AVI-SPL Creates Cityscape on Theater Stage

Integration pro AVI-SPL transforms the Grand Pavillion Theater at a Florida resort with projection mapping and innovative lighting effects.

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The Grand Pavillion Theater at the Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel, Florida is a formal, intimate space that is, on any other day, arranged as a classic function room.

Earlier this month, AVI-SPL took over the venue as 500 attendees, including the Tampa, Fl-based integration company and partners, convened at Saddlebrook for their annual Global Sales Meeting.

In a matter of hours the space took on an entirely different feel.

CI got a sneak peek of the Grand Pavillion Theater and a demo of the mapping effects of the show, which was presented on April 2nd and only open to AVI-SPL and partners.

The theme of this year’s meeting was “In the House,” suggesting that AVI-SPL has all the utilities, knowledge, and expert integrators in house, ready to meet the needs of any project. The show, like the theme of the week-long meeting, had a youthful, urban feel; the slogan was designed with graffiti-like lettering. Coming in from the sunny outdoors, the large venue room seemed dark at first, but within a few seconds the room illuminated with vibrant purple lighting effects.

There was a sort of cityscape projected onto the stage, echoing the urban feel of the “In the House” theme, with several different backdrops.

“We’ve put together an incredible AV system, entirely manned and operated by our live events team,” explained Don Mastro, Executive Vice President of Sales at AVI-SPL, as the team began to demo the opening of the show.

Two 9×16 Stumpfl fast fold screens lined the stage, and Digital Projection‘s TITAN 20K projectors created the cityscape mapping surface from the back of the room. All the content ran through a Catalyst media server. Three more Panasonic 8700 10K DLP projectors were controlled by a Grand MA console, which handled all the mapping. A second Grand MA console handled all the lighting effects in the room.

AVI-SPL used a Yamaha digital audio console for the PA system, and a JBL VRX Line Array system for the main audio.

Backstage was no less impressive. There were three Analog Way switchers running through the orchestra control and a DT Labs Playback Pro system. All the content for the show was running off of two MacBook Pros.

The live events team backstage consisted of a producer, project manager, audio head, technical director, video assist managing playback and records, graphics operator managing the presentations, lighting director, and media server operator doing all the background mapping—all AVI-SPL team members.

Don’t miss the photos of the theater and backstage at the show!

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