How many people at the moment are talking about having an epiphany? A dinner with friends doesn’t seem to go by without someone talking about their latest intense moment of realisation, deep spiritual experience, light bulb moment or philosophical awakening – just as they tuck into their second bottle of red. How many people at the moment are talking about having an epiphany? A dinner with friends doesn’t seem to go by without someone talking about their latest intense moment of realisation, deep spiritual experience, light bulb moment or philosophical awakening – just as they tuck into their second bottle of red. Then they proceed to tell you about how this sudden bolt of lucidity changed their lives, despite the fact that their lives look remarkably similar to the last time that you saw them. One shouldn’t judge. This stuff is real.
A tough, tattooed rigger with a potty mouth once told me that he experienced his epiphany when he dropped a length of truss on his foot. “It hurt like hell,” he said, or words to that effect, “but it got me thinking. This rock n’ roll business is a mug’s game. I’m going to move to corporate!” For those that aren’t in the know, “corporate” is an AV industry term for any show or event that isn’t rock n’ roll. This was a big decision for him – he knew what he was giving up – from now on he’d have to shave before work, remove his nose ring, cover his tattoos with a nicely pressed long sleeve black shirt, not to mention clean up his language. Like everyone who’s worked in rock n roll will tell you “when you cross the River Styx to the world of corporate, there’s no going back.” But corporate is not without risk – you can still drop a length of truss on your foot if you’re clumsy enough. The difference is that when you do drop it, it doesn’t hurt. The cursing and swearing of your days in rock n’ roll have been replaced with a chuckle as the truss rings like a tuning fork. Why? Because it struck your shiny black steel-toe boot. That’s risk management in a nutshell – think about what might go wrong and come up with a solution to manage it. Like a famous New York banker once said, “risk is just a part of life, so make it your friend, or you’ll have a nervous breakdown.” Despite the fact that he’s now serving a jail sentence for getting a little bit too cosy with risk, he was kind of right. Kind of.
However, if the possibility of dropping truss on your foot was the only risk in our industry, I wouldn’t have a job. Ninety five percent of Staging Connections’ business is done in the public arena, which brings with it enormous risk and equally enormous levels of responsibility. We do flip chart and projector meetings in Sydney or Perth, right through to major global conferences in Kuala Lumpur or Paris, and everything in between. Our shows must not only be stylish, technically brilliant and commercially savvy, but they also have to be safe. Clients and members of the public who come to our events shouldn’t have to worry about whether that length of truss suspended above their heads is going to stay there. Embedding risk management into your brand takes commitment. This year Staging Connections began implementing its Stagesafe system along with its logo and mantra, “Stagesafe, every show, every event.” Whenever Managing Director Tony Chamberlain speaks to us, he begins with a message on the importance of safety, not just because he wants to, but because he understands that without safety, your brand is nothing. Author: Luke Sullivan Picture: Unless stated are owned by Staging Connections … Read More
Bring Your Event Vision To Life
Mar 19 2018
In recent years the event experience has been heavily influenced by consumer trends and the introduction of technology to enhance and help to create styled environments. These two factors are the tipping point by which the event experience is evolving to being less about just attending and more about the entire experience. Kristy Foulcher, Senior Event Stylist, Staging Connections says "The key to an event's success is not just about ticking off the must-haves, but through identifying, exploring and bringing to life the single, simple purpose for which you are holding the event. Fundamentally, this is about evoking a human response from your audience, and using design and technology to manipulate that." The Staging Connections team has long been recognised as one of the leaders in the Audio Visual and event staging industry. Our teams have been providing integrated event services for over 25 years. Over this time events have evolved from a simple audio visual setup through to complex, integrated event solutions. Staging Connections' team of event stylists work with you from creation to completion, taking your initial brief, interpreting your aims and goals, and translating those into a comprehensive look and feel. From the sense of arrival in pre function, to the intimacy of the table setting, through to the majesty of the stage set and the fun of the after party, every element is carefully considered. Regardless of whether your message is a corporate communication, or the event is just a fun party, every component is delivered with impact. "Key trends in event design for 2011 have centred around modifying the traditional event experience from straightforward stage and tables to lounge looks, cocktail zones and after bars, transforming a standard conference into a more interactive, dynamic meeting and immersing event attendees into the environment. To maximise a message, the typical drop-down screen system is morphing into megascreens with high impact animation and multimedia." Theming is no longer about a sprinkle of glitter or a disco ball. Styling is about creating a new world, transforming a space, stimulating the emotions - translating the client's desires into reality. Whatever your event and whatever your vision the key to ensuring it is realised is thinking beyond the traditional to the experience you are creating for your attendees, and how to integrate multiple event services to deliver your message with maximum impact. ... Read More