Ideal Home Show 2010
Media10 bought the Ideal Home Show in October 2009 and turned to their official AV contractor Aztec for creative and technical input.
In the centre of the hall we built a huge projection cube which served as the focal point of the exhibition, providing information, entertainment and a stunning visual experience to the visitors. It was hung above the Olympic-size pool transformed into a luxurious marina, with a floating café directly underneath the cube.
The “Home Gadgets” zone showed tomorrow’s technology, and we provided a CCTV system, screens, a PA, lighting and laptops. Our technician worked very closely with the presenter, improvising and adding to the script in order to create the illusion of a technology that doesn’t exist yet!
In the “How To” and “Ideal Gardens” theatres we provided screens, a PA and a camera/cameraman for close-up shots. These areas were so busy that after the first day we rigged extra screens and sound equipment overnight.
In the “Ideal Celebrity Chef” theatre we installed a large PA and a live camera feed to screens showing close-ups of the food. This area was incredibly popular on the first day and also needed more equipment. However, as it was an open theatre it was much more difficult to add screens and sound equipment. Therefore, overnight we built an entire truss structure onto which we mounted additional screens and audio.
In the “Ideal Woman” zone we provided catwalk style lighting and a large PA to go around the catwalk. Our technical team worked very closely with the choreographer to ensure that two full days of rehearsals could take place.
Aztec’s in-house camera and video production crews filmed activities in each of the zones and, within a couple of hours, projected live and edited footage, celebrity interviews, daily schedules and sponsorship videos directly onto the cube via five high-powered projectors. The cube measured a massive 15mx11m and was visible from every corner of the show. By using some technical wizardry the entire café and marina changed colour to reflect the zone to which the video related.
Every aspect of work was of the highest quality, using state-of-the-art equipment to achieve results. We overcame huge technical challenges not just in av but also in logistical terms, installing equipment at very short notice. The biggest challenge we faced was simply managing and coordinating all the activity. We had over 30 different people working on the show (excluding crew) and using almost £250k worth of equipment. It’s a testament to our project manager’s skill that everything happened on cue.
We added value to the event in many ways. One particular example was that Media10 organised a Help The Heroes day on the first Monday of the show in recognition of our country’s war heroes. Unbeknown to the organisers, Aztec’s crew filmed the activity and produced an edited a video that was shown on the cube within two hours.
Despite the economic environment, the show achieved record visitor numbers and the organisers acknowledged that Aztec made a huge difference to the visitor experience. All of this was achieved within a very tight budget!
Show Director Giles Perry commented:
“It was a real pleasure working with Aztec. They had brilliant ideas and were able to execute them in a cost-effective way. Their on-site team was efficient, knowledgeable and helpful, often taking initiative and constantly going out of their way to make sure everything was spot-on. “