The B&T Awards is Australia’s biggest, longest-running and most entertaining award for the advertising, marketing and media industries. Judged by more than 100 of Australia’s brightest marketing and media minds, almost 40 categories cover the full gamut of the communications discipline.
Billed as THE event of the awards season, the 2023 B&T Awards were held at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion with Audio Visual Events supplying the technical requirements.
“The B&T team has in-house content development so they came up with great content using vibrant colours and dark backgrounds,” commented Paul Keating, AVE’s Director. “Consequently, we utilised a 15 metre by 4 metre LED wall on stage that allowed us to make all of those contrasting colours pop. We also used projection, external effects and iMag. There was also an inflatable that was about 15 metres long by 10 metres wide underneath the dome section in the Hordern. In terms of the show, it was a one-day in and out, so that kept us on our toes.”
The AVE team were keen to give the event’s DJ a stunning reveal opting to use ten ShowPRO Alligator double-sided beam/wash/strobe moving bars with infinite pan and tilt.
“We own quite a few ShowPRO DiamondBacks which are similar whilst not being the same!” explained Paul. “They are double-sided so you can get the same sort of beam effects a DiamondBack offers but then on the back, there’s a pixel panel that you can map. They’re a cracking little fixture!”
Paul further commented that their DiamondBacks have been perfect for corporate work and the Alligators fit in with that line of products with the same quality of build from them.
The Alligators were used to construct the front and two sides of the DJ surround. Also on stage, underneath the LED wall, was a 16-metre run of DiamondBacks. The Alligators and DiamondBacks were used in a time-coded video to start the event although the Alligators were used simply. Their full capacity was unleashed post-awards when the DJ took to the stage creating an incredible wow moment.
Rob Charles programmed the Alligators saying that normally, he would not be interested in a ‘hybrid candy fixture’.
“I find that, although they offer multiple fixtures in one, they don’t excel in any of them,” he remarked. “However, I was actually shocked and very impressed with this versatile fixture. It was very easy to pull off some big looks effortlessly on the go. It offered endless creativity being like a MagicBlade, DiamondBack and JDC-1 fixture all in one.
“The Alligator offers Lighting Directors an innovative fixture that can adapt throughout an entire show instead of being a one trick pony. The fixture has a sturdy build that can withstand Australian truck touring.”
Also in the rig were eight Claypaky Axcor 900, six Martin MAC Aura XB, eight Martin Rush MH7, eight Claypaky Sharpy, six Prolights ECL FresnelVW and Desk Dough Beam with two Panasonic 27K Laser Projectors as well as fixtures for room and audience wash. Atmosphere was provided by four Look Solutions Unique 2.1 Hazers.
Control was all MA Lighting via a grandMA2 light and a grandMA3 NPU M with the rig split into over fourteen universes of lights.
“The outcome was fantastic and the clients loved it!” Paul declared.
Lachlan Russell, Senior Producer at The Misfits Media Co, and lead Producer on the B&T Awards said that working with Audio Visual Events is always a pleasure.
“Their exceptional creativity injected a unique and memorable flair into our annual B&T Awards, making us stand out. AVE seamlessly delivered a flawless execution on the night.
“Their professionalism is evident in every interaction, from clear communication to meticulous attention to detail. Additionally, they have their finger on the ‘production pulse’, giving us access to the latest production gear on the market, making them a perfect production partner in an industry such as ours.”
