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Planner's Portfolio Meeting Strategies 12 NOV-DEC 2019 MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS MCMAG-ASIA.COM These tips will shed light on the proper illumination for your next event WORDS LIZZ TORGOVNICK 1. Map it out Think through all the key moments of your event and imagine how your guests will experience those live. Starting with arrival: Is there key directional signage? At registration: Can check-in sta see what they're doing? Inside the event: Are there main stations or displays that you want to draw your guests toward? Are there any roving or featured entertainment? Planners must ensure that you go over the oor plan and design strategy comprehensively and give your A/V partner all of this information up front to ensure they will have the right stang and equipment on-site. L ighting is the icing on your proverbial event cake. You can spend all the money in the world on an entrance, backdrop or other décor piece, but if people can't actually see it pop, it will fall at. Here are some tips for creating the perfect lighting look for your next event. 2. Hire a lighting designer A lighting designer would understand the nuances to creating the right look for your event. Sometimes, your A/V partner can provide this as an add-on service, or your lead lighting tech might have this skill set. Lighting works very specically when it comes to temperature, saturation, angles, etc. If you don't have an expert, it could prove almost impossible to achieve the look you want. 3. Know your aesthetic and mood You'll want to share as much as possible about the look and feel that you're aiming for with your lighting designer. tips for creating the perfect lighting look Are you going for sexy and moody, or bright and energising? Are you trying to match a brand logo or a specic colour scheme? Is it a party versus a business- focused conference? Is social media posting a priority? If you have any mood boards, thematic designs or example images to share, you should denitely do so. 4. Don't forget about ambient light Light streaming in from a bare window, LED or projection screens around the room, and even functional safety lights can change the look of your lighting without you realising it. If your event takes place during the day, this is even more of a factor. Make sure you and your lighting designer understand the sources of ambient light in your space, and factor them into your plans. If possible, schedule your lighting test for the same time of day on the day before the event. 5. Consider your equipment's visual and physical footprint It's always more impactful when you cannot see the sources of your lighting. High ceilings, trusses and properly placed lighting trees can all help achieve this. While we don't always have the verticality, oor space or rigging points that allow for such seamless install, you can make that bulky equipment blend in a number of ways, such as wrapping pipes and trusses with fabric, painting power cords and masking lighting equipment on the oor. Make sure to ask your A/V partner for an equipment layout, and review it with your design team. LIZZ TORGOVNICK is the chief creative officer of Sequence (www. sequence-events.com), an events agency specialising in strategic planning, production and design. CREDIT: MILADRUMEVA/GETTINGIMAGES tips for creating tips for creating tips for the perfect creating the perfect creating lighting look the perfect lighting look the perfect 5

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