bb Blanc (www.bbblanc.com), a premier provider of audiovisual and entertainment experiences, is thrilled with the outpouring of support shown at Ovarian Cancer Canada’s recent LOVE HER Toronto event, which was held at CBC Studio 40 on February 25. The event—which had over 500 guests—included a fashion show, live musical performance by Chris Hadfield, and a live auction.
Show producer e=mc2 events tasked bb Blanc with providing technical audiovisual services during the event. This included building the main presentation stage and fashion show runway, which was covered with white carpeting; providing all of the conventional and coloured decor lighting for the stage and runway, which was a combination of LED up lights and LED moving lights; and erecting the 15-by-24-foot borderless screen with a 20,000-lumen projector, which was used to display sponsor logos, presentation slides and highlighting camera shots. They were also responsible for the “LOVE HER” gobos, which were placed in moving light fixtures and large displays on the stage drapes.
"It was a great space to work with," recalls Mike Agard from bb Blanc, who was account manager on the event. "It was a very open space which is always great for designing and executing productions. The sheer height of Studio 40 allowed for us to use a 30-foot white velour drape backdrop. We were able to combine that with coloured lighting to highlight and craft different moods as needed."
Aside from the main presentation area, bb Blanc also provided lighting and visual displays for the "Lady Balls Lounge," the slightly tongue-in-cheek area where most guests mingled before and after the primary event. Among those present were headliner retired astronaut Chris Hatfield (performing two original songs), emcee Jessica Holmes, Nick Kypereos of Sportsnet, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet and Hockey Night in Canada, and comedian Rick Mercer. Among the ovarian cancer survivors present were model Elly Mayday and 16-year-old Calysta Bevier, who performed the song "Fight Song," much as she had during her awareness tour across the United States.
“We worked in conjunction with the CBC staff to rig and suspend our equipment from the Studio’s fly lines and lighting battens,” Agard concludes. “It was a big success all around. Although the exact amount of money raised is still being determined, awareness was raised and people had a great time for a great cause."
bb Blanc is a full service, live event company that prides itself on "creating event magic" by crafting specialty programming for a wide variety of public and private events, celebrations, wedding receptions, soirees, corporate meetings/conferences, product launches, awards and gala events, charity events and fundraisers, and more. For more information on bb Blanc and the unique additions it can bring to gatherings, consult its web site at www.bbblanc.com.
