At the end of February 2020, it was full steam ahead pre-production for me, for the third time, to light the three day EXPO as part of the annual AWS Summit held in the ICC Sydney.
A week later the event was cancelled and we were archiving the plans and paperwork we had commenced back in December. Thanks, COVID-19.
To accommodate the 8000ish attendees the EXPO is held in halls 1-4 of the ICC, giving a total space some 200m x 100m. The space is generally split up with a third becoming about six breakout rooms each seating about 1000pax, and the remaining two-thirds dedicated to the Expo where stand sizes range from 20m x 20m. These are lit with eighty automated lights, down to 3m x 3m shell schemes that are lit with their own couple of LED floods supplied by the expo builder.
We also have to install a lot of EXIT signs due to the number of drapes and other interference to the installed venue signs. So much fun! There is also an allowance for a catering area to feed lunch to all the attendees. Scattered throughout the expo floor is a number of coffee stations which keep everyone, including me, caffeinated. 6.30 am call times have advantages since the baristas start then too in order to get the machines ready for the early arrival of attendees.
The design of the floor layout changes from year to year, which means it’s always an exercise in designing truss and lighting to suit all the requirements of the stands. The load-in period also dictates how extravagant we can be. In 2018 the layout was four rectangular blocks; fairly easy. 2019 had five pie-pieces radiating out from a central AWS stand resulting in lots of funky truss angles. Thankfully we had a good long load-in period. This year was meant to be a simple street grid with a central AWS stand. Load in time was tight and the plan was to use runs of pre-rig truss loaded ready to roll in and float. Sadly we never got to start to load the pre-rig. Maybe next year…
GEAR ( exact list varies year to year )
220 x Chain motor
1700m x truss in various types
Top and bottom rigging to suit
150 x Moving lights eg Martin MAC AURA, MAC Quantum, Robe Spiider, MAC Vipers, etc
250 x LED eg LED Pars, Colliders, Stormy, Solaris, Duets etc
100 x Source 4 profiles std 750w various lens
150 x Lustre Profile or Martin ELP profile
60 x exit signs
Dimmers and distros as required
MA2 control system complete with network and distribution
Fibre Network
CREDITS
Event Producer: George P Johnson
Technical Director: Pat Cronin
Lighting and Rigging: Chameleon
CTS account manager: Luke Cuthbertson
CTS crew chief: Davyd Williams
Lighting programming: Lachie Hogan (2018), Dan Gooden (2019)
Thanks to all the CTS, OzCrew and ICC staff who help make the event happen.
