4D Projection Explained

4D projection has taken the experiential, artistic and events world by storm in recent years.  It is an elusive and conceptional product that is frequently misunderstood.  Here, SXS' Head of Special Projects Johnny Palmer explains.

These phrases are over, and mostly incorrectly, used.  So let us first give definitions of each that help to have an overview of the subject.

Firstly, the "D" in 3D and 4D refers to dimension.  The dimensions are Length (how long something is), Breadth (how wide something is) and Depth (how deep it is) and Time (which encapsulates movement, animations and anything else that requires time to occur).

As such, a drawing that depicts the width, depth and breadth of an object, such as a cube, is 3D as it is showing the three dimensions. Being the clever creatures that we are we will typically only be physically seeing two dimensions (on a computer screen, or piece of paper), but are able to percieve the third dimension of depth.

So, if this "3D" image was printed onto a piece of paper it is depcited in a 2D medium.  Paper only has two dimensions: left to right and up and down.  So it is fair to say that a piece of paper is a 2D medium but, due to our cleverness, we can interpret lines to make a 3D shape.

Hopefully that makes sense, and we understand that 3D images are not actually all that clever, but merely a drawing that depicts three dimensions.

What might be a 3D image to us will probably be nothing more than a series of lines to a less intelligent creature, like a dog, pig or horse.

So what about 4D?  You could argue that an image of a cube spinning around on a computer screen is 4D.  It has length; it has breadth; it has width; and time is also used to create the impression of movement.

So we saw earlier that all 4D imagery is really just an animation that gives the impression of space.  However, people (including those in our company) have used the term "4D Projection" to refer to mapped projections onto flat planes that give the impression of physical movement.

Before I try to explain this rather abstract concept, I suggest you first watch this video to see some basic techniques in use:

http://www.vimeo.com/10427551  This video was our first test of using these techniques in 2010 and we have subsequently done various projects for major international companies.

Hopefully this will amaze you and give the impression that the building is lit up from multiple angles using different light sources.

In reality the effects shown in this are all done with a single projector, staying in the same location throughout the demo.

The way this is done is by "mapping" the building in an animation program.  This is first done by making a detailed 3D drawing of the building to work from.

See a screen shot of this being done here

Once this is in the software unlimited effects can be created.  For example, we can create (in the computer) the impression of a ball bouncing between the pillars of the building, or water flowing down the building.

Once this is created, it can then be "rendered"  (see wiki article on this) and then projected back on the building.

It is interesting to see what is actually being projected.  See the link here so see what is actually coming out of the projector lens.  On your computer screen it will seem surprisingly plain.  But click here to see what it looks like in real-life.  This was a product launch for Virgin Media.

You will see from this that the lack of light is just as important as the presence of light.  In essence it creates a form of negative space that tricks our conditioned interpretation of the images going into our brains.

At this point I would like to pay homage to some of the finest 4D projections I have seen, from some incredibly talented visual artists, see below:

Inspirational, ground breaking and, once you figure it out, elegantly simple http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jzil8S7tUeY

Anti VJ - Arguably the pioneers of 4D mapped visuals - http://www.vimeo.com/14740982

Read more at www.sxsevents.co.uk
read our articles at www.sxsevents.co.uk/explanatory-articles-event-production-advice

How to Get Into Events

In the case of getting a job you first need to sort out the hygiene factors of your employability.  These are things that if lacking, will put an instant stop on your ability to get a job - however having them will not necessarily mean you get a job.

• These include:
• Speaking well
• Reading instructions and guidance
• Spelling and grammar (more on this later)
• Being polite and respectful to others
• Good personal hygiene
• Being neat and presentable
• Punctuality
• Reliability
• Basic numeracy

Now, be honest with yourself: do you fulfill all of these?  Really think hard about this.

If someone walks into my office for an interview and fails on any one of these, I do not care how creative/talented/friendly/hard-working they are, they are less likely to get a job.

Even harsher is the fact that, if someone fails on one of these when submitting a CV, they may not even get an interview in the first place.

Any decent events company gets a lot of CVs through the door.  We are looking to filter out the poor ones. To do this we are actively looking for failures to fulfil these hygiene factors so that we can hit the DEL button.

Now back to how you are going to help your employer justify your salary.  To do this you need skills that 'add value' to the company.  Adding value is anything that encourages a customer to spend more with a company, or encourages that customer to stay with that company.

These skills vary depending on the career path you want to take.  But in events I would say that ALL of the following are things that EVERYONE in events should have some knowledge of (in no order):

• Use of a CAD package (there are several)
• Catering methods and team structures
• Main types of food service
• Video signal types
• Video format types
• Connector types for power, video, lighting etc
• The main types of marquees and their benefits and limitations
• Licensing laws
• What a rider is
• Basics of microphone types
• Basics of types of lighting
• Types of rigging
• Colours - Pantone, RGB, gel references
• Graphics - ESP, Vector, raster, JPG, Gif
• Use of Photoshop
• Use of Illustrator
• Use of Excel
• Basic photography skills
• Basic videography skills
• Use of databases for mail merges and filtering

Some people might say "but I am a creative designer, why do I need to know about licensing?"  Or "I am a chef, what does rigging matter to me?"

To the creative designer I would say: "when you are sitting down in a production meeting and the fire officer asks whether you are using NDFR fabrics, as this is part of the licensing conditions, are you going to be able to give a straight answer? Or are you going to a) make up something and look like a fool or b) ask what NDFR means and look incompetent?”

To the Chef I would say: "If you don’t know anything about rigging you will get very frustrated, and conflicts may ensue if a rigger is seen moving tables to get truss into position.  If you know about rigging and the rigger appreciated your challenges, a quick and polite chat could avoid these issues."


The first thing that is taught in management school is 'management exists when there is more work than one person can do'.  To take this further 'your job is to make everyone else's life easier'.  Further still we could say 'if you are not making other people's work easier, you don’t have a job'.

This especially applies to people who are junior in the industry.  Do everything you can to make the life of others easier.  This can include, but is not limited to:

• Be pleasant to everyone in the workplace
• Make sure that all the jobs you do are completed
• Tidy up after yourself
• Tidy up after others
• Always keep busy - if there is nothing to do, tidy
• Lend a hand when you see someone struggling
• Use your initiative - think of things to do
• Ask if other people need help

Create new jobs - look for new tasks that no one else does - just because no one does them, does not  mean they do not need doing

No amount of training or reading articles like this one prepares you for the real world of work.  To succeed you MUST have a lot of experience, and a wide range of experience.  Helping out with your local theatre is great, as is working on a charity fundraiser.  But if you keep doing the same thing again and again you are only getting a narrow set of experience.

Do not confuse "10 years of experience" with "a year's experience, ten times over".  The difference here is that the former shows constant learning and development.  The second one shows a narrow set of experience repeated over and over.

This is a hard one.  The first thing to realise is that if you make mistakes in your work it could cost your employer a lot in financial or reputation terms.  As such an employer is always taking a risk with new people.

Here are a few ways of gaining experience:


1. Work for free - by being unpaid an employer does not need to see a high level of productivity to justify your wages.  Do this by writing a simple and to the point email to as many companies as you can.

2. Don’t be fussy - every company has something to offer and their own unique experience and skills.  By realising this, you will gain experience in a wider range of companies which gives you a better overview.

3. No such thing as bad experience - try and get whatever you can.  Even if a company is not good at what they do, or you don’t like the work, it will help to refine where you want to be.

4. Look for companies with work experience programs - many companies are keen to encourage young event professionals and offer unpaid work experience.  Look for these and try and get some work with them.

5. Do a placement/internship - if you can afford to, try and do a full-year placement with a company.  Some of the best staff we have initially started on work placements.  Placements are great as the reduced labour cost of an intern means the company can give opportunities to people it might not otherwise be able to.

6. Learn unique skills - by learning skills that are rare, you become more valuable.  See the list above.  In particular I feel that 3D design and visualisation skills are lacking across the board in the industry.

Never think you are an expert!  Anyone who thinks they are an expert almost definitely is not one.  As soon as you think you are expert you are likely to stop learning.

Read more at www.sxsevents.co.uk
Read our articles at www.sxsevents.co.uk/explanatory-articles-event-production-advice

How to Produce a Conference

Whether your conference is to say thanks, deliver a message or perform training, it being well produced is key to its success.  The quality of your conference production can make or break the success of the message to be delivered, or even the brand of your company.

The following are a few key areas that you should consider when putting on a conference. These will help with choosing the audio visual, set, venue and video for the conference.

KNOW YOUR WHY

Before venturing into what venue you are going to choose, the lighting, the food etc, start by defining your commercial, information, or brand objectives. You have decided to have a conference, why? Are you aiming to get in the press? Train staff? Impress clients? Or is this just an after-dinner presentation at a ball?  Once you have clearly defined why you are having a conference, it will be much easier to make practical, aesthetic and budget decisions.

A typical answer to this question might be:
"To present our year-end results to staff and offer praise where appropriate and also offer direction in weaker areas.  We also want to share our strategic goals for next year, how these will help us all and what we all need to do to achieve them. We want the delegates leaving feeling energised, cared about and with memories of having a great time."

This kind of brief would mean that keeping the guests interested throughout, and having a good time is important.  In-depth financial data might need to be shared, so a clear and concise design of content will be vital, as will programming the conference with a range of presentations to keep people's attention. It might also be good to choose a venue with team-building activities and the like.  A party and dinner on the last night may also be a good idea.

VENUE CONSIDERATIONS

The UK has one of the world's best range of venues to choose from. You can choose from Victorian warehouses, modern hotel function rooms, exhibition halls, opulent ball rooms, and even outdoors for your conference. When considering your venue, think about:

- Capacity of the venue and whether your numbers are likely to change

- Access for equipment

- What is included in the quoted price?  Furniture, setup time, catering equipment, cleaning etc

- Parking

- Accommodation and convenience for guests.

- Whether you can bring in your own AV company and other suppliers


The content of your conference can include video files, PowerPoint, sound effects, and printed graphics.  The quality, accuracy and presentation of your content can make or break the conference. It is best to start with an overall look and feel for the conference. Do you have a colour scheme you wish to adhere to?  Do you want different colours (from lighting and video) to reflect different key messages of the conference?  Is there a shape, or scheme you want to have prevalent throughout?  Once you have established this you can ensure that all content and presenter content works within this scheme.

A quality conference production company will work with you to define the look, feel, colour scheme and even theme of your conference.

Set can reflect shapes, and custom materials and fabrics can match your colour scheme.

SET DESIGN

The set is all the equipment that is on and around the presentation area. This could be as simple as leaving a brick wall exposed.  A step up may be a simple flat or drape set that demarkates the presentation area from the rest of your venue.  For highly-branded conferences, or ones where visual intrigue is important, complex sets can be built that use a range of materials, fabrics, prints and lighting.

Your set design will be determined by:

- your brief and aesthetic objectives

- any limitations of the venue (namely size and ceiling height)

- your budget

LIGHTING

Conference lighting can range from basic presenter illumination right up to high-energy attention-grabbing light shows.  As with many decisions, this will be very much down to your objectives.  If your conference is to deliver a message to a wide range of employees at every level in the organisation, a show-based lighting design may be a great way to keep everyone interested.  Whereas if the conference is to be deliver in-depth technical information to a group of veteran engineers, the lighting will be purely functional as the audience will be primarily interested in the content.

BUDGET

Knowing you budget is very important.  Without knowing it, it is very hard for venues, AV companies and the like to give you good advice.  Even if it is vague, it will be good to have a ball-park idea of what you are looking at spending.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT AV COMPANY

AV is a hygiene factor to any conference. If it is good it is likely to go unnoticed, if it is bad everyone will notice it.  As such, choosing the right company is vital. The following are some key things to look for:

- Experience - has your company done a lot of conferences before? You need to see evidence of them doing conferences day-in, day-out for years

- Equipment - do they own their own equipment, or do they hire it in? If hired in there is a greater margin for mistakes and staff not knowing how to use it.  Serious AV companies own most of the kit they use

- Service - is your AV company happy to do a site visit? If they do not do this, avoid them.

- Drawings - all professional AV companies will gladly do scaled drawings and/or visuals of your stage, set and venue layout.  Without these, the margin for error is enormous. Do not use companies that do not offer this.

- Understanding - look for a company that truly understands the message you are trying to deliver, your objectives and the industry that you are in. This will help them to deliver a great show.


Read more at www.sxsevents.co.uk
Read our articles at www.sxsevents.co.uk/explanatory-articles-event-production-advice

CO2 Cannon Effects

CO2 is fast-becoming one of our most popular stage effects.

CO2 gives a big and impressive stage effect, without the complexity and planning required with pyrotechnics.

WHAT EFFECT DOES CO2 GIVE?

To the eye CO2 blasters initially look like an extremely powerful conventional smoke machine. Using multiple blaster heads it is possible to fill a stage, entrance tunnel or other space very quickly with thick white smoke. Because an unlimited number of blaster heads can be used, impressive multi-point effects can be achieved.

HOW IS CO2 DIFFERENT FROM TRADITIONAL SMOKE?

The main difference is that the visual effect of CO2 dissipates within seconds. The benefit of this is that the event space is not left with lingering smoke in the air. While this is sometimes a desired effect, we would typically advise the use of Haze for this purpose. The way in which CO2 dissipates so quickly is perfect for televised events, or ones where transient effects are required, such as conferences, awards shows and launches.

HOW IS THE EFFECT CONTROLLED?

Our systems are DMX-controlled. This means that they are controlled using the same system as Intelligent Lighting.  The benefit of this is that the timing of the CO2 can be in line with other lighting effects. If we are producing a time-lined sequence of effects for your show this makes CO2 ideal.

IS CO2 DANGEROUS?

CO2 is Carbon Dioxide and is common in normal air, but in small volumes. Prolonged exposure to pure CO2 is not advisable, but for entertainment purposes the CO2 exposure is relatively limited. It is important that CO2 blasters are not used excessively in an entertainment environment, and operation of such equipment should always be done by a skilled and trained technician.

SXS use the same safety protocols for CO2 as for pyrotechnics - even though the risks and hazards of CO2 are considerably smaller than with pyro.

Read more at www.sxsevents.co.uk
Read our explanatory articles at www.sxsevents.co.uk/explanatory-articles-event-production-advice

Student Ball Advice

Student balls are often major events by anyone's standard and for most committees this is the first major event they have ever organised. Running such an event can be an inspiring, fun-filled and exciting activity. It can also be a horrific nightmare with minefields all the way.  We hope that this article will help you to experience the former.
In my 10+ year career I have worked with over 100 student party and ball organisers. The parties have ranged from halls of residence parties, to RAG fashion shows, to the highest-profile Oxford and Cambridge May Balls with budgets of £500k+. Across all of these projects I have seen the same mistakes happen again and again. This article will cover a few major 'Do's and Don'ts' that will help avoid many problems.

LEARN FROM LAST YEAR

My first piece of advice is to look at what has worked for past events. While you may be keen to bring in fresh ideas and make your mark, you can save a lot of time and money by learning from the successes (and mistakes) of the previous committee.  With many events such as workplace parties or weddings it is important to have a fresh approach and make it feel and look very different to the last event which the guests attended. This is an area where student balls are fundamentally different from most other events, and for two reasons. Firstly, unlike many other events student events are unique in that the guests probably did not come to the previous ball. Secondly, most students have not experienced many events and are therefore impressed by things that are commonplace in the professional events world. The elements of last year's event worth keeping can include :

Aspects of layout such as stage location, chillout space location and size which may have worked well last time
Choice of venue - there are a lot of benefits to working with the same venue repeatedly. One of these advantages is being able to negotiate discount prices as a repeat booker.
High-quality key suppliers - by using the same people again you will save time and cost.
Types of drinks and serving methods which proved popular and were talked about by the attendees in a positive way for some time after the event
Dress code
However, I suggest that having a completely new event theme and performers from previous events can also work well. The reason for this is that these are the main elements you will use for front-line marketing and they should look different from previous events.

Apply the same rules to the things that did not work for previous events. If the venue wasn't right, no-one drank the obscure wine, a certain supplier made mistakes and the dubstep room was empty, then try something new. By replacing aspects which didn't work you can be creative and experimental.

YOUR 'EVENT SKELETON' DESIGN

Your event skeleton design includes everything from how you promote it, the styling, the guest experience, the ticket price point etc. It is therefore a complex area.

As there are many factors to consider with your Skeleton Design, you must remain flexible. I would advise filling the gaps using the list below.  Each of these sections should be brain-stormed in a group meeting.  Questions such as "Do we need it?", "How important is it?", "What type/size/quantity do we want?", "What do we think it is going to cost?" should all be asked in relation to the following:

venue
marquees/structures
decor and decorative lighting
main entertainment
secondary/multi-zone entertainment
background music or speeches
generators and power distribution
sound, light and stage production
canapes
main meal
general bar
cocktail/specialist bars
fencing
security
graphic design and print
website
ticketing function
When you have the list, you need to do a feasibility study of each. The best way to do this is to go through each item and delegate research to a particular committee member. Take notes of who is doing what so that there is accountability. The research should include background reading on the area, identifying key suppliers and getting initial costs (known in the industry as "budget costs"). At the next meeting each person must report back their findings, with key information being included in your Skeleton Design. In time this design will become a comprehensive list of all happenings, costs and ongoing tasks.

ALLOCATING BUDGETS

This is probably one of the most common areas where students make fundamental errors.  I have seen both ends of this spectrum several times: e.g. committees who hoard cash and deliver a poor event, upsetting the guests and making it almost impossible for next year's committee to do an event due to gaining a poor reputation, and committees who have over-committed financially and then gone cap-in-hand to their university to pay the bills. You MUST avoid both of these extremes.

With any budget you need to start with a known quantity to work from.  This could include:

What ticket price is acceptable for the target market, and what they expect for their money
How many people you are likely to get as an almost-definite
What your core costs are going to be.
You must know at least one of these factors before you can have a serious discussion on budget.

Once you have this information make a first-draft of your event budget.  Do this by allocating an approximate 'best-case price' and 'worst case price' to each of the items in your Skeleton Design. Ensure that you review your budget regularly to ensure you are on-track.

MANAGING CASHFLOW

Cashflow is not about whether you make or lose money from the event, but when money comes in, and when it goes out.  This is much more critical than whether or not you have a budget deficit or surplus as bad cashflow will prevent you from buying the items you need at the optimal time, or could even result in breaching payment terms and suppliers not rendering services.

The first thing you must do is have a cashflow forecast - this is critical.  Any good organisation will operate some form of cashflow forecast. This is basically a list of money coming in and money going out within particular time periods.  By knowing when you think money will come in and when you are obliged to make payments, you can know well in advance if you are likely to have cashflow problems. This allows you to plan around problems and ideally avoid them altogether. By knowing this you may decide to do things like offer early-bird discounts on ticket sales, or negotiate workable payment terms with suppliers. I have put together a very basic outline cashflow forecast document in Excel which you are welcome to download free here: Download free Cashflow Forecast Template

The next thing to be aware of with cashflow is the delays you are likely to experience with the way in which money comes in which may damage your cashflow.  Here are a few typical examples:

Paypal - often you may need to wait around 2 weeks for this to clear in your account.  I have heard of longer delays in some cases
Card payments- the same issue as with Paypal
Cheques - from the point of someone posting a cheque to you having cleared funds in your account I would suggest allowing two weeks
Sponsor money - for large firms it could take several months for funds to be released to you, so either don’t rely on the money, or negotiate clear terms with sponsors.
The final factor with cashflow is that of payment terms with suppliers.  All companies are different with their payment terms to suit their own businesses.  Nearly all suppliers will need to see a significant financial commitment from you (typically 50%). Many may want full payment on booking, others might even offer credit (very unusual though).  There are a few things to consider with outbound funds for suppliers:

Any reputable company will want to see some form of financial commitment from you - so be prepared to pay deposits.
Be honest with suppliers about your cash position and what you can and cannot do - all good companies are used to this and will be flexible with you if you are honest.   If you make promises that are not kept or are not honest you may find that good companies will not want to work with you again.
Negotiate - if your suppliers want to work with you (as they usually will) they are likely to be quite flexible.

CHOOSING SUPPLIERS

Quality suppliers are vital to the success of your event.  There are many competing companies in most areas of events and choosing the right company can be hard. Experience is key as it will mean more accurate quotes from the start as well as competence in delivery.  The following points may help you in your decision:

Look for who did the event well in the past and speak to them again.
Look for suppliers who have done similar events in the past - and that they can demonstrate this to you.
Make sure a company is what they say they are - some suppliers can appear to have more or less experience than it appears; see below for how to spot the good ones.
Request case studies and references - all experienced companies will have copies of case-studies and references from previous similar events.  If your supplier does not have these, you may not want to use them.
Request photos of previous work - a good company takes photos of their work and providing these to support their quotations should not be a problem (except in certain NDA - contracted projects).  Photos are also a great way for you to have a clear understanding of what you can expect.
Visit premises - all good companies will be very happy for you to visit their premises as they will be keen to demonstrate how they operate.  This will give you a better idea of the company than their websites and brochures ever can.
Get copies of their insurance documentation - this is a basic pre-requisite for any reputable supplier to the events industry.  You should expect copies of cover notes back almost immediately as companies will always have this readily to hand in electronic format and often even on their websites.  Be wary of suppliers who seem reluctant to send these over to you.  It is worth noting, however, that you will be unlikely to get any event-specific risk assessments until you have booked a company.
Does the company you are speaking to have the staff to deliver on larger projects?   Many smaller companies will call in a lot of freelance labour in order to deliver larger events.  This often means they can be cheaper but there is a very high margin for error in delivery with potentially unreliable and poorly-trained staff onsite.
Do not accept vague, or what I like to call 'fluffy' quotes from suppliers as they are often vague for a reason.  Request specific information.  All good companies will have a robust system for ensuring that what has been quoted is delivered on the day, and this means that the quotes will typically be quite specific.  Good quotes are clear about the brief, provide images of previous work and also show fully itemised pricing and quantities of equipment and staff to be provided.
With all of the above, do not accept excuses.  If a company cannot provide any of the above there is likely to be a reason why not which you need to investigate.

Another important thing to consider is how to engage with suppliers in the early stages.  Most suppliers accept that you will be shopping around but few like to be played off one another or have their time wasted to an unnecessary degree. Student events often fall in a busy season and you will find that the best suppliers book up quickly.  Involving too many people in the decision-making process can cause long delays and a 'too many cooks' scenario which is best avoided. Often suppliers will be happy to make changes along the way once they have been booked; so if you know who you want to use, but not exactly what you want, see if you can secure a booking with them before they take on other bookings for the same day. As a rough guide try to stick to these rules:

Only invite companies to quote that you are seriously considering using.  This will involve doing a bit of research but will save you sifting through five quotes later on.
Communicate your budget to potential suppliers. Without knowing an approximate budget it is very hard for a company to know to what level you want to take the event. It is understandable that you do not want to show all your cards right away and you may not yet have your budget approved by the committee, so the best way of dealing with this is give the supplier an approximate range of what you think you are looking to spend.  Good companies will use this information ethically and to your advantage.
Probably the biggest mistake I see students making is buying on price exclusively.  As we say in the industry: "there is always some idiot who will promise the world for nothing and then make a mess of the event".  Beware suppliers who nod their head at everything and offer a cheap price.  These are usually the people who are unable to stand up to any scrutiny and ultimately fail to deliver on the day.

I hope that this advice has been useful to you in making a successful and memorable event.

Read more at www.sxsevents.co.uk
Read our articles at www.sxsevents.co.uk/explanatory-articles-event-production-advice

Choosing the Right Screen for Event Use

These are exciting times for those of you who are using video screens for events.  The technology is moving ahead at the fastest pace I have ever seen.  Most people now have High Definition Flat Screen TVs at home. These screens project a very good picture quality, and because people have this at home, they expect to see something as good or better when they attend an event.

This presents a lot of challenges for the event organiser including:

• Emulating the same quality at an event as people are viewing in their own living rooms
• Maintaining the brightness on the screen needed for good visibility. Typical event environments have high ambient light levels – meaning screens have to often be extremely bright to be visible.
• Ensuring that large enough screens are provided so that the audience are clearly able to see the screen. In the event environment the audience are usually standing some distance from the screen.
• Guiding the client towards a realistic expectation of what can be achieved within a budget.  This particularly applies to the quality, size and flexibility of the screen used for the event.

This article has been written for event managers and producers so the level of technical detail is appropriate for these professionals.  I have avoided covering the full range of complex expectations, but do invite you to email with any specific questions.  As always, read this article as an overview of the subject and not a definitive 'how-to' manual.

LED SCREEN SYSTEMS

LED screens have become a staple for large screens in high light levels over the last ten years.  These systems work by using vast arrays of Light Emitting Dioides (LED) to produce red, green and blue light.  The balance of these three "primary" colours allows for almost any colour to be produced, with an equal level of all three creating a "white" light.

It may seem strange that only three colours really exist, but this is similar to how most print media and TV screens work.

LED screens are typically constructed from multiple panels bolted together.  These panels are often approximately one square metre each and can be scaled from a small size right up to enormous structures for large festivals etc.

The main benefits of LED screens are :

They are the brightest of all screen systems
Many systems are suitable for outdoor (wet) use
As they do not rely on any kind of projection the panels are quite thin (around 30cm) and do not require equipment such as projectors etc anywhere else in the audience or event space
They are reasonably efficient on power
They are flexible in terms of where and how they are set up.  Options vary from integrating them into an outdoor structure, to ground-stacking, to having truck-mounted screens that can be set up in minutes
Because they emit light directly (rather than rely on front-projection) performers and the public can walk in front of them without casting shadows
The main drawbacks are :

The pixel pitch (more on this below) is much larger than other screen systems. At time of print a common pixel pitch is 15mm and the absolute best available is 6mm (at huge expense).  This means that they are inappropriate for applications where the audience will be close to the screen
They tend to be very heavy, which means large rigging systems need to be provided which can be costly in both time and money.
Generally speaking, where an event is taking place in an area of high brightness and a large screen is needed, LED is an obvious solution.

PLASMA/LCD/OLED DISPLAYS

To the untrained eye LCD, OLED and Plasma look very similar and have similar properties and limitations.  These screens are seen in most living-rooms and offices and vary from 17" up to 60" for LCDs and 110" for plasmas (as of December 2011, but they keep getting bigger)

Both of these screen options will typically work to High Definition resolution of 1080 lines. These screens are ideal for small applications where a light, high-quality and cost effective screen is needed.  Also, the range of connectivity on these screens is often excellent, which make them versatile.

The key benefits of these screens are :

Cost effective
Lightweight, which means they can be rigged easily and quickly
Attractive, which means they can be in plain sight without dressing or otherwise
Good range of connectivity.  A typical screen will have a VGA, HDMI, Composite, Component, DVI and S-video input, which means almost any video signal can be easily attached
The level of brightness is generally fine for all indoor applications


The limiting factors include :

The size of the screens is limited to 60" for LCDs and 110" for plasmas, although they are getting bigger all the time. Screens above 60" are not generally available in the mass market (as they are an excessive size for themass consumer market) and are therefore disproportionately expensive and best avoided for applications that do not need them
Brightness is generally insufficient for daylight use.  However, some of our 55" LCD screens have performed well when in the shade for outdoor events.

PROJECTION SYSTEM

Projection has been strongly in evidence for large-scale screens since the first motion pictures, although the technology has moved forward significantly over the years.  A projection system works with a projector shining a light image of the pictures, video or text onto a surface.  There are many different types of projector which vary in resolution, brightness,  size and cost.

The projection surface can be anything from a high-quality aluminium coated screen material (for high-end specialised 3D projection or cinema work), to a white wall (for simple and basic ambient projections), or even the outside of a building.

We have done some amazing events using these techniques.  Typically, the projection screens used for events are a high-gain

Projection systems can be an effective way of putting over a large image and are essential for presentations, conferences, awards shows and many live events that are held indoors.

The projector itself can be either in front or behind the projection surface; but in either configuration there cannot be any visual or physical obstructions between the projector and the surface.  Also the material must allow the light image to transmit in such a way as to allow for clear and bright viewing, which is usually the case with back-projected screen surface, or water screens.  One of the most critical factors to consider with projection is the projection distance.  This is the relationship between how far the projector is from the screen, and how big the screen is.  This has an impact on angle of light from the projector.  This can be controlled by selecting the right lens and using zooms.  Whilst a range of lenses are available for our projectors, this can be a delicate design consideration as one must consider angles, loss of gain through air particles, amorphic shifts and venue spacing.  An experienced projectionist will understand all of these factors.

For the purpose of keeping things simple, measure the width of your screen and double it - that will give you an easy projection distance with which to work. Working to this rule of thumb will mean uou can use standard equipment.

We are able, however, to work with almost any projection configuration using specialised lenses, bounce mirrors, blending and other tools.

SCREEN SIZE AND FIELD OF VIEW

A question for you: Is a 10' wide screen big?

If you are sitting 20' away from it yes - and it would be uncomfortably large for presentation purposes. If you are sitting 200' away from it? No - and it would be almost impossible to read even the largest text without a telescope!

The point here is that screen 'size' is subjective but instead based on the concept of 'field of view'.  This is how much of your viewing space something uses up .  Imagine holding a piece of paper 2'" from your face, it will use up most of your field of view.  Pin the same piece of paper on the wall opposite you and it will use a small part of your field of view.

So when you are thinking about video screen think about how much of the audience's field of view it will use.  When you work this out you need to consider both the closest and farthest seat from the screen, taking into consideration the visibility from both points. The size of a screen will also be determined by the content being screened.  If the screen is to show a single sponsor logo then a large screen may not be needed.  However,  if the screen is to show highly technical and text-rich drawings for a conference a very large screen will be needed.

It is always important to put in place the correct resources which are determined by the application for which is it is intended.

BRIGHTNESS

This if one of the factors of video that people get wrong a lot.  Whilst a video system might look perfect in an office, it may be nearly invisible in a bright event space.  Most people don’t realise it, but outdoor light is over 100 times brighter than a typical office.  The human eye has an incredible ability to adjust to these ranges of brightness without a person even noticing.  This is why we must use the right equipment or a presentation may fail.

Brightness is measured in Lux point-reading;  screen brightness is typically measured in lumens which is the relationship between area and brightness.  Careful measurement and calculation by an experienced production designer will factor in all of these issues to ensure the correct solution is delivered for your event.

RESOLUTION

Resolution refers to the number of pixels that make up an image.  A pixel is the single point that emits light.  When many of these are working together they will create the impression of an overall image.  To see this yourself look very closely at your computer monitor.

There are two ways that resolution is defined:

Total number of pixels - this is the total number of pixels a video screen can show and has no relationship to the screensize.  For example a device may be labelled as "1080p HD".  This means that it has 1080 rows of pixels and 1920 columns. This could be a small computer monitor or a large-format projector.

Pixel density - how many pixels are in a given area OR the distance between the pixels.  see below "Pixel Pitch "

Generally the higher the resolution of a video system the better.  More pixels means a more realistic image and a better viewing experience.

However, we have a lot of clients who ask for 1080p HD, which we will provide, but often the client will find that the content is not of a high enough quality.  Any video system is only as good as its weakest link.  So if we are providing a 1080p HD video solution and someone provides a standard DVD, or powerpoint in standard WXGA (a common computer resolution), the images viewed will only be as good as the system used  and a lot of money has been wasted on cutting-edge technology.

So if your client requests HD video, make sure that all people providing content are aware of the required quality to maintain this.  We would be happy to draft  an email for you to send to all those involved.

For more info on this subject please read my article on PowerPoint here

PIXEL PITCH

Pixel pitch describes how far apart pixels are from each other.  The term "DPI" (dots per inch) is a similar measure of this.  Pixel pitch is important because if people can distinguish pixels to a high level they lose the overall impression of the imagery being shown.

The best analogy for this is that of a graphical mosaic - if you stand right up to such a mosaic it will just look like colourful tiles.  As you walk back, it will then start to look like a "blocky" image.  Walk back further still and eventually it may look like a perfect image.  Video is exactly the same as it  is also made of lots of small coloured tiles(pixels).

With video screens such as plasma screens, pixel pitch is not a consideration as you can stand 3' away from such a screen and it will look fine.  LED Screens and projection systems can be a different story.

In all cases we will consider pixel pitch when we design your video solution.  An important factor of this is the closest viewing distance for the audience.



I hope that this has given you a good overview of some of the challenges and limitations to consider with video systems.  I welcome any questions on this subject, or suggestions for any other future articles.

Read more at www.sxsevents.co.uk
Read our Explanatory Articles at www.sxsevents.co.uk/explanatory-articles-event-production-advice

Using Your Own Laptop for Event Presentations

At many of the events at which we provide Video Production support presenters wish to use their own laptops.  In these cases it is vital that the laptops are 'show ready' – meaning that they can be used for live events.  This article has been written to give you advice on how to make your laptop show ready.

Please note that SXS encourage the use of our in house laptops as all our laptops are show-ready and prepped in advance.  As part of our service we also test all content to ensure that it operates smoothly.  In most cases where our laptops are not used it is due to budgetary constraints.  If this is the case with your event please do let us know so that we can find a way to work within limited budgets to deliver high-quality presentations.

BATTERY

If your battery runs flat, your laptop will turn off and end your presentation, which can be embarrassing. Many people think “it will be OK” with the battery in their laptop as they think it lasts a long time. After doing a rehearsal it is very unlikely that your laptop battery will last until the actual event, let alone for the duration of your presentation.

Advice: do NOT rely in your battery.  Your battery should only be used as a backup power if the mains power supply is unplugged or stops working.

What we do to help: there will always be a mains power supply near to the stage. If you are struggling to find it, let one of the SXS team know and we will sort it for you.

SCREEN SAVERS

You are probably so used to your screen saver that you barely notice it. However if this appears during a presentation it can be very embarrassing and annoying. Further, screen savers are a separate program which will increase the likelihood of your laptop crashing. Advice: disable your screen saver. This is done by choosing “none” from the list of available screen savers

POWER SETTINGS

So as to be efficient with power, most laptops have a range of power settings.  Some of the functions can include:

Dim monitor
Log off
Turn off monitor
Enter stand-by mode
Power down
Turn off hard drives
ALL of these will cause problems if they activate during or before a presentation, so disable all of them.

Advice: disable all power saving settings on your laptop

DESKTOP IMAGE

As with screen savers, it is likely that you do not even notice your desktop image.  Many people think that the picture of their holiday, their pet doing something funny, or a family picture will not be noticed. However remember that on a screen that can be the size of small house it is hard not to notice the desktop image should it come into view.

The best desktop image to have is a black background, as on a screen this comes up as nothing.

Advice: remove your desktop image and replace with a black background.

DESKTOP ICONS

As with a desktop image you will be so used to these that you don’t notice them, but everyone else will.  Also, a messy computer desktop is like having a messy office desk in that it can reflect negatively on you, your presentation and your organisation. In some cases the desktop icons may also give away confidential or personal information.  As such they should be removed for your presentation.  If you do not want to delete them permanently, simply create a folder and drag them all into it so that you can later get them back again.

Advice: remove or hide all desktop icons

SOFTWARE TO USE

Not all software is equally reliable.  The below are some good guidelines:

If you are using a mac, use Keynote over PowerPoint
On PCs never use Media Player (free software that comes with windows)
Instead use VLC Player – which is a free program and absolutely reliable.
Use VLC for both sound and video playback

SOUND QUALITY

Some laptops provide good sound output, others do not.  It is sometimes difficult to know in advance which your laptop is.

Advice: if you are using sound directly from a laptop, use our laptops as we can guarantee good quality.

USB AND WIFI

Both of these functions tend to be on the look-out for signals they can latch on to.  When they find a signal they will notify you with a pop-up window.  These notifications can come unexpectedly as when the audience walks into a venue with USB and WiFi enabled smartphones your laptop may start to see these devices.

As such, your computer needs to not be looking for these signals

Advice: disable all searching signals such as USB, WiFi and InfraRed.

ANTI-VIRUS AND OTHER BACKGROUND SOFTWARE

These have a nasty habit of popping up at the most inconvenient time with update notifications etc.

It can sometimes be hard to know what programs are running the background, so it is best to turn off all the obvious ones in advance and keep a lookout for any notifications that appear.

WINDOWS VISTA

At all costs avoid using windows Vista.  I have personally had endless problems trying to minimise the pop-ups but found that they would just keep coming.

Advice: don’t use Windows Vista.  Instead use Windows XP, Windows 7, or a Mac.

CONTENT AND OTHER ADVICE

There is a lot more to know about this subject, much of which is covered in our article about “How to Use Powerpoint”

Read  more at www.sxsevents.co.uk
Read our articles at www.sxsevents.co.uk/explanatory-articles-event-production-advice

Charity Events

I often get asked by clients how they can raise more money from their charity events. This is critical for any charity event for both covering the event costs, as well as raising the maximum amount for the charity. In my career I have produced over 100 charity events from a wide range of sectors and cultural groups. In this time I have seen a surprisingly wide range of fundraising methods. I will now share these with you.

TICKET SALES

This one is obvious. The ticket should at the very least cover the marginal cost for each guest. This is the total cost of the event, divided by the number of guests likely to attend. Determining ticket price can be difficult and depends greatly on the guest wherewithal, how important the cause is to them and the value they place on entertainment.

A good starting point is to identify the kind of people coming to the event and asking what they would typically spend on an important night out, such as an anniversary dinner or birthday.

Another factor to consider is the ancillary costs of the guest attending the event. These can include taxis, dry-cleaning/suit-hire, hotels etc.

But you can also raise money for the cause from ticket sales. One way of doing this, without inflating the price of tickets too much, is by offering staged pricing on the tickets. For example the first 200 tickets may be priced at £60 with the remaining tickets priced at £80. This may also encourage guests to buy tickets earlier, which will also help your cashflow.

Another method to use is early booking discounts. This is similar to the above except that the tickets that sell for the lower price are defined by when they are purchased, rather than the quantity sold.

If you can cover all costs of running the event from ticket sales alone you have made a good start.

EVENT DONATIONS

Another method to raise funds for your cause is to get generous people or companies to pay for an aspect of the event. By doing this, more revenue from ticket sales may go to your cause. Some people like to feel to a sense of ownership and pride towards the event. This gives them the opportunity to express their generosity through something that all other guests can experience. This could include paying for the drinks reception, the band, table-centrepieces etc. It is important that the items they can pay for are value-adding, i.e. ones that make the event clearly better. Paying for the venue hire, linen, or marquee would not be a good thing to pay for as it is not value-adding.

THE FEATURE AUCTION

The feature auction is the main method people use for fund raising. The feature auction is performed by an auctioneer, with all guests watching and participating at once. The auction lots are typically donations from guests and companies. Sometimes reserve prices are set but this is rare as there is no cost to the charity, so any money is good money. I once saw over £200,000 raised from such an auction.

It is vital that you have an experienced and charismatic compere/auctioneer for this. If you do not have one, it may be worth speaking to a local auctioneer or estate agent to provide someone for this purpose. This is great publicity for their firms and can be a good way for them to build rapport with people within their community and peer group.

In many cases the feature auction is excellent, but it can also not work within certain cultural groups.

I am going to be very blunt now, and express an opinion based on nothing more than what I have seen from the events I have produced. The feature auctions that raise the most money are invariably when there are several high-net-worth individuals (usually men, I don't know why) who are all competing to show off their wealth to other people at the event.

Yes, their motivations may be based on vanity, but if the outcome is that they are in some way bettering your cause, is there anything wrong with this?

At events where there are A-list celebrities and the like it is usually the people who are keen to make a name for themselves within these groups who make the high bids. More on celebrities later.

The other factor to consider with the feature auction is what the lots are. First and foremost they have to be desirable and have some genuine worth to the bidders. While a home-made cake may be a great culinary experience, it is unlikely to ever fetch more than the value of a quality cake from a specialist store (tops £20) It is unlikely that a company is going to give you expensive stock to give away (although I have seen Maseratis and diamond necklaces auctioned in the past). You are looking for items that have a low cost to the giver, but a high perceived value to the receiver. So the following are some good ideas, and ones which will typically be available within a given social or business group:

Use of someone's holiday home for a week
Free weekend use of a show car from a local dealer
Gift of promise, such as a golf-lesson from a local professional, a portrait painting or yoga lessons
A meal for two (often without drinks) at a local restaurant
A gym membership
End of line clothing or jewellery from a retailer targeting people within your audience
It is important that you tell the story of all the lots and how enjoyable they would be for the guests. So don't be ashamed to hard-sell these within the auction -this can actually be very entertaining if done tastefully.

Another factor to consider is how to show these lots off. The best way to do this is to have visual information, such as videos or pictures of each of the lots and show these on large screens during the auction. The nature of such events is that people will be drinking and therefore have limited attention spans with the auction, so this style of multimedia presentation is ideal. We often provide very large projection screens and/or plasma screens to show such information.

THE SILENT AUCTION

The silent auction is becoming very popular. This is a system where the auction runs throughout the night and with no auctioneer. This is done by a list of all the lots being listed on a projection screen with the current bid and who the current high bidder is. This way people can have a latent competition with each other for the lots that they want.

Bids for a silent auction are collected with 'bid slips' left on each table. They are then filled in and handed to the auction assistants. It is good to offer an anonymous option for bidders.

PRE-FOOD APPEAL

This is probably the most effective fundraising method I have seen although it could be seen as unethical.

The basic idea of this is to have an appeal before dinner, in which a certain amount of money needs to be raised before dinner is served. This is typically done by telling the story of the appeal, and the importance of the charity's work. This can be done with video appeals or a speech. A presenter then uses this as a platform from which to explain how funds are needed to continue doing this work. The presenter then asks for guests to offer an amount to help. The amount typically starts high and works down. This gives people offering larger amounts of money to get more recognition for their generosity at the start of the appeal.

Make sure that the first donor gets a lot of attention and adoration, so as to encourage others to contribute.

It is sensible for you to have a target amount to be raised in mind. Tell your audience this when you are half way through the appeal.

Once you raise your target amount, you can then let the guests eat.

VIP TICKETING

Another simple method for raising additional funds for your cause is by offering VIP ticket upgrades. It is important that this does not alienate people with standard tickets however, you will need to gauge this.

VIP tickets would typically command a 30-40% price premium and could include some of the following:

Access to a separate bar area seating in a better location, such as next to the stage
Upgrade in quality of wine at the table
Free champagne
An opportunity to go back-stage
Premium gift bags
Gifting

CELEBRITY AFFILIATION

A variation of VIP ticketing is to sell celebrity affiliation. Many people seek out opportunities to experience a glamorous world and to have stories of mingling with the stars to tell their friends. These are experiences you may be able to sell to guests. Celebrity affiliations can include:

A seat at a table with a celebrity
Access back-stage
Opportunity to sing or perform with the celebrity
I hope that this information is helpful and will contribute to worthy causes in the future. If you have any further questions about your charity event, don't hesitate to get in touch.

Read more at www.sxsevents.co.uk
Read our explanatory articles at www.sxsevents.co.uk/explanatory-articles-event-production-advice

Asset Purchase Rationale

This article has been written as training content for staff of SXS to understand the rationale that goes into what equipment or other resources to invest in.

Capability

In order to justify investing in any assets we need to know that we have people who can use it, or can swiftly learn to use it, to its full potential.  While one cannot learn an item fully before having access to it, it is possible to:

• Arrange a demo of the item
• Arrange a visit to the suppliers premises for training on the item
• Arrange a free loan of the item to use at events
• Hire the item to use it at an event
• Read the manual
• Watch any Youtube tutoirals
• Do wide reading on the technical principles and techniques around the asset

Capability is not just the ability to use the item, but also the ability to keep it in very good condition, make repairs and manage parts.

This must be demonstrated, or a plan put in place to build these capabilities before we will seriously consider the purchase.

Alternatives

Before any purchasing decision is made we need to know that all alternatives have been considered.  By alternative I mean an item that fulfils the same purpose. So you must know the answers to the following:

• What else does the same job?
• What are other companies using?
• What are other industries using (where applicable)?
• What is the cheaper alternative?
• What is the more expensive alternative?
• What are the competing products with the one we are considering investing in?
• What is the availability and cost of hiring the item instead of buying it?
• How might we  be able to approach our work slightly differently in order to not need the item while still delivery the same quality?
  

Need and Benefit

Need and benefit are probably the most important considerations when looking at future investment.  Even if other factors do not allow for the purchase right away, having need and benefit will put the purchase as a priority for the future.

Need means that we cannot continue to do the work we do without the item.

Benefit means that the assets allows us to do a better job for our client, save money, save time, or make people’s lives easier by having the item.

Affordability

Can we afford the investment? Affordability is defined by liquidity which loosely equates to 'cash in the bank'.  It is not an option to put our finances under strain to buy assets as this can disrupt the smooth running of our normal trading.

Many companies in various industries use debt as a way to purchase assets. This can make a lot of sense in some circumstances and for certain types of assets.  As a mature business we do not use debt as a way of purchasing equipment – we stick to the mantra of “you can’t afford it, you shouldnt buy it”.  We do, however, use debt as a way of purchasing property as this is an asset that will last indefinitely and is not affordable from working capital.

Payback and Return

These are financial concepts.  Simply put, 'Payback' means how quickly we make our money back.  This relates to the additional fees we see for the new item that we would not have otherwise got that add up to the total purchase cost.  This is important as it may form part of being able to get clients to spend more money with us as they see a benefit to the item and therefore allocate more budget to us. 'Return' relates to what percentage of the purchase cost we see back per usage.  Some items may see 100% return on their first job, whereas other may see as little as 2%, which means they need to be used at least fifty times to pay for themselves.

A balance of both of the above is important.  Of course it is sometimes hard to know how much an item will be used.  In this case we will look at past needs, what is currently booked in the future and what we feel might be needed in the future.

Sometimes there is a'no brainer' situation where a long string of confirmed work means that the asset is fully paid for at point of purchase – we like these situations and incentivise clients to make block bookings to allow this to happen.

In some rare cases we might buy items for strategic purposes where the items do not have a good payback or return.  In these cases we are buying to give an overall better performance of our work or to allow us to do new work altogether.

Opportunity cost

'Opportunity Cost' is the idea that if we do one thing we cannot do another. On a personal level this might mean 'If I go to Spain with my partner I cannot buy the new computer I want'. In the case of asset purchases we need to look at what buying the proposed asset prevents us from doing. For example we may be looking at buying a new piece of equipment which prevents us from buying two new vans – in this case we need to decide which is better for the company, our clients and us all.  Opportunity cost can relate to money, storage space or time.


Read more about events at www.sxsevents.co.uk
Read more explanatory articles at www.sxsevents.co.uk/explanatory-articles-event-production-advice

Bristol City Festival Advice

Bristol is arguably the UK's best city for holding festivals. At SXS we are huge advocates of Bristol's numerous sites, infrastructure and attitude to live events.

This article has been written as a general guide for people looking to organise events in the city of Bristol. The advice is first-hand and often opinion-based.

Bristol is based in the South West of the UK which is often seen as an agricultural area. Despite the country-like location Bristol is a very buzzing city a short distance from the large populations of Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. In additional Bristol is only about 90 minutes from both London and Birmingham - the UK's two largest cities.

The people of the UK are generally very open to travelling and people are happy to travel for appealing events. It is possible to draw in an audience from cities including London, Birmingham, Reading, Cardiff, Newport, Bath, Swansea and even Plymouth if you have the right event offering.

Bristol has become known as a 'melting pot of creativity' in the fields of music, art and technology. Company founder Johnny Palmer believes that "Bristol is deserving of this reputation and I have personally seen the city become a thriving centre of creativity in the last ten years. My personal view on why this has happened is because of the universities in the city" (University of the West of England and Bristol University) "Many young people stay in Bristol after studying which leads to a generally quite youthful population. The nature of these young people - myself included - is that they have left home to start a new life by going to university. Once in Bristol they create a good life for themselves whilst at university, often meet partners, and then stay afterwards. These people have made a conscious commitment to the city and for this reason are happy with their lives. Such people from Bristol will often come across as evangelical about their lives in the city, which is a great thing! SXS has its administrative, fabrication, creative and storage facility in Bristol. Bristol is the perfect city for us because of the creative talent of the people, affordable warehousing and central location to our main centres of work throughout the UK."

There are several sites available for events and festivals in Bristol. For the purpose of this article I will focus on those which are within the city and suitable for outdoor events.

CASTLE PARK

This is a site which is adjacent to The Galleries, Broadmead, and more recently Cabot Circus shopping centres. The site has a rolling topography so is best suited to events that have multiple small to medium zones. Access is good. Existing infrastructure is limited, so allow for complete event infrastructure to be installed. Staging systems in Castle Park need to be able to handle a range of gradients. SXS provides staging systems with screw-jack legs; allowing for precise adjustment to the ground undulations. Sound restrictions may be in place at Castle Park (check with Bristol City Council Environmental Health), depending on dates, times, musical content etc. In such situations SXS can provide a full sound propogation service, focused line array sound systems and on-going sound level readings.

MILLENNIUM SQUARE

Millennium Square is part of the Harbourside, which is generally seen as being seen as central. The square is large and the ground is almost perfectly flat, although it does have a slight camber for drainage. Minimal structure levelling is required, which SXS can do. The square also features a large LED screen, which is operated by @Bristol. They have, on occasion, allowed this to be used for events, but you would need to check with them. Access to the square is good,  however the single largest limiting factor of the site is the limited ground load capacity. The entire square is on top of an underground car park which means that the ground above is only suitable for pedestrians. Cars and trucks cannot be driven over it. This means that trailer stage systems and high-load orbit stage structures are unsuitable. Instead SXS's Freemont and Harlem outdoor structures are ideal. These are made from component parts so there is no need for vehicular access to the event site. In addition the point loads of the structure are spread out over large areas.

QUEENS SQUARE

Queens Square is within walking distance of both Castle Park and Millennium Square, so can be viewed as a central area. This is a beautiful park area that is surrounded by buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries. The square is often used for location filming where Georgian terraces are needed as a backdrop. Although it looks like a residential area it is almost entirely offices (except for a new development in one corner). There are numerous mature trees in the square. Aesthetically these are great features and the SXS team can illuminate them in beautiful colours. However these trees do restrict sight lines, meaning that the site is not ideal if a large arena is required. The site is grassed except for paths crossing diagonally across the space. A road runs all the way around the square with parking on all four sides (subject to parking restrictions). Access is excellent. There is no existing infrastructure (SXS can provide power, water, audio, lighting and flooring as required). The site tends to be used for more family-focused or low-key events.

LLOYDS AMPHITHEATRE

The amphitheatre has generally been the site used for all major events in Bristol's centre in past years. But recently Castle Park has become increasingly popular. The site is a semi-circle with steps leading into it. This makes sight-lines for larger audiences excellent. It is also situated in an area where the council allow good sound levels for concerts. One entire length of the amphitheatre backs onto the floating harbour. Careful consideration must be given to the site safety due to the risks presented by water. The amphitheatre has some power available onsite, but it is best to use generators. It is less 100m from the Millennium Square - often the two sites are used in conjunction. Access is very good and articulated lorries can gain access easily. To current knowledge there are no ground load limits. Stage: No stages are in situ. Despite the name suggesting otherwise the space is not suitable for ground-level performances. SXS can provide stage systems that are the perfect size and fit for the space.

SUPPLIERS IN BRISTOL

Bristol has a wide range of companies who can supply all the equipment, staffing and other resources for major events. There is absolutely no need to bring in companies from outside the city. SXS are a key supplier of structures, power, audio, lighting, video, rigging, stages, flooring and fencing. For services that SXS do not provide in-house (such as security and marquees) we will gladly introduce you to suitable companies (subject to SXS being appointed as a production provider) or book them on your behalf.

For any event that you organise in Bristol (or any other city for that matter) it is essential that you get the correct licenses and permissions. In order to get these and to have a safe and effective event, you will need to draft an Event Management and Safety Plan. This is effectively a manual on how the event will run and what happens in all possible instances. This can include information on security, site plan, production, structures, ticketing, fencing and all other aspects of the planning and delivery of the event.

Site plans will also be essential to your event. These help to communicate to all involved (licensing authorities, contractors and other stakeholders) what space is being used, where everything goes and how the event will work. SXS has on file detailed site maps for all of the above locations. These are stored in scaled 3D and allow us to map out precisely the event space, ensuring that everything fits and there is enough space for exit routes and other crowd access.