Event Stage Design: From Rendering to Room

Staging and production can significantly influence the attendee experience and the lasting impression we leave on our audiences. In this exclusive interview, Casey Baugess, Creative Director in BCD M&E's Production & Content team, shares his insights on how production design can elevate event experiences to new heights. From considering essential factors for space utilization to leveraging cutting-edge technology for virtual events, read on to discover his recommendations.

Event Stage Design: From Rendering to Room with Production & Content Experts

What are the top three factors planners and production designers should consider when determining the best use of space?

Look up! - Chandeliers, low ceilings, and lack of rigging points are all examples of things that can seriously hamper creative technical work in an event space.
Contracts - Everyone hates them and they are boring, but boy are they important. Things like exclusive in-house AV providers, strict union labor, and cost-prohibitive internet and rigging are easier to resolve in the contracting process than they are to negotiate in pre-production.
Try before you buy! - Including our team in your site visit allows us to feel and experience the space with you. It also gives us the opportunity to scan the room, so that we can recreate it using 3D software. This type of pre-work sets us up for success as it enables us to design the space in a truly creative and collaborative way. What you see is what you get, and what we build.

Event Stage Design - From Rendering to Room 3

How can the flow of staging and production elements impact the experience for attendees?

Attendees expect immersion, experience and authenticity. Making the room feel like a cohesive piece within an overall strong design strategy is key. Bringing in elements of the company brand and event theme by using creative lighting and content can make the room feel especially unique.

Using a creative stage layout that gets presenters in amongst the crowd can also have a powerful impact. Being authentic and getting executives on the same level as attendees is a purposeful way to drive home key points and increase engagement.

Event Stage Design - From Rendering to Room 4

Have you worked on any particularly exciting production sets this year?

One of our recent favorites is a virtual event we delivered for a client in North America. Using the latest innovations in computer technology, we were able to create fully-immersive and interactive stage designs. Designing and building our own environments in 3D software allowed us to produce completely different sets within the same studio space. Each set featured dynamic lighting and tracked camera movement to help create a realistic effect.

Clients are still seeking virtual events and by creating custom environments with moving cameras, we are able to deliver a polished, broadcast-quality experience that never fails to impress our virtual audiences.