Backstage
A Glittering Revelation
Published in December 2006 Departments
Steve Hand, principal of The HAND Company and executive producer of the 2006 Event Solutions Spotlight Awards — held on the last evening of the four-day Event Solutions Idea Factory: Events, Education, Expo — envisioned the event as his opportunity to honor industry leaders, create a series of events of “Unlimited Sophistication” and present attendees with inspirational ideas for producing their own awards events.
From beginning to end, Hand and his team fulfilled this vision. The final portion of the event, the After-Party, took place in the Seawell Grand Ballroom in the Denver Center for Performing Arts in downtown Denver. During the evening, a number of performers entertained from a raised stage in the center of the ballroom. Though guests at the Spotlight Awards Dinner knew an after-party was scheduled, there was no band setup in evidence. But when the central screen was raised with a flourish, it revealed none other than the dance band — and the revelry began!
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Twelve-foot-tall images of the Spotlight Award statue caught the guests’ special attention when Digital Media Movers projected a replica of the engraved plate with the name of each recipient on the base of the statue. The names were constantly looped throughout the evening.
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Even though in the center of the ballroom there was a three-level, raised stage with a bar wrapped around the base, no band was visibly setting up for the After-Party. Thus, it was with great fanfare that the central 10-foot by 14-foot screen, which had been used as a projection screen during dinner and the evening’s entertainment, was raised to reveal the band: Love Shack from Las Vegas.
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Hand enhanced the existing lighting and utilized the ballroom’s mirrors
to create the illusion of distance and glittering city lights on both sides of
the room. -
Brook Nichols designed the bandstand to accommodate the dramatic reveal. Nichols created a draped, 12-foot-deep by 12-foot-tall grand entry to the ballroom. This elegant entry actually supported the stage floor on which the band ultimately performed.
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The interactive illuminated dance floor, provided by Love Shack, changed colors and patterns as the dancers moved to the band’s upbeat sounds. Hand and Nichols designed the special effects lighting to enhance the dance area.
Backstage submissions must include a print-quality digital photo (6 inches by 8 inches at 300 dpi) or high-quality print, a 100-word description of the event, plus highlighted vendor information (company name, city and state). E-mail submissions to pat@event-solutions.com.