“We have installed in-house sound systems, LED lighting in the upper-story Gallery and over 118 conventional lighting fixtures with a template wash in the North and South Pavilions,” noted Frank Mejia, event manager for Scharff Weisberg at The Metropolitan Pavilion. “Our built-in systems help keep budgets reasonable,” Mejia added.
Ford Motor Company and Sony co-sponsored an event during the New York International Auto Show 2011 to showcase the 2013 Taurus SHO. The event was held in the South Pavilion, and a live musical performance by Train was added to a second press event the next evening in the North Pavilion.
“We had about a two-and-a-half week lead time, but since there were a lot of moving parts, the trigger had to be pulled fast,” noted Mejia. “Both ends had to be up by Monday with a Saturday load-in and hard out in six hours following the event on Tuesday night.”
The client, Studio Creative, opted for a kabuki reveal and projected onto the Taurus’s kabuki drop scrim.
“Rigging for the event required the truss rig in the South Pavilion to have a trim of exactly 11 feet 10 inches to make the kabuki drop scrim work with the throw distance,” Mejia said, noting that “a pair of Christie Roadster HD18K projectors was converged side by side in a custom mount.”
Scharff Weisberg also provided high-end switching and routing systems, an extensive moving light and LED package with a concert lighting rig, and a comprehensive audio package.
In another example, Sprint and Motorola showcased their renewed partnership at a luncheon for tech reporters during Internet Week and Cloud Expo. Scharff Weisberg teamed with Don Schmidt of Multi Image Group on the event, which sported a Mondrian-style grid décor in a contemporary white space.
The client used four white walls as display surfaces for graphics and informational content about the Photon 4G’s capabilities: Three 16-foot wide walls were covered with 9×16-foot images and a 12-foot wide wall with a 6.5×12-foot image.
At the client’s request, an outside vendor, Multi Image, supplied front of house engineering for video and a Vista Spyder X20. Scharff Weisberg provided a moving light package, an audio package as well as camera support with numerous display and delay monitors.
For Brooklyn-based Pratt Institute’s 2011 Fashion Show and Cocktail Benefit, the venue was used to support a high-end fashion/social event. This year’s benefit honored Hamish Bowles, Vogue’s European editor at large, and featured collections representing the work of 18 of Pratt’s graduating seniors.
Scharff Weisberg partnered with BAI Design (event design), KL Production (scenic design) and Judith Rice & Associates (runway management) to design a custom lighting and sound rig, which was incorporated into the overall design aesthetic and set pieces.
“Scenic panels forming the rear runway wall were built to integrate with LED lighting we provided for each panel to provide additional depth,” said Scharff Weisberg event manager Amy Johnson Cook. “Panels were also designed to support three projection surfaces – one centered over the runway and two flanking it – on which awards presentation content and designer information was displayed.”
A temporary wall was built to support a time-lapse graffiti film that greeted guests at the entry to the space, she adds. Show logo gobos highlighted defined spaces for ticketing, check in and coat check throughout the entry area.
“Pratt appreciated the seamless interaction between its design and production teams and the Scharff Weisberg technicians whose professionalism and expertise helped to make the show a success,” said I.M. Ecks, assistant to the provost for budget and operations at Pratt Institute and producer of the Pratt Fashion Show.
For more information, please visit www.scharffweisberg.com.
