Staging, audio-visual, and lighting services for Accolades awards ceremony, 27 April 2023

Tender description

We are looking for a contractor who will be responsible for AV, lighting and staging requirements for the Accolades awards ceremony, including: Staging We will need: - a stage with sync dual screens and suitable backboards for displaying the Accolades branding and that of any sponsors. The stage will need to be at right angles to City Hall’s fixed stage (opposite the main entrance doors to the Assembly Hall). It needs to be a design that allows the screens to be clearly visible to all 200 guests in the main hall, without obstruction. It also needs to be large enough to accommodate up to six people at any one time, as well as all necessary equipment and fittings - a ramp, so that wheelchair users can easily access the stage - two lecterns (one at each end of the stage) for the hosts - a well-lit, high-quality plinth for the prominent display of up to eight trophies and 24 framed certificates - two easy chairs for hosts and presenters of awards to use. Prior knowledge and previous experience of stage and set design at Cardiff City Hall would be advantageous and desirable. Lighting We will need: - various lighting effects, including the use of gobos (we will supply them), backdrop lighting (up and/or downlighting), and possible light projection. Please provide details of the lighting effects you would use to create the right atmosphere for an awards event - specific lighting for a BSL (British sign language) interpreter, who will be standing alongside the hosts when they are speaking. We need to make sure they are visible to anyone in the audience who requires BSL interpretation. Visual equipment We will need: - suitable equipment to provide full screen projection visible to all guests. We usually use two large format sync screens, one at each end of the stage area. All screens will need to show slides, video (all supplied by us), and live foot-age. NB: there is no space in the hall for back projection. It has to be front projection - a camera to capture live footage in the main hall, which can be projected onto the screens when no video material is being shown - a camera specifically focused on the BSL interpreter, so they can be viewed picture-in-picture on the screens - equipment that will enable the whole ceremony to be recorded and loaded onto our YouTube channel - equipment that will enable the whole ceremony to be streamed live over the internet - two large TVs to be placed in areas of the hall that might be further away from the stage, so that all guests can see what is happening. Sound We will need: - a suitable sound system for clear audio projection in the main hall. We will supply suitable music for different parts of the ceremony - fixed microphones on each of the two lecterns - two radio microphones, one for each of the hosts - a PA system for the area outside the main hall (Marble Hall), for use by musi-cians. Technical support and event management You should provide: - a suitable number of technicians and operatives on the day to ensure the smooth running of the ceremony You will need to co-ordinate and operate the complete stage set, including sound, lighting and audio-visual systems. Set-up - Set-up for the event will need to be the day before the Accolades ceremony – Wednesday 26 April, between 09:00 and 17:15. Everything will need to be set up and tested on that day, ready for rehearsals from 09:00 on the day of the ceremony. Breakdown - The event will start with a buffet at 12:30, with the awards ceremony itself starting at 13:15 and lasting until 16:00. You will need to dismantle the stage set and remove all equipment between 16:30 and 18:45.