The event, sponsored by Giorgio Armani, was held in the Floral Hall at London's Royal Opera House. It was presented by Johnny Vaughan and attended by a host of celebrities and stars and accompanied by copious oozings of glamour and glitter befitting the occasion. XL Video was working for Dick Straker of Mesmer Productions, who co-ordinated the video production for event producers Time-Based Events Ltd, led by Richard Dodgson.
Equipment supplied included a three-camera system with multiple playback from four Doremi hard drive machines, full PPU, ISO and TX recordings onto digital SX machines and various plasma screens. Two screens flanking the main stage were fed live IMAG images and pre-recorded footage via two pairs of doubled NEC T500 projectors. Images were also fed up to the overflow room on the balcony and viewed on a selection of smaller plasma screens. Upstairs in the entrance and bar area, XL supplied a PowerPoint presentation of the table plan, projected onto two 8ft x 6ft screens, so it could always be kept right up to date with any last minute changes.
Live footage of the event was edited overnight in a Soho online suite, ready for broadcast on three breakfast TV channels the following morning. Mesmer and XL Video have collaborated on many top-level productions recently, including acclaimed theatre shows Hitchcock Blonde (for Royal Court Productions) and Jerry Springer The Opera (Royal National Theatre).
Other production companies involved in Men of The Year included Orbital Sound and Event Lighting. Award winners included punk pioneers The Clash, who won a lifetime achievement award, and more predictably, David Beckham (top Sportsman), Jay Kay (Most Stylish), and Ant & Dec (Top TV personalities).
(Lee Baldock)
