What is image blending?

The use of super-wide panoramic screens is the norm for large scale events in Australia.

To project onto these panoramic screens we use a special technique known as “image blending”. This involves the use of two or more projectors, each portraying a section of an image, blended or overlapped seamlessly together to create a single, wider image on screen in an abnormal aspect ratio.

When done correctly, it is almost impossible for the guests in the room to notice with the naked eye where the image has been blended.

In terms of panoramic or “Megascreens” at AVPartners at Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre we own 2 custom made 16M x 3.4M Megascreens but we also project onto our large 22M x 9M cycloramas which allows us to do full floor-to-ceiling blended projection!

Most high powered projectors these days also have internal software to aid in the blending process. The “corner correction” function allows our technicians to drag any corner of the projectors up, down, left or right which makes the process far more efficient than attempting the blend with conventional keystone.

At AVPartners, we like to use the SpyderX20 with full HD projectors for our blending. The SpyderX20 is the world’s most powerful video processor and presentation switcher, combining a versatile hardware-based video processor with the flexibility of a multiple video source matrix switcher.

Speak to your AV provider to find out more about how image blending can impress at your next event.

This article originally appeared in Business Events News.

Island life at One&Only Hayman Island

Lissa Thomson, Event Stylist at One&Only Hayman Island moved to the island four months ago to take up her role with AVPartners. She reflects on what makes island life so incredible.

“When I came to One&Only Hayman Island I had no expectations at all and it has been the most unbelievable experience.”

“Living remotely can be a challenge! You work with the same people, eat meals with the same people and socialise with the same people…There is no escaping when you have a bad day or just need some down time. But those same people are also there to share a drink with at the end of the day or vent to… It is a real community full of wonderful people and amazing surroundings.”

“When it is busy you also get so caught up in the madness that you forget to appreciate where we live! I have constructed a wedding arch in the water, watched turtles swim by while setting up ceremony chairs and have been blown away by the thousands of butterflies that have currently taken over the island.. it truly is amazing!”

The importance of content creation for a standout presentation

The key to an engaging presentation is content. Visuals, videos, infographics, audio, graphs and more will take your presentation to the next level. The art is in balancing rich content with compelling simplicity.

Remember that the visual and audio content, of whatever variety, should never compete with your message, but should engage each member of your audience in a variety of ways to help them process, remember and act on the message. This is harder than it seems, and many effective presenters find that it takes a great deal of practice and preparation to distill a presentation down to the essentials. Less is generally more.

So how can you use content to create an elegantly simple yet standout presentation?

– A striking image,
– A consistent colour palette,
– One concept or idea per slide,
– Short video or audio to express an idea visually or aurally,
– Graphs or infographics to simplify complex data,
– Fewer words on a slide and,
– Empty (or white) space,

The process by which we remember and decide to act on a message is quite complicated. Overworking any one information pathway with too many visuals or too much aural information, for example, can cause audiences to tune out.

Find new ways to deliver your message beyond the written and spoken word – graphs, word clouds, infographics, photo collages, even humorous memes speak to the other side of the brain and can add a bit of levity where appropriate.

There are a number of well-recommended digital content creation tools to help you do this – but remember, a light touch works best.

Whatever content you choose for your presentation, remember that effective presentations ultimately require an engaging concept and message. The content will take it up a notch but shouldn’t be used as a crutch to prop up a weak message. The key to a standout presentation is a well-executed message, tailored to your audience.

Can you teach an old dog new tricks?

Rick Keane, Partner at One&Only Hayman Island with AVPartners, used to work on the island back in 2002. Rick reflects on the differences in AV then and now, and his experience of “teaching an old dog new tricks.”

“Back in 2002, the gear we used was a little different from today. Back then you had to do your maths, making sure that you didn’t have too much on the one circuit. Putting Par 56s out in the garden to highlight trees and waterfalls meant lots of cables too.”

“Now we use LEDs and rechargeable battery lights which are brilliant and can be controlled via wireless DMX. Charge them up overnight for a 5 hour dinner on the beach with no cables and no worries about finding a powerpoint.”

“I love the new advancements in lighting which mean less power usage and more control. Even I can program all the different colour schemes.”

“My junior tech is teaching me about the changes in screen projections such as the shift from 4:3 to 16:9. When I likened this to Beta vs VHS he looked confused and thought I’d had a stroke!”

Keynote vs. Prezi vs. Powerpoint – Which presentation software works best?

Face it. You may be a fascinating presenter, but you will still most likely need slides to support your presentation. Rich content such as images, videos and charts are now the rule.

Ensuring your slides are engaging and accessible are the big challenges. We have all watched the audience nod off at the first slide or cringed at amateur efforts such as tacky slide animations.

Worst of all is when the presentation won’t load and you suddenly forget everything you have ever known about the topic on which you are, reputedly, an expert. Death by slide is a real danger on either side of the podium.

Can you preserve yourself and your audience from the twin evils of tedium or technology malfunction? The answer, as with all things, is that it depends. Your choice of platform such as PowerPoint, Keynote or Prezi can make the difference.  Here’s how the three tools stack up.

PowerPoint

Powerpoint is the most commonly-used tool. It is reliable in the sense that PowerPoint is likely to work with any equipment you may be offered. However, Powerpoint hasn’t been updated in a long time. The standard slide templates can be painfully boring. Presenters need to put extra care into creating polished and professional-looking slides.

Keynote

Keynote is a Apple product, even older than PowerPoint. It is relatively easy to learn for PowerPoint users and has some advanced features that add flexibility. If the lecture room offers only a Windows machine with an older version of PowerPoint, you may then be faced with the daunting and uncertain task of converting the presentation to PowerPoint or exporting it to PDF. If you know you have a Mac available, however, it may be the best choice.

Prezi

In an alternative approach, Prezi is web-hosted and built on an infinite–canvas platform. It offers some interesting potential for collaboration and the exploration of how ideas relate in a non-linear format. Prezi is accessed via the internet and hence you must have an internet connection in your presentation space.

So, how can you make the most out of your presentation?  PowerPoint is not the only choice. The best solution is to work closely with your AV rep to get advice on which tool will work best in the space to give your presentation the dazzle it deserves.

Event styling – Does it really make a difference?

Does event styling make a difference? Good styling can.

Event styling begins with your message. You’ll achieve the wow factor when the audiovisual elements, the centrepieces, props, furniture and the lighting all work seamlessly to engage your attendees with that message.

On any budget, event styling can set the scene, add drama and turn spectators into ambassadors for your idea, brand or identity.

But that sort of engagement is a tall order when dealing with a busy and somewhat distracted audience who may also suffer from a bit of event-fatigue.

How can you be sure that your event will have the desired impact?

Begin with the idea

Whether it’s a wedding or conference, there is always an exciting reason to gather people together. Remember that the event styling is not the star. The styling is part of the medium conveying the message.

Go beyond words

Think about the power of light, sound, tactile sensation and social connection to support your message.

Keep it fresh

An approach that combines digital styling involving projection, digital backdrops, banners and sets, with traditional styling elements, such as centrepieces, coloured linen or furniture, can drive the message home in new ways.

The event message, delivered in new, visceral ways through digital and traditional styling, will motivate and engage your audience – and set your event apart from the rest.

Talk to us today to get styling ideas for your next event!

How to ensure your meeting achieves your objectives

Meetings are an efficient way to achieve business outcomes, so long as the right planning and forward thinking takes place. Too often businesses hold poorly-focused, unstructured meetings that waste time and don’t achieve what they set out to do. The key is to set out the meeting’s purpose and objectives from the outset and work backwards to determine how to achieve them.

Your meeting objectives may include:

  • Coming to a decision
  • Brainstorming ideas
  • WIP or status updates
  • Communicating or getting buy-in
  • Creating a plan

Once you’ve determined what you’re trying to achieve, consider the following:

  • Who will need to attend?
  • What documents should be prepared (e.g. an agenda) for the meeting?
  • What resources or documents will be needed at the meeting?
  • What technology will be required – a projector? Internet access? Sound? What software will you need?
  • How much time will you need?
  • How will you know the meeting has achieved its objectives?

By examining these factors, you’re much more likely to hold a meeting with purpose and focus, that meets your objectives and saves time.

This article originally appeared at Business Events News.

How much definition do I actually need?

Standard Definition (SD), High Definition (HD), Full High Definition (FHD) and Ultra High definition (UHD) refer to the clarity or resolution of a moving image via a television, display device or monitor. Definition is measured as width x height in pixels.

When holding an event, definition is an important consideration to ensure a good quality viewer experience. But how much definition do you need? Let’s look at the options.

SD

Standard Definition refers to the image resolution of most older televisions and DVDs which are usually 720×576 or 720×480.

HD or FHD

High Definition refers to the image resolution of newer televisions, HDTV and Blu-Ray. There are three major formats of HD – 720p (1280×720), 1080i (1920×1080) and 1080p (1920×1080). 1080i and 1080p are often marketed as FHD to highlight the improved clarity over 720p.

UHD

Ultra high definition refers to the image resolution of the very latest higher definition screens and is usually 4K (3840×2160) and 8K (7680×4320).

So which should you choose? One consideration is the quality of the input which can limit your options. If, for example, you are transmitting SD video, using a FHD television or screen isn’t going to improve upon the clarity.

Other things to keep in mind include how many screens you’ll have at your event and how far away from the screens your audiences will be. Speak to your AV provider to get expert advice on what will work best for your event.

This article originally appeared at Business Events News.

How to take your event to the next level with a set piece

Looking to create a real ‘wow moment’ at your next event? Incorporating a unique set piece can make a real difference.

A set piece is a backdrop added to a stage for a production or event. It can vary from a simple branded backdrop right through to sophisticated projection mapping. The only limit is your imagination.

Set pieces help make conferences and events truly memorable. People are unlikely to remember one conference from the next if they all feature the same plain black drapes and two screens. However, they will remember a conference if it looks and feels genuinely different from those they have attended before.

A set piece can also help with a quick room turn around depending on the venue. For example, a band can be pre-set behind a set piece. Set pieces allow for a visual transformation sure to impress event delegates and make for easier and more impactful transitions between event elements.

Speak to your event staging and AV provider for advice on how to maximise set pieces for your event.

This article originally appeared at Business Events News.

Presentation tips 101

The nature of the world we live in today means that whilst the basics are still fundamentally important, when giving a presentation, it’s all about what will take it to the next level to leave your audiences truly inspired.

1. Delivery

We have various technology-based solutions readily available to us to help engage audiences in a relevant way and encourage interaction. It is, however also very easy to congest content with excessive information and various technologies.

Superfluous wording in PowerPoint slides, too many videos and even too many combined technologies, can lead to loss of audience attention and failure in delivering the content effectively.

Simplicity is always best, so being concise and maintaining fluidity is essential for a productive and impactful presentation:
• Use bullet points to minimise wording
• Reduce transitional and animation effects
• Spread video content throughout your presentation, rather than just in one section.

2. Creating conversation

It sounds like an oxymoron to create conversation when presenting involves delivering a one-way piece of communication. However, a great presentation engages the audience and naturally encourages conversation.

Thanks to social media, you can in fact facilitate conversation at the same time as delivering a message. Providing access to excellent content, not only in your presentation, but also online, enables audiences (both physically present and virtually), to share relevant points and materials.

A qualified AV technician can help guide you on what technology you should consider integrating into your presentation. They can even make helpful adjustments to ensure your presentation is concise and technically sound.

A well prepared presentation that incorporates effective uses of technology can lift your presentation to leave a longer-lasting and more impactful impression.

This article originally appeared at Business Events News.