Tag Archive: Event Technical Support

1. White Light Illuminates at Private Celebration of the Reopening of the V&A’s William and Judith Bollinger Gallery

   20 May 2019 16:07 Leave a Comment

   

   White Light recently supplied the lighting and staging for a private view and celebration event at the V&A, ahead of the official reopening of the museum’s William and Judith Bollinger Jewellery Gallery.

   The centrepiece of the refurbished gallery is Queen Victoria’s sapphire and diamond coronet, which was purchased through the generosity of William & Judith, and Douglas and James Bollinger as a gift to the Nation and the Commonwealth.

   In recognition of this exquisite piece going on permanent public display at the V&A for the first time, guests at the event experienced an exclusive viewing of Joby Talbot’s A Sheen of Dew on Flowers, an honorary cantata commissioned by Independent Opera and performed by Britten Sinfonia, Natalie Murray Beale, Kelley O’Connor, Tobias Greenhalgh and Britten Sinfonia Voices. For the cantata, Talbot took inspiration from the coronet, designed by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria.

   

   As an approved supplier to the V&A, WL was appointed to provide the lighting and staging solution, designed to accommodate the vast orchestra ensemble and enhance the stunning architecture of the V&A’s Raphael Cartoons Gallery.

   WL’s Account Manager Emily Woolnough comments: “We knew from the outset how integral the performance of the cantata was to the evening and that the 10 x 15m staging had to be the focal point within the space. We worked with versatile LED lighting to wash the stage, providing depth for the performers, while complementing the beautiful surroundings”.

   Drawing on its extensive inventory, WL utilised a combination of moving units, profiles and floodlights to enhance the event’s different visual elements, including the Altarpiece of St George as a dramatic backdrop.

   

   Chrissy Jay, General Manager at Independent Opera, comments: “It was a pleasure working with WL, who understood the significance of the cantata performance and knew exactly how to help bring this to life for guests with the lighting aesthetics. They expertly tailored the design to accommodate our performers’ every need within the requirements of a unique space”.

   Sorcha Peaston, Senior Museum Events Manager at the V&A, adds: “With the valued Raphael Cartoons on display in the Gallery, it is hugely important that any production in the space is considerate of the artwork it contains. The V&A has worked with WL for many years, and we are confident in their ability to deliver events in and among our iconic collection”.

   Photos courtesy of Chris Allerton.

2. White Light is Borne to Dance at Royal Opera House

   1 April 2019 14:39 Leave a Comment

   

   White Light recently provided the complete technical solutions for Borne to Dance – a fundraiser for the Borne Foundation which took place at the Royal Opera House.

   Borne is a medical research charity which aims to identify the causes of premature birth and develop new ways to prevent it. Borne to Dance, a signature fundraising event in Borne’s diary, took place on 19^th March and was hosted by Borne Patron, Dame Darcey Bussell, and Borne Ambassador, Michael Nunn OBE.

   Borne Senior Event Producer, Michelle Menne, comments: “Borne to Dance is a magical evening of dance with performances by some of the country’s most exciting dance companies. Having drawn on WL’s services for previous events, as well as being aware of their background in theatre, we approached them to work with us on this occasion”.

   

   Performances on the evening included ‘Requiem’ by the Royal Ballet, ‘Le Corsaire’ by English National Ballet, ‘Us’ by BalletBoyz, ‘Swan Lake’ by Sir Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures and a lively finale by Aljaž Škorjanec and Ash-Leigh Hunter.

   The event was overseen by WL’s Project Manager Phil Gladman, who comments: “We have worked with Borne previously and know the kind of special experiences they want to deliver. For Borne to Dance, we worked in the magnificent Paul Hamlyn Hall space where we supplied audio, video, lighting and projection; meaning Borne could rely solely on us to provide the entire technical solutions”.

   For the lighting, WL worked closely with Lighting Designer Andrew Ellis who was tasked with lighting the various performances. As each had a different feel and requirements, WL had to supply equipment that would work with all of these. For the audio, WL supplied a bespoke sound system that would offer complete clarity for the speeches as well as a soundscape for the live performances.

   

   WL also built a set, which included a 10x10m stage. Built within the set was a rear projection screen onto which footage was relayed across the evening, showcasing Borne’s important work. WL also supplied the projector for the streaming.

   The evening was a huge success for Borne, raising much-needed funds to launch PREVENT; a pioneering screening programme to identify women at risk of preterm birth.

   Michelle concludes: “This year’s Borne to Dance was a truly unforgettable occasion. It is vital that our guests have a brilliant evening which, in turn, helps us raise invaluable funds. The production support that WL supplied helped us to achieve that this year and we are extremely grateful to Phil and all the team’s hard work”.

   Photos courtesy of Annabel Moeller.

3. White Light Supplies Westminster Counterterrorism Conference

   12 December 2017 09:11 Comments Off on White Light Supplies Westminster Counterterrorism Conference

   The Westminster Counterterrorism Conference is a major international conference which examines international counterterrorism challenges along with offering opportunities for cooperation. This was the first time the Conference had taken place and was held at the prestigious Banqueting House, Whitehall. As a cross-palace approved supplier to Historic Royal Palaces, White Light was approached to provide the complete technical solutions.

   The Westminster Counterterrorism Conference took place on 23^rd November 2017 and was organised by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) which is the world’s oldest independent think tank on international defence and security. The conference explores the nature of terrorism today and how this may change in the future. It also contains panels with some of the leading practitioners and policy-makers from across the globe.

   The event was overseen by WL’s Conference Account Manager Shrenik Singhavi, who comments: “Our role was to provide all of the production support which ranged from audio to lighting to video to set to staging to backdrop. RUSI were aware that we are able to provide the complete package hence the reason they called on our services”.

   The event marked the first daytime conference to be held at Banqueting House for over five years. The high-profile speakers included Michael Chertoff, former Secretary of Homeland Security, USA, Sir John Scarlett, Vice-Chairman of RUSI and Gilles de Kerchove, European Union Counter-Terrorism Coordinator.

   Not only were there hundreds in attendance at the venue itself but the conference was being live streamed across the globe as well as covered by six international news channels. Shrenik adds: “With so many people watching, we had to ensure that the set up looked as visually impressive as possible. Not only did all of the appropriate signage and logos have to be on display but we needed to ensure even coverage in terms of lighting and sound in order to give the best experience possible”.

   The WL on-site team was led by WL’s Project Manager Phil Gladman. The crew arrived on site at 7am and had to set everything up in two hours within the Great Hall. Shrenik comments: “Whenever you’re working in a public space, time is always of the essence and you need to ensure that you’re able to turn up and get everything in place within a given period. This is why we conducted lots of pre-planning with the client so we were fully prepared on the day”.

   The Westminster Counterterrorism Conference marks one of many events that WL has supplied there this year. Others include the University of Cambridge Fundraiser which recently won Best Use of AV Technology at this year’s Event Technology Awards.

   Shrenik adds: “The Counterterrorism Conference was a huge success with the day running extremely smooth. As a company, we have years of experience coupled with the very latest technology and resources to ensure that we can constantly deliver on events and conferences of any scale and within any location”.

   Sabrina Downey, Projects and Events Director at RUSI, comments: “WL was extremely helpful from the initial planning stages all the way through to the entire conference, ensuring that everything went without a hitch. I look forward to working with them once again”.

   Photos courtesy of RUSI.