Hawthorn helps M&IT Awards celebrate
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Organised by Meetings & Incentive Travel magazine, the annual awards bring together agency and association organisers and suppliers, from the UK and overseas, to recognise excellence of service and product within the industry. Themed around ‘pearl’ in a nod to the 30th anniversary of CAT Publications, Hawthorn created a production design that captured the glitz and glamour of the occasion.
Guests entering the reception were met with an impressive display of projected logo strips, projected on with two Christie 10k Projectors and mapped in the Avolites Ai S8 server, and twelve PATT 2013 fixtures. The PATT2013’s surrounded the strips with a slow, dim twinkle, adding some eye-candy upon walk in. Alpha 700 spots were also used to give some movement to the reception space.
Briefed to create a super-wide screen at the rear of the stage, the team used four Christie 14K projectors to create a two-projector blend that measured 12m wide by 3.75m high. This displayed ‘pearl’ themed custom content, designed and created in-house by Hawthorn.
The lighting for evening also embraced the event’s opulence, with the main stage using a selection of Martin MAC Viper Profile and Rush Par2 fixtures. Showtec Sunstrips framed long banners oACn either side of the stage, giving presence to sponsor logos, whilst the two M&IT 30 Year Anniversary logos were each framed within a circular truss with a ring of Rush Par2s. These were also used on four vertical towers either side of the stage, framing the screening and providing eye-candy effects. The Vipers were used both in the room and on the floor to add detail to the space with break up gobos, as well as excitement for award stings.
Multiple relay screens around the venue displayed live camera footage as well as sponsor videos and logos, all created using a mixture of Christie 10k and Panasonic RZ670 projectors. Along with the projectors used for the main screen, these were controlled with a Barco E2 using the EC200 control surface, Eight of Hawthorn’s Apple Mac Pro’s were used to run the show content.
For audio, the team used two d&b V series line array with D80 amplifiers and Sennheiser 2000 series microphones. These were all controlled using the Yamaha CL5 mixing console.
A stage at the rear of the room played host to The Young Guns Party Band who kept the 1200 guests entertained throughout the evening. The backdrop to the band stage featured 20 Glux 10mm LED panels in strips displaying Hawthorn’s huge stock of video content throughout the night, and a 13ft 6 projection screen, using a Panasonic RZ970 projector to show sponsor videos and then video content fed via E2 from an Avolites Ai S8 Server. Audio for the band used four d&b Y7 speakers, four V series subs, D20 amplifiers and 2 Yamaha QL5 sound desks.
To light the band stage, the team used Alpha Wash 700, Sharpy and Par 56 fixtures. Nexus Aw7x7 above the stage were used to add some punch to the rig with pixel mapped effects.
Tom Ring, senior project manager at Hawthorn said, ‘It was a real pleasure to work with the talented team at M&IT again this year. With over 1200 of the event industry’s top movers and shakers in the room, the pressure is always on to make sure we deliver the production to the highest possible standard and wow those attending.”
Maria Voller, marketing & communications director at Conference & Travel Publications said, ‘It’s always a delight to work with the team at Hawthorn. Their extensive knowledge and wide-ranging experience always ensures a smooth and efficient delivery. As it’s our 30th anniversary, we wanted to give our guests an extra special experience and make it a truly memorable occasion. With Hawthorn’s help, we were able to do that.”
(Jim Evans)
