Selecting a venue is a crucial part of planning any event. Venue features and size were major factors for our client Datassential when it was time to plan their annual Foodscape member conference. After a successful partnership for their first event, they came to us for a second year with bigger goals in mind. Meredith Oliver, a senior technical producer at BlackOak, discusses the challenges and outcome of the project below.
Q&A with Meredith Oliver, Senior Producer
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE CLIENT AND THE PURPOSE OF THIS EVENT
Datassential is a food trend and insight company. They would describe this event as their food forecast and trend showcase where they bring in all the trends forecasted the upcoming year for their members to taste and discover.
VERY COOL. WHAT WERE THE INITIAL CHALLENGES THAT THE CLIENT BROUGHT TO US?
The initial challenge that this client brought to us was finding a location that could hold over 800 people while also being able to deliver their content in a tech-forward way. They had previously held their event in a hotel ballroom and then The Geraghty, but this year they wanted something different.
SO, WHAT WAS THE VENUE THIS YEAR?
This year we brought the project to the abandoned Chicago Tribune, which was an exciting challenge. We had to take a very unassuming venue from the outside and create this vibrant, energetic space on the inside.
THAT DOES SOUND LIKE A CHALLENGE. HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO DO THIS?
We were able to come up with a creative tech forward solution to display the client’s content to their members with five projection screens showcasing different content.
WHAT DID THE INSIDE OF THE ROOM LOOK LIKE?
The room looked like a futuristic projection box with the screens and long runway. There were stations around the edge of the room for guests to try all the ingredients brought in and an activation space for the dinner reception with food trucks behind it.
SOUNDS LIKE A FUN EVENT TO BE PART OF! CAN YOU LIST THE SERVICES PROVIDED?
We provided full scale audio, video, staging, design and show technicians for operation.
WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF PLANNING THIS EVENT?
The most challenging part for us was designing the stage due to the 65-foot ceilings in the massive space. We wanted to create something visually impactful and grand enough to compliment the room. We had a huge projection screen paired with a portrait-style projection screen for IMAG and a very large stage that was elevated enough to be seen in the back of the room.
THAT’S FANTASTIC. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE DESIGN ELEMENT?
Our favorite feature we created was a cathedral of light using beams and lasers. We would have a light show with music between breaks to get the guests pumped up for their next session.
WHAT DID THE CLIENT HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE OUTCOME?
The client was able to grow their membership by 50 percent and said it was one of the best conferences they ever attended.
If you are planning an event, big or small, BlackOak Technical Productions is here to listen. Contact us to plan a stress-free event for both you and your guests.
To check out more details on this particular event you can view our portfolio page by clicking on the link below:
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Tags: Audio Visual, BlackOak Technical Productions, Chicago, Event Production, Event Professionals, Events, Lighting, Technical Producer