Each week in our Techie Tuesday blog series we will aim to demystify the world of AV equipment and event services lingo and reveal exactly what those techs are talking about. Up today, we clear up the mystery of screen aspect ratios. If you have ever seen a distorted presentation or one where the content doesn't quite fit the screen chances are there is probably a problem with the aspect ratio. Each week in our Techie Tuesday blog series we will aim to demystify the world of AV equipment and event services lingo and reveal exactly what those techs are talking about. Up today, we clear up the mystery of screen aspect ratios. If you have ever seen a distorted presentation or one where the content doesn't quite fit the screen chances are there is probably a problem with the aspect ratio. AV Discipline: Vision AV Category: AV Theory AV Jargon: 4:3, 16:9, Width, Height, Wide Screen Description: The aspect ratio of a screen describes the “fixed” relationship between the width and the height. It is always written in a ratio format with the width listed first and the height listed second. In today’s event market you can find a vast array of presentation products, so finding out the aspect ratio of the screen should be one of the first technical questions asked. By authoring a presentation to match the aspect ratio of the screen, this will ensure the entire screen is filled with content. Presentation software such as PowerPoint and Keynote provide adjustable page setups to cater for different aspect ratios. AV terminology such as “letter box” or “pillar box” describes an image that does not fill the screen due to a miss-match of aspect ratios, this can be distracting for the audience. While projectors and monitors can stretch and squash an image to fill the screen, this will lead to image distortion, dramatically impacting the look of the presentation. This can be a trigger for the “Logo/Brand Police” to suddenly appear and request the distorted image to be fixed. For decades the standard aspect ratio was known as “4:3” as it widely adopted by the broadcast and computer industries. Since the recent introduction of High Definition video, the wider 16:9 aspect ratio has emerged as the new standard. With rapid advances in technology, manufactures are building products such as laptops, tablets, and mobile phones with a wide range of aspect ratios including 16:9, 8:5, 4:3, 5:3, 3:2, and 5:4 so knowing the correct aspect ratio of the screen is more important than ever. Image Source: Staging Connections | Learning and Development For any upcoming event that requires a screen, be sure to enquire into the aspect ratio and pass this information onto your presenters, content authors, and multimedia designers to ensure compatibility and the perfect presentation every time. Next week we shine a light on the 'Ballyhoo' and discuss when and where you would use them on your events. In the meantime if you have any suggestions or specific words you would like our AV experts to demystify for you please send your suggestions through to info@stagingconnections.com Written by Andrew Thorne, ANZPAC Trainer & Assessor, Staging Connections. Andrew Thorne is ANZPAC Trainer & Assessor and drives our training programs at Staging Connections, including our Certificate III in Live Production and Services Program for our new trainees. ... Read More

Each week we aim to demystify the world of audio visual equipment and event services speak. In this week’s Techie Tuesday we take a look at the key event communication tool 'In Ears'. You have most likely seen performers on stage using them to hear their instruments or TV presenters listening for cues from backstage directors. They are also used in corporate events as an effective on stage tool to help enhance the delivery for on stage talent, giving them the confidence to deliver a great performance. Audio Visual Discipline: Audio Audio Visual Event Category: AV Equipment AV Jargon: In Ear's, Ear Piece What are 'In Ears' In-ear Monitors are a small and discrete headphone set, that allows onstage talent to isolate ambient noise and listen directly to a personal audio mix. The headphones are connected to a small belt pack receiver, providing the talent with freedom to move without cables. The audio signal is broadcast from an transmitter, positioned either at the operators table or side of stage. Unlike a talkback/comms system which allows for two way communications between event crew, in-ear monitors allow for a split of any audio signal(s) required to be heard by the onstage talent, enabling them to action cue or hear clearly. Source: Shure | PSM900 What events are 'In Ears' used on? Events such as award ceremonies or television broadcasts where there is a master of ceremonies or an on camera presenter, use in-ears to discreetly relay critical event cues such as timing information, when to throw to a video, and when to intro a new topic. It takes a very experienced and agile presenter to be able to talk to a live audience whilst also listening to event cues from directors. Events such as live musical performances, where there is a need for musicians to hear their instruments or vocals, use in-ears to deliver a mix of instruments and vocals allowing the musicians to keep in time, and on pitch. The use of in-ears for musical performances keeps the volume level down on stage, and gives the performer a consistent sound reference anywhere they move. What is needed for In Ear Monitors to work as part of you overall Audio Visual events solution? A few specific items are required for in ear monitors to work effectively: Transmitter: the personal audio signal needs to be broadcast so as to be picked up by the belt pack receiver. Receiver: the broadcast audio signal needs to be received so as the talent Receiver: the broadcast audio signal needs to be received so as the talent can listen to the personal audio signal. Mixing Desk: a mixing desk is required to split the signal(s) and mix the signals being sent to the in-ear monitors. Audio Tech: a trusted audio tech is required to ensure that the talent receives a good mix and does not hear any unexpected sounds or cues Up next week... Next week we focus on IMAG. In the meantime if you have any AV terms or words you would like our AV experts to tackle leave a comment on the blog post below or join in the conversation on Twitter @stgconnections #TechieTuesday. Written by Andrew Thorne, ANZPAC Trainer & Assessor, Staging Connections. Andrew Thorne is ANZPAC Trainer & Assessor and drives our training programs at Staging Connections, including our Certificate III in Live Production and Services Program for our new trainees. Related Blogs Techie Tuesday: Talk Back Systems Optimise your event communication with design and production Techie Tuesday: What is a Graphic Equaliser and why do I need one? ... Read More

On a stage in the not too distant future, a presenter steps up to speak. The walls behind and around her audience come to life with three dimensional visuals introducing her and the company she represents. As she begins speaking, she swipes her hand above a tablet device with a long gesture that ends with her palm facing the back wall. A graph seems to fly from the device to the wall, enlarging as it moves. She asks the audience a question, and the attendees respond via their handheld devices. The graph changes instantly. Remote audiences watching on a huge range of different media responded to the same prompt. While that may sound like a particularly stylised movie scene, all of the technology that makes it possible already exists and is being used in some form in presentations every day. Presentation technology is advancing constantly, with the goal of making human communication more engaging, more effective and capable of communicating complex ideas succinctly. This blog examines emerging trends in presentation applications, equipment and techniques to help you prepare for the coming dramatic shift in audience expectations. 1. The Virtual Presence Large-scale presentations to media and big audiences looking for a ‘wow factor’ will soon be regularly utilising virtual presence in the form of holographic projection. Already used to resurrect departed musicians on big festival stages, holograms are actually just a clever use of 3D projection mapping, using multiple projectors, software and a physical object to carry the image. Interactive three dimensional graphics are also set to become commonplace. While it is currently relatively straightforward to have 3D graphics created and projected on cue, the technology will change presentations when the presenter themselves is able to select, manipulate and map images in real-time, by whim and in reaction to the audience. This will involve gesture control of a master device such as a tablet and advanced, automated integration with mapping software and multiple projectors. There are already examples of this technology in the market. The key to utilising it successfully will lie in having the right content created for your message, and knowing when to use it. 2. The Audience Speaks Having now been exposed to the possibilities of interaction via Twitter and live chat applications, audiences now expect more than a simple one-way flow of information from the presenter. Far from a distraction, letting your audience ask questions or vote en masse on a seminar’s direction from their phones keeps the attendees engaged and makes them more likely to absorb your message. There are already countless applications across multiple platforms available to integrate the audience into the content. All offer a variation on a theme – the audience presses a button, writes a message or engages with pre-made content and their results of this are then collated to a main screen. What the presenter needs to be clear about is when and how to use the technology. Presenters that allow themselves to be guided and structured by audience curiosity must know their material inside-out. This rules out the possibility of a presenter using AV as a crutch and simply reading out or referring to slides to get through their material. The presenter must be confident in responding to audience questions and capable of bringing the material back to the important points after digressions. Preparation is key. 3. It’s how we connect Even at the smallest scale that could be termed a ‘presentation’, in which just two or three people work together, technology already exists to greatly enhance communication. If the collaboration is occurring in one physical location, wireless products enable all devices present to connect to the room’s screen and individually share content to it. The same technology, scaled up, also allows remote participants to connect to the system, with all of the same sharing capabilities as if they were there. Increasingly, these systems allow for amazing flexibility. Not only can different types of devices be connect together (phones, laptops, screens) but also different operating systems – iOS, PC, Android, Linux. Cross-compatibility on this scale was a physical impossibility just a few short years ago. Applications now exist that enable users on different platforms to actually work together of the same document, regardless of operating system. Across an network connection and through a shared app, a Mac user can edit an Excel spreadsheet and a PC user can collaborate in editing a Final Cut video, each with their own mouse and total independence. We experience this when we drive - the longer we're exposed to speed, the more comfortable we become with the risk of going faster, which is why people tend to get booked for speeding towards the end of their trip. But what’s really important? No matter what technologies come along, no matter how real the virtual becomes, the central part of every presentation will always be humans communicating with one another. On the big stage, it’s always going to be about someone with great information and insight sharing with an audience. In the meeting rooms and offices, it’s about someone with a great idea spreading the word. Technology just helps us tailor our message, simplify the complex and make it memorable. Staging Connections understands the centrality of our physical presence when communicating, and can assist anyone to get the most of out of current (and future) presentation technologies. Written by Tim Chapman, General Manager - Digital Event Services Tim is continuously supporting and developing Staging Connections digital event components, looking for new and innovative ways to utilise technology to take any event from stage to screen. Tim comes from a background in corporate events where he pioneered large scale video conferencing projects and global webcasting of major events. ... Read More

Webcasting as a tool in the event production kit has really reached maturity in the last couple of years. With the advent of 4G remote connections for cameras and audio, high bandwidth web connections in venues and fast internet at home and the office, webcasts are no longer the dull, static ‘let’s all watch a video together’ presentations they once were. They are now dynamic, interactive platforms delivering multiple types of content at once; both immersive and inspiring. Webcasts can be a pleasure to participate in. Creating an interactive and engaging webcast Customised design Today’s webcasts are built in their own customized HTML designed ‘skin’ that can house not only the event or brand’s graphics but multiple video, chat and social media widgets. The viewer feels as if they are looking at an extension of the host’s website and can interact in real-time with the event. Live chat for real engagement Social media feeds such as Twitter can really enhance your webcast. Allowing your audience, both present and remote, to engage with your presentation enables a personal connection to the speaker and the topic. Proprietary widgets such as Chatroll enable a live chat feed for the event participants only, meaning a web viewer can ask questions of a presenter and have it answered in real time. Make sure your guests use the same hashtag and you may even find your event ‘trending’. Getting up close and personal with mobile cameras All the action that occurs at your event can now be seamlessly presented via the web using mobile cameras. Action and reaction Complex video presentations can include cutaways to audience members during Q&A or for reaction shots. Mobile cameras operating via 4G uplink make this possible, along with a dedicated video director calling the shots. Supplementary interviews We all love the glitz and glam of a red carpet, so why not add one to your event? As guests arrive, prepare roving hosts to carry out red carpet interviews with the VIPs and luminaries of your industry. This type of content makes the webcast experience as close to (sometimes even closer) than physically being at the event. Mobile cameras with audio capability can add a lot of fun to your webcast and the more your audience engages with the event the longer it will stay with them and the further your message will go. A record of your event When an event is webcast it becomes a detailed, multi-dimensional record of your event. Think of it as visual, audio and textual proof of audience engagement with your content. The webcast can be hosted on your website, made available for consumption on-demand by anyone who missed out on attending so the content you so lovingly created keeps working for you long after the big show. Video content at your disposal All content captured during a webcast can be edited and repurposed. This means you’ve just created a rich mine of video content to deploy according to your marketing strategy. As video is the future of web communication, every organization is currently trying to produce high-quality, engaging video content. Most are struggling due to lack of staff, experience and technology. Considering you’re already putting your company’s best face on at a public event it is sensible to invest in professionals to add a webcasting component to your event. Marketing future events If you are running an annual event your previous webcasts can be used to market your upcoming event. Email blasts to your database with video highlights packages will remind repeat customers why they came last time and will entice new customers to see what they have been missing out on. Take charge of your audience In the past if you wanted to ensure you had an audience for your event you had to approach free-to-air or cable broadcasters to film and distribute your event. While you can still approach them it is incredibly unlikely that they will say yes, there are now even several major music and entertainment awards that traditional media don’t think are sellable to their advertisers. The good news is; we don’t need them anymore! Targeted market Your event can now hit a targeted market, as large or small as it needs to be and your content can remain viewable to a global audience in perpetuity. You can decided if your content is free or be paid for. You can even sell advertising embedded into your webcast. Everyone is now a broadcaster with only their imagination and ability to impress the market limiting your audience growth. How to get it right So now that you are convinced you need webcasting at your event, the next question is how to ensure it is technically flawless and engaging to your audience? The answer is lots of preparation on the part of the content provider (the organization hosting the event) and the technicians responsible for delivering the goods. No one wants to see another presenter fumbling on video with his or her PowerPoint saying, “It was working in the office”. Here is a quick checklist: For the organiser: Are your presenters engaging? Are they rehearsed? Have you checked all presenter’s graphic and video content for quality, formatting and functionality? Make sure you have a functioning internet connection for externally linked web content Questions to ask your webcast provider: Have they webcast from this venue before? Have you had a look at some of their previous work? Are they using a wired connection to the web? If so, have they organized bandwidth to be reserved with the venue’s IT staff and their internet service provider? Streaming quality Make sure that the webcast includes Adaptive Bitrate Streaming. It’s the intelligence in the web stream that sees the device you are viewing the webcast on and how much bandwidth you have, then automatically adapts the stream to run as smoothly as possible. This means no annoying pauses or ‘buffering’. Ready to go live The main point is preparation and ensuring you have a webcast provider you can trust. At Staging Connections we guarantee a quality and engaging webcast for your event that will allow your content to keep attracting eyes long after the curtains have drawn. Love learning the latest in event technology and delivery? Download our range of free White Papers today. ... Read More

A theatrical set is a combination of engineering, practicality and imagination that, at its best, becomes part of a show’s narrative as it helps tell it. The ubiquity of digital video technology means that your event can benefit from the same attention-grabbing visual techniques that wow Broadway audiences. With the right content, your brand, message and story can fill screens, dance across walls and create long-lasting impressions in your audience’s memories. Even better, your content can be transported to new venues, re-used in electronic communication, broadcast on web and re-purposed as a promotional tool after your event is over. What is a digital set? ‘Digital Set’ is a catch-all term for a combination of techniques, equipment and strategies that all use digitally created graphic content to enhance a live event. A Digital Set can be any combination of static, animated or video content displayed on screens, projected on surfaces or animated across LED lighting fixtures. The options with projection alone are almost limitless! With one projector you can present an animation on a central screen all the while projection static branding on two peripheral screens. Set the scene of your event The first thing you need to consider when using digital sets is the venue you intend to deploy them in and the projection space that allows. Small function spaces - will be well served by projection to a modest central screen, augmented by strategically placed flat-panel displays. Larger theatre-style presentation spaces - can support multiple projection screens and projection onto walls. Extremely large ballroom or gala centres - allow you to stretch your imagination. They can house multiple sized custom screens, curved screens and projection mapped immersive visuals, all on a grand scale. Designing to your message The aim of your event is to convey your message, a digital set is intended to enhance it not outshine it. The development of your content and its technical implementation should go hand in hand. The best AV companies now have graphic designers, computer animator and video content creators in-house, which is the ideal team for enhancing your message. Take your speaker’s PowerPoint or Keynote presentations as a starting point and work through them with the content creators. They will pick out themes, selected static or animated visuals, highlight the most important sections and help structure the presentation with visual markers. Making use of the natural breaks You obviously don’t want to subvert attention during your speakers presentations but there are several natural breaks in the proceedings; introductions, walk- ups speaker changes that allow you to use the whole Digital Set to entertain the crowd. For example, introducing a speaker allows you to use all visual displays in unison to immerse the whole venue in a single visual sequence. An image can traverse the room making heads spin, light and fire can rise from every corner in your event. All these transitions should be made with tight, precise timings before bringing the focus right back to the speaker. Making an experience for your guests Envisage this: Video operators ensure that all presentations are queued up on a central computer and can be edited at a moments notice if necessary. All of your creative content will be deployed across projectors and screens via media servers run through powerful video mapping software. Lights go down, animation and video come up and your first speaker will take to the stage, right in the middle of the digital set you have created. Your presenter speaks. Slow video loops of your logo and slideshows of images pertinent to your theme run unobtrusively on secondary displays, quietly setting the scene in your audiences peripheral vision. At the moment when the major new product/direction/award is unveiled all displays leap to life in concert with the key image and text. As the details are explained, different points and illustrations make their way to different parts of the room, adjusting and focusing the audience’s attention as necessary. As the presentation ends, the room becomes one image, surrounding the crowd in the environment of the idea. Take your digital set with you Marketing memory After the applause has died down and the audience has left, your Digital Set is ready to keep working for you. You should follow-up your attendees via email, framed in the same style and content as the event and send out a link to video highlights. Make sure you tie their experience into your emailed content. You have created a memory that is branded with your visuals in each attendee’s mind, and every time you communicate with them make sure to use these same images. If your content and message were compelling, they will recall the event even more fervently. Portable set If your event is travelling its easy to take your digital set with you and adapt it as needed to the new venue. Projections can be scaled up and down according to room size and available surfaces. Similarly, images that were split across multiple devces can be amalgamated to one or vice-versa. Digital Sets are incredibly malleable and coherent content with a clear message with translate well no matter what media is carrying it. Your digital content is now a business asset that cost a fraction of its physical counterpart with the ability to be scaled down to an iPad or up to an arena. Digital set event packages Staging Connections offer Digital Sets in their Event Create packages. In-house content creators work with you with options for either static or animated imagery. Standard display options include projecting from one projector onto multiple screens or from multiple projectors onto ultra wide screens, if your venue can physically accommodate them. In all cases and all combinations, Staging Connections work with you to bring out the heart of your message, and enhance your event with the right combination lighting, sound and decoration to fit with your theme. Unique boxes The standard package does not limit your ability to create something truly unique. Staging Connections’ creative team and event planners love to extend themselves by creating totally individual events that create an environment for the organisation’s message. Whether it is bringing a character to life, creating a new display concept for a revolutionary product or finding a way to communicate a radical idea with absolute clarity, the Digital team love a challenge. That’s the great thing about the digital visions tools of modern AV – it’s never been easier to bring the hardest-to-image concepts to life and it’s never been more affordable to create a theatrical experience for your audience that’s every bit as entertaining as a night on Broadway. Want to stay up to date with industry trends? Browse our range of downloadable Event Insights papers ... Read More

We’ve been working with Business Chicks for seven years now, so when we get the green light to go ahead and put on an event for Jamie Oliver with just two weeks to prepare, we kick straight into action. This week's Event Spotlight is brought to you by Lizzi Lovegrove (pictured right), Key Account Manager for Business Chicks. I work closely with Sara Jenkins, Event Manager and her team at Business Chicks in the lead up to the event. From the briefing period, right through to the bump-in of the event (usually the day prior) and on event day itself, we are in constant communication ensuring everything is on track. The team at Business Chicks find some of the highest profile speakers, and all round super-cool people to entertain audiences across the country. They are continuously researching and in conversation with a range of diverse speakers to ensure they get the best for their members. This certainly keeps our job interesting, as dealing with high profile speakers like Jamie, often only gives us a very short period of time in which to get everything ready. So once a speaker is confirmed, the team kicks into gear. The Business Chicks Event Coordinators drive the crucial task of perfecting the event run sheets – from the stage styling to the menu, to the very detailed AV requirements, everything is included. In the world of events, our lives rely on the accuracy of the run sheet! We supplied and managed all the AV and production for Jamie’s event and getting these elements together so that no microphone fails, no lights flicker and nothing is out of sync at the event takes a team of pros and some tried and tested processes. When we knew what was required, I coordinated with our onsite Event Staging Manager at The Westin Sydney, who pulled together the production requirements, resources and logistics. Our production department were notified of the event and a Technical Director was allocated to oversee the floor plan, schematics, site inspection, risk assessment and show call/cue sheet. Our operations department at The Westin reviewed equipment availability and brought in any bits and pieces that weren’t already on site. Our crew department appointed the most suitable Technicians to set up, rehearse, operate and pack down the show. Photo credit: Merrin Boyer Photography We always love turning up to the event and seeing what the Business Chicks have put in the goodie bags. They work with some incredible brands to pull together the gift bags, making sure the contents are relevant to the speaker. In Jamie Oliver’s gift bags they were very conscious of only including healthy, natural products. Once every element has been considered and prepared, we step into event-action-mode. We did a full run through on the morning before the event. Our AV team at the back of the room control everything throughout the event – running the presentation, cuing lighting and balancing all audio before the audience hears it. Jamie was fantastic to work with and a true natural speaker. It’s always great to stand at the back of the room and just see it all in action. That’s the real joy for everyone in events, watching all the preparation pay off and seeing Jamie entertain and engage every single member of the audience was amazing! ... Read More

In the spirit of welcoming the Winter chills, we thought it only fitting to reflect on the glorious Outdoor Events that the long and sun-filled days that Summer allows us. As part of this homage we have compiled a quick list of outdoor event essentials to help you plan properly for next season. Last month we shared the first part of this blog post - which focussed on having the right people for the job, styling for outdoor events, and making sure your equipment is weather-proof. There’s no setting for an event that can compete with nature itself. If you’re organising any kind of gathering that could take advantage of the season and a beautiful natural setting, or spill from the confines of a building into manicured grounds, then you should embrace the opportunity. While getting out amongst it can add some logistical and physical challenges, this shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the beautiful natural landscapes on offer. All you need is an experienced outdoor event company to take the stress and hard work off your hands. We have the equipment, strategies and processes in place to ensure that your guests are comfortable, entertained and delighted. Magic Lantern If you’re familiar with the magic of 2D and 3D projection mapping, it will come as no surprise that this is just as deployable outside as in. In fact, many people are familiar with the possibilities of this technology because of a famous outdoor event – VIVID Sydney. VIVID sees the facades of famous Sydney buildings, including the Opera House itself, transformed by high-powered projectors beaming digitally controlled and animated images onto their giant canvasses. VIVID runs through the night, in all weather, its expensive projection technology waterproofed by housing in protective structures. This same technology is available through Staging Connections, who can not only provide the equipment but also design and create custom content for your event. It’s a creative tool whose uses are as diverse as the events industry itself. Imagine your guests emerging from a day of conferencing at a luxurious rural retreat, based in a large manor-house style hotel. Set in magnificent manicured grounds, the ballroom opens huge French doors onto a sweeping lawn area, which has been set-up with marquees for a sophisticated garden cocktail party. As the sun sets and your guests enjoy drinks and canapés, the broad neoclassical façade they look back to starts to subtly shift and change with the fading light, as a multimedia display picks out architectural features while reinforcing the subject and theme of the day’s activities. This is just a small example of what’s possible. Safety First Staging Connections’ experience in providing services outside the confines of a venue spans every conceivable kind of occasion, from cocktail parties for dozens to large-scale sporting events for hundreds of thousands. In addition to a full inventory of staging, rigging, lighting, audio and vision equipment specially built for weather-proof use, Staging Connections have also implemented a company-wide event safety system called StageSafe, a suite of processes, protocols and tools that has created a culture that keeps the safety of guests and employees foremost in all staff member’s minds. StageSafe is unique in that it is an holistic safety programme created expressly for the events industry. Drawing on years of risk assessments and practical experience, StageSafe brings together all the data and knowledge the company has accumulated and puts it directly in its employee’s hands via a smartphone app. Staff can consult working practice documents, easily access information on safety standards and log hazard or incident reports in real-time, reporting data directly to in-house safety experts for analysis and action. All data is analysed to apply continuous improvement to work practices, ensuring the health and safety of customers and staff at all future events. Staging Connections are justifiably proud of the StageSafe system, and were honoured with the ‘Best Individual Contribution to Workplace Health and Safety’ gong at the NSW Government 2014 SafeWork Awards in 2014. “StageSafe is not just a system, but a way of doing things, an attitude that the whole Staging Connections team bring to each event they deliver,” said Tony Chamberlain, Managing Director at Staging Connections. “Our crews are trained in all aspects of what they do, and understand that safety is paramount in creating a brilliant show.” Following the systems’ great success, Staging Connections have confirmed their dedication to OH&S by making the StageSafe app available to the rest of the events industry. Natural Beauty Staging Connections have the privilege of operating in some of the world’s most beautiful natural environments, including the breathtaking sweep of Sydney Harbour, the tropical beauty of Far North Queensland adjoining the Great Barrier Reef, the Red Centre of Alice Springs, the paradise that is Fiji and a myriad of parks and protected areas throughout Australia, New Zealand, China and Singapore. With experience across longitudes, latitudes, climates and all weathers, a Staging Connections team will know and respect their area and the environment, delivering a meaningful and thoughtful event no matter what the scale. With such a diverse range of environments available for outdoor events, think about what you can achieve for your audience over the warmer months. Enchant with a beautifully lit garden, inspire awe under a canopy of stars, bond families together with a picnic in a park or reward high performers in a tropical paradise. Staging Connections will help you get out there. If you're wanting to plan an outdoor event, make sure you speak to the professionals. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help bring your vision to life in the great outdoors! Love learning the latest in event delivery and technology? Download our range of free White Papers today. ... Read More

Each week we aim to demystify the world of AV equipment and event services lingo and reveal exactly what those techs are talking about. In this weeks #TechieTuesday we look at Telephone Hybrid Units, those magical little machines that broadcast your call over the radio!. Welcome to another edition of Techie Tuesday! Each week we aim to demystify the world of audio visual equipment and event services lingo. Ever wondered how you can hear a talk-back caller speak on the radio from their own phone? Or perhaps how a news correspondent can be heard on television when they’re reporting from a remote location without a camera? This is all thanks to the Telephone Hybrid Unit. AV Discipline: Audio AV Category: AV Equipment AV Jargon: Hybrid, Phone Interface, THU What is a Telephone Hybrid Unit? In its simplest form, a telephone hybrid integrates a telephone call into an audio system, allowing the event to extend outside of the function room. It is typically positioned at the Technician’s control desk for ease of access and connectivity with other audio equipment. Hybrid units enable presenters to deliver their speech remotely over the phone, with the live audience listening in the function room, or allow remote participants to listen into a live presentation via the phone. How Does it Work? When you want to present or broadcast a telephone conversation, the telephone hybrid is used to convert the call into a particular format that is compatible with audio systems. For example, when a listener calls a radio station’s talk-back line, the phone is connected to the telephone hybrid unit which gets activated by the on-air announcer ie the DJ. With a simple switch of a button on the hybrid unit, the phone signal is converted into an audio compatible signal which gets fed through the station’s live broadcast and out to the listeners. The AV technician will have individual control over the send and receive signals, ensuring no unwanted feedback (echo or high-pitched robotic noise) is present on the telephone call. Why do you need a Telephone Hybrid Unit? Event types such as Conferences, Product Launches and Annual General Meetings commonly use this device to connect delegates into the event, when they are unable to attend in person. Just like a normal phone call, the telephone hybrid allows for two way communication. The only difference is that instead of using a handset, an audio system with microphones and speakers are required. While other technologies such as video conferencing and web casting have the distinct advantage of being able to use visual elements to communicate, the telephone hybrid is the simplest and easiest method of connecting a remote presenter or audience. It also doesn't rely on internet connection, so for events in remote locations, a telephone hybrid may be the best solution. When you’re next at a conference listening to a speaker present remotely, you‘ll be one of the very few who knows how they do it! If you have any words, terms or lingo you would like our AV experts to demystify for you please send your suggestions through to info@stagingconnections.com Written by Andrew Thorne, ANZPAC Manage Safety & Training, Staging Connections. Andrew Thorne drives our training programs at Staging Connections, including our Certificate III in Live Production and Services Program for our new trainees. Related Blogs Techie Tuesday: Talk Back Systems Optimise your event communication with design and production Techie Tuesday: What is a Graphic Equaliser and why do I need one? Love learning the latest lighting and AV techniques? Download our range of free White Papers today. ... Read More

Each week we aim to demystify the world of AV equipment and event services lingo and reveal exactly what those techs are talking about. In this weeks #TechieTuesday we explain what on earth they mean by 'PIP'- the feature that allows you to display multiple video feeds into the one screen! Welcome to another edition of Techie Tuesday! Each week we aim to demystify the world of audio visual equipment and event services lingo. In this week’s Techie Tuesday we take a look at the Picture in Picture (PIP) feature. You have most likely seen a PIP used on the nightly news where a video is playing with the image of the reporter overlayed in the corner of the screen. Not a news fan? You would have definitely spotted the picture-in-picture feature during live sport coverage. Image Source: Adobe Blogs | ESPN AV Discipline: Vision AV Category: AV Effect AV Jargon: PIP, Pip The PIP feature is also used in the world of corporate events. A PIP describes multiple images displayed on screen at any one time, giving the audience extra visual stimulation. It is typically used on large screen backdrops or projection screens where there is ample room to clearly see multiple images. A PIP feature is commonly used to add one or more live camera feeds (imag) of the presenter(s) to the screen while also displaying the slide presentation or a background graphic. Event types such as Conferences, Product Launches and Annual General Meetings typically use the PIP feature to present the visual content in an interesting and engaging manner. Technologies such as video conferencing and webcasting have used the PIP feature for many years, however live events are now using the PIP feature more often, especially where multi-projector blends are being used to create a single striking visual backdrop to the stage area. If you have any words, terms or lingo you would like our AV experts to demystify for you please send your suggestions through to info@stagingconnections.com Love learning lighting and AV techniques? Download our range of free White Papers today. ... Read More

Each week we aim to demystify the world of audio visual equipment and event services lingo. In this week’s #TechieTuesday we take a look at the recent Vivid festival in Sydney. If you visited Vivid or saw the spectacular pictures on television, you may have wondered how they created those beautiful landscapes of colour that blasted across the harbour. AV Discipline: Vision AV Category: AV Effects AV Jargon: That looks cool... Vivid requires many weeks and months of planning, to ensure each year is bigger and better than the last. The level of detail and quality found across the creative installations is extremely complex, with some teams dedicating weeks if not months to planning and testing their designs. In fact, this year’s Vivid saw each individual tile on the Sydney Opera House mapped out with pixel-perfect precision so each tile could be illuminated when needed. Photo Credit: Naiker Photography 'Sydney Opera House' Let’s explore what’s involved and see how the technology can be used for corporate events. There are two very different types of technologies found throughout Vivid, they are; colour changing lighting fixtures and projection mapping. Colour changing fixtures are the simplest way to bring colour and movement to the festival. Many landmarks were flooded in vibrant colours, providing spectators with a striking view of the harbour. With careful selection and placement of lighting fixtures in and around the landmark, this allows the lighting designer to program the movement and transition of colours. Hours of programming on a lighting console are required to ensure the correct timing and sequence of colours, transitioning from a cobalt blue one minute and morphing into an emerald green the next, bringing the land mark life! Photo Credit: Naiker Photography 'Sydney Opera House' Video Projection Mapping is a highly technical way of incorporating visual effects and colour stimulation. Many buildings were transformed with projected images, which warped and entertained the spectator’s senses. With accurate focus and alignment of projectors, this allowed video designers to use the building as a canvas on which to project animated colours and objects. Many hours of programming on a edit suit are required to create the animations and visual effects, with multi coloured pattern one minute and a growing garden enveloping the building the next. Photo Credit: Naiker Photography 'Customs House' Colour, movement and animation are great ways to entertain, engage and stimulate your audience. Elements that enhance your event will provide long lasting memories for your audience. You can see that Vivid is not restricted by the confines of a function room, so any area can be transformed into your own bespoke event space. All you need is the concept and the audio, vision and lighting equipment will assist in bringing it to life. Check out the video below showing the awesome visual effects used to promote and launch the Alienware: Area 52 product. If you have any words, terms or lingo you would like our AV experts to demystify for you please send your suggestions through to info@stagingconnections.com Love learning lighting and AV techniques? Download our range of free White Papers today. All images supplied by Naiker Photography. For more stunning images of landscapes with beautiful lighting effects visit their Facebook Page. ... Read More