Event Production: The Financial Times

The project: event production services

We were back with The Financial Times at the Innovative Lawyers Global Summit, held in the beautiful ballroom at the Biltmore Hotel in Mayfair. We supported The FT with a full event production package including AV Support and Event Branding.

Pre-event & set up

We conducted site visits at the Biltmore to map out the AV logistics and measure up for the backdrop and stage. We use Monday.com to keep on track of projects with all stakeholders invited and allocated roles. With regular meetings with the client, venue, and external partners, we can ensure we are on track and every base is covered for a seamless, successful event.

Our designers used 3D software to design the backdrop, adding in artwork, lighting effects, and stage furniture to provide the client with a realistic vision of how it would look on the day. It’s incredibly helpful to be able to walk the client around the stage, showing how the sponsor logos look, and where the lighting and furniture will be to ensure there are no obstructions.

We built the backdrop and stage on the day before the event with the help of Scenic Escape. The backdrop included two integrated LED screens, was lit with up lighters for a soft lighting effect, and had drapery on either side. We branded a lectern for the speakers and sourced stage seating and tables. We also set up all the equipment, loaded all the assets onto the vMix system and conducted sound checks and rehearsals with the client.

Event day

We had three Audio Technicians who got the speakers set up with their microphones and ran sound checks. We ensured the audio levels were consistent across the speakers placed around the room and quickly discovered that the audio on the video files the client provided us with to play throughout the event, had inconsistent audio volumes. We sent these to our Video Editors in the office to audio match for consistency.

Our Vision Mixers, Andrew and Jay, used the master deck, which housed the holding cards, video promotions for the breaks, and stings to run the show. Some speakers used their own slides, in which case, we provided them with a clicker so that they could control their deck. We offered to tidy up some of the speaker’s slides so that they looked better on screen and got this done on-site before updating the master deck.

We designed a stage backdrop with two integrated LED screens to provide a live video feed, ensuring the audience would have a great view of the speakers, wherever they were seated. Our Camera Operator, Joe, captured close-ups of individual speakers, as well as a wide angle of multiple speakers during panel discussions, which we then layered lower thirds on to with the speakers’ details.

Our Production Managers, Anna and Nick, ran the play on the day. They were in communication with the client at all times, ensuring any amendments to the schedule, speakers or slides were promptly updated with the relevant team members. Once the event started, they produced the show, directed the team, and were on hand to resolve any issues or client requests. One such request came after a panel discussion Q&A overran due to the volume of questions. We were asked to try to get the timings back on track, which we did by sending the speakers a message on their comfort monitor.

Our team were in constant communication with each other via a PA system, allowing feedback between the team across the event space to ensure a smooth, quality event experience. This came in handy when there was a last-minute change to the run of show while the event was live. Anna was able to update the master deck, update the agenda and inform the Vision Mixers over the PA to maintain a seamless event experience for the attendees.