate individually lit for impact. Guests’ names were projected onto their seats, offering a unique personal touch and making networking easy. The autumnal colours of Canberra and signature looks of client InterContinental Hotels Group were all incorporated to the projection mapped content to take event branding to the next level. Projection Mapping for Story Telling To help global hotel giant The Accor Group tell their story, we staged a one-off special event at the Pullman Reef Hotel Casino, Cairns, for 10 influential clients. We partnered with Belgian creative geniuses Skull Mapping to license their viral sensation ‘Le Petit Chef’ , and built a reef theme in a function room using lighting and set elements, highlighting the natural beauty of the region. Guests were then utterly stunned when their ‘tablecloth’ turned into one of Le Petit Chef’s animated adventures. The VIPs were so impressed, they asked to see the animation a further four times! Table projection is still such a fresh technique that most guests (and event producers!) are still to experience it live. It’s an utterly entrancing spectacle that has everyone whipping out their devices and saturating social media with images and video. It has an amazing power to communicate your brand, personalise an event to a micro level, and tell any story; the creators of Le Petit Chef are even using it for two-hour dinner shows that trace the culinary discoveries of Marco Polo! For a recent Experience Encore event, Encore's Sydney team chose to create a unique dining experience using projection mapping to match table content to the meal - it's taking meal pairing to a whole new level! The menu was designed by popular culinary personality, Justine Schofield, and each course had its own unique table design to compliment its theme. Each course had a uniquely themed kinetic light show to match the vibrant and fun personality of the food; the ceviche entrée and matching wine saw tables transformed into a beautiful underwater wonderland. As the second course of sticky beef cheek was announced, the room transformed to reflect a rural kaleidoscope of foliage. The ‘encore’, was a delicious panna cotta which ignited the final animation, a stunning soft pink and white design, wrapped up the culinary experience. The audience were transported on a culinary and sensory journey like no other, incorporating theatrical elements and custom table projection mapping to the food and entertainment. Speak to the experts for projection mapping at your next event For maximum impact, content creators, event planners, and the tech team have to work very closely – table projections have tolerances in the millimetres, and the biggest implementations have pixel counts in the millions! Encore Event Technologies have learnt through practical experience how to make large scale table projection mapping work, and would love to partner with more event planners to create unforgettable experiences. If you are interested in using Table Projection Mapping in your next corporate event, get in touch with the experts today by sending an online enquiry. ... Read More

The 105th Rotary International Convention was confirmed to be held in Australia for the first time since 2003. The event brief outlined the four day event schedule featuring two opening plenary sessions , 5 plenary sessions, 1 business session and 28 breakout sessions with the overarching brief to deliver an event that was intrinsically Australian. ...

One of the most beautiful, intricate and technically complex stage designs of 2015. Staging Connections delivered a visually captivating event for the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) Awards for Excellence at The Star Sydney. Celebrating the best of the hotel service industry, the event offered guests a visual feast, combining complex stage sets, intricate styling, technically advanced projection mapping and strategically prepared video content. Inspired by the geometric logo elements the Staging Connections event production team built a custom stage design comprised of a 20x5m hard projection set interspersed with coloured acrylic panels to emphasise the geometric elements of the clients’ logo. Video and imagery was projected onto the 3D set using state-of-the-art projection mapping, illuminating the stage in a thousand colours that drew the audience’s attention and ensured a memorable result. Projection Mapping uses everyday video projectors, but instead of projecting on a flat screen (e.g. to display a PowerPoint), light is mapped onto any surface, turning common objects of any 3D shape into interactive displays. More formally, projection mapping is “the display of an image on a non-flat or non-white surface”. Selina Rumble, General Manager of Partnerships & Events at the Australian Hotels Association was delighted with the creative event design that perfectly answered the Association’s brief to deliver a memorable occasion. “The Australian Hotels Association has worked with Staging Connections across Australia for nearly 10 years, and the team know how to push boundaries to produce a stellar result every time. They went above and beyond for our Awards for Excellence, delivering not only a visually stunning experience but a seamless event as well for our 500 guests. “Whilst a celebration is memorable in itself, we delight in using technology to create a striking event environment that our guests want to share with their friends. Staging Connections have the technology, the team and most of all, the know-how, to deliver special events that continue to impress our guests,” said Ms Rumble. Stu Buchanan, Event Director at Staging Connections led the team in managing and producing the entire event. “It was a star-studded event and we were keen on impressing both our client and the event’s attendees. Our team worked hard to design the multimedia for the event that took over 125 hours to prepare, and the result was a dynamic and impactful backdrop that guests raved about. “As an integrated event staging provider, every element of the event was carefully thought out, from the set design of tessellated triangles, to the mapped digital backdrop, to the three 16:9 screens and the table styling featuring illuminated glass terrariums filled with copper string lights. The event environment was warm, inviting and had an ultimate wow-factor,” concluded Mr Buchanan. Staging Connections worked in collaboration with The Star Event Centre’s technical and audio visual team to deliver the spectacular result for the Australian Hotels Association Awards for Excellence. Related Articles First of its kind - a Kinetic ceiling installation at The Million Dollar Lunch gala Transform your corporate event with creative stage design How projection mapping can add an extra dimension to your events ... Read More