Transformations and Dramatic Statements

Lighting for a Neon, Cement and Metal Mitzvah

April 08, 2011

As lighting designers, we’ll be beating the “Lighting creates a mood” horse forever. Nothing demonstrated this basic concept better than last Fall’s bar mitzvah for an edgy, cool kid with urban tastes. Collaborating with event designers Beautiful Blooms Events we took a standard formal country club ballroom and turned it into a night club with layers of modern grunge appeal.

First things first, the walls had to fade to black. Literally. Wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling black drape was installed around the perimeter to wipe the slate clean. Next, Eventions’ lighting designer Rian Winther worked with the creative team to assess the room and determine what the dramatic focal points would be for the event. For social event lighting design our goal is always the same, to keep everyone’s eyes on the tables, the dance floor and stage, as well as each other. For this party concept, lighting would be one of the key design elements and our standard goals would expand to include lighting on multiple levels. Think NEON! Custom graffiti was hand-painted on cement blocks, canvas panels and faux walls in paint that we would not only high light but strobe out! It was illuminating to say the least. (pun intended). .

The bar mitzvah boy walked into a gritty modern environment that was alive with intense light! The dinner tables were covered in bright red, royal blue and bright green – harsh in daylight but effective and vibrant in dimmed party light. The painted cement blocks served as funky centerpiece vessels and were filled with dried electric blue roses that we pin spotted with meticulous precision. Sculptural metal spheres and industrial matte aluminum pipes were formed into other urban tablescapes that we washed with leikos for a wider wash on the table.

In the center of the room we placed a 30 foot x 30 foot metal truss system from which we suspended 22 intelligent light fixtures to provide dance floor, ceiling and room lighting. Many social events we do only require a soft color wash, or “blanket of light” on the dance floor. Very often we layer gobos, or patterned stencils made out of stainless steel or glass, over a light to project a design or pattern. Both good options but just not slick enough for this gig. We programmed the computer-based intelligent light fixtures to change, speed up and intensify as the party progressed to follow the action in the room.

Our dramatic “Pillow Wall” backdrop was a major sculptural element and a great backdrop for the Eddie Bruce Orchestra. This three dimensional metallic backdrop allows for amazing lighting effects using the combination of LED and intelligent light fixtures that we had on hand.

The design team also made use of our Chroma Dance Floor and our Chroma Bars. Our Chroma Series employ a great mix of furniture and lighting effect. Both are computer controlled to allow the event lighting designer to coordinate the bar colors and dancefloor effects with the intelligent lighting in the room.

We also worked with the videographer to coordinate what was shown on our six suspended 50” plasma screens throughout the party. Parties are theater, and to execute a “show” as we like to call them, we need to work with a detailed production schedule that includes everything that happens on the stage, as well as in the rest of the party space. That way, we can build up the energy or reduce down the vibe or pick up the pace or fade to black. It’s got to be a well-choreographed routine even for a private party such as this one. It’s got to be ELECTRIC!

Floral Design: Beautiful Blooms Events
Venue: Philadelphia Country Club
Entertainment: Eddie Bruce Orchestra
Photography: Susan Beard Design

CATEGORY: Design Ideas, Mitzvahs, Our Stage This Weekend

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES MAKE THE BEST STORIES

February 10, 2011

Looking back, this has to be one of our favorite events of all time, and certainly, one of the best we have ever collaborated on. The party was in November, 2007, a bat mitzvah for 500 guests at the Philadelphia Cruise Terminal. The 40,000 square foot “Terminal” as it’s called amongst those who’ve worked there and lived to talk about it, is one of the most challenging locations to work in for its sheer massive footprint. A historic manufacturing building dating back to 1880, the Terminal has seen some incredible parties in recent years. This was the second mitzvah celebration we had the pleasure of working on for the same family, with the same guest list and in the same venue. Needless to say, the pressure to make this particular event a completely unique experience was INTENSE.

SUSPENSION OF 10,000 LB ICE CHANDELIER

There were two major highlights to this fantastic party that Eventions had a major hand in producing. The first was the suspension of a 25 foot tall chandelier made entirely out of ice and weighing almost 10,000 pounds. Created by Fear No Ice, the magnificent chandelier posed a few obvious logistical challenges, such as:

• How on earth do you hang a 10,000 pound chandelier one half hour before the first guest arrives?
• Will the circa 1880 ceiling support that kind of weight?
• How do you test the concept with it arriving onsite only 30 minutes before the party?
• What will happen to all the water as it melts?

The biggest challenge our rigging staff encountered was the fact that the ceiling of the Cruise Terminal is made of 120 year-old iron and teak wood. The iron work was forged 30 years before the Titanic sunk and we all know how well that went! Structural engineers determined that we could only attach to the iron structure with a maximum load of 300 pounds per attachment point. To meet those requirements, our rigging staff had to spread the weight out over 36 different attachment points. Unfortunately, we don’t have any pictures of the complicated design of the ceiling system, but it was impressive!

Once the ice was suspended, our lighting designers worked their magic to make the piece come to life against a backdrop of sensational lighting and special effects.

As to the concern of melting water from the suspended ice chandelier, event designer Katherine Warden from TableArt constructed an oversized “sandbox” made of lucite that not only caught the cascading water, but with an added lush floral design, became an eye-popping focal point enjoyed all evening.

CRYSTAL CHANDELIER GUEST OF HONOR REVEAL

The second dramatic feature of this bat mitzvah was an impressive 30 foot diameter crystal chandelier that served as the high-flying focal point over the dance floor. This concept grew out of a last minute struggle to find a fabulous way to reveal the guest of honor. While months of planning and design went into this event, it was only within the last two weeks that the concept came to life. But how?

As the guests entered the dining room, the crystal chandelier was sitting on the dance floor with the Bat Mitzvah girl hidden inside the concentric rings of crystals and lighting. After the band introduced all of the family and friends, the chandelier slowly started to rise to its position over the dance floor. Voila! as it moved up the guest of honor was revealed to wild applause!

Nothing like keeping guests on their toes and begging for more! Collaborating on this stunning event with the creative team of Peachtree & Ward Catering, TableArt, CinemaCake, Susan Beard Photography and Starlight Orchestras brought down the house yet again! But luckily, not the 1880 ceiling.

CATEGORY: Innovations, Mitzvahs, Our Stage This Weekend

Fun with Cinema Cake.

April 02, 2010

When our good friend, Dave Williams from Cinema Cake started planning his daughter’s Bat Mitzvah, one of his first calls was to Eventions to help him produce an amazing party. Dave assembled an all-star team of some of the area’s best event professionals including Melissa Brannon from Uncommon Events, Sarah DiCicco, Jelly Roll, and some craziness from Creative Juice Group.

For Danielle’s concept video Dave and his creative staff recreated the SNL video “I’m on a Boat” to “I’m on a Bus”. Dave’s staff rewrote the lyrics and music to fit the new concept. Next up was a new one for us… “can you fit a 52 foot bus into your warehouse?” Our answer was “of course… and I’m afraid to ask, but why? One cold day in January, at 8 AM the bus arrived at our facility and the transformation began to make it “cool”

Check out the video that was shown the night of the party. - Keep an eye out for a cameo from dave and his wife Sheryl as the bus drivers.

Also, take a look at the “Out Take” video that shows some of the “behind the scenes action”

For the actual party, We supplied a huge truss design with 12 intelligent lights, LED lights and diffusion fog. We also debuted our Chroma Blast LED dance floor and custom fabricated some floating lucite tables utilizing our Chroma Towers as bases. The great thing about our Chroma series of dance floor and Chroma Towers is that they all coordinate with the intelligent lighting used on the dance floor.

And here is the “sneak preview” of the party. Congratulations to Dave, Danielle and the entire Williams Family.