Lighting&Sound America and InfoComm Announce Winners of 2009 Staged Events Awards

ORLANDO, Fla. -- June 17, 2009 --Lighting&Sound America and InfoComm International®, the leading professional audiovisual trade association, presented the Staged Events Awards during InfoComm's Rental & Staging Forum and Reception. The event took place at InfoComm 09, the largest professional audiovisual tradeshow worldwide, held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

Freeman Audio Visual Solutions received the award for Best Overall Staging for a Corporate or Association Event — Technology Budget $50,000 — $199,999 for its work on the Miller Brewing Annual Distributors Conference. Miller Brewing needed a partner to create and produce the environment for their Annual Distributors Conference. A theater was erected with a semi-round that was utilized to provide a more intimate presentation space. The white pleated drape was 100' by 30' high with four Barco SLM R12's projecting "Watch Out" backgrounds. These backgrounds also acted as the backdrop for the stunning custom floating screens that suspended in an arch circling the stage. The projectors used on the white pleated fabric were blended and shaped to create a solid specific background look for each presentation.

Each pair of screens (one 4:3 aspect ratio and one 9:16) were projected by a single Barco HD18 high def projector using Barco Encore to mask the space between screens while creating the two distinct images. The image that was represented on the 9:16 screen was in vertical format.

An Honorable Mention was presented to Dodd Technologies for the Golden Goggle Awards, which created an event at the New York Hilton to honor the 2008 U.S. Olympic Swim Team replicating the walls of the famous "Water Cube" Aquatics Center using projection.

The Best Overall Staging for a Corporate or Association Event — Technology Budget over $200,000 was also awarded to Freeman for the Microsoft Management Summit

Microsoft wanted to incorporate a unique look that showcased the strength of the Microsoft brand. With staggered heights and levels, the set portrayed a multi-dimensional look and feel with its asymmetric placement of screens, stairs and risers. The higher parts of the stages on the stage right and left sides were constructed as though they were vents and lit from the inside utilizing the LED lighting instruments.

The set also lent itself to creative lighting via an RGB light tube, approximately 400 feet was used to line a recessed gutter that sat just inches below the edge of the stage. Freeman also enveloped the hall with the use of a VERTEC Line Array System. In the stage area, lights embedded in the set and overhead were used to transform the entire look through color changes. A video projection system successfully created three distinct audience sections available to attendees all with a clear view of a 15 x 45 foot screen powered by three stacks of Barco R12's.

The Best Use of AV Technology for a Trade Show Booth/Client was awarded to Freeman Audio Visual Solutions for the National Association of Cable TV Awards. AETN challenged Freeman to leverage their content and brand, provide an interactive experience and create an informal, relaxed environment that allowed for attendees to feel at home - all within an existing booth property.

Freeman accepted the challenge through the creative use of technology, using 8 Barco SLM R12 projectors on 28 x 5 foot ribbon Vision Screens. Hung 20 feet high near the front and rear of the booth, AETN branding was visible anywhere on the exhibit floor. Freeman also maximized the main aisle space visibility by deploying two 3 x 3 Akira Seamless plasma walls on the front left corner of the booth to display new media content in 1080i format. Inside, the booth featured HD plasmas, laptops and sound systems in a relaxed setting with casual seating,

The final video element of the booth, and perhaps the one with the biggest impact was an 8' fog wall with an image projected by a Barco G5. Attendees found themselves immersed and captivated by the AETN brand as they moved through the imagery showcased throughout the booth's media tunnel. Augmenting the central fog wall image, content was displayed on an additional wall-mounted 50" plasma, with playback sourced by a Grass Valley Turbo. The biggest challenge was working with the existing booth property and maximizing visibility in the main aisle space.

An Honorable Mention was presented to Etech for the Gartner IT Expo for the excellent execution of a dynamic digital signage solution for the Gartner IT Expo 2008 in Orlando — using a secure Internet network between three independent hotel and convention properties.

On Projecoes won the award for Most Innovative Use of Technology for an Outdoor Event, for Roda Skol — its spectacular display of artistic images upon a 100-foot diameter Ferris wheel on Rio de Janeiro’s famous Copacabana Beach. The 118 ft. high Ferris wheel, which holds 144 passengers, provided a "canvas" for the images that could be seen from miles away.

A trio of stacked Roadie projectors delivered a total of 75,000 ANSI lumens to reach the wheel, located more than 154 feet away. The projectors rested on a 39-foot scaffolding tower constructed to resist the area’s high winds, which can reach up to 50-mph. Images were from an exhibition created by Marcello Dantas, a graphic designer, documentary director and art director, who gathered videos from talented artists such as Daniela Ferrai, Gisella Motta, Carlos Nader, Leandro Lima, and Paula Fiuza.

The 2009 Staged Event Awards were judged by Tom Stimson, CTS, of The Stimson Group, Janne Mummert, CTS, of VER/Video Equipment Rentals, Jack Kelly of Eye Dialogue, Bob Leon of Colortone Staging & Rentals and and David Barbour, Editor of Lighting&Sound America magazine, www.lightingandsoundamerica.com.

About InfoComm International®
InfoComm International® is the international trade association of the professional audiovisual and information communications industries. Established in 1939, InfoComm has 5,000 members, including manufacturers, systems integrators, dealers and distributors, independent consultants, programmers, rental and staging companies, end-users and multimedia professionals from more than 80 countries. InfoComm International is the leading resource for AV market research and news. Its training and education programs set a standard of excellence for AV professionals. InfoComm International is the founder of InfoComm, the largest annual conference and exhibition for AV buyers and sellers worldwide. InfoComm also produces trade shows in Europe, Asia and China. Additional information is available at www.infocomm.org.