The long-running annual awards event showcases the best work and latest styles from the past year and honours stylists and sales people alike. Spirit were awarded the contract to supply the full production service, including event design, in 2002 and were brought back to infuse the 2003 event with more fresh ideas and a new look. Spirit D&P, owned by Tor Cooper-Evans and Chris Biddulph, has years of collective experience in the events industry but adds a unique combination of cutting-edge ideas and stylistic presentation. "We simply do not believe in offering a client an off-the-shelf idea," comments Biddulph, "even though that might be simpler than creating a new concept and a new design from scratch. Originality is what drives us."
"In the set design," continues Cooper-Evans, "we have to allow for the fact that most of the models do not have much catwalk experience, but it still has to end up as a totally professional-looking show." To make the experience both enjoyable and straightforward for the models, Spirit designed a ‘one-way’ catwalk, incorporating an awards presentation area, creating an easy-to-follow route. The set itself reflected the urban feel of this year’s Headmasters collection by using brushed aluminium and denim finishes with a backdrop of flat panels, incorporating back-projected fast fold screens on each side of the stage.
With the floor on several different levels forming a sweeping staircase, the show’s choreographer was given a variety of sightlines to work with, designed to make the show as visually interesting as possible. "Wimbledon Theatre has some fairly tricky sight-lines," adds Cooper-Evans. "So the challenge was to adjust the height of the screens and incorporate them into the set to show the live feed, graphics and video giving a clear view from all areas of the auditorium."
Lighting consisted 40 ETC Source Fours with 50° lenses and DHA gobos for the ambient lighting, suspended from the house lighting grid, in two shades of blue to enhance the aluminium look of the show. Additional lighting was from 60 Source Four Pars, 1k fresnels for flood lighting, Source Four lanterns (19° and 36°) for the speech and lectern positions and a further eight Source Fours as side lights stage left and right. Jem smoke and haze machines were positioned at the back of the stage providing additional atmosphere. 12 Par 64 floor cans were used to uplight the denim set elements and an Avolites Pearl 2000 console was used for control alongside an ADB 36-channel digital dimmer rack.
The PA comprised Funktion One Resolution 1s and Resolution 2s in a left/right format and for front and first floor fill, plus Infrabass 218 subs with Funktion One amps and racks. Mics were Shure, Audio-Technica and Sennheiser, while an ASL Intercom system kept the backstage team in touch with each other.
Two 8ft by 6ft fast-fold screens were integrated into the set with Barco back-projectors providing the show’s video content, and the entire production was recorded on a Sony DV machine. Post-show, this footage was edited down into two different versions: a 30-minute promotional loop to be shown in Headmasters’ salons; and a five-minute ‘sting’ promoting the Headmasters Art Team to both existing and potential sponsors and customers.
(Lee Baldock)
