Empire Creates Interactive Movie-Making Themed Events for Microsoft Office 2000 Sneak Preview
When Microsoft Corporation planned to give a sneak preview of their Office 2000 Software in conjunction with the PC Expo Trade Show in New York, they wanted to create a fun and interactive environment for the press and their key customers in the New York area.They turned to Empire Entertainment to conceive and design a sneak preview event that would provide both a forum for previewing the product and an enjoyable, interactive party experience.
For this event, Empire created a movie-themed event that consisted of two parts: a 'premiere screening' theater and a working soundstage.As guests arrived on buses organized by Empire, they were greeted by paparazzi flashing their photos on a special red carpet. They were then ushered inside to a movie theater that we had created complete with branded popcorn stands and bags, walk-in music, costumed ushers and ticket takers and a projection screen with curtain warmer uplights and branded gobos. The guests were treated to a brief presentation which featured a hilarious movie trailer that previewed the product. The trailer began with a version of the Motion Picture Association of America green screen that stated "The following preview is approved for all computer users...."
Once the screening was over, the rear wall of the theater was removed with a fly-away curtain that revealed a movie soundstage with three full movie sets in production, each equipped with sound, lights, props and scenery. The sets represented a western saloon, a space-based action adventure with a space ship bridge, model field and alien planet surface, and a jungle-based action adventure complete with a crashed aircraft tail sticking out of the brush. The sets were positioned around a large commissary-style cafe & bar with director chair seating.
On each movie set a director and crew of lighting, sound, clapboard PA, camera man and special effects supervisor actively shot pre-scripted scenes using costumed actors from the Gotham City Improv troupe. As the evening progressed and the drinks flowed, the guests got into the action, directing the scenes and donning costumes as they "acted" in the different scenes.At the end of the evening, each guest walked home with a copy of their own screen test.
Guests received their first taste of technological innovation at registration, where they were welcomed by name on a reactive LED screen installation covering the full width of the entry wall. A large lunch café was created with a décor scheme that incorporated custom-built, ceiling-high steel LED frames draped with foliage to create smaller, intimate restaurant-style spaces that displayed both technology and nature.
A series of breakout sessions presented content targeted to attendees’ varied interests, while imagery displayed throughout the venue showcased real-life applications of how products designed to empower developers help to unleash the power of data and reimagine possibilities that will improve our world.
Every element of Microsoft Connect(); from registration, breakfast and keynote, to lunch and evening cocktails, were custom-designed to communicate exacting brand messaging and to deliver a high-touch guest experience to this important audience. The keynote and breakout sessions were livestreamed through an onsite studio built for this purpose and content was watched online by millions around the world.
Empire is proud to collaborate with Microsoft on this annual, top-tier business communication event.
To view excerpts of Connect(); 2017, please visit https://www.microsoft.com/connectevent
