Author Archives: Steven Martin

  • 29
    Dec 16
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VTM Christmas event bringing a magical experience to the viewers

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A perfect example of EMOTIONEERING, one of the AoE services less well known in the Belgian market.  As VTM and Medialaan prepared their annual Christmas momentum for viewers in Flanders, a great idea saw the light.  The team started production and at a certain time I was asked to step in and optimize the live experience, styling, event software and show running together with the team.  A great job with the main briefing to translate the Christmas commercial into an efficient mass audience live experience during 3 days.

 

The briefing commercial:

VTM wenst je betoverende feesten!

🎄🎅 Zien we jou op 16, 17 of 18 december in Gent voor een betoverend kerstfeest? 🎄🎅Alle info vind je op http://vtm.be/betoverende-feesten

Posted by VTM on Sunday, December 4, 2016

 

And the end result I am very proud to have been a creative part of together with VTM, Medialaan and their partners.

Na de smakelijke kerstfeesten blikken we maar al te graag ook eventjes terug op onze betoverende kersttafel!

Posted by VTM on Wednesday, December 28, 2016

 

  • 04
    Oct 16
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New international label for show production

We are very happy to introduce you our new international brand for show production THE CINTAMANI STONE.

The team of freelance top experts that The Cintamani Stone works with, will be positioned on the international markets as a new player. Small but extremely powerful and efficient. Amazing and magical emo-shows should not stay exclusively for the happy few on this planet, but every festival, sports event, inauguration, award ceremony, theatre production, TV show… deserves its own tailor made magical world emphasizing on the values of the organizing party, the products or the buildings/happenings.

Find out more about our team on the brand new website: www.thecintamanistone.com

  • 31
    Jan 16
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MIKIM FX Facepainting contest 2016

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Once again AoE joined the jury of the MIKIM FX worldwide faceprinting contest 2016, this time held in Antwerp.  Creativity and colors, brushes sponges, hair styling and accessories… and lots of hard work by all contestants.

MIKIM FX (formerly Phantasy Worldwide Make-up) organizes this event every year and every edition supports another social cause.  This years edition supported the organization Beyond the Moon.  This organization’s goal is to offer holidays and seriously ill children and their families so that for one week they can get some peace, some rest, lots of fun and good vibes and hopefully ‘forget’ a little bit their illness.  Of course we hope that this positive recharging of their batteries will make both sick child and their family stronger to make the healing/treatment process go better.

Check out info on MIKIM FX and the Faceprinting Contest

Check our the website.

Schermafbeelding 2016-02-03 om 09.39.00

 

 

  • 23
    Sep 15
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Christ’OF and Legacy back in Acte3

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ACTE3 / LEGACY / MOVE FOR EVENTS

After the huge succes last year, on general demand of the public, this great tribute band has returned to a full house in Acte3!  An even bigger crowd was convinced and had the best of time remembering and enjoying the King of Pop.

https://www.facebook.com/mag.marchal/videos/o.204860936242763/10153719424946834/?type=3&theater

 

  • 23
    Aug 15
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New AoE service: creative concept stage design

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Sometimes you discover new services because they were pointed out to you by your clients and production partners.  Like this we are happy to announce you another AoE service for all types of event organizers/producers:  conceptual stage design.

In my years of event production and creation it came to me that all technical suppliers create stage (and event) designs optimizing their in-house materials.  Priority is given to using the own materials instead of the right materials, which is perfectly understandable from a business point of view, however it does not always provide you with the best solution for your briefing.

More and more my clients started to ask me to design a concept stage (or event scenography)  that afterwards was given to the technical partner of choice to work out technically.  With the years of event experience and technical knowledge, we can design a realistic concept and we already have an idea how this may be produced.  This in no way means that you don’t need the technical producer.

A good example can be found in several of our jobs we did together with technical director Trimex.  As AoE does not think from the start how to make the stage, with which elements, with what material list… this allows us to create a more innovate design and stay focussed on the briefing.  After that Trimex (or another technical producer) can take the design and recreate it technically creating stunning stages in which even a simple hand drawn concept gets translated in a professional technical production plan.  The design and reality are extremely alike as we both work in 3d design programs.

So… benefit of 20 years of event experience and creativity, and spice that up with the years of production experience of a reliable technical/logistical/decorational/… production partner and multiply the creative impact of your investment.

MORE INFO: contact us!

 

 

SOME EXAMPLES OF STAGES CREATIVELY DESIGNED BY AoE

“The Möbius Cycle” – QATARGAS via The Planners // To illustrate how these designs come to life, step by step you can discover our concept for a large stage this large award event in Ras Laffan, Qatar.  From sketch with concept idea and basic scenario to roughs, ending in the actual technical 3D plans and storyboard.

stage design 050 stage design 051 stage design 052 stage design 053 stage design 054

 

 

“The Living Screen” – Opening Ceremony SuperGlobe via The Planners // Show and scenography proposal for a 360° show with lots of vertical video mapping and 3d effects on a dynamic moving projection surface.

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“The Globe” – Closing Ceremony SuperGlobe via The Planners // Proposal of a dynamic 360° design for the award ceremony of the event.

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“The Sliding boxes” – Video projection mapping stage concept via GOOSEBUMPS // Design for video projection mapping stage in decided event theme with sliding cubical parts and central deejay booth.  Moving head video panels on vertical dynamic trusses add to the experience.

stage design 057

 

 

“The Net” – QFA Awards via The Planners // Show and stage design for the football awards show.  Inspiration is the actual moment -a fraction of a second- of the goal scored: the moment the football hits the net of the goal.  This physical 3D net would have been constructed half inside, half outside the stage box.  On the net (tubes) laser mapping would have been combined with a huge widescreen backdrop videoscreen.  A large football as video mapping sphere to reveal the actual awards and a speaker podium designer to match the actual trophy.  Concept by AoE, roughs by Raphael and technical study and plans by Trimex.

stage design 056

 

 

“THE ODYSSEE” – Special Olympics Opening Ceremony via Special Olympics // This was the original first stage design for the Opening Ceremony, inspired by the concept of the Odyssee the SO athletes make to achieve their personal development.  After the venue was chosen we needed to develop a new story to match the venue, and extra information led us to a new story (see next example).

stage-design-009 stage-design-010

 

 

“THE CHILD’S ROOM” – Special Olympics Opening Ceremony via Special Olympics // This was the basic new design for the Opening show scenography.  From this lighting designer ACT Lighting Design continues and added for instance the roll-up screens on stage left.  This shows how creative design and technical/creative design work perfectly in a team.  Production director Mark Van Hamme added the idea to make the mascot in the center stage flying for the official Flame Ceremony.

stage-design-011 stage-design-013

 

 

“THE GLOBE IN THE CHILD’S ROOM” – Special Olympics Closing Ceremony via Special Olympics // This was the original first stage design for the Closing Ceremony.  As the concept of the show changed into a more music and less show approach, the stage set was completely re-designed by ACT Lighting Design.

stage-design-008

 

“THE TREE” – WIT GELE KRUIS LIMBURG via Cum Laude // Creative stage design inspired by the event theme and logo proposed, different layers of transparant gaze with video project create a ‘living’ images tree.

stage-design-024

 

“THE WISH CLOUD” – WIT GELE KRUIS via Cum Laude  // For this event we designed a cost effective way to come with a lighting solution wit a concept.  A large cross shaped lighting structure with transparant curtains with projected wishes for the future of the company create a giant chandelier.

stage-design-022 stage-design-023

 

“THE SLIDERS” – WIT GELE KRUIS via Cum Laude // A dynamic stage, seeming simple however with moving video screens to match the scenario’s elements.

stage-design-033 stage-design-034

 

 

“THE STREET” – ALFABET via DDMC // A very interesting stage/set design perfect for the client and his activity.  Concept developed with DDMC during brainstorming.

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“THE ARENA” – ALFABET via DDMC // Another stage setup created together with DDMC.stage-design-027

 

 

 

“THE JEWEL” – Swarovski via VO Event // we made a concept idea in which each presentation room needed to be a showroom in 360° experience showing the jewels on screen.  Trimex developed the idea and added the idea to make the small satellite stages inspired by Swarovski jewels.

stage-design-001

 

 

“THE MUSEUM” – Hoge Raad voor Diamant via White Rabbit // based upon the Trompe L’oeil theme we designed the room to be a large hall in a museum, in which during the show all paintings would come to life.

stage-design-004

 

 

“THE PICTURE FRAME” – Hoge Raad voor Diamant via White Rabbit // same briefing but different approach, this time the stage itself was a huge picture frame with dynamic moving screen elements in front and back.

stage-design-003

 

 

“MY VISION” – MOVE 4 Events  // Design produced for the LEGACY featuring Christ’OF Michael Jackson Tribute show.

stage-design-040

 

 

“THE CAMP” – Formula One Bahrain via Talent & Productions // Open air show for the Opening of the Formula One in Bahrain, inspired by a bedouin camp in the desert.  Screens are inclined to simulate tents, center screens are mobile and can be used in several positions to answer to the show’s needs.

stage-design-005  stage-design-007

 

 

“THE STATION” – B-Holding via D-Side Group // Good and creative solutions don’t always need to cost fortunes.  This stage was the result of a team brainstorming and got inspired by the idea of the train arriving in the station.  Visual by 72dpi.

stage-design-014

 

 

 

 

“THE CIRCUS” – MOVE  // Design produced for the annual dance school student recital with the show “Circus, Cirkus”.  Simple design, not too much materials but maximized circus tent feeling.

stage-design-037 stage-design-038

 

 

“The CODE Lounge” – Redken via CréAction // Design for a fashion show and employee event for Redken.  No different areas (welcome, walking, party…) but everything happens in the lounge.stage-design-015


stage-design-015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“BABUSHKA 25” – MOVE 4 Events  // Design produced for the 25th celebration show “25” for MOVE and The GROOVIES.  This stage worked like a babushka puppet, as solution to the very limited backstage surface and the need for 3 different stage sets, allowing people to walk, run, dance on top of them.  The stage also integrated a series of special effects and scenic effects (like moving light ceiling with LED video panel moving heads.

stage-design-039

 

 

“THE CHANGER” – Mattel Europe via D-Side Group  // Design produced for the annual Mattel Sales Meeting in Château du Lac, a very nice but no easy room to work in.  Theme was CHANGE is FUNdamental, so we designed a stage creating non-stop visual confusion as all stage zones and entrances were hidden and people had to enter from different sides after each break, tables were turned during the event completely confusing the guests.  “It is time for a change” was the message at the door, but who would think the entire room setup would have turned around?

stage-design-036

 

“THE LOGO” – Fluxys via Cum Laude // Design for the Fluxys Employee event based upon the Fluxys logo in the cocktail area and the event theme logo for the main stage.  Design by Trimex, based upon our team’s brainstorming.

stage-design-032

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“THE BULB” – TOYOTA Material Handling Europe // Design produced for the CeMAT fair in Hanover, Germany.  The tube was designed for full daylight use of light and laser effects combined with a new version of an interactive laser harp.

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“THE SHIP” – Tall Ships Race  // Design for a public show on the water, combining water screen, floating platform and tall ship, boat for backstage etc.

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“THE SWITCHER” – PSA Peugeot-Citroën via A First Impression // Stage design which needed to be fully adaptable for 2 different brand car launches.

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“TRIVIAL” – PSA Peugeot Citroën via A First Impression // Design produced for the annual Sales Conference and supplier expo inspired by the theme Q&A, illustrated in all designs by the shape of the TRIVIAL PURSUIT game.

stage-design-030 stage-design-041

 

“12 O’CLOCK” – Dredging via A First Impression // Design for a client event inspired by the 12 time zones of the planet
.stage-design-045

 

Can we help you with our creativity to create surprising new designs?  Do not hesitate and contact us!

 

  • 18
    Aug 15
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Creative thinking: add spice to your concept!

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“Creativity is looking at the world and seeing what everyone else sees, but thinking what no one else thinks.”

The main differences between an in-house creative and a freelance creative are ‘input’, ‘interaction’ and ‘stimuli’, all together they create a virtual world/room/garden/… inside the creative’s mind in which he or she can wander for hours.

Any imaginable item can inspire if you have learned to look at it in the right way, and this we learn by exposing ourselves as much as possible to those three pillars of creativity: input, interaction and stimuli.

INPUT: every possible object, music, sound, odeur, smell even, image, atmosphere, work of art, childs drawing… really ANYTHING is creative input as well as you have learned to look differently and see the things for more than they are…

INTERACTION: different studies have show, contrary to what we believe, personal interactions, conversations, storytelling… inspire us hundreds of times more than books, online research, art exhibits etc.  So interact, communicate, be ‘open’ to receive as if you were a creative radio receiver.

STIMULI: always stay sharp for the unlimited tsunami’s of stimuli that are fired upon you every day, wether it is a radio message or a print on a ladies skirt, a sound that reminds you of your childhood or the sorrow of loosing someone… all these things stimulate our senses and make us experience.

 

AoE has a real passion about creative life and constantly imagines new things, sees new mind images, feels new emotions.  This allows us to offer you an very broad ‘creative foundation’ because of our very high interaction with artistic as well as client worlds, performers and dancers, as well as scientific researchers and blue collars, basically we interact with the world.

You can as us to assist you in:

BASIC BRAINSTORMING: have us manage a brainstorming with external experts or ask us to participate in your brainstorming session and add some extra fuel to the engine.

FULL CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT: after a brainstorming session we can develop a full live experience in events, markering, brand activation, communication, audiovisual software, exhibits, fairs… basically any imaginable means of communication.  We are NOT LINKED TO ANYONE so we decide objectively which tool for you will be most suited.

EVENT UPGRADES / IMAGINEERING: when your event concept is ready but you feel something is missing, we can have a look at the project and add ‘upgrade’ ideas small and big, graphic and audiovisual, entertainment or social media… any idea that optimizes the experience for your target group.

(article continues below these pictures)

[espro-slider id=4080]

 

SO…

It is not ‘easy’ for us to tell you exactly where we can be of your assistance with our creative skills, as possibly our added value can be very wide.

Do not hesitate… if you have a project and want to have some new creative energy in your team, or if you don’t have the creative minds in house, contact me and lets discuss how I can help you win the project.

Contact us now!

And then this… can creativity be taught at school? Discover how Sir Ken Robinson feels about this:

 

 

 

 

  • 25
    Jun 15
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MOVE Studio’s Recital 2015: surprise with NEW movie choreos!

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MOVE Dance Center / Recital 2015

 

Working with close friends always is a completely different experience.  And it is with pride (and lots of enjoyment) that we participated once more in the stage creation, creative support and production of the annual student recital show of MOVE Dance Center.

This time we (but most of all the teachers) faced an extra challenge: come up with completely new choreographies for new movies, no traditional dance or musical movies were allowed.  The concept received the title “MOVE Studio’s” and took place as a guided visit of the famous ‘Aalsters Movie Studio: MOVE’.

AoE assisted in the stage design, lighting design and joined the think tank for show director Filip Van Keer, a part from that we were in charge for a whole series of background movies in the movie themes to match the choreographies on the multi screen setup.

The challenge was not only accepted but the bar was even raised by taking less obvious movies to create choreographies for, which resulted in very surprising new creations!

Discover Red Riding Hood, 12 Years A Slave, Kill Bill, Catch Me If You Can, The Secret Garden… all except the movies that were to be expected: Leslie Vermeulen even dared a challenging theme like Schindlers’ List and translated it into a breath taking piece that kept the audience in emotional shivers.

A job super achieved by the MOVE teachers.

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  • 10
    Jun 15
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Loungexpo: a great new exhibit concept by EXPO Point

EXPO Point / VOM vzw

Participating in exhibits has become a huge investment for enterprises, almost leaving it exclusively to the largest companies to show their presence to the fair visitors.  But how should you react as a small(er) competitor?  Just disappear from these fairs and hope the clients find you in other ways?    Or be present with a minimal surface making the comparison with your huge competitors almost look ‘silly’? How is a company to make sure that the audience is reached with reasonable investment and most of all without having a ‘low quality’ look?

Koen Den Haerynck from EXPOPoint has been confronted with this issue for years.  With his company he creates very nice and high-value-for-money exhibit booths.  His background in nightlife entertainment adds to his experience in understanding how the audience will use, even more how they will experience the construction he designs.

From the years that EXPOPoint has been working on several national and international fairs, Koen learned a lot, especially from his client’s frustrations on the participation in major fairs and especially the huge investments they require, making it more and more impossible for ‘smaller’ companies to keep participating thus enlarging the gap between them and their larger competitors.

As these frustrations kept recurring, he started thinking about possible solutions.  Now Koen has come up with a great -once more high-value-for-money- concept to offer a solution for these companies.

The Loungexpo concept is not just a solution for a fair, or a ‘cheaper booth design’ solution. Loungexpo is a full fair concept, with online planning,  full service package and most of all numerous intelligent ways to optimize the exhibitor’s investment by networking and intelligent new approaches of the fair visit experience.

Some examples:

  • The formula is an ‘all-in’ formula, allowing a full service no/low cost experience for the visitors, even including parking, cloakroom, drinks and food.
  • A full online follow-up of your guests is part of the package, with opt-in extra packages, reporting etc.
  • A member gets member strategy can lower your fair presence investment cost!
  • The booth modules design, developed together with AoE and Trimex, allows with the same traditional floor surface to have 25% more surface for  branding visibility
  • The walls are all positioned in different angles, optimizing the viewing angels t your booth
  • The hexagonal beehive shape makes all booths had open, optimizing the use of the floor space and giving the feeling that the booth is twice its surface, allowing you also to put twice the furniture
  • In the isles of booths a huge backstage for all exhibitors within that isle (it also hides perfectly all technical setup
  • Matching rigged hexagonal light structures optimize the lighting design without complex rigging plans.
  • Large hexagonal chandeleers indicate the isles with their categories
  • The corridors are never straight, always based upon the same hexagonal structure so that the overal look feels more like a lounge that the traditional fair
  • Open spaces in between isles become cosy lounges
  • Existing booths can still be integrated in the corners of the room and next to entrance/exit doors etc.
  • Extremely flexible design to modify depending on the final number of exhibitors without negatively influencing the overal atmosphere

For all of the details on these, best contact Koen.

 

(more info below the pictures)

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AoE was contacted to work with Koen on the creation of a real experience within his concept.  Together we created a specific booth design and exhibit scenography inspired by the honeycombs and movement of bees in the beehive.  We created a special concept logo for Koen and the project was realized for a first extremely successful edition in the Brabanthal in Leuven.

The concept, booth design and fair strategy have been patented and protected as it is very new and inspiring, but most of all because it works!

Do not hesitate to contact Koen for more information.

It was a pleasure for us to have been part of the creative development of this very nice intelligent project.

 

 

www.expopoint.be

www.loungexpo.be

  • 04
    Mar 15
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Love has no labels!

A great media campaign and live experience showing the power of emo-marketing.

Find out all about it on: www.lovehasnolabels.com

  • 06
    Jan 15
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IMPRESSED BY PIXELS!

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FAITS DIVERS /

From ThisisColossal.com (see original page)

Pixel is an innovative dance performance conceived by French performance artists Adrien Mondot and Claire Bardainne, known collectively as the Adrien M / Claire B Company, in collaboration with hip-hop choregrapher Cie Kafig. The hour-long performance incorporates a host of digital projection mapping techniques, 11 dancers, and bills itself as “a work on illusion combining energy and poetry, fiction and technical achievement, hip hop and circus.” Pixel premiered at Maison des Arts de Créteil on November 15th of last year, and above is a 3-minute exceprt of the shows most jaw-dropping moments. (via Jason Sondhi)

 

 

 

  • 02
    Dec 14
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KAWEHI MUSICAL WONDER ON YOUR EVENT?

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FAITS DIVERS /

For our next post we have to go all the way to Lawrence, Kansas to meet u with a Hawaïan beauty named Kawehi.  Another internet sensation breaking though -thank you social media- and bringing us a unique talent in live sampling/beatboxing/singing.

It’s all due to a video of her that made the rounds (which you can see below) in which the multi-instrumentalist, all by her lonesome, covers Nirvana’s “Heart-Shaped Box” brilliantly using loops, effects, and a mini-keyboard. “It was seriously just a one-take, practice-run kind of a deal…which is really crazy.”

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/VideoHalls

 

  • 26
    Sep 14
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SUPPORT BY ELITE OF EVENT PROFESSIONALS

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SPECIAL OLYMPICS /

Big support by elite of Belgian Event professionals

A point that in my opinion has gotten to little attention from our Belgian professional event media: this event was largely supported by an impressive number of volunteers, approximately 6000p, but ALSO by a large number of Belgian event professionals both from the freelance field as from within the agencies.

Some agencies came up with fund raisers, others convinced their clients with every new briefing to sponsor an athlete.  Still others sent us experienced staff to reinforce the coordination team.  Like one said after the event: “with this team NO WORRIES!”.

Interesting detail, no one of all these people used the event for personal advertising, to aim for new business targets or have any personal benefit.  They all joined the team because they supported the cause!  Thank you guys, it was an privilege to have the support of such an elite team of experts!

(only some of the professionals in the pictures, there were a lot more 🙂

 

  • 20
    Sep 14
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SPECIAL OLYMPICS CLOSING CEREMONY SO2014

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SPECIAL OLYMPICS /

After one week of successful games the Eurasian Special Olympics athletes the 2014 Special Olympics EUROPEAN SUMMER GAMES Antwerp have festively ended in the Antwerp Sportpaleis.  A musical show for 12000 fans, athletes and volunteers created by Jean-Pierre Deschepper with artistic direction by AoE inspired by a creative concept by Lot Seuntjes by Theater Tol was presented to a great audience.

In BELIEVE, the Opening Ceremony, a Special Girl met a Special Boy during the Games week in the young girls dream, in this Closing Ceremony we see her future wedding with the boy, as part of her hope vision.

HOPE, the Closing Ceremony was a musical celebration of love, friendship, respect, self confidence and success!

Two ceremonies, one story.  Where the Opening Ceremony was “BELIEVE” and illustrated the dream of a Special girl, in the Closing Ceremony “HOPE” we have the girl wake up after a beautiful dream filled with hopes for her future, a normal future like any other young girl would dream about: meeting someone, falling in love, a proposal, and finally marriage to start a life happy ever after.

The Closing Ceremony was a musical show as where the Opening Ceremony was a visual show.  The main story line was the love story starting the “Games of the Heart” message in “BELIEVE” that continues in this show.

The Girl comes back from the Games where she has participated, the boy was a volunteer assisting, cheering… and their romance grew.  During the 2 hour show filled with musical performances by no less than Stijn Meuris, Sandra Kim, Axel Hirsoux and Natalia, the ‘dream scenes’ illustrated the life of The Girl, still accompanied by the Dream People, that came with her from her dream when waking up.

More pictures can be found on our Facebook page or on the website.

 

Full streaming video:

httpv://youtu.be/rTCr3fBnZUQ

  • 17
    Sep 14
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EMOTION IS THE KEY TO CHANGE

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ARCHITECT OF EMOTION /

Just informing people why to do something, will most likely not do the job.

It is in human nature to be independent and make our own decisions.  So information has to be quite persuasive before we adhere to the message and then we end up in public relations, advertising, hard sales and worst case scenario propaganda.

Emotion will make you ‘live’ the message, it will ‘call upon’ your own experiences and make you ‘feel’ the essence of the communication.  It is the most efficient means of convincing communication, whatever the type of message may be.  And as the emotion is nested deep within the human brain, with its ‘tentacles’ all over the body translating these emotions into ‘feeling sensations’, it is the most powerful amplifier for targetted behavior/attitude change.

Emo-Marketing: Make Change Happen!

  • 13
    Sep 14
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SPECIAL OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONY SO2014

SPECIAL OLYMPICS /

Special Olympics: Blessed with a unique team!

When…

at first you sit in front of a white screen,

on one side a briefing, some words on a sheet of paper, a book about unique Special people and a program sheet for what promises to be a unique event…

in your mind the memory of some concerned people you have met in your life, and then, you can start thinking, creating…

One of the first questions you have: who will we be working with?  And you start imagining who will be the people in your team, how they will work together, how we will create emotional show magic as one!

Experts on all fields, from technicals to logistics, a creative that becomes a clown after inspiring like the ‘cement’ of your story, cutting some of the stones of the story’s foundations… the best technical and graphic designers, storyboard artists, scenographers… decoration wizards, not on speed but on Energizer batteries… simply UNSTOPPABLE!  A costume designer/producer that probably has a time machine hidden somewhere in her workshop, a video team that translated the images in my head into real video decors.

So many talents, from the ones we already knew to some impressive new discoveries, so many new faces, so much motivation and positive energy!

Extra’s and volunteers, helping hands and show assistants, freelancers, students, schools… And not in the least place all the partners and sponsors who made the event possible!

Somebody very dear told me “Holding the Olympic Flame, I didn’t expect it but it did something with me…”, and we all held the Olympic flame!

 

And when…

You start writing your story, with on the other side all the sheets of paper, post-its, paper edge notes of ideas emerged during brainstorming sessions with the team in meeting rooms, bars, traffic jams, night tables… the craziest moments and places.  So many people added to the story with their creativity and expertise, with their energy and positivism.  Every team member starting to inspire the other, becoming one SPECIAL OLYMPICS SHOW FAMILY!

 

Well…

than I become every second more aware how blessed me and the creative show production team members have been to be surrounded by such an elite of people.  The shows that we produced all together were the result of a huge team and their talents and energies.  I for one am mighty proud to have been the inspiration for so many of them to start creating with us and lifting OUR show to the highest level.

 

I BELIEVED, AND WE ALL STILL BELIEVE! 

The entire SPECIAL OLYMPICS events, show and production team is extremely grateful for all the volunteers, experienced help and talent we had in the team.

Steven Martin

And the Special Olympics adventure has not finished, they keep on the important work and need your support: www.special-olympics.be

2014 Special Olympics EUROPEAN SUMMER GAMES Antwerp

Opening Ceremony “Believe”

13th September, Brussels Palais 12

We wanted to create an honest story, in which each and every athlete recognizes their own life adventure.  A story that tells things like it is, without a storyteller but with very simple and clear visual experiences.  All ceremonial elements integrated in one complete show experience.

Palais 12 was the venue for the show, completely rebuilt to welcome 10.000 spectators of which 2800 athletes, coaches and officials.  We had Palais 11 as backstage, 11.000m2 backstage!!!

A unique job created by a unique team of people… some facts and figures:

a 2 hour show with 7 scenes

music by Michel Bisceglia

458 characters in the show

12 acrobats by Close Act, 35 show gymnasts by OTM Ghent, 8 taiko drummers by Tataké Taiko, 12 fire jugglers by Attention Jongleurs, 3 Special Clowns

16 make-up artists by FANTASY Worldwide, 12 hairdressers by PIHS Ghent, 8 coordinators

28 days of studio rehearsal, only one day on site

almost 2 years of preproduction

a huge team of volunteers, partners, technicians, event professionals coordinating…

 

See the highlights on this YOUTUBE link.

 

 

The integral streaming of the show:

httpv://youtu.be/efoRJMq1kH0

 

  • 20
    Jul 13
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Actor coaching: the development of stage characters

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The last year, the specific missions in our projects required a very specific new skill to be developed.

Several projects we were working on had a direct need for the coaching of very talented people into the creation of a specific character for the show wer were developing. AoE assisted in trying to find the character written in the script deep inside the actor.  The actors we needed to coach were not real actors, but dancers and stage performers.  And combining our knowledge of story writing, with speaker coaching (for conferences etc.) and even more our show direction experience, made it into a perfect mixture to assist these already very talented and creative people in doing an even better job on stage!

A very rewarding mission as virtually you are with them on stage as they ‘transform’ into the character. 2 very fine examples can be found in Christ’OF during his MY VISION theatre show and Lizzy De Lobel during the “Circus, Cirkus” dance recital by MOVE. Although Christ’OF speaker perfect dutch for a native French speaking Belgian, he needed some coaching to make his lines sound natural and fluent, even for a native Dutch speaking audience.

We stept away from the theatrical written monologues and went into a very accessible social dutch, allowing everyone in the audience to easily connect. Lizzy on the other hand, has been dancing for years and is a member of the professional dance squad “The Groovies”.  She knows about ‘living the part” and acting emotions on stage.  But the jump towards the acting (without dance) of a mime clown leading character took het out of her comfort zone.  Together we discover Clown Lozzy inside her talents.

Should you wish more information about this, do not hesitate to contact us at: steven@architectofemotion.com   Some images:

  • 07
    Dec 12
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AoE+ Services : Concept development and graphic services

Pitches get more expensive every day for the event agency.  A basic investment of 5.000 € is no exception at all for a simple quote.  Add to that the always rising expectation level of the end customer to have 3d designs, video mock-ups, layouts, roughs… and it gets ridiculous to keep up this extreme high level of ‘sign here’ quotes.

Clients seem to expect the offer to be in a final level so that they only need to pay and the event is done!  This off course is impossible, as you will see in all markets… except for the event market.  We keep on pushing the limits and by doing so make it almost impossible for ourselves to maintain a healthy business model.

A one-stop-shopping solution for the basic presentation pitch documents can already be one step towards a solution.  AoE can (co-)create the basic concept with your team and write the presentation document.  But even more, the graphic and audiovisual skills that we have to offer in-house (or with value-for-money partners) allow you to bring convincing presentation documents to support your winning concept, but at the same time keep the investment reasonable!

We are NO advertising agency and don’t wish to be…

We are NO graphic design agency and don’t pretend to be…

We are no Audiovisual production company and don’t intend to be…

However we have over 20 years of experience in (event) marketing which allows us to have a good feeling and insight in what would work for which target audience.  Add to that the wide range of graphic skills, in-house and with preferred partners, and we can bring you a power team to win the pitch! (or create your event production for you)

Discover for yourself what AoE and its partners can offer you in the visual development of your (and our)  concepts:

 

 

 

  • 07
    Dec 12
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AoE+ Services: 3D design brings concepts to life

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Nowadays it has become possible to virtually create parts of your event or even complete events before even ever having set foot the venue.  The 3d modelling programs allow you to show in detail the concept that you have in mind allowing you to convince or even more reassure the client about the feasibility and design of your proposal.

ONE-STOP-SHOPPING SOLUTION

AoE can assist you either in a one-stop-shopping solution with design skills in Sketchup, Maxwell, Photoshop, Indesign… which for a first proposal in pitch is a perfect solution to keep the commercial investments acceptable for your agency.  Have AoE co-create your concept, write the presentation pitch document and event create the visuals.

With a large netwerk of very experienced partners in design and event/show production we can assist you in choosing the right partner to upgrade the design level. Ranging from WYSIWIG, Vivien, Autocad, VectorWorks, Maya, Cinema4D…  they can create reality respecting visuals of your projects.  Even movies are possible when needed.

This is not a ‘limited budget’ solution, however you will find that investing in these plans and designs will optimize your production time and avoid lots of problems on site during setup and rehearsal.

Contact us for more information about our possibilities and our partners.

Some pictures of our designs:  (more recent to be added soon, after period of cool-down in pitches, productions etc. )

 

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    Dec 12
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AoE show creation & emotioneering

AoE wants to (help you) write the event story from ‘once upon a time’… until ‘and they lived happily everafter…” and then help you create it!

This translates in two large fields of activity: event production and artistic production.  In this post you will be shown the artistic chapter…

 

SHOW CREATION & ARTISTIC DIRECTION

Core business for AoE is the story telling of an event experience.  We invent, write and then create the show for your event.  However this service is very large and can start at the very beginning of the event.  Our services range from mere artist booking and coordination over tailor made show act productions all the way into complete show creation made to match you every wish and briefing detail.

The story, the scenography, the visuals, the moodboards, costume and charachter design, make-up… they all work together in creating that ONE emotional show moment of magic!

Basic working procedure:

  • intake briefing: listen!
  • analysis and research: understand and broaden the horizons!
  • think and dream: let the mind play tricks…
  • create and write: time to share the vision
  • study and prepare: can it be done?  what are the limitations?  what will be the investment?
  • design and illustrate: how to get across your dream castles
  • ‘story tell’ the dream
  • preproduce the show: match the pieces of the puzzle and create new pieces to match even better
  • artistic, direction, mise-en-scene and rehearsals
  • show direction
  • enjoy the result!

Some examples of various ‘creations’ during these working procedures (please note that no single idea can ever be the result of just one person, it appears thanks to the chemistry and alchemy between the people working on it, so none of these were ‘my’ work, but always have been the result of a creative team):

 

 

 

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    Oct 12
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Another AoE service: speaker coaching and show direction

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It is one think to organize a smooth event operation from A to Z, but in all the pre-event urgencies and modifications one should always stay focussed on the speakers and managers presenting on stage.  Take away their stress, reassure them that all will run smoothly and guide them in bringing their content and expertise across to the audience in optimal conditions.

It is about a lot more than just handing microphones and explaining about jingles: explain the use of the stage, entry and exit, the use of furniture, worst case scenarios… all these things help them to be ready to tackle any unexpected situation on stage.

A part from that small hints on their presence on stage, shirts, ties, what to do with the hands… make them catch the audience’s attention.  Your speakers will feel well coached and managed, and you as the event manager will keep your hands free for your quality control of the overal event.  Ideally a specialist for the powerpoint or keynote presentations available for all modifications and a power technical show team and you are running a smooth show.

The last important partner in this stage management team is the moderator/presenter/host(ess).  They also are part of the machinery to make your event run smoothly on stage.

All these ingredients met once more on stage recently for a client event for Swantegy.  Swantegy understands very well the importance to focus on the message to get across during every element of (an event and its) communication.  By doing so they actively underline their corporate tagline:

Swantegy: “Designing meetings that increase business and performance”

For one of their clients a team was set up together with Blue Square to run an efficient show. AoE was asked to partner of for the scenario and show direction as well as to assist with the speaker coaching.    Virginie Claes -always professional and a real pleasure to work with- was the chosen moderator.

www.swantegy.com

www.blue-square.be

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