It’s been a very busy quarter for Staging Connections right across the business. From delivering the AFL’s week long Best & Fairest and Grand Final Week celebrations to helping EB Games celebrate 20 years, our teams have work tirelessly to produce innovative event experiences. We’ve seen the successful launch of our fun new product, SpeakUp, ...

Our most versatile styling solution has just landed! General Marketing Manager, Adele Symonds, discusses why everyone is talking about Scenic Panels and how they are making an impact for events of all shapes and sizes. How to add that something special to your next event by Adele Symonds, General Marketing Manager - Encore Event Technologies -- People often ask me: what makes a great event? Is it the topic, the speaker, or could it be the stage setting that can really make an event shine? So far in 2017, we have seen some really fantastic examples of event design and uses of event technology, from projection mapping to elaborate stage sets and clever use of lighting. Event planning has become equally focused on how well you can put on a show in order to really exceed your guests expectations. Encore is constantly striving to make events not only fresh and exciting, all the while keeping the brief and budgets in mind. Our discovery team ‘PluggedIn’ are always looking for new products and technology and recently turned their focus to discover what clients want from their event styling. They found there was high demand for a versatile product which has the ability to transform any space, suit any theme and most appealing of all that can be delivered at a fraction of the cost of some of the advanced technologies used for big budget clients. Listening closely to our client’s needs, we developed a new product range of laser cut Scenic Panels which would add a touch of finesse and style to any event. The demand for a versatile product was delivered by the almost infinite number of ways and formations the panels can be used. Scenic Panels provide the perfect room divider and can help you go from conference to gala dinner. Available in 2D and 3D the intricate laser cut panels in a range of on-trend designs, are a flexible, affordable way to add a special touch to your event. Combine with up-lighting, washes and colourful displays to bring movement and ‘wow’ factor to any venue. Scenic Panels can be used to replace traditional draping in decorating venue walls. Want to hide that stage fascia, wall, or add an elegant textual feature? No problem, these specialised panels are the perfect solution. Want to create a memorable entrance feature, networking area, or distinct focal point for your event? They can do that. Scenic Panels used to create a simple yet elegant stage backdrop for an intimate VIP event. Need an architectural element for theatrical lighting to impress and delight your audience? Scenic panels are perfect. You can event create dramatic ceiling sculptures which when lit create a truly dramatic look. Scenic Panels can even be rigged to the roof to create spectacular ceiling installations. Scenic Panels are now available in every Encore base location, as well as all venues where we are in-house across Australia and New Zealand. Head to our product page to find out more about Scenic Panels today. Love to find out more about how Scenic Panels could be used for your event? Simply send us an enquiry or give us a call on 1800 209 099 ... Read More

2016 was certainly an exciting year for Encore (formerly Staging Connections). We delivered a whopping 32,900 events across the Asia Pacific for our clients - from conferences, gala dinners and incentives to sporting events, roadshows and everything in between! We continued our pursuit of the very latest event technologies, like holograms, custom projection mapping, new digital signage products and touch-screen technology, as well as being the first event company in Australia to offer free event apps to our clients! Our creative teams also continued to shine, delivering on-trend styling, creative set designs and multimedia content that delivered an amazing brand experience for attendees. Whilst we can’t talk about every event in 2016 – there’s just too many! – We are proud to share with you some of the highlight corporate events we delivered in 2016. Event: Dom Pérignon VIP gala dinner NSW Client: Dom Pérignon Venue: The Ivy, Merivale Our team amazed 100 VIP guests with an imaginative and artistic lighting and projection show, at a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience for the Dom Pérignon Lumiére Dinner. Throughout the evening, creative and custom animations were projection mapped onto the tables using twelve 16k projectors to perfectly align the animation to each place setting. Among the animations were beautiful champagne inspired designs, personalised name cards, and even projections introducing each course, which was of course paired with different vintage Dom Pérignon champagnes! Dom Pérignon Lumiere Dinner 2016 at ivy Sydney . Why we love it It was fantastic to partner with a world-renowned, luxury brand on such an exciting event. We pushed the boundaries to produce something truly innovative using beautiful lighting effects and projection mapping. The style of the event articulated the elegance of the Dom Pérignon brand, and we delivered a seamless and unforgettable event experience. Event: LNG18 Conference WA Client: Exhibitions and Trade Fairs Venue: Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre In April 2016, the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre hosted the world’s largest global liquefied natural gas (LNG) conference, LNG18. The four day event was attended by over 6,000 leaders of the LNG industry, amongst them were CEOs from Chevron, Shell and Woodside as well as the Australian Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and other Heads of State. We were proud to be appointed as the official audio visual provider for the conference. Delivering LNG18. Why we love it The modernistic set design for the plenary sessions used the latest in projection mapping; with its custom design inspired by an industrial look and isometric shapes. The event featured stunning scenery of Australia’s landscape and integrated vision of current and future LNG projects. LNG18 also gave us the opportunity to debut our latest digital offering, Inteli-Touch - which is our answer to “what comes next after PowerPoint and Keynote?” – an interactive touch-screen presentation software. Exhibitions & Trade Fairs, organisers of the conference, used Inteli-Touch on their stand to display exhibition floor plans on an interactive screen so delegates could make bookings or send an enquiry to exhibit at the next World Gas Conference in Washington. Event: Crows Match Day Experience Client: Adelaide Crows Venue: Adelaide Oval Encore was challenged to engage Adelaide Crows fans in new ways. The solution was an amazing activation projecting imagery onto buildings around the CBD, the roof of the stadium and surrounding grounds. As part of our solution, our team lit up the Adelaide night sky with custom lighting projections of the Adelaide Football Club’s brand during the first half of the 2016 Toyota AFL Premiership season. Iconic buildings on the riverbank, including the Adelaide Festival Centre and InterContinental Adelaide, were lit with the brilliant projections accompanying those on the grandstand, footpaths, skyscrapers and trees and inside the stadium itself. Why we love it Inspired by the 'bat signal', we designed a powerful call-to-arms for Adelaide Football Club fans, emphasise the club’s tagline “We Fly As One” and logo. Beaming the Adelaide Crows colours and branding onto the skyline and the surrounding grounds was the perfect answer to this brief. For the 2016 Toyota AFL Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round, Encore helped the Crows honour their current and past Indigenous players with spectacular custom projections of the players on the stadium’s ceiling. In a first for the Adelaide Oval, we worked with TLA Worldwide to give fans a unforgettable match day experience with the stadium itself becoming a branded canvas and mural of the players. Event: 2016 Australian Tourism Exchange Client: cievents Venue: Gold Coast Event Centre Working collaboratively with cievents, a valued long-term client of Encore, our team delivered the creative design for the Welcome Event of the 2016 Australian Tourism Exchange. The theme of the Welcome Event was to pay tribute to the beautiful aquatic and coastal experiences Australia provides, which was a focus of the latest global campaign by Tourism Australia. Our teams brought the idea to life by using a combination of audio visual, multimedia content and styling. Creative lighting was used throughout the venue, in conjunction with fleur paneling on the ceiling, to completely transform the space with a wave design that immersed guests in an underwater feel. Why we love it As a major tourism event with Chris Hemsworth in attendance, expectations were high to bring the Australiana theme to life. Creating a major wow-factor, we rigged two huge rectangular truss grids to the ceiling to produce the technical lighting requirements and support the magnificent ceiling installation of fleur panels that created a wave effect. Additionally, we created a vibrant beach atmosphere outdoors, featuring lots of sand, a DJ hut, wide LED screen and beach furniture, which was made in collaboration with other service providers such as Coastal Productions and ELS. The overall effect of the AV, lighting design, multimedia content and styling worked in harmony to truly immerse the audience into the coastal Australiana theme. Event: Amway Taiwan Incentive Client: Amway Taiwan Venue: The Cutaway, Barangaroo The Amway Taiwan 2016 Incentive was one of the biggest events of the year for Sydney with over 1150 VIPs in attendance. For the concluding gala dinner, Encore's Sydney team designed and delivered an elaborate event production at The Cutaway, Barangaroo on Sydney’s Harbour foreshore. It was a sensory overload with non-stop entertainment from the moment the guests arrived. The AV technical teams, designers and stylists worked together to transform a rugged venue into a glamorous gala dinner. Stunning Australian scenery was seamlessly projected along the venues walls, a stunning lighting display beamed colours and shapes around the room, whilst the tables were decorated with elegant, native centrepieces on sparkling golden linen. Amway Taiwan Incentive Event 2016. Why we love it Event managers dream of an event like this. From the iconic location and incredible programme of entertainment, to the technically demanding yet visually striking AV, lighting design and stunning styling. The Amway Taiwan incentive was a truly decadent affair, not to mention the vintage Mustang cars bringing the VIP guests on stage! To top it off, the gala dinner concluded with a magnificent 15 minute firework display from numerous barges and giant AMWAY fire letters in the Harbour, to deliver a truly breathtaking finale. Event: ACORN Conference Client: ICMS Australia Venue: Hobart’s Grand Chancellor Hotel and Macquarie’s Wharf No.2 In 2016, our Hobart team delivered their largest event in Tasmania for ICMS Australia. The four day conference welcomed 1200 of the nation’s Operating Room Nurses at Hobart’s Grand Chancellor Hotel, which concluded with a beautifully styled gala dinner at Macquarie’s Wharf No 2. Why we love it The gala dinner was a real highlight; we delivered a vast projection surface that set the scene for the theme of a ‘winter wonderland, the place to have a devil of a time’. The high definition images and custom created multimedia ensured a spectacular back drop to the evening’s entertainment. Twenty glass chandeliers, a 20m snaking truss with customised devil’s tail, a large ice sculpture and a wintery tunnel, complete with a snow machine, brought the theme to life and established an impressive and immersive atmosphere. Event: Westfield Annual General Meeting (AGM) Client: Scentre Group Venue: Centennial Hall, Sydney Town Hall This was a momentous event for the Scentre Group as Mr Frank Lowy (AC) performed his final duties as Chairman of the company that he began 57 years ago. The event was attended by 250 shareholders, stakeholders and numerous media at Centennial Hall in the Sydney Town Hall. Why we love it Our team are experts in delivering a seamless audio visual production for Annual General Meetings and this event for one of Australia’s largest corporate companies was a great example. We provided beautiful branded lighting, live and on-demand webcasts and custom-built staging. We provided a webcast of the entire event live to shareholders around the world, whilst ensuring accurate sound and vision was never interrupted. We thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this momentous occasion. Event: New Zealander of the Year Awards 2016 Client: New Zealander of the Year Venue: The Langham Auckland Paying homage to the intricate Maori flax weave, our New Zealand events team designed a stunning gala dinner for the annual New Zealander of the Year Awards. Encore delivered a professional audio, vision, lighting, stage design and event production management solution. The stage design was constructed using 13 vertical digital banners configured in a zig-zag arrangement to provide a canvas for the content to be projected onto. On either side of the center stage were two 16ft wide screens displaying the videos, awards categories and a live camera feed. Our role as the audio visual provider was to provide the perfect event environment to support the awards ceremony, live performances and room arrangement for 690 guests. Why we love it Encore has proudly sponsored the event, which recognises New Zealander's who make their country a better place, for two years with our venue partner, The Langham Auckland. It allowed our venues team at The Langham Auckland to design a stunning stage backdrop for the awards night, using our Digital Banners in a new way. Event: Mercedes Benz Dealer of the Year Awards Client: Mercedes Benz Venue: Palladium at Crown We teamed up with Rush Events to create a super-glamorous event for the Mercedes Benz Dealer of the Year Awards. Held at the gorgeous Palladium at Crown, the spectacular event had everything; acrobats, an 18 piece big band, a car reveal through a smoky haze and to top it all off, an incredible ‘wave wall’ produced by a 6 projector blend. It was a huge talking point for attendees and showcased how smart multimedia content and clever projections can enrich events. Why we love it Bringing together a beautiful event like this was no small feat – it pooled together our team’s expertise in pre-production planning, creative design, multimedia production, technical direction and stage management all using the latest AV products and technology. Creation of all on screen multimedia content and backgrounds, along with furniture selection and styling were also done by our team. This event really showcased how our combined expertise can captivate audiences and create an unforgettable event. Event: QHA Awards for Excellence Client: The Queensland Hotels Association (QHA) Venue: Great Hall, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) For another year, Encore was delighted to be the preferred supplier for this high profile awards night. Our brief was to raise the bar of previous years and create a celebratory atmosphere, with engaging multimedia content. Our vision was to create a Red Carpet feel, and working alongside the BCEC audio visual team, we delivered a total event production solution – from designing the event look, to on-screen multimedia content, set design, show-calling, media wall for photographs and everything in between! Why we love it This year we showcased our new fleur panels and incorporated them into the stunning set design and media wall. Our teams made clever use of AV elements, the giant curved screen and floating circular truss, to integrate all the elements and make the venue space feel intimate. This meant no matter where you sat in the room, you had clear visibility of the stage and felt part of the action. This was an event we could have a bit of fun with, and a lot of style and glamour to – a challenge we always love! Event: The Million Dollar Lunch Client: Children’s Cancer Foundation Venue: Palladium at Crown Melbourne The 12th annual The Million Dollar Lunch was a major success with the Palladium at Crown Melbourne transformed into a themed extravaganza. Our team delivered an immersive 'Vintage Superhero' themed gala using audio, vision, lighting, content, styling and set design services. The event included 20 custom designed printed comic book panels hanging around an ‘X’ shaped stage, 16 superhero projections, four giant screens jutting out from the stage with custom multimedia content, superhero lightbox table centrepieces and super-hero costume coloured chairs; with the room encased by dark draping to create a mysterious atmosphere. The Million Dollar Lunch attracted more than 550 of Australia’s most influential leaders including Chief Executive of the AFL Gillon McLachlan and Patron of the Foundation, Chairman Jeremy Smith, Treasurer Tim Pallas MP, Shadow Treasurer Michael O’Brien MP, business leaders including Heloise Pratt AM, Leigh Clifford AO and other VIPs including Ricky Ponting AO, Jane Kennedy and George Calombaris. Why we love it We’ve had the pleasure of working on The Million Dollar Lunch with the Children’s Cancer Foundation for nine events, providing the technical, audio visual, styling and design services for this prestigious fundraising gala lunch. Our team really let their imagination run wild to make the vintage superheroes theme come to life, embracing iconic heroes and integrating the event’s tag line ‘Meanwhile in Melbourne...’. The best result was that the event raised more than $1.7 million for the Children’s Cancer Foundation. How your event can make the list for 2017 Encore has been delivering unforgettable event experiences since 1986. With the largest range of event services offered across Asia Pacific, we are the trusted event partner who will make your next event the best it can be. We specialise in delivering corporate events - from conferences, Annual General Meetings, and product launches through to awards nights, gala dinners and everything in between. Get in touch with us today and let's see how we can make your next event the best one yet! ... Read More

Elegant design takes centre stage - the Encore Event Technologies Perth events team provided all the audio visual and creative event services for Polytechnic West to deliver their annual fashion show – the Nucleo Collective! The Perth event revealed fashion students’ stunning array of garments at their 45th show. However, this was to be no ordinary fashion show. This year, Polytechnic West wanted to take the event to the next level, incorporating futuristic multimedia in platinum shades, on a 37 metre screen as a backdrop to the students’ latest creations. The aim was to wow the 1200 guests who came to witness the future talent to hit the Australian fashion scene. Pulsating audio and lighting added a vibrant mood as the circuit board themed multimedia was projected onto the giant screen. The dynamic opening set the tone for the following eight themes which all reflected the inspiration for the designers’ creations. Each student was asked to provide images of their original inspiration for their collections. From this our multimedia designer interpreted their inspiration to deliver a tailored animation to compliment the garments. Our in house multimedia and motion graphic designers took time with each student to understand the influences behind their collections to expressly reflect their creations. We created a short introduction video to accompany each student's presentation. The individual animations were played as a prelude to each collection, creating custom-designed cinematic experience for each designer. The stage production for the fashion show was complex as the event was held in a basketball stadium with tiered stadium seating that moved when guests walked on it. The challenge was to seat the audience with enough distance to view the projection, yet close enough to see the fashion collections up-close. With there being no in-house rigging within the venue, our experienced AV technicians improvised with the event lighting solution and built a 9m wide by 7m high ground support in which we rigged over 30 1K Pacific Profiles to provide the stage wash. We complemented the stage wash with various intelligent lighting solutions including Martin Mac350’s suspended from a truss arch at the back of the room in addition to 8 Martic Mac 700s and 8 GLP Volkslight on the floor across the front of the stage. Andrew Symons, a senior AV technician at Encore Event Technologies who lead the entire event production from start to finish, did an amazing job orchestrating the teams to work together and overcome some difficult challenges working within the venue to deliver an event that exceeded the clients' expectations. The event was a stunning celebration of the students’ collections, with Encore Event Technologies pulling out all the stops to deliver a spectacular runway and a visual fiesta for this Perth fashion event. Encore Event Technologies Perth Events Team The Perth Audio Visual Encore team is backed by the resources and innovation of the international company, giving you the best of small business personal service plus leading support. The local Perth events team is based across two key venues and is headed up by Brien Keys. If you're looking to host your next corporate event in Perth, than we're the experienced events team you can rely on. We proudly offer Australia's largest range of event services across audio, lighting, staging, vision and extending to styling, multimedia and digital event solutions like webcasting, live polling and event social media. Get in touch with us today or call 1800 209 099 to speak with one of our event experts. ... Read More

For the 18th consecutive year, Encore Event Technologies (formerly Staging Connections) provided audio and visual services for the Santos Tour Down Under; an action-packed nine day outdoor event featuring world-class cycling; and combined with styled gala dinners and street parties. Casts of thousands make the pilgrimage every year to revel in the atmosphere the Adelaide event brings. It's a fantastic Australian event to be part of and Encore are proud to provide all the audio visual equipment for yet another successful year. Client: Events South Australia Event: Santos Tour Down Under 2016 Venue: Adelaide and surrounds Event Date: 16 - 24th January Event Attendees: Approx. 780, 000 Event Brief Encore's Adelaide events team were briefed to provide and operate crystal-clear sound and vision equipment for all start and finish lines. This included prodding all the AV for the public address systems, commentary locations, and presentation stages. In addition, our AV technicians were charged with providing localised vision mixing for sponsorship recognition sent directly to multiple LED screens and TVs in the corporate areas lining the various circuits and routes. As part of the social events running alongside the main cycling race, audio and vision support was required for the team presentations, tour parade cars, as well as the opening night music concert by Jessica Mauboy and week long Tour Village in Victoria Square. As this is one of the biggest sporting events on the Australian calendar it receives huge media attention. It was our job to ensure the media conference rooms at the Hilton Adelaide had all the audio and vision equipment necessary to broadcast. Plus, Encore were called on to supply multiple outdoor LED screens to bring spectators all the action live from the race. Tailored Audio Visual Solution Experts in perfecting the audio and vision for this exciting outdoor event, the Adelaide events team supplied both large and small audio systems to accommodate basic commentary, music reinforcement, concert production, public address systems and information systems. Plus vision systems included TV commercials playback, sponsor recognition, image reinforcement, broadcast of highlights and live footage of the race all locally mixed with dedicated cameras for local interviews with the commentators. With a host of world-class technology at their fingertips, Encore installed a vast amount of audio, lighting, and vision equipment to ensure all aspects of the racing festival was captured. This included lighting for the opening night concert featuring popstar Jessica Mauboy as well as numerous LED screens - both small standalone screens and truck mounted screens - strategically positioned around the outdoor event to provide the live broadcast of the race, highlights, event sponsor recognition, a Twitter wall in the Village, television commercials and also as a stunning backdrop for the presentation stages at each race finish. To enhance the Adelaide event’s branding, the Encore events team designed a variety of animated holding slides and sponsor reels to support the official broadcast. Going the extra mile as part of our audio visual solution As a long term supplier and sponsor, Encore believes in the power of this event to draw thousands of tourists and business event delegates to Adelaide every year. In 2016, Encore supported Wednesday’s Stage 2 race as the naming sponsor for the leg from Unley to Stirling. The event ties into the beliefs of the Encore team, promoting cycling and professional athletes performing at their best whilst showcasing the sights, food and produce of South Australia. For Stage 2, the finish line at Stirling reached 35 degrees with 60% humidity, so the creative Encore team sourced over 3,000 Zooper Doopers and distributed them to the sweltering crowds! A custom made trophy was designed using a Horn Speaker from previous year’s events that was plated in aluminium and covered in custom decals and a naming plaque – its creativity and striking uniqueness certainly stood out at the presentation! For the Subaru Tour Parade, Encore revved up the crowd lining the race route 30 minutes prior to the peloton. They played the Tour Down Under theme song and various cycling sound effects building excitement with the energetic crowds that eagerly awaited the racing action. At each finish point, the team worked with the Presentation Event Manager, Big Fish Events to mix and broadcast “Breakaway TV” to the fans via large LED screens and street-lined PA system. The system pulled live footage from the host broadcaster and from custom television commercials for sponsors, as well as highlights and expert commentary from two dedicated commentators at each finish line. This ensured that the fans were well informed with live race updates as well as extensive sponsor recognition. What did the client say about the event and AV production services? "As a long term supplier of the Santos Tour Down Under we were thrilled to have Encore (then Staging Connections) solidify this relationship in 2016 by becoming the Stage 2 naming rights sponsor. "The 2016 event was one of the best yet and a highlight of this year was the opening concert featuring Jessica Mauboy. The stage set and graphics really set this event apart and what was most impressive was the change of the stage from a presentation to concert in under 5 minutes to ensure the crowd remains and is engaged. The concert is a great example of the service provided by Encore {sik Staging Connections} and why we are excited to continue to work with them both as a supplier and sponsor in coming years." Sally Heading, Event Manager, Events South Australia Encore's Adelaide Events Team Our local events team is based across eight key venues and is headed up by General Manager, Brien Keys. The team are 100% Adelaide-proud and their passion for the outdoors makes them key suppliers to some of the city’s main summer events, including the Adelaide Christmas Pageant, Clipsal 500 and year on year sponsorship and AV for the Adelaide Crows. If you're looking to host your next corporate event in Adelaide, than we're the experienced events team you can rely on. We proudly offer Australia's largest range of event services across audio, lighting, staging, vision and extending to styling, multimedia and digital event solutions like webcasting, live polling and event social media. Get in touch with us today or call 1800 209 099 to speak with one of our event experts. ... Read More

For their 2015 Open Day, the University of Tasmania wanted to invite the world. The purpose of the event was to showcase the breadth of study and courses available and to provide an engaging experience between prospective students, teachers and alumni. With this in mind, the Staging Connections team were engaged to deliver a webcast portal to allow students from across the globe to experience and interact with the University of Tasmania. Staging Connections Tasmania recently designed and built a live webcast capturing the presentations across two theatres concurrently. The live recordings were streamed onto a branded webcast skin which displayed the speaker and their presentation side-by-side. The aim of the webcast was to provide future students with an insightful look into each course, hearing from lecturer's and past alumni. The webcast also allowed viewers to leave comments and share the videos and have attracted approximately 1000 views per presentation. We've explained previously the monetary benefits of webcasting your event, and now the University of Tasmania have an online catalogue of course overviews available for prospective students around the globe to view and share with their friends. This is great content for the Uni which they can repurpose for future marketing and promotional campaigns. What did the client say? "Great service and communication through the whole process from planning to delivery and follow-up." Staging Connections currently offers the most customisable webcast platform in the Australian market. For more information on our webcasting services. View Webcast ... Read More

his week our blog is written by Luke Sullivan, Staging Connections Principal Advisor for Health, Safety and Environment. Luke’s mantra to the business is StageSafe, Every Show, Every Event and despite being a Vivienne Westwood clothes horse, he takes a very practical approach to safety. This week our blog is written by Luke Sullivan, Staging Connections Principal Advisor for Health, Safety and Environment. Luke’s mantra to the business is StageSafe, Every Show, Every Event and despite being a Vivienne Westwood clothes horse, he takes a very practical approach to safety. His latest blog discusses the challenges of getting people to use their imagination when assessing risk, while trying to ‘keep it real.’ All this in the post-alien abduction world of event management... Whatever happened to the phenomena of alien abductions? The 80s were rife with them. A Friday night would not go past without somebody getting snatched from their car, taken back to a mother ship and subjected to unspeakable experiments, only to wake up the next morning with a vague recollection of the ordeal. Where did the aliens go? It’s like they've lost interest in us. Whenever I coach people in risk assessment, I encourage a healthy imagination, especially when they are trying to determine potential risks in a work system. I then qualify this with “try to keep it real.” Well, be careful what you ask for. Sometimes this advice can backfire, especially when a group start the whole “what if” exercise and you somehow end up with Armageddon getting a mention in the risk assessment. In risk management, a vivid imagination is extremely useful. Engineers have to use theirs, such as it is, to identify potential risk. In highly networked or complex work systems such as production lines or power generation, engineers engage in what’s referred to as a fault-mode effects analysis (FMEA). This is taken one step further with an assessment of multiple simultaneous event (MSE) vulnerability, or that most dreaded of risk scenarios, the cascading events leading to a catastrophic failure (CELCF). While you’re trying to get your head around that, you need only look to the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster as an example. The events unfolded like this. The earthquake struck northern Japan and the reactors shut down automatically. The emergency generators came online to control electronics and cooling systems. So far everything is working fine. However, when the tsunami rolled in minutes later and flooded the rooms containing the emergency generators contaminating them with seawater and shutting down the cooling system, the situation spiralled out of control. MSE becomes CELCF. So what can we in the events industry learn from such incidents? Plenty. The first sobering fact is that despite what you may think, CELCFs are not so rare. Three major stage collapses in North America and Europe in the past 12 months, all with eerily similar circumstances (flawed management systems and structural failure), demonstrate just how exposed promoters and event organisers are to catastrophe. Second, all catastrophic events in commerce and industry, even ones where nature appears to be the culprit, can be traced back to human error, oversight or negligence. Take Fukushima for example. The root cause of the meltdown was not the earthquake or even the tsunami. It was because key individuals chose to ignore a risk assessment urging the seawall to be raised from 5 to 10 meters a decade earlier. With the gift of hindsight, everyone’s an expert. Actually predicting catastrophe and risk managing it, however, is far more difficult. So I was somewhat surprised that our Perth & Adelaide teams (who from time to time deliver events in some of Australia’s most remote locations), did not identify the potential risk of alien abduction while travelling on one of those long lonely stretches of road. They clearly didn't grow up in rural Australia during the ‘80s. Try to keep it real. Author: Luke Sullivan, Staging Connections Principal Advisor for Health, Safety and Environment. ... Read More

We all know that it can be hard to hit targets in tough economic climates. FaceTime - the new marketing body for the events industry in the UK has a handy powerpoint slide which clearly outlines 8 reasons why live events changes minds. The information is globally applicable. Check it out at http://www.facetime.org.uk/files/facetime_power_point_slide.pdf ... Read More