5 Reasons Why 4K Recording is a Good Investment

4K video has been on the public radar for some years now, and is increasing in popularity as viewing technology catches up with recording technology. 4K screens are everywhere nowadays, and if you’re planning a recorded event or conference, you’ll want to make sure that your video recordings are up to snuff!

(For more info on the benefits of recording your events, check out a couple of our past blog posts: Why You Should Record Your Next Conference // 5 Ways to Use Event Video as a Marketing Strategy)

Here are five reasons why 4K recording is a good investment for your event:

It may sound straightforward to say that 4K footage is going to look better than your standard 1080p footage. But what some may not realize is that 4K footage looks better & crisper even when shrunk down to a smaller display size. Filming in 4K will give you the highest quality visual on all screens, from 4K televisions to smartphones streaming in standard definition.

With higher resolution recordings, it’s possible to zoom in on the footage, cut to close-ups of speakers, and make other perspective shifts more easily. This results in a more dynamic finished video, without having to have two cameras stationed at the same angle during your event. (And fewer cameras equals money saved!) 

YouTube has the capability to host 4K video, which means that sharing your 4K content online is not only possible, but simple to do! Show off your high quality footage to promote future events, or even release snippets of an educational talk to add value to your social media presence! (For more ideas on using event video in your marketing strategy, click here: 5 Ways To Use Event Video as a Marketing Strategy)

Miss getting a shot of that one engaging speaker? With 4K footage, the resolution is high enough that you’re likely to be able to pull frames from the video, and export them as images!

As technology continues to improve and displays get more & more sophisticated, 4K video content will have more longevity. It will appear current & crisp on any display in the present, and will continue represent your organization well long after the recording has been taken. (Imagine watching standard 1080p footage on an 8K screen in five years - not so pretty!)

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Thanks to our partnership with BlackMagic Design, we have access to their full line of 4K equipment, allowing us to produce the highest quality video for our clients. If you’re planning a recorded event or conference, give us a shout to get the best 4K equipment on your side!

AV Trends in 2019

We’re jumping into the new year headfirst here at the AV Company! We’re always looking for new and exciting ways to help you take your events to the next level, and we’ve been noticing some trends within the industry that might just work for you!

Here are some of the AV & event trends we’re seeing going into this new year!

We’re seeing more and more large events & conferences taking on the energy of live events like concerts & shows - events that are known for getting people excited and engaged. One important element of this is audio! High quality sound systems aren’t what you might think of when you start planning your event, but they can make a huge difference in an attendee’s experience. 

In conferences, we’re also seeing (and making use of) bumper music between speakers, to keep the energy high during what might otherwise be a lull. We’re big fans of this tactic and have been using it for years, so we’re excited to see that it’s becoming more commonplace!

LED walls are being used in unique & engaging layouts, breaking beyond the standard 16:9 rectangle and making the most of the flexibility that modular panels give you. (For more ways you can think outside the box with your LED wall, check out this blog post: Seven Ways to Make the Most of Your LED Wall)

We’re also seeing more interactivity during events, especially using social media. With today’s video capabilities, getting social media posts up on screen is an easy way to bring your audience further into the event & keep them engaged. Two-way interactivity is another recent trend that allows groups in different areas to stay engaged with the same content. This past year, we worked with a recurring client on a large-scale simulcast conference, with events occurring in two locations and using live video & audio to allow the hosts & speakers (and even audience members) to interact in both directions. 

In the world of staging, we’re seeing more and more of a push towards mixing in hard set pieces. Pipe & drape is no longer the standard, and more event marketers & conference planners are choosing to make visually interesting set pieces a priority for their events.

We’re also seeing more staging design that utilizes LED walls as dynamic set pieces. Creative content can allow LED walls to go from acting as a step and repeat, to showing video as part of a presentation, to splashing the event branding across a backdrop - the possibilities are virtually endless. This makes them fantastic additions to a stage set, and gives you the ultimate flexibility in content & aesthetic. 

We hope you’ve identified a few trends that might be useful to you in your 2019 events! Drop us a note if you have questions about any of these methods, or if you’re ready to get started on planning your next event or conference!

Color Theory in Events

Lighting plays a large part in all of our events, and color is one of our favorite tools to use in shaping the ambience of a space. One often hears color theory discussed in terms of graphic design or interior decorating, but it is equally relevant to event design!

Color theory is a term used to describe the collection of rules and guidelines regarding the use of color in art and design. Essentially, because color affects our emotions in predictable and quantifiable ways, color theory aims to help us understand the emotions & perceptions associated with each color. In event design, we can use color to evoke certain emotions in our attendees, so an understanding of color theory is crucial! 

Here are some examples of ways we’ve utilized color theory in the past: 

RED

For S&P’s OPSCON conference a couple of years ago, we used red as the primary color for stage lighting. This was in part because red is one of S&P Global’s primary branding colors, but also because red can often heighten energy levels in the viewer. Red is often associated with excitement, passion, and power, and for a multi-day conference like OPSCON, keeping attendees excited and engaged was crucial!

Common RED connotations: Intensity, determination, excitement, passion, aggression, power

BLUE

For last year’s TEDxCharlottesville, we used a blue background wash as a primary staging element throughout most of the event. TEDxCharlottesvile is an event in which speakers come together to share ideas and to bring awareness to the rich talent, creativity and innovation found here in Charlottesville, Virginia. This year’s branding did not dictate a strict color palette, so we chose blue for our staging as it enhances a sense of intelligence, wisdom, trustworthiness, and creativity.

Common BLUE connotations: Calm, soothing, trust, loyalty, confidence, intelligence, peacefulness, wisdom, creativity

GREEN

For the NACAS C3X Conference - one of our more recent projects this fall - we used green lighting to add ambience to the event space. Again, this is one of NACAS’s branding colors, but it also enhances a sense of intrigue and originality. Green is often associated with invention and renewal, which is in line with the event’s focus on showcasing the most contemporary perspective of how auxiliary services enrich the campus experience, and it is also associated with financial abundance, which appeals to the target attendee who is there to expand upon their professional skills & knowledge.

Common GREEN connotations: Logic, invention, renewal, luck, abundance, wealth, organicism, health

PINK

For Darden’s Principal Donor event in 2014, lighting played a huge part in the overall look & feel of the space. We chose a pink color to splash throughout the tent to provide a playful but soft look. In Western culture, pink is sometimes associated with femininity - but its connotations go far beyond that. It adds warmth & energy to the space, but because it is light in color, it still allows the space to feel light and airy.

Common PINK connotations: Softness, harmony, calm, innocence, optimism, gentleness

PURPLE

We utilized purple lighting for the Virginia Film Festival’s Wrap Party a few years back to enhance the event theme. This event was meant to feel whimsical and mysterious, a mood which was heightened by performances from aerial dancers throughout the event. So, combined with copious amounts of fog & atmosphere, we used purple as our primary lighting color to enhance feelings of imagination, mysticism, and playfulness.

Common PURPLE connotations: Spirituality, courage, opulence, respect, imagination, luxury, magic, dignity, peace, truth

OTHER COLORS & THEIR CONNOTATIONS

Orange: Strength, playfulness, enthusiasm, creativity, success, cheerfulness, optimism

Yellow: Energy, intensity, intellectualism, warmth, happiness

Sepia: Nostalgia, comfort, stability

White: Cleanliness, modernity, freshness, youth, simplicity, spaciousness, calm

Color can play a huge role in determining the look and feel of an event space or stage. Harnessing the power of color theory can help you to make more informed decisions when selecting colors to use throughout your event, whether its in lighting, decor, or even event branding.