Recently appointed by live brand communications agency Pci:Live, Blackout played a pivotal role in realizing the colossal set for Microsoft's TechEd 2004 Europe. This is the definitive Microsoft conference for building, deploying, securing, and managing connected solutions and the largest conference and exhibition of its kind in Europe. Over 7,700 IT professionals and Microsoft developers attended the four-day event to up-date their knowledge of the latest integrated solutions from the world's largest software developer.
Collaborating with Pci:Live's project director, Myra Collingridge and lead production manager, Aine McElwee, Blackout's project manager, Ken Nock, deployed over 2km of the Thomas trussing, plus kilometres of black drape to transform the RAI Centre in Amsterdam into a practical and functional environment for this high profile event.
To provide the supporting infrastructure, trussing was flown by Blackout team in five huge exhibition halls, using 250 electrically operated hoists to create nine individual session rooms in addition to the main Keynote and Party areas. This supported a myriad of lighting fixtures supplied by Essential Lighting for a scheme designed by Gary Collins. Additionally, the trussing carried a host of projection equipment supplied by Blitz Vision, the V-Dosc line array PA rigs supplied by Delta Sound and a variety of large set elements supplied by Bicknells. Blackout also installed hundreds of metres of catenaries, required to support the vast area of draping needed to create and soundproof the session rooms.
As part of the Keynote build, Blackout's team flew three large projection platforms - each measuring 5m by 3m to support the massive projectors. This proved invaluable to the AV crew as they were able to set up at ground level. The platforms were then raised by Blackout to the required height before adding support legs for increased stability. This process not only saved time and manpower, but promoted safer operations, say the company
(Lee Baldock)
