Hall 3 at Birmingham's International Convention Centre saw large format print business SP Group hold its annual Christmas party, with 800 attendees enjoying an event featuring a performance by classical girl band Escala, followed by after-dinner entertainment comprising a set by psychological illusionist Derren Brown and a game show marathon hosted by television presenter Vernon Kay.
The production required a technical crew of more than 50, the set consisting of an LED starcloth backdrop, with LED battens and strips running video effects. Animated graphics were projected on to a central 9.1m wide front projection screen by two Christie 20K Roadster projectors, with content from a Grass Valley Turbo iDDR.
Two further 7.3m wide screens were flown each side of the set, showing live camera footage, graphics and video playback. Projection for these was via Barco CLM R10 projectors.
The same month, the city's National Exhibition Centre (NEC) saw the return of an annual charity event hosted by comedian Jasper Carrott.
Carrott's Christmas Cracker is a live show, with the bill under wraps until the artists actually appear on stage. This year the principal benefiting charity for 2008 was Sunfield, specialising in the care of children with severe and complex learning needs. Over £200,000 was raised, thanks to an eclectic line-up of music and comedy which featured, amongst others, jazz singer Elkie Brooks, Escala, UB40, Rick Wakeman, Bobby Davro, Roy Wood and a (largely) Brummie 'supergroup' comprising Wakeman, Toyah Wilcox, Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi, ELO's Bev Bevan and Dave Berry.
PSP supplied projection and cameras, with two 7.3m wide truss screens flown each side of the stage, projection by Christie 20k Roadster projectors and a six camera PPU for all the live camera work. Backstage six 60" plasma screens provided the hospitality areas with a live relay of the event, while PSP also provided all technical crew to rig and operate the event.
"The jobs were challenging in that both expected the highest possible production values and we had to work within very tight timescales," says PSP director Ian Willcox. "But delivering high quality is what PSP is all about. Knowing that 800 SP Group employees enjoyed a Christmas party they would remember for many years and that the Christmas Cracker raised £200,000 for charity makes for a tremendous feeling of a job well done."
(Jim Evans)
