Sound Division light up a 'Winter Wonderland' at Paper
The Sound Division Group technical events team transform Piccadilly's Paper club into an interactive and multi light projection 'Winter Wonderland' themed party spectacular!
In a remarkable pre-festive season opener, the Sound Division Events department were asked to provide a complete technical solution for an 'Après-Ski' themed party organised by their long standing client, a London Events and Marketing consultancy, on behalf of Fidessa Group Plc, the listed trading systems and market data supplier to the global financial markets.
The 'Après-Ski Winter Wonderland' concept was to be realised across three distinct areas: Reception and Bar, the Restaurant and the club main floor.
Upon arrival at reception, a powerful stairway tunnel effect, created by a combination of Solar 250 projecting gobo, haze and wind machines hung aloft by a goalpost truss system supported on tank traps, invite the guests to be imaginatively 'transported' as they walk on through to the transformed interior.
The entire club environment including a 'Log Cabin' area and a second space, the 'Ski Room' was conceived by the events organiser to be a 'Room with a View'.
Eight flickering silk flame effects and four gently glowing red PAR 64 uplighters, programmed to simulate the passage of time from dawn to sunset, evocatively set the mood within the main room leading to the 'Log Cabin' area. Additional props which included ski racks and wall mounted moose heads had been put into place by the organisers.
A snow machine was rigged from the ceiling to work together with a slowly releasing, fine mist stage hazer, whilst the Fidessa company logo, projected from a Martin Mac 250 moving head, glides smoothly across the physical space.
For the 'Log Cabin', the Sound Division team constructed two desktop stand 'fireplaces' and installed NEC plasma screens above each. One 42" screen, to show a snow scene image fed from a laptop and the second, a 50" screen, would facilitate a Wii Console to allow the guests to play an SSX snowboarding game.
An interactive floor, creating a 'footprint in the snow' effect was a dramatic and effective finishing touch. Suspended to the ceiling, the feedback sensors responded instantly by precisely projecting back the pre selected footprint impression.
The club restaurant area was to become the 'Ski Room' or, as it came to be aptly called by the Sound Divison Tech team during installation, the 'White Room'.
Continuing the 'Room with A View' concept, the 'Ski Room' was more ambitious in scope.
Securely anchored by tank traps, installed high on customised white trussing and programmed by a Pearl lighting control desk, the complete space was washed to striking effect by a battery of 8 x Thomas 1044 LED batons, a further 8 x Thomas LED uplighters and 2 x banks of 4-way pinspots.
Source Four Junior zoom profiles highlighted a number of plinth-mounted showpiece ice sculptures and a second Solar 250 projected a cloud wheel onto a strategically placed screen.
The Sound Division Group specified and set up three NEC 42" Plasma screens, neatly shoe horned again into desk top mounted, gold surround 'fireplaces' showing a continuous 'fireplace effect' throughout the event.
In a spectacular final touch, the complete 'winter landscape' was filled with a falling snow flake effect, projected simultaneously on all surfaces and in all directions by 6 x Martin Mac 250+ moving heads, placed on customised plinths dressed in black and white felt.
Completing the full in house service, Sound Division also provided a lighting programmer and operator from the Tech team and the DJ from the Entertainments dept.
The Events & Marketing Manager was more than pleased with the final result that the Sound Division Group had achieved and was particularly effusive with praise:
"This was the biggest and best production you have created for us to date, and I can only offer my huge gratitude, once again, for helping me create such an amazing event for another client.
Not only did all the recommended lighting and effects help create a truly unique and wonderful stage for the Fidessa event, but the staff too, were wonderfully efficient and so supportive and flexible, going above and beyond the call of duty every time, and we are so very grateful.
I couldn't imagine doing an event without the Sound Division Group and I look forward to working with you in the future!"
November 2007