Reel Works Gala and Benefit
On the evening of October 10th, 2012, Reel Works hosted its 3rd Annual Benefit Gala at the Edison Ballroom in Times Square, New York City. Reel Works welcomed over 230 guests including Academy and Emmy award winning screenwriter, producer and playwright, Aaron Sorkin, Academy Award winner Fischer Stevens, Alessandro Nivola, Elizabeth Gilles, and Zoey Deutch.Reel Works is a youth filmmaking program based in New York City that matches students with film and television professionals who serve as mentors.
The gala began in the mezzanine level of the Edison Ballroom where guests were invited to mingle and enjoy elegant cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres while they participated in the extensive silent auction. Items for the auction included Google Nexus 7, Apple iPad, backstage passes for The Daily Show and an Aaron Sorkin autographed poster of HBO’s The Newsroom. Custom movie posters featuring the movies of the six teens that were nominated by their peers for the night’s featured F. John Occult Award decorated the cocktail area.
After cocktails, guests were invited downstairs to a gourmet three-course meal and full award program featuring The Daily Show comedian Al Madrigal as emcee for the evening. Featured remarks included Reel Works founders, John and Stephanie Williams honoring long time Reel Works supporter, Emily Mortimer, with the Inspiring Artist Award. Reel Works alumni welcomed to the stage Actor Jeffery Wright to the stage to accept the award for The Visionary Artist Award. The Reel Works Junior Advisory board awarded the 2012 F. John Outcalt Award to Emily Batista for her movie, My Skin. Nickelodeon star, Avan Jogia invited Kelleigh Dulany, VP of Corporate Responsibility at Viacom Entertainment Group to the stage to accept the Corporate Leadership Award on behalf of Viacom. The evening concluded with a stellar performance by Grammy Nominated artist, Karina Pasian who dedicated her hit, Winner to all of the teen nominees of the evening.As guests left the ballroom a highlights from the evening that the Reel Works students edited together in real time throughout the evening played on the big screen.
Event sponsors included Viacom, HBO, Vivendi, Empire Entertainment, and C2 Media among others. Dave Bernath, Executive VP, Program Strategy and Multiplatform Programming of Comedy Central was the Event Chair of the event.Working closely with the Reel Works’ team, Empire Entertainment served as sponsor and overall producer of the Reel Works Gala 2012. Empire was also responsible for aspects ranging from event design, technical production, layout design and logistics and music.
To learn more about Reel Works or to donate, please visit, ReelWorks.org.
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
