The flip side to the above is the reward you get for transforming a blank canvas into an evening of magic for hundreds of guests.
Know Your Challenges
The most important part of planning an outside event is multiple site visits. At these visits, the key players tend to be, the client, event planner, tent vendor, power provider, décor, lighting and the audio vendors. As the lighting provider, the three vendors that we work most closely with are the tent, decor and power distribution vendors. The placement of the tent on the property really sets the whole tone for the event production team. I’ve done many events where you meet in the winter to plan for a summer event. Trust me when I tell you, things will definitely change. “Damn! I don’t remember that huge overgrown area of saw grass where we were going to put a Genie Supertower lift.”
Once I did an event in the middle of a cow pasture. Thankfully, there were no cows attending. When we met in March for a July event, the grass was about two feet tall and there was some snow still on the ground. I noticed right away that the site was very muddy. So my initial thought was, “I have to drive a truck on this?” I, of course, expressed my concerns to our client about the potential foreseen disaster. Fast-forward a few months ahead. The day of load-in came, and the field was a swamp. They had cut the two-foot tall grass down to maybe an inch and, of course, it had rained all week. Right before the start of the event, a huge thunderstorm came rolling in, creating lake-size puddles. Needless to say, cars, catering trucks and production vehicles got stuck in the mud and needed a tow. Even the tow truck got stuck! The only advice I can give is, be prepared for anything. Trying to push heavy road cases over crushed seashells is second only to sand itself. So bring lots of plywood.
Designing to Tell a Story
Tent gigs are a great way for a designer to create a complete theatrical atmosphere from zero. Most events have a theme; so creating that theme is the fun! Coming up with a design that represents the client’s concept. The only thing I pretty much have to go by is the tent layout on the property, a building or structure that needs to transition the theme into the tent and the “save the date” invitation artwork and colors. Even though some of the major details are not filled in yet, I still have to provide the client with an initial design for their concept. I need a starting point to see what they like. I’ve actually started to use the MA 3D software to create renderings.
When designing the event, I am able to draw from my theatre roots. Theatre lighting relies heavily on drawing on the audience’s emotions and making them a part of the story being told. With that always in mind, I really take my audience into account. What do I need to do to make them feel like they are part of the story that is being told? For example, lets say, underwater? I like to take the Disney approach. Suck them into the story at the door. This can be simply achieved by a soundtrack playing ocean sounds and using a video projector to animate a water ripple effect onto the tent skin of the registration tent. Even the simplest effect can have a big impact on those in attendance.
Fixture Choices to Achieve your Design
Like all productions, implementing your design relies on the tools you choose. Some events look good with LED or moving light units, others require a more conventional lighting style design. It really depends on your theme. While working at East Coast Lighting & Production Services (ECLPS) for the past ten years, I’ve been afforded a lot of options on what types of fixtures I’ve been able to choose from. The inventory is constantly evolving, allowing me to make the show different each season; especially for the annual events that I design. A big game changer has been the growth of the wireless LED fixture. Recently, ECLPS acquired the Astera Light Drop fixtures. With its small profile and IP65 rating, this neat little fixture can be placed anywhere on the property or in the tent.
This season I’ve also used a lot of Martin Vipers to project patterns onto the tent skin and dinner tables. With the Viper’s great zoom, I’m able to fill a large area with just a few fixtures, not to mention the low trims that a tent restricts you to. Another thing to consider is the weight of your fixture choices. A tent is a very temporary structure where hanging positions are very limited. I’ve done everything from hanging long trusses down the whole length of the tent on multiple points to using old school circus tent pole rings. Due to weight restrictions, the option of a truss with 30 Vipers is not realistic, so you need to be creative. I utilize multiple fixture types. Martin MAC 101’s or Robe 100’s may pin spot the centerpieces. Some Robe 600’s or CycFX 8’s to do a basic tent wash. Even though you may be using these fixtures in a static position and color, you still have many attributes to use. Another bonus of using a fixture like the MAC 101 or Robe 100 is when the table layout changes after you’ve focused on it.
Keeping it Clean
A challenge that every production team faces is cable management. With a tent being a unique venue, your approach needs to be even more focused on keeping it neat. Not only do I need to keep the cables around the tent neat, I also have to keep the cables throughout the whole property neat. I use hedge lines to run cables, keeping them hidden in mulch. I’ve dug trenches to run cables from one end of the property to the other. The best solution is sod. All you have to do is cut, flip it up and fold it back over. I also get to the site while the tent is being built to run cables outside of the tent to the top and then down the center pole, allowing me to keep the cable runs to the trusses or rings clean.
Reward
After each event, I follow up with the client to gauge the reaction from the guests. When I get feedback that compliments the whole production and not just the lighting, I know that the job was done right. This means that the theme was executed properly and the guests felt immersed in the story being told. I honestly love working tent gigs. I get to work outside, create on a blank canvas and help tell a story to a captive audience.
Nate is an accomplished LD and production designer from New England. He can usually be found designing shows at East Coast Lighting & Production Services in Providence, RI, or under a tent in Newport somewhere.
