Sound+Vision blog

We’re Recruiting!

Arran Moffat — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:51:01 +0000

Proposal Writer & Marketing Assistant Vacancy

Salary – £18,000 to £21,000 plus benefits

Sound+Vision is an industry-leading event production company creating world-class events across the UK & Europe from our Offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester & London.

We are looking for a Proposal Writer & Marketing Assistant to join our busy Marketing Team in Edinburgh. This role requires a proactive individual to assist with the development and production of industry-leading events business proposals and tenders.

The successful candidate will have strong writing skills, an eye for detail and ideally be familiar with the Events Industry.

Main duties/responsibilities:

Prepare and distribute proposals and tender documents
Prepare and distribute marketing collateral and promotional information
Maintain website content, case studies and update social media applications
Assist with Ad-hoc event management and on-site client liaison
Assist with client hospitality

Key skills and experience:

Excellent writing skills at a professional level
Strong communication skills; able to liaise at all levels
Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, InDesign and Photoshop
The ability to work under pressure, plan and prioritise your workload in order to meet deadlines.

To apply for this role please send your CV to lorraine@savav.co.uk. We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Meet us at Confex Stand G700

Arran Moffat — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:38:23 +0000

Sound+Vision turns 30 this year and we will be celebrating at International Confex from 6-8 March 2012. It would be great if you could join us at stand G700 and perhaps even win a bottle of Champagne in the process.

Sound & Vision – Stand G700

http://www.international-confex.com/

If you haven’t already registered for Confex, then simply click on the above E-Invitation which will take you to the official website where you can register for free. Confex is an essential day out for anyone who organises events and the perfect place to do business, make new contacts and discover new venues, destinations and support services.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Live Balvenie Whisky Tasting Webcast

Arran Moffat — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:49:06 +0000

Sound+Vision were chosen as the technical and webcast partner for a recent live whisky tasting event at the Balvenie Distillery in Dufftown. It was a tasting of a limited edition, The Craftsman’s Reserve, No 1 – The Cooper.

The shoot and live stream took place after hours at the Balvenie Cooperage – a busy working floor by day – and the expert panel included David Stewart, The Balvenie Malt Master, Ian McDonald, Head Cooper and Sam Simmons, Balvenie’s Global Ambassador.

Sound+Vision provided the technical equipment, webcast crew and a live chat area for the production in addition to organising the satellite uplink due to the remote location of the distillery. The event was streamed through our robust global content delivery network.

The video production was by Chrome Productions, a London based production company who specialise in producing work that is unique, adventurous and spectacular.

Our client said:
“I just wanted to say a really massive thank you to you and your team. The feedback that we have got from the client has been incredible, and I’m super grateful for all the hard work and patience you put into this project. Thanks again. We couldn’t have done it without you!!!”

The live tasting was watched by hundreds of whisky fans from all over the world and the live chat area was full of excited comments and chatter about the tastes and aroma of the bottling in addition to the informative content of the broadcast.

We have to agree with the on-line audience – The Cooper’s is a mighty fine dram.

Slàinte!

Sound+Vision Manchester Opens!

Arran Moffat — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:14:40 +0000

In response to increasing business demands in the North West of England, Sound+Vision is delighted to announce the opening of their new office based in Manchester. The 3,500 square foot unit, based in The City Works will provide services such as; conferences and events, awards ceremonies, event design, video and multimedia production, web streaming, as well as lighting, sound, audiovisual equipment and staging hire for companies and venues in the North West, Yorkshire and the Midlands.

Chris Montgomery, Managing Director of Sound+Vision, outlined the importance of opening the office in England’s North West: “We are thrilled to be opening a new branch in Manchester. It is very important to us that we establish a presence in this part of the country as there are an increasing number of large association conferences and awards ceremonies being held in cities like Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool. With markets looking better but still uncertain in 2012, companies remain price conscious. With London venues having limited availability and increasing their prices due to the 2012 Olympic Games, I expect we will see more conferences and events moving North, especially with the BBC’s move to MediaCityUK in Spring 2012. Our Manchester Account Manager, Lisa Duffy will build upon Sound+Vision’s already excellent reputation and develop the customer base throughout the North West.”

Lisa has invaluable experience, which will bring a wealth of knowledge to the Manchester team. After working in the events industry for over three years, she is experienced in winning new business and managing high profile accounts and corporate clients. Lisa says: “I was delighted when Chris approached me to join Sound+Vision, the prospect of working for a respected and professional company who share my passion for the industry had real appeal to me. I am really excited to be onboard and am looking forward to making the Manchester office a success whilst contributing to the future growth and success of the company as a whole”.

Sound+Vision is located at Unit 3 Norbury Court, The City Works, Ashton Old Road, Manchester, M11 2NB. The branch is open from 9am until 5:30pm, Monday to Fridays, please contact Lisa on 0161 669 7060 or email lisa@savav.co.uk.

10 Top Tips for Sustainable Events

Georgia Goodall — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:15:14 +0000

Green is the new black when it comes to events and it’s never been easier to implement sustainable practices.

To get you started, here are some of our tops tips:

1 -Choose a venue that can be easily accessed by public transport or provide a shuttle
service.

2 -Publicise your commitment to a sustainable event in all your communications with
sponsors, presenters and delegates and distribute promotional information through email,
social media and websites to minimise paper use.

3 -Provide online registration and offer delegates the choice between attending in person
or via a live/on-demand webcast over the internet.

4 -Use local presenters to minimise unnecessary travel.

5 -For any paper-based event materials, use environmentally-friendly, chlorine-free paper and consider posting proceedings, handouts and presenter presentations to your event website rather than creating hard copies.

6 -If stage lighting is required, ask your AV supplier to use low power, LED lighting. See
example below:

7 -Stage sets and components can be re-used so ask your event production supplier
to store and re-use these as necessary.

8 -Use locally sourced, seasonal food and beverages for all your catering requirements
and only use food suppliers who follow sustainable principles.

9 -For name tags, use recycled paper and ask delegates to deposit the holder in a bin
as they exit the building.

10 -Reuse, reduce and recycle as much as you can during and after your event.

A Beginner’s Guide to Webcasting

Arran Moffat — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 11:06:28 +0000

Webcast expert and Sound+Vision Business Development Director, Arran Moffat, explains webcasting in plain English.

Webcasting (or web streaming /webinars) is where an event or a presentation is filmed and the viewers access the footage through the internet. They can be both live and on-demand and are a great way for your event to reach a much wider audience, both nationally and internationally.

In a webcast, the video footage is mixed with the presentation content which creates a slick viewing experience for the online visitor. A well-executed webcast should give the viewer the same experience as anyone who is at the event in person. They can create a revenue stream through pay-per-view and social media activity through Twitter etc.

Live Webcasts
A live webcast is a great way to publish time-critical information. It’s also a handy way to engage with remote viewers as they will be able to take part in Question & Answer sessions and leave comments for the presenters through an online chat interface. For a live webcast to work well, the event marketing and social media must push the live element. This will ensure that people know about the webcast and will log in to watch the event on the day.

On-demand Webcasts
An on-demand webcast can be as simple as a YouTube-style video player with mixed in presentation slides or a more polished two-window alternative. By having your event as an on-demand webcast, the viewer can watch the proceedings at their leisure wherever they are across the globe. Many live webcasts also have an on-demand element attached to them for this reason.

Dealing With Venues
If you’re planning a live webcast, the first thing you should do is negotiate with the venue for a suitably fast uncontended internet connection. In most cases they will be happy to do this (for a fee) as the connection will be going through their infrastructure. As always, Sound+Vision can deal with the venue directly, ensuring that the connection speed will be adequate for our requirements.

Naturally, if your webcast is on-demand, there won’t be any issues with internet connections.

Live Discussion and Q&A
If your live webcast has an interactive discussion element, an online moderator should be present. They will control what online chat is visible to online viewers, can tie in various social media tools and be the voice of the online viewers during Q&A sessions. Sound+Vision can supply your live webcast with a moderator or we can train a client representative to act as one.

Please contact Sound+Vision for more information about your webcast options.

How to Create Dazzling Events on a Shoestring: An Expert’s Guide

Jo Moor — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 13:40:17 +0000

Sound+Vision’s very own Jo Moor gives practical tips on how to create dazzling events that won’t break the bank. Prior to working for S+V, Jo spent eight years working as an event manager on some of the UK’s leading events.

While times are still tight and budgets even tighter, don’t give yourself an extra headache by trying to come up with quirky room decorations, which usually blow your event purse strings anyway. The trick is to use lighting and effects to transform the venue room or space into one which suits your event theme and colour palette and is surprisingly cheap to do so.

By using rich colours to wash the room, you will instantly give the venue room a make-over and set the scene for your event – be it an information sharing conference or seminar, a launch party or an awards or fundraising event. Focussing on the event colour palette, you can tie all the marketing material/ invites/ event information together to create a real identity which carries into the event itself.

Moving lights, bright washes, LED uplighters, the list goes on – and all bring a really vibrant and intense effect to the room and will create the atmosphere you are after. LED based lights allow you to change colours throughout the event as they can be pre-programmed – either subtly, from one to the next or quickly to create a greater drama and ambience.

If you want to hide the venue walls, consider using white drapes to mask the – sometimes – old fashioned wall paper and paintwork. The lighting effects will bounce off the white drapes, producing a sensational effect. Where the internal architecture of the venue is particularly beautiful, these lighting effects will enhance every element of the design.

Exposure for sponsors/ supporters is key at all events so consider splashing their logos on the venue walls using gobos *. These can be full colour or black and white depending on your budget and can be animated to create movement in the room. As an alternative to logos, there is an enormous catalogue of general patterns, shapes and images which are very cheap and if your event is specifically themed (such as an ‘Ice and Fire’ party) there are many specific gobos in there to choose from.

So, transform your event space on a budget and use lighting effects to do the talking!

* A gobo, or a ‘go before optics’, is is a physical template slotted inside, or placed in front of, a lighting source, used to control the shape of emitted light. This enables you to shine company logos onto walls and various patterns. They can be black and white or full colour and have moved on so much recently that you can get incredible precision with designs.

Gordon Ramsay Serves Up Massive Cash Boost for Scottish Spina Bifida

Georgia Goodall — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 11:27:17 +0000

Sound+Vision were delighted to be part of the prestigious Gordon Ramsay Summer Ball this year at Mar Hall Golf Spa & Resort in aid of the Scottish Spina Bifida Association (SSBA).

Gordon Ramsay opened the evening with a heartfelt account of his recent visit to the SSBA Family Support Centre in Cumbernauld. Gordon, who was born in Johnstone, has been honorary patron of the charity since 2003.

Billed as the most glamorous red carpet event in Scotland this year, attendees were treated to a gastronomic feast prepared by an all-female kitchen lead by Clare Smyth, Head Chef at the Michelin starred Gordon Ramsay Restaurant in Chelsea.

The Scottish inspired menu included West Coast of Scotland poached lobster and matured fillet of Aberdeen Angus. One of the evening’s highlights was the ‘Eat Me Garden Box’ an edible table centre that was presented to guests during coffee.

Sound+Vision provided PA, lighting, staging and plasmas for the auction.

Return on Investment: How does your Event Measure Up?

Georgia Goodall — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:16:31 +0000

The recession might be over but its effects are still rippling through the UK events industry. New research from Eventia reveals that while the number of events staged last year remained the same, the level of expenditure they generated reduced from £18.8billion in 2009 to £16.3million in 2010 – a drop of 13 per cent.

Reduced budgets and greater financial scrutiny from senior management mean that now, more than ever, event planners need to demonstrate return on investment (ROI) for the events that they organise. Simply saying to your boss/client that the ‘incentive trip/strategy meeting’ etc “was fantastic” just won’t cut the ice anymore as companies look increasingly for tangible, quantifiable measures of success. So, now comes the tricky bit. How do you actually measure the success of an event and its impact on the bottom line?

Firstly, make sure your ROI measurement tools are in place before your event takes place and check that senior management agree with your measurement methodology. Secondly, set your criteria. What exactly are your event’s objectives and the desired outcomes? What are the messages to be conveyed and understood by your target audience? Thirdly, use measurement tools such as written surveys, evaluations, focus groups and social media to help rate your event from the point of view of the attendees. Questions should cover the programme content, the event environment, services and activities including attendees’ opinions on the quality of the social events and networking opportunities provided. Be sure to include open-ended questions that measure attendee satisfaction, attitudes and behaviours and ask for suggestions on how to improve the event going forward. Then, once your research is complete, present your findings to key decision makers in an easy-to-read report and ask them to sign off next year’s event budget.

While some event planners might baulk at the prospect of measuring the value of their events and see it as an additional burden on an already busy workload, the reality is that ROI measurement systems help to protect events and, therefore, jobs while raising standards and professionalism throughout our industry.

Social Media Event Goes Viral

Georgia Goodall — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 11:14:45 +0000

Sound+Vision recently produced a live webcast for Scottish Enterprise in partnership with Envirodigital (www.envirodigital.com), Scotland’s leading digital environmental consultancy, that went viral across the internet picking up an additional 1,000 on-demand viewers.

Hosted by Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp (@theintelligiser) and in front of a full house at Glasgow’s Radisson BLU hotel, the conference focused on the latest techniques in Social Media and how to apply them across a range of businesses. The presenting panel featured leading social media experts including HubSpot’s Kirsten Knipp (@kirstenpetra), Chris van der Kuyl (@chrisvdk) from BrightSolid and Luke Brynley-Jones (@lbrynleyjones) of Our Social Times.

Over 150 delegates attended with a further 90 unique remote viewers participating in the live event from across the UK and as far a field as France, Germany, Austria and the USA. The Sound+Vision/Envirodigital live webcast ensured that the event became accessible to delegates who would not otherwise be able to attend. They also participated in a lively online discussion area and fielded live Q&A to the panel at the event.

Twitter and other social media were used extensively during the day helping the on-demand webcast to quickly go viral. Over the following weekend over 1,000 people viewed the event from the comfort of their laptops and mobile devices – far exceeding the original estimated audience target.

By broadcasting the event live and providing instant on-demand access, Sound+Vision and Envirodigital increased the reach of the conference and reduced the carbon footprint of the event to the tune of 845kgs of CO2. This is an equivalent of making 48,165 cups of tea!

If you are thinking of webcasting your event to widen your reach, to reduce your carbon footprint or to create a social media buzz, then please contact Arran Moffat on arran@savav.co.uk or 0131 440 6143. You can also connect with Arran using Twitter on @arranmoffat . In addition, further details on webcasting and webstreaming can be found on our ‘In Detail’ section of our blog page.