Event stage production has progressed in leaps and bounds over the past decade, and while event organizers are constantly looking for new and inventive ways to present their event, it’s all about one thing – engagement. From dynamic new ways to showcase your content on the stage to creative set styling ideas, amplifying your event and its messaging is all about up-to-date and eye-catching execution. Looking to add a little oomph to your next corporate or social event? We’ve asked our event staging experts to shine a spotlight on a handful of new (and re-imagined) set design and set styling products, to inspire your next event's stage design. Here’s our insight into the six products currently trending in the staging and set design arena, and how to make best use of set styling products. Hexagonal panels Pictured: Hexagonal panels used in this custom stage set design for the LNG18 Conference. Amp up your set design with dynamic hexagonal panels Make an impact and craft custom designed stage designs using hexagonal panels as part of your next set or stage design. Measured at approximately 1.6m in the middle and 90cm at the base, these creative display panels are designed to fit a range of venues and can add a spark to any dull stage set-up. Best of all, individual hexagonal panels can be joined together to create unique shaped walls to project onto. You also have the ability to projection map and show different content across individual panels, meaning they’re an incredibly dynamic addition to any stage’s design. Showcase content in a multi-dimensional display Pictured: Projection mapping different content onto individual panels at the MCG Evolution showcase event. Hexagonal panels were a key stage element of the Melbourne Cricket Ground’s Evolution event, a showcase held to demonstrate the capabilities of the MCG and promote its use as a multi-purpose venue. Different content was projected onto individual hexagonal panels – with Event Poll on one panel, while another panel housed a live feed of the presenter. The other panels included the speakers’ presentation content, creating a mural effect – allowing our event experts to present a variety of different content in one well-executed display. Encore Event Technologies can also match your table styling with complementing matching hexagonal terrarium centerpieces, creating a nice touch for themed events or glamorous gala dinners. Scenic Panels Add a touch of elegance to your set dressing with Scenic Panels Pictured: Scenic Panels used to create a 'wave' ceiling installation at the Australian Tourism Exchange on the Gold Coast. Draw eyes to your stage set, add flair to your gala dinner’s ceiling installations or create a lovely entry feature or room divider with the addition of Scenic Panels. These panels are a cost effective and stylish event addition; available as individual panels or screens, meaning they can be incorporated to events of any scale and size. Set the scene and give personality to your event venue With the ability to project different coloured lights across its surface, Scenic Panels are incredibly versatile and can set the scene whether you’re hosting a corporate conference, a stylish product launch or an immaculately styled gala dinner. As a ceiling installation, Scenic Panels can be rigged to the ceiling to create beautiful styling feature, such as a wave effect showcased at the Australian Tourism Exchange. Scenic Panels can also be used as room dividers, entry features, event draping, media walls, and stage backdrops, framing your stage with a unique textural panel display. Pictured: Scenic Panels used as room divider a The Million Dollar Lunch 2015. Pictured: Scenic Panels used as stage backdrop with a branded gobo projection. Pictured: Scenic Panels used as a stage backdrop for a Spy themed gala dinner. Digital Banners Re-imagine your stage design with digital banners Immerse your guests and draw focus to different sections of your stage with the use of digital banners. Digital banners aren’t the new kids on the block however with the increase in projection mapping at corporate events we’re seeing them used more and more. With the unique ability to be hung vertically or horizontally in a row, content and visuals can be projected across or mixture of horizontal and vertical displays. Pictured: Digital banners used in a custom set design for an awards night. Digital banners can also be used in combination with other set design elements, such as the fleur panels, hexagonal panels and other stage set design elements. Their size and versatility make them perfect for a range of venue sizes, from smaller events to large incentive events. Showcase your business’ content in inventive new ways Pictured: Digital banners housing themed content for the 2015 Greencross Ltd annual gala dinner. For Greencross Limited’s annual gala dinner, Encore Event Technologies made great use of digital banners. Our event specialists projected different themed content across each panel, keeping in the theme of ‘Fire & Ice’ and creating an immersive event setting. Pictured: Project animation and moving sequences across an array of digital banners. Digital banners are a cost effective way of set styling, with the unique ability to house different content, or project a series of images across each banner, making it suited to a range of event purposes. Widescreens Pictured: A widescreen makes for a dramatic stage design with projection mapping of the city skyline at a conference. Incorporate a cinematic element to your stage design with widescreens If the content you’re showcasing is extravagant in scale, give it the screen it deserves with a stage widescreen. Perfect for high impact videos, widescreens are best used for presenting a memorable opening sequence, a winners montage, tribute videos, branded product announcements or attention-grabbing hype reels. You can also add interest by combining widescreens with other set design elements, such as digital banners and fleur screens, to give your event stage even more punch. Pictured: Widescreens and Digital Banners used together in a custom set design to house different content and live feeds. Circular Truss Command your guests’ attention with circular trusses If you’re looking to expand your set styling beyond the stage, another great way to promote your brand’s content or add a ceiling installation is through event rigging. Circular trusses can provide a fixture for an impactful ceiling installation and can be rigged around the venue, meaning they’re great for projection mapping when you have a canvas attached. Pictured: Projection mapping content onto a circular truss for the Adelaide Crows Gala Dinner 2016. Pictured: Projection mapping content onto a circular truss for the Queensland Hotels Association Awards 2016 at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Our event experts used hanging chandeliers for a gala dinner fundraising event for the Adelaide Crows; although they can also be used for further set styling. You can attach crystal beaded curtains to trusses to create a dazzling ceiling installation, like showcased at the Auto & General Gala Dinner which leads us to our final set styling trend. Pictured: Circular truss used to rig chandelier curtains at the Auto & General Gala Dinner 2015. Crystal Curtains Include an element of extravagance to your event Provide your guests with a sense of luxury and cast beautiful rays of light around the venue by installing crystal or beaded drop curtains. These stunning backdrops can be used to provide a simple yet elegant backdrop for stages, or can be rigged to create a stunning ceiling installation. Pictured: Chandelier beaded curtains used as a ceiling installation and stage backdrop at the Auto & General Gala Dinner 2015. Pictured: Crystal curtains are a simple yet effective way to create a luxurious feel to your set design. Discover your stage's potential with our set design team Encore Event Technologies has been designing spectacular stage looks for over 30 years. Whether you want to create a city skyline, an iconic landmark, or bring your logo to life we have the people, the ideas and the tech tools to make it happen. That's why renowned brands like Amway, ANZ, Auto & General, NRMA & Westfield chose to partner with Encore Event Technologies to design, build and style their stages. With all eyes on your stage for the entire event, it's important you give it the attention it deserves. Find out more about our Stage Set Design services or get in touch with us to see how we can work together for your event. CALL 1800 209 099 or Send an Enquiry. ... Read More

Over 700 stars and guests came out for this year's The ONJ Gala 2016 put on every year by Austin Health. As the in-house events and audio-visual partner at Crown Palladium, Staging Connections' Melbourne team was tasked with making every guest feel extra special. An elegant, engaging and utterly spectacular affair was created, welcoming attendees including business leaders, philanthropists and fans to celebrate the achievements of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Supportive Care Programs. Pictured: Hosts for the evening, Richard Wilkins and Deborah Hutton. Executing a Hollywood Glamour themed gala dinner All styling, AV production, on-screen multimedia, performances and execution epitomised the theme of the evening, old school Hollywood glamour. Pictured: Staging Connections delivers a 'Hollywood Glamour' themed gala dinner for The ONJ Gala. From the moment guests entered the room through a beaded curtain entrance they were dazzled by the stunning atmosphere created. Shimmering red organza drapes surrounded the room creating a vibrant yet intimate feel and a three tiered truss chandelier (10m, 7m, 3m) that featured 30 smaller chandeliers with its own motor and individual lights wowed guests as a magical room centrepiece. Pictured: A highlight of the gala dinner was the three tiered chandelier. To support the high profile event, guests were entertained by a host of performances throughout the evening including Jimmy Barnes, Jon Stevens, Kinky Boots The Musical, Jason Heerah, Swing On This and star of the evening Olivia Newton-John. Pictured: Olivia Newton-John graced the stage in a stunning beaded gown. Pictured: Olivia Newton-John and Jimmy Barnes performed a rocking duet. Staging Connections’ multimedia team, led by Gary Moynihan, produced exclusive and eye-catching screen content designed specifically for each act. All multimedia content for the evening was shown on all six screens surrounding the room plus there was two camera’s vision, audience response results and a screen with auto-cue. The seven high profile acts plus a 12 piece-band and a 30-piece choir, all presented challenging requirements which were met with the professionalism that the Staging Connections team are renowned for at Crown. Full stage lighting and multiple lighting sequences created the ideal environment for the live auctions, testimonials, performances and of course, party time! Going that extra mile for gala dinner styling Completing the decadent atmosphere, Staging Connections brought in extra special styling elements including Tivoli stairs with customised internal lighting, illuminated ONJ letters, red carpets, a 7m photo wall and custom centrepieces with rose petals on mirror bases. Pictured: Tivoli stairs with custom internal lighting to complement the stage acts, such as red for Kinky Boots. Pictured: Letter lights were used to promote the event's hashtag ONJ2016 and add to the Hollywood Glamour theme. What did the client say? This was the first time that Staging Connections was selected to work on this event and the team went above and beyond in accommodating all requests and delivering a spectacular and memorable event. The Crown Palladium was truly transformed to create a glamorous atmosphere that delivered on the clients brief and supported the client in what they claim is the very best ONJ Gala to date. “I would like to especially recognise the Staging Connections team for being such fantastic partners and an absolute pleasure to work with in the lead up to the event. In addition, I would like to thank the Staging Connections team on the night, they were absolute professionals and a delight to work with, delivering an outstanding show. We appreciate everything that Staging have done to support the event – it has significantly helped us deliver the very best ONJ Gala to date.” Amy Coote, Head of Partnerships, Austin Health Flawless gala dinner production by Staging Connections Staging Connections has been executing spectacular gala dinners for over 30 years. Whether you want to celebrate achievements, fundraise or just host a fanatstic fun-filled evening we have the people, the ideas and the tech tools to make it happen. That's why renowned brands like Amway, ANZ, Auto & General and Amway chose to partner with Staging Connections to deliver their gala dinner. With all eyes on your stage for the entire event, it's important you give it the attention it deserves. Find out more about our range of gala dinner event services or get in touch with us to see how we can work together for your event. CALL 1800 209 099 or Send an Enquiry Photo Credit: Stu Morley ... Read More

Every event or meeting you attend today will include some sort of digital event technology. Whether it be an event app, online registration, webcasting, live polling, social media integration or even just access to Wi-Fi. As event planners look for new ways to collect invaluable data whilst providing attendees with a more dynamic, personalised experience, this inclusion of event technology is only going to increase. With this increase in event technology adoption comes the added pressure of venues to supply enough bandwidth to facilitate the mass usage. Since bandwidth governs all technology that uses the Internet (including personal devices being used in guest rooms and public areas outside of meetings), it has become increasingly more important for meeting and event planners to learn the basics of it and how to estimate how much you’ll need for your event. Your AV provider should take care of this for you, however it will be beneficial to get a grasp on understanding bandwidth so you can plan in advance to ensure your venue can handle the Wi-Fi demand throughout your event without overspending for more than you need. What is Bandwith and Wi-Fi? Bandwidth: The amount of data that can be transmitted (upload) or received (download) per second measured in Megabits per second. Wi-Fi: The technology that distributes the Bandwidth around a venue to wireless devices like laptops, computers, smartphones and tablets. APEX Bandwidth and Connectivity Workgroup of the Convention Industry Council (CIC) How bandwidth can affect your meetings and events whether large or small Bandwidth allocation determines how many people and devices can access the internet, what types of technology you can use (streaming vs basic surfing), and how frequently. It is based on the minimum amount of megabytes required to ensure all the known users, on an estimated amount of devices, can have an undisrupted internet viewing experience fit for purpose. Below are some event examples of how bandwidth can affect your meeting and events, regardless of size: Bandwidth determines how many devices - smartphones, tablets, laptops, live polling systems, etc. - can be used concurrently inside venues, guestrooms and public areas without interference. It determines whether streaming video presentations will be transmitted over the Internet fast enough to project crisply and clearly on the screen without image or audio distortion or even lag time. It can limit the type, size and quality of presentations your speakers or instructors will be able to upload or download. It can dictate whether a hybrid event with audiences in different locations will be trouble-free or problematic. It will control exhibitor presentations in their booths and the applications they use. Your on-site office and event operations including registration will depend on bandwidth capabilities. And the list goes on ... Very small meetings can still be technologically demanding so it’s important to remember the type of usage plays more emphasis on bandwidth exhaustion than the number of users or devices. There is nothing more frustrating than a website crashing, or seeing the spinning wheel of death as the video buffers. Rather than sit patiently and wait, your viewers or attendees are likely to abandon this and move onto something else. Therefore it’s vital you ensure there will be enough bandwidth on rehearsal and show day to accommodate your event. It can make or break your attendees’ event experience. Naturally, if you don’t intend on using any internet-reliant activities (live polling, event apps, web surfing etc) or your attendees aren’t concerned with accessing the internet during your event, than you needn’t be concerned with bandwidth availability. How to estimate how much bandwith you’ll need for your meeting or event Nowadays, it is an expectation to have internet access at all times and in all places including your event! However, this is not always as easy to arrange as it sounds. Below is a simple three step process to help you estimate how much internet bandwidth you’ll need: 1. Determine how many attendees will be using the internet at your event. 2. Assess what your participants will be using the internet for. Is it just so that delegates can check their e-mails? Or will you be webcasting the event to online audience’s and will need to send through live video and audio? Event tweeting or posting on Instagram uses a small amount of bandwidth. This is usually categorised into Low, Medium or High usage. Low – Emailing, social media, basic web surfing Medium - Skype, Audio streaming, web applications, Event apps and audience response systems. High – Webcasting, Large file transfers 3. Use your programme to determine when the peak usage will be. If your programme requires all people to sign in via digital registration before 9am and you have an event app with the event’s agenda you can assume you will need to allow more bandwidth for the morning. If you have a workshop for 4 hours in the afternoon which your attendees won’t need internet access for you can account for that too. You will need to take into account these peaks of use. Questions to ask your venue about dedicated bandwidth If you want to give all of your event attendees, including staff and presenters, the best internet experience we recommend opting for a dedicated bandwidth. As it sounds, dedicated bandwidth means the venue will reserve your bandwidth allocation so no matter what other users may be doing, your event will have access to unshared bandwidth. Whilst dedicated bandwidth provides a more reliable, faster experience, it is more expensive. We recommend speaking with your AV provider or venue to determine what type of bandwidth you’ll need and whether dedicated bandwidth is necessary. If you do require dedicated bandwidth, below are some key questions should ask your venue: Does the venue have the necessary infrastructure to bring in dedicated bandwidth? Is there on-site AV and technical support to help configure and troubleshoot these services? Does the venue have large enough caballing to meet your total bandwidth needs so even all users at usage peaks will have a good internet experience? Does your venue have the ability to set-up sub-separate networks (VLANs-Virtual Local Area Network) if your event requires it? Venues without an on-site AV technician make answering these questions more time consuming task as you’ll need to speak with an event IT company and possibly even arrange an on-site visit. This can be very costly so keep this in mind when choosing your venue. As an event planner, the last thing you want is your delegates, important VIPs or event presenters to have a negative experience because your internet failed. How do venues charge for bandwidth / internet usage Typically venues will have a schedule of pricing for number of attendees x level of bandwidth required. Ask the venue for their rate card. In some circumstances we are seeing venues include Wi-Fi in their day delegate package, this can often be a deciding factor in choosing a venue. Helpful tips for managing your bandwidth usage 1. Save on bandwidth with a proxy server for popular pages. When the participants at your event are often likely to be looking at the same internet page – for example, the programme of the day on the event website you can save on broadband use by installing a proxy server in your network. This allows you to save the pages that are surfed by the participants for a limited period of time. If another person wants to look at the same page within, say, the next ten minutes, this person does not need to access your network; instead the page in question will be uploaded from the local cache on the proxy server. 2. Allow for bandwidth for your rehearsals. Often large events will have a full rehearsal the day before the event to run from start to end just like it’s show day. If you intend on testing your webcasting, applications, live polling etc we recommend definitely allowing for this additional day of bandwidth. 3. If you plan on webcasting it is all about sufficient upload bandwidth with pre tested IP-addresses. Basically the equipment used must be registered with the internet supplier to create a dedicated internet connection separate to the bandwidth being used by the attendees. Make use of the latest event technologies at your event Find new ways to excite, inspire and connect your attendees to your brand new product. Our range of digital services allows immediate engagement with your audience, providing an inclusive atmosphere for your guests and interactive ways to gather feedback from your conference or meeting. With the latest event technology at our fingertips we have the solutions to take your event where it needs to go. Webcast your event to reach a global audience, Amplify your content via social media for events, Record and stream your event for later use, or to widen your reach, Interact with your attendees via live audience polling, or House all of your event related material on a free event app. By incorporating the latest event technology, your conference, incentive, gala dinner or exhibition attendees will benefit from the latest variety of interactive communications, bringing you and your guests closer. Speak to an Encore Event Technologies representative today to find out how we can make your event more engaging - CALL 1800 209 099 or send an online enquiry! ... Read More

As a busy event planner, you know there’s a lot that goes into the planning and execution of each conference and seminar that you’re involved with. At Encore, we want to make it easier for you to stay organised, share information with event attendees and plan a successful and stress-free conference or seminar. That's why we’ve released Cumulus, a free corporate event app that is easy-to-use, easy-to-navigate and an all-inclusive tool that puts all of the information pertinent to your event at your attendees’ fingertips. Our event app will allow you to share your conference agenda ahead of the event, allow your guests to access profiles and bios of the key speakers at your seminar, make it easier for attendees to navigate to and around the venue and so much more. Best of all, Cumulus is no charge to event planners that use us, exclusively, for their AV services. If you want to pull off a fun, engaging and informative conference, seminar or corporate event, our event app is essential. Here are 10 ways our free event app, Cumulus, will enhance your corporate seminar or conference experience: 1. Upload your event agenda Feature: Agenda Upload your event’s agenda or program so that your guests can access it ahead of the big day so that they have information about what meetings will be part of your conference or seminar, as well as the date, time and location for each meeting. Allowing your guests to access the schedule for your event means that they will be able to attend the meetings and seminars they are most interested in. 2. Include important information on your presenters or speakers Feature: Speaker Information Who is speaking at your conference or imparting important information at your seminar? Let your guests know by uploading bios and profiles that introduce each of the key speakers at your event to your guests. 3. Distribute important venue information Feature: Facility Overview Including a map so that your attendees know where to go is an excellent touch. You can also include transport and shuttle information for out-of-town guests. 4. Attendee List Feature: Attendees One of the biggest advantages for guests of conferences and seminars is the networking possibilities that these types of events open up. You can make networking even easier by uploading a list of attendees which offers users the opportunity to e-mail one another. Unlike other event apps, Cumulus allows users to click on an attendee and the app will take the user straight to their device’s e-mail client to send an e-mail. 5. Upload important downloadable documents Feature: Downloads Rather than handing out hard copies of important documents, you can upload essential meeting material, documents, bulletins, floor plans and much more so that your event’s attendees can access this important information from their smart phone or tablet. 6. Showcase your sponsors Feature: Sponsors With our free event app, you are able to highlight your event sponsors in a unique and dynamic way. With a dedicated area for your sponsors’ information, you can create a partnership recognition area that includes flexible rich text content, sponsorship messaging and internet hyperlinks to your sponsors’ content. With many sponsorship levels, you can customise your sponsor area to meet the needs of your event. 7. Include live polling for attendees Feature: Links Including a link to our live polling platform, Event Poll, let's you ask your attendees questions, encourage discussion, promote brainstorming and receive instant feedback. Adding Event Poll to your conference or seminar is a great way to garner audience engagement through participation. With an event poll, you have the opportunity to host a live Q & A session, run polls on hot topics and so much more. 8. Keep your attendees updated Feature: Bulletins With our event app, you can help your attendees stay up-to-date on the conference or seminar they will be attending by including a dedicated news area where you can upload news and important bulletins. 9. Uploading supporting videos Feature: Videos Videos are great, easily digestible content that give a large amount of information without requiring a large time commitment from the viewer. Uploading videos via Cumulus is an excellent way to share rich and dynamic content with your event’s attendees. The videos can be brand, sponsor, product or destination related and so much more. 10. Promote venue deals and offers Feature: Links / Downloads When you host a conference or a seminar at a venue that has promotional offers for your audience, our event planning app allows you to share this information with all of the attendees of your event. Watch Cumulus in action! AHICE used Cumulus at their 2019 conference to distribute key information and connect with attendees. Cumulus App Demo for AHICE from Encore Event Technologies on Vimeo. Our free corporate event app, Cumulus, is just one of the ways that Encore Event Technologies can help you plan and flawlessly execute a stand-out conference or seminar. We also offer you the skills and expertise of more than 30 years of experience and we can provide you with a professional and organised event production team who will assist you in the production of a conference or seminar that will blow your attendees away. To find out how Event Briefcase can enhance your event, speak with one of our Encore representatives today by calling 1800 209 099 or by sending an online enquiry. -- ... Read More

More and more conferences are concluding with a styled gala dinner. There are three main reasons driving this trend – an entertaining gala dinner is a great way to reward your attendees after a long information heavy conference; gala dinners encourage networking; the savvy event planner can minimize costs when ‘bundling’ the two events. When planning two back-to-back events, the key to a successful experience is a smooth transition between the two. With so many elements coming together and you’re racing against the clock, this can seem somewhat overwhelming. Our event experts share some insightful tips to help the savvy event planner knock their event out of the park. See below 7 ideas for seamlessly turning your conference into a gala dinner 1. Use a second room within the venue Choosing the right venue is one of the most important decisions in planning your conference. To successfully include a gala dinner as part of your conference, a venue with two rooms is ideal. A smooth transition from conference to gala dinner Booking two rooms in your venue will allow you to usher your guests to a second location for cocktails and networking. While your guests are enjoying cocktails your secondary team can redress the conference room in preparation for the gala dinner. The key to a smooth transition is teamwork. To make sure it goes without a hitch, you’ll need an experienced events team to ensure all the lighting, AV, sound and styling is in place. The room should be unrecognizable when your guests re-enter the room! Consider your attendee's needs When choosing the rooms for your event, consider the fact that your guests have been sitting for most of the day while they attended the conference. With this in mind, it is a good idea to usher your guests from the conference room into a standing room elegantly accessorized with comfortable lounging areas. When booking your venue, choose one that offers a second room that gives your guests a break from the standard conference room setting. Look into booking a venue that offers guests access to a patio or an outdoor space. A garden view and cocktails are great ways to break from the traditional conference setting. 2. Offer a different kind of conference setting Following a long day seated in a conference chair, your guests will welcome a change of scenery. Breaking from the monotony of what is expected at a typical conference will really wow event attendees. Re-energize your attendees with a new seating arrangement A simple yet really effective way to go from corporate conference to exiting gala dinner is to change the seating arrangement. Conferences can be rigid affairs, but a break from tradition and a little bit of flair changes all of that. The most common seating transition is theatre to banquet round, but again it depends on what space you have to play with. Economical use of the venue space presents a number of possibilities for any enterprising event planner. Check out our post about choosing the right seating style for your event to give you ideas. A more contemporary seating style is to incorporate a lounge area (pictured above) at your event. The seating here should be less formal than conference room seating and offer your guests a break from the potential dreariness of a typical conference. Likewise, a dessert bar is a crafty way to offer your guests a change of pace as well as a delicious treat. Our event stylists share tips on how to create the perfect lounge zone. 3. Add flair to your event with a hefty dose of style It’s a no brainer. To transition from a conference to gala dinner your, event styling is your trump card. Styling for a conference tends to be minimal with some simple yet sophisticated table centerpieces, draping and some branded props around the room. On the other hand, gala dinners are the holy grail for event stylists where literally you’re only limited by your imagination. Everything can be styled, and the more you marry styling with AV, the more impactful the event. Dress up your gala dinner with elegant table styling Creative centrepieces are the hallmark of an attractive table setting. Your event stylist will design the perfect setting for your event look and type. Key elements to stunning table centerpieces are: || LED candles are perfect for adding soft and attractive lighting. They’re also cleaner and safer to use than their real counterparts. || Crystal and glass ornaments make great statement pieces. They are also subtle enough to be used for the conference styling, and then add some LED candles, mirrors and other styling pieces to really make them pop for the gala dinner. Creative lighting is the key to making these pieces truly dazzle guests. ||Flowers are hugely popular for both conferences and gala dinners. Whilst they can sometimes carry a hefty price tag, your event stylist will have many cost effective alternates up their sleeve. From simple orchards in abstract vases, to ‘almost real’ floral arrangements in crystal chambers and terrariums, there are many ways to achieve the floral look without breaking the budget. Pairing your table dressings with equally vamped up chairs adds a degree of style to your gala dinner. Swathing chairs with attractive chair covers adds a sense of formality and luxury to your decor. Curtains and drapes also provide a degree of elegance for your conference and gala dinner. Drape tracks allow you to transition from conference to gala dinner with a great deal of speed so you don’t have to keep your guests waiting for long. 4. Keep the guests of your event entertained and engaged Adding entertainment and inviting your guests to participate during your conference and gala dinner are great ways for any event planner to ensure that their’s is a memorable event. Engage Your Guests With Social Media Encore Event Technologies has a unique strategy for engaging your guests. Event Feed is an online platform which scans all social media platforms for a predetermined hashtag and then displays these posts on a screen so that guests have the chance to be featured during the conference and gala! Entertain with performances at your Gala dinner After a long, content rich day at the conference, your guests will welcome entertaining performances. A savvy event planner amps up their gala dinner planning game by organizing a variety of acts to keep guests engaged and amused all night long. If you’re stuck for ideas, consider commissioning a singer, a dance troupe, a magician, a quick-change act or even an aerial artist like an acrobat if your venue can accommodate it. 5. Create the right atmosphere and ambiance with AV and lighting effects Audio visual equipment as well as specialized lighting and lighting effects are a great way to set the tone and mood of your conference and gala dinner. Dramatic Lighting The right lighting features add another dimension to your event. Using roving gobos, pin spot lighting and dynamic colour changes are a great way to transition from a conference to a gala dinner. Take a look at the dramatic effect of pin spot lighting. Using AV Equipment During a conference, audio visual equipment is typically used to share slides and capture the audience’s attention. As you transition from a conference to a gala dinner, use the same audio visual equipment to create a dramatic impact. Using the projector and screen that were used for conference slides, project stylized images that match the theme of your gala for added effect. Using digital banners and widescreens When using projectors and impactful images, consider adding digital banners as well. The flexibility in their modular design makes digital banners a great way to re-imagine your content. Arranged in various ways to support your content, digital banners can draw attention to corporate sponsors, add corporate branding, project messages to guests of your event and add animated content. Similarly, widescreens are a perfect solution for conference to gala dinner stage sets. The sheer size of widescreens make them the perfect candidate for conference presentations, whilst can also make the perfect canvas for projecting stunning imagery and stylised content onto for the gala dinner. Create ambiance with music during your gala dinner A moment can be made with the right music. Background music is a powerful tool for changing the ambiance of a room. Carefully select warm, instrumental tunes or high powered musical odysseys for your guests to enjoy as you treat them to an exciting gala dinner. 6. Pre-set like a pro for a smooth transition from conference to gala dinner Transitioning between a conference and a gala dinner doesn’t have to be an ordeal. A great deal of pre-planning and pre-setting can make for a smooth transition from drab conference to exciting gala dinner. Timing plays a key part in transitioning between conference and gala dinner. A well scheduled event will be one that goes off without a hitch. Simple Pre-Setting Strategy For conference and gala dinners, pre-setting stage looks in two distinct layers is a good idea. Employing the use of black drapery means that you will be able to hide a secondary stage for a gala dinner and transitioning from conference to gala dinner is as simple as pulling back a drape. Use Event Backdrop for a quick change Incorporating an Event Backdrop into your stage or room design is a great way to dress up your event. Event Backdrop is made using photographic quality print on fabric, that is brilliantly illuminated to create knock-out impact at an affordable price. Available in a range of sizes to suit all event sizes, they are ideal for delivering a message, promoting a product, reinforcing the message of an event, or building recognition of your brand. Event Backdrop's can also be changed quickly between your chosen conference backdrop to a gala dinner backdrop that aptly matches the theme of your gala. You can also utilise Event Backdrops at the entrance to your venue to welcome guests. A great way to create excitement at your event is to use a backdrop to create a photo wall for your guests to be photographed in front of as they arrive at the event. Plan your event down to the last detail The lighting that you have chosen for your event plays an important role in transitioning between conference and gala dinner. To facilitate a smooth transition, lighting for your gala dinner can be set up prior to your conference and pre-programmed to begin at just the right time. All of the lighting effects and transitions can be programmed ahead of time so this won’t be something you’ll need to worry about as you prepare for the gala dinner. When it comes to planning a successful conference and gala dinner, the key is turnaround time and ensure that you have ample staff on hand to transition from conference to gala dinner in a timely manner. 7. Leave it to the event production experts Encore Event Technologies has been transforming conferences into lavish gala dinners for over 30 years. It’s safe to say, there’s not a trick in the book we wouldn't know. Our event production team has mastered the transition, attributing it all to preparation, experience and creativity. With the largest range of event services, Encore Event Technologies are your one-stop-shop and have everything you need to transform your event with ease. If you are interesting in exploring options for your next event, speak to a Encore Event Technologies representative today by calling 1800 209 099 or by sending an online enquiry. ... Read More

Lighting can make or break your event experience. It is so much more than just putting a spotlight on your performer or a few stage lights here and there. If the lights are too bright your event may seem stark and cold. If your lights are too dark guests may miss important elements of your event and design. Lighting creates ambience, displays video content and can be used to highlight architectural elements or styling pieces to build a visual experience that will leave your guests in awe. You can also use lighting to direct your guests attention to events going on within your event, or to grab their attention. Uplighting At Your Event Uplighting is a great way to create an atmosphere at your event. Rooms can look bland if you do not use perimeter lighting. This is especially important for a simple more basic venue such as an empty ballroom, gallery, or conference centre which can tend to be bland if you do not add in lighting and colour. These venues do not have a lot of character to begin with you will need to build ambience with more lighting and decor. It’s a great way to tie in a colour that goes with your theme and create a wow factor upon guests entering the room. What type of events are great for uplighting? Awards nights and gala dinners TV shows and 'on the couch' type speaker events Charity dinners Sporting events Weddings Cocktail Functions Using Gobo's Gobo’s are a great way to add an element of design and depth to your event. Simply stated a gobo is a beam of light with a metal stencil over it that creates a pattern. As technology progressed, glass gobos were developed that could incorporate colours and detailed imagery. Gobos can project any design or pattern including abstract shapes, patterns, pictures, and company logos. You can project gobos onto ceilings, floors, and walls, they are a great way to add visual interest. While gobos are great for transforming your event by giving it a dynamic atmosphere and feel, they can be used to promote your brand. Seeing your brands logo in bright crisp lighting will create a visual impact that surely will not go unnoticed. Gobos can go almost anywhere and are highly flexible, work perfectly with many types of events from conventions, to galas and even weddings displaying the happy couples' initials. What type of events are great for gobos? The versatility of gobos makes them the perfect lighting technique for all types of shows. Brand logo for sales conferences and product launches. Wall design for gala dinners. Bride and groom initials at weddings. Logos for awards nights and conferences. Create A Light Show A light show is a really fun way to grab your guests attention. Light shows are often combined with the first two lighting techniques. However, unlike the first two lighting options these lights will be constantly moving and flashing because a lighting engineer designs a custom show specifically for your event. Vivid Sydney is one of the world's biggest lighting shows. There you will find every type of lighting technique under the sun. Lighting shows are often used at corporate events before an awards ceremony or speeches to quite the crowd and build excitement for the main event. We also use them to create an amazing dance vibe at galas and high energy concerts. Light shows make a very memorable experience and keep the energy high at events! Highlight Design with Pin Lighting Pin lighting is an excellent way to direct attention to certain parts of your event. Using a spotlight creates a dramatic effect that can transform centerpieces, decor elements and table settings into incredible pieces of art. Not only do pin lights add drama to your event lighting, but they also provide separation that is often needed between dark table linens and centerpieces allowing the centerpieces to pop and stand out. Pin lighting will make your event design a more dynamic visual experience. Discover more Lighting techniques and insights for your event - download our expert white paper Event Insights - Making Your Event Shine. Related Articles LED Yo-Yo Ceiling Installation Wows at The Million Dollar Lunch Techie Tuesday: Vivid Sydney Exposed 7 Lighting Tips for Your Event This article was first published on HelloEndless ... Read More

Welcome to Part One of our four part blog series, giving you a sneak peek into what event themes you can expect on the festive circuit. This year, immersive themed events are hotly tipped to be the way to give your guests an exciting and memorable celebration and importantly end the year with a bang! Some event themes are classic and will always inspire, while others trend alongside popular culture. This year Christmas event styling is focusing on creating immersive events that ‘tell a story’ with festive flair. Immersive events are about going above and beyond your typical styling treasure trove to embracing audio visual solutions that transform your venue. We want to give you a taste of what is hot this year in event styling and our top tips for really bringing your theme to life. Part 2: 12 Days of Christmas || Part 3: Hollywood Awards || Part 4: Northern Lights VINTAGE CIRCUS AND CARNIVAL A vintage circus creates a sense of fun and festivity, perfect for an end of year celebration. This theme is versatile and can be applied as either theatrical and moody or as rustic and vintage carnival. For a theatrical effect use draping with velvet textures and rich, deep colours such as burgundy or purple. Alternate these with white drapes to surround guests in a circus tent feel. Don’t leave the drapes bare, add highlights of gold tassels and fringing and light the drapes from the base to add drama and depth. Create a dynamic audio visual display with a curved screen and themed content. An outdoor carnival look is achieved by incorporating rustic elements and textures like timber crates, barrels and bentwood chairs, or even good old hay bales. Marquee lights are a must and give energy and sparkle, while bold graphic shapes such as stars, hearts and arrows add character. These lights are very fashionable so your event will be both immersive and on-trend. Rustic props emphasis the vintage feel. Incorporate live experiences like the Tarot reading tent. To really provide that unique touch, tailored vignettes tell little stories that provide interest and intrigue. Add clusters of room props and bespoke table centres such as mini menageries of circus animals. Try painting these gold such as giraffes, tigers and elephants, and place in a rustic cage. They’ll cast alluring shadows on the table tops and the gold brings the theme on-trend with metallic highlights. The perfect props: Uplights on wall decals, mini menageries of circus animals and vintage clown faces. Now to pull this all together, we recommend installing large screens either on the walls or on stage to project some great animation or graphics onto, such as circus acts. Create a dynamic ceiling installation by anchoring styled props upside down amongst bunting. Invite performers and interactive experiences to immerse your audience in the Vintage Circus theme. A step-up from this, is projecting animation across the walls, ceiling or even across constructed fixtures. This is where projection mapping comes in, which is the magic behind Sydney’s Vivid festival and what we used to launch the latest Alienware:Area 52 product (a bit off topic, but a fantastic video to watch!). Top tips An illuminated “SHOW” sign over a stage teams perfectly with roving circus performers. Scattered old-world circus props bring touch of old world charm. Lace parasols, hoola hoops and feather plumes allude to aerial artists and show performers. For a personalised touch, use vintage ticket rolls with your company or event name printed in old world font. It’s these details that will stand out. Dramatic deep red velvet curtains with the icons internally lit 'Show' sign. Want to see our other event theme predictions for end of year celebrations? Part 2: Hollywood Awards Night || Part 3: 12 Days of Christmas || Part 4: Northern Lights ... Read More

Since the launch of Event Poll - our audience polling software - in March of last year, we have seen it successfully used across a host of events from conferences to gala dinners, charity events right through to team building events. As audience engagement continues to remain a priority for event organisers, live polling is becoming a standard fixture in the events mix. Here are 8 tips that will maximise audience engagement with your event whilst gathering invaluable information about your audience. What is Event Poll For those who didn’t see our previous post on the BYOD movement or are still suffering from post-holiday withdrawals, Event Poll is a web or SMS-based questionnaire platform that allows both in-room and webcast audiences to participate in live polls at your events. In its simplest form, it works via web based responses or text messaging so even those on trusty Nokia 3315s can participate. The great thing about Event Poll is the responses are displayed in real time, with insights and results delivered to you post the event. 1. Grab your audience with a powerful Event Poll visual display Events are an opportune time to get your brand in front of a targeted audience so you need to ensure all touch points are branded appropriately. Fortunately, the design and layout of the polls can be customised to suit your brand guidelines. You can choose a banner or logo to be displayed at the top of each poll. The background, graphs and text colours can also be chosen to match. Graphical display The classic bar graph is the most common event poll used. This is most effective for multiple choice style questions where you are looking for a percentage of opinion across the audience. Open text display Open text is ideal for Q&A sessions instead of having to hand a microphone around the room. Moderation control allows you to choose what goes to screen and captures all the questions from the room even if there is no time to answer them all. Clickable Image (heat map) This design allows you to plot mass points on any image to create a heat map. A nice way to warm up the crowd is by asking your audience to plot on a map where they’re from. Surveys Event Poll even allows you to group of series of questions together via a URL link as a survey. This is particularly useful for event and/or content feedback. Word Clouds Want to find out what the most talked about topics at your event were? Event Poll has the ability to collect and aggregate all responses into a word cloud, demonstrating by increasing font size what the leading topics/questions were at your event. Idea Session Similar to Open Text, attendees can use Event Poll to type in their ideas or comments and other attendees can place a positive or negative rating on these. The most popular response rises to the top of the leaderboard display. 2. Moderate your event content There’s nothing worse for a marketer than exposing your brand to potentially harmful content and the often very public and embarrassing chaos that unfolds. Therefore, for Open Text polls we encourage you to moderate your content and offer two types of moderation control. We can set an automatic profanity filter or manual moderation control which provides complete control over what goes to screen. 3. Ask the right question Photo credit: Derek Bridges Keep it simple. Questions should have one part only. For multiple choice questions each option should be distinct with no ambiguity. Buzzwords, acronyms and any other wording that isn’t universally understood should be avoided totally. Again, if you’re not sure what questions to ask and how to phrase them contact us and we’ll be happy to guide you. 4. Be ready for any answer With multiple-choice questions, you must prepare a response to each possibility. If you are doing a product launch and ask the audience how likely they are to buy this product and the answer comes back ‘not at all’, you have to be ready to do some fast-talking. So as with any interview, it’s always better to be over-prepared, this way you’ll always remain in control of the conversation. 5. Gather data from your audience In this data-driven world, many people are becoming more and more cautious of giving out personal information so event organisers need to be smarter about how to approach this. One of the main uses of Event Poll is obtaining insightful audience demographic information. Asking your audience some basic information at the beginning of your event can be a useful ice-breaker and provide you with essential information to provide context to your event, the attendees and their responses. As mentioned earlier the Heat Map is a good way to see where your audience is from, or you could use the Graphical display to ask what department or industry they represent. 6. Measure your audience engagement with Event Poll Photo credit: James Duncan Davidson For learning-based events such as training days and new product launches, Event Poll can be used to measure content comprehension and retention. By asking your audience questions throughout the event you are encouraging them to actively reflect and thereby increase learning outcomes. For example, this is particularly useful feedback when you want some insight into what concepts you may need to explore further. 7. Entertain your audience Lively events entail a lot of probing, pushing and polling so it is important to let your audience have a bit of fun too. If you are running a gala dinner, awards night or any other less formal event, there’s a great range of playful uses for real-time polling. Do you have a red carpet entrance? Poll the audience for best dressed. Need to revive your audience after a long conference? Then use it for some fun trivia. 8. Use Feedback to improve future events It all boils down to communication - you are inviting your attendees to engage in a conversation with you. The most common use of Event Poll is to gauge an audience’s appreciation of the event itself – content, effort and/or delivery of the presentation. This type of feedback can play a key role in shaping the content and structure for your next event which is why it’s essential you receive the response insights post the event to keep on file and share with your team. Integrate Event Poll into your event today As we strive to find smarter ways to better engage our audience at events, we also need to ensure we’re not only utilising the latest technologies but maximising their potential. The possibilities are endless and our team of event professionals are ready to help you get the most from Event Poll today. If you are interested in using Event Poll in your next event contact us and discover what Event Poll can do for your brand. Want to stay up to date with industry trends? Browse our range of downloadable Event Insights papers ... Read More

Twitter is ever growing in popularity in both corporate and social circles. It is a simple, free tool that enables greater engagement with your audience and extends your event space to the online world. Most people today are familiar with Twitter, but expect some the less tech-savvy amongst your guests and always be on hand as you will have to explain basic tweeting and character limitations and of course the relevant social handles for your event. If everyone uses the platform during your event you will find that they are more engaged; absorbing and analysing your content in real time. Not to mention, it is also a nice and simple way to make your webcast attendees feel involved in the conversation and the event. 1. Advertise your event hashtag The most important part of your event Twitter feed is an event hashtag. Hashtag’s are a tool for aggregating and archiving metadata and when used by every twitter user it will organize your event discussion into a single tag so you can follow the conversation. Therefore it is essential that everyone is using the right hashtag. Make sure to advertise it on the event invite and post it on Twitter several times prior to the event. Hashtags work over Instagram, Facebook and Google+ so spread the word over every possible platform for maximum exposure. During Your Event In addition to advertising the hashtag prior to the event, you must make sure it is clearly displayed throughout your event. If you hand out flyers ensure that it is clearly marked near your brand logo and if you have presentations, make sure it is visible on every slide. You’re initial presenter should encourage your guests with incentives to use it. Your event hashtag not only organises all of your guests comments and questions but invites people keeping up with the event online to join the conversation and engage with your brand. If you have a large event with lots of tweets your hashtag could end up ‘trending’ exposing your brand to a much larger audience. 2. Turn your event into a contest on Twitter Instead of just telling your guests to tweet, turn it into a contest. The respective prize of the competition is up to you. It does not need to be big, but will get your audience more engaged and invite an element of play to your event. Examples of good Twitter hashtag competitions include most creative answer to a question, best event photo (this can be hosted through Twitter and Instagram) or even a simple lottery including everyone who uses the hashtag, which inspires even your timid guests to join in the tweeting. 3. Grow your social media influence Good integration of social media during an event enhances the experience for the attendees in the room and can capture the attention of your entire market. A lively event Twitter feed displayed on screens in the venue encourages audience participation, but it also gives those who didn’t attend a tantalising glimpse of what they’re missing out on. Encore Event Technologies has a great software platform called Event Tweet that allows you to capture your in room and virtual audiences’ tweets and Instagram posts through a dedicated hashtag and send them live to screen on a template of choice. Posts can be scrolling as audiences comment on ideas or presenters can ask questions igniting feedback and conversation. Your event Twitter feed is an opportunity to develop a stronger connection with your guests. It is advisable to have a moderator working on the Twitter feed. A moderator will post tweets during the event; asking questions, answering questions, acknowledging tweets, posting quotes from the speakers and re-tweeting insightful guest tweets. They will also ensure the Twitter feed maintains it’s focus by filtering out offensive and off-topic material and help grow your brand by following all people who use the event hashtag. Follow your guests on Twitter Following your guests increases the likelihood of them following you back so you can continue to engage with them after they have left. 4. Use Twitter to collect your audiences questions during your event Twitter can assist your Q&A segment greatly. A good way of separating questions from statements is to create another hashtag for questions. For example if your event hashtag is #twitterevent then make your question hashtag #qtwitterevent. You can have these scroll through your Twitter feed in real time and then have your moderator collect them and organise them for question time, cutting out some of the inevitable question overlap and giving voice to a larger cross-section of your audience. 5. Organise your Event’s best tweets in Storify After your event you should aggregate the best tweets, photos and videos organized by your hashtag and place them in a Storify to preserve all the great content created by your guests, speakers and moderator. Storify collects content from all social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+, Youtube and Soundcloud so if it serves your brand you can find it and archive it together. You can then send this Storify in email blasts to all of your guests and users of the hashtag in the following weeks to keep your event working for you. Make Twitter Work For You Twitter is such a powerful tool because it gives everyone an equal voice. Intellectual and emotional engagement into your real time event is very powerful and as with all powerful tools it requires some moderation and guidance. Use Twitter wisely and it will immensely increase the success of your audio visual event. At Encore Event Technologies we have extensive experience using Twitter for events and utilise our own Event Tweet software. Want to know more? Get in touch today. Want to stay up to date with industry trends? Browse our range of downloadable Event Insights papers ... Read More