The conference took 700 attendees through the history of the Citroën and DS brands, and unveiled a new dual brand strategy for the two ranges. Blackout continued its long standing relationship with Crown and production manager Steve Webb having worked together for over 20 years. The show featured automated tracking LED screens, and vehicles that drove onto the stage.
The audience entered into the main exhibition area, where both new and old DS cars were displayed. Blackout's drapes were utilised to cover the retracted seating to make space for this area. Additional drape walls were added by the venue, which were lined with Blackout's aesthetically attractive white voiles.
Blackout, installed three trusses to hang thematic lighting and distinct spotlights on the cars, whilst ten prominent banners, detailing the history of the DS brand were rigged behind the cars. Blackout also installed a tunnel of truss and drapes which led the delegates out of the exhibition area and into an auditorium, where the walls again were blacked out with drapes.
Blackout's project manager Tom Lambert said, "Four video walls, each weighting 0.5 ton automated on a steel I-beam track utilising Blackout's new Kinesys beam trolleys; behind them were six masking panels moving on a single triple E track, with three winches. Blackout's experienced project manager Nick Brown looked after all the automation, operating it all with a Kinsesys front end. The screens and masking panels moved around to reveal openings in the proscenium for the cars to drive out onto the stage and then down ramps into the audience. We also rigged a large scenic header, a front projection screen and Citroen and DS logos, separated for the first time.
"Behind the stage was a holding area for the cars, where they were gathered before being driven onto the stage. Again, drapes were used to mask this area and sported LX trusses above. The main proscenium was created with black drapes, concealing all the cars and the backstage area. All LX, sound and video trusses were flown with Blackout's vast stock of CM lodestar hoists and Black Prolyte H40V and H30V truss."
(Jim Evans)
