On Monday, March 9, 2009 Total Event Production received an award for Best Innovation for a 25' diameter circular bar they created for the Bobcats Foundation Gala held at the Time Warner Cable Arena.  The bar was the centerpiece of the event in the grand lobby of the arena and was topped with a 12' diameter stage where a jazz ensemble performed throughout the evening.

The following Saturday, March 14, a modification of that bar was the centerpiece of an event celebration for the EVIES Awards (Events in Excellence) presented by the Charlotte Chapter of ISES (International Special Event Society). The event held at the Silver Hammer Studios, a film sound stage which is part of the North Carolina Music Factory complex.



When the planning committee for the EVIES sat down with the Total Event Production team, a number of ideas were discussed. The bar for the Bobcats Gala was put on the table as an option and Brian Ferguson, Total's VP of Production, took it a few steps further--or higher in the air. He suggested that only the stage component was built it began the evening on the event floor. Once the presentations were complete, the stage was raised by chain hoists, 15 feet in the air, creating a dance floor area below. The crowd full of event planners and others in the industry was truly amazed and blown away by this feature.



The soundstage location offered an energetic palette for projection and digital media server capabilities. Two adjacent walls were used as projection surfaces, with rotating identical content shown at variable intervals throughout the evening. Visual content created by the Total Event Production team was dynamic and ever changing throughout the night, with elements reflecting the Super Hero theme of the event such as cartoon inspired Bams and Kapows.

Total also utilized an extensive inventory of lighting fixtures to add to the energetic vibe of the space. They event entry was created with a torn canopy and was strewn with ambient deco such as empty beer bottles and rusty shopping carts to create the illusion of being on the shade side of town. Once inside, the cocktail reception area resembled a back alley and was darkly lit and a soundscape of noises, which included sirens and cats, created by Total Event Production looped throughout cocktails.

Then at the designated time, the doors to the sound studio were lifted and fog billowed out as guests walked into the main event. In addition to the stage, lighting and projection elements, Total Event Production also provided a number of scenic elements for the event which included pipe and drape along two of the walls, which allowed for work areas behind the drape for the caterers. These were swagged with rich fabrics, adding elegance to the décor scheme. Additional scenic pieces included sets of white diamonds which were and changed colors throughout the evening.

All of the participants in the event truly embraced the Superhero theme of the evening and leaped over tall buildings in a single bound to honor the local heroes of the Charlotte event industry. Total Event Production appreciated the opportunity to help make the evening a great success!