The theme of the evening was the Four Seasons, and for the room lighting, Hawthorn's LD Matt Oscroft used PAR cans and Selecon Cool 90s, complete with gobo break-ups to change the mood from season to season throughout the ceremony.
Working for The Staging House, Hawthorn also installed a 76ft x 12ft foot stage using its Steeldeck modular staging units, as the stage had to be large enough not only for the live band, but also to hold all of the award winners together for group photos at the end of the awards.
Hawthorn's stage backdrop consisted of an 18m x 6m Prolyte truss goal post, with a starcloth backdrop and sharkstooth gauze panel in front. LD Oscroft used the gauze as a projection surface for the 16 Clay Paky Alpha Spot 1200s and 16 Thomas LED battens. Hawthorn's lycra sails, made by their in-house drapes department, were also placed either side of the stage as an additional projection surface.
The brief included a walkthrough tunnel at the entrance to the awards. Hawthorn used its Pipe and Base system to create a completely freestanding tunnel with white fabric walls, lit with coloured up lighters to represent each of the four seasons in turn as the guests walked through into the awards area.
Sound was controlled via a Yamaha Digital M7 desk. Hawthorn MD Martin Hawthorn commented: "We very much welcomed the opportunity to be involved in the IVCA Awards, and it was definitely a great honour to be asked to present an award on the night."
(Jim Evans)
