If you’re wondering what the immediate future holds for the event industry, look no further than Fast Forward’s recent Graduation 21 event.  Scheduled to take place on the 26^th of May 2021, in the no man’s land between the UK’s third lockdown and an eagerly anticipated Freedom Day, the event typified how in-person and online events are likely to converge over the coming months.  It also highlighted the importance of having both a versatile venue and a dynamic technical solution for events going forward.

Hosted at Tobacco Dock London from a hybrid event stage provided by Anna Valley, the FF15 graduation event combined a guestlist of both in-person and virtual attendees and contributors.  While the 50+ real-life attendees networked at an appropriate distance and enjoyed an afternoon tea, a live video feed from the Dock Gallery was shared with online guests. Remote speakers also contributed virtually via video links that were displayed on the 21-square meter LED video wall that formed the backdrop to the event stage.

Anna Valley’s hybrid event stage was installed at Tobacco Dock in July 2020 and has since been used to host virtual and hybrid events ranging from cinema viewings to conferences and sport events.  The installation provides a basic solution for a range of applications which can be extended and enhanced to suit individual events.

Anna Valley is Tobacco Dock’s preferred audio-visual service partner, so the team is on site and on hand to support in person, virtual and hybrid events at the venue.    Production teams and event agencies have trusted Anna Valley to provide new ways to engage and inspire their audiences, all over the world, for thirty years.  They’re a company of audio-visual experts, dedicated to pushing the boundaries of technical innovation and supported by a vast inventory of the latest technology.  They’re also broadcast professionals, creating the dynamic backdrops to the most popular television variety and news programmes and delivering immersive environments and innovative filming techniques for feature films and commercial productions.  This unique combination of expertise is invaluable in the new virtual event market, where the lines between live events and broadcasting are blurred and experiences are 100% reliant on technology.

Fay Sharpe, Fast Forward15 founder commented, “I had the pleasure of working with Anna Valley’s AV and production team on the recent FF15 graduation event. I have to say they made the experience seamless, their team were on it before during and after .. I want to thank them for making the whole day a huge success and would totally recommend them and the Tobacco Dock combo as a recipe for a 5-star event.”

Anna Valley’s director of business development, Dan Orchard added, “It’s been heart-breaking to see the effect the pandemic has had on the industry that we love over the past 14 months. Although, like many others, we’ve been working on some fantastic virtual projects which have forced us to push technology even further, to be able to help an initiative like Fast Forward 15 at an iconic venue with a live audience, at what feels like a turning point in the re-emergence of live events, has been a real privilege.”

Visit www.annavalley.co.uk to find out more.