National Geographic’s long-time partner e2k Events x Entertainment have a long-standing global relationship with Creative Technology and the UK team were very happy to support by providing video solutions to the event this time around.
2023 brought the festival to the Royal Institution of Great Britain, in London, attracting both leading and upcoming explorers ‘back to base camp’ for an experience of knowledge sharing and ‘science telling’.
The Royal Institution was chosen as the perfect venue to host the event – known as ‘the home of science’ and having dedicated itself to connecting people with science for over 200 years. The historic operating theatre style of the venue allowed for a unique viewing platform for all the attendees, creating an intimate and immersive space that brought the audience into the environments and topics in discussion using video. e2k’s set design utilised several projection elements, lending itself to the presenters and the audience, displaying beautiful video content of real-life environments created by 3Monkeys which added an engaging visual dynamic alongside the fascinating presentations.
Although the Royal Institution made for a perfect venue to hold such a prestigious event, it didn’t come without its structural challenges. Being a listed building meant extremely delicate and complex rigging solutions were required to safely and effectively install the technology needed – all of which had to be meticulously planned and executed to ensure no damage was incurred at any stage.
The event was in two parts: first, an ‘Explorer Spotlight’ showcased 15 up-and-coming explorers to present their latest expeditions and findings in a diverse knowledge sharing and educational session. Then, an evening program was chapters focusing on three key topics: oceans, human history, and culture & wildlife. With the wildlife section heavily centred around elephants this also presented a key opportunity to show an exclusive preview of Apple TV’s ‘Secrets of the Elephants’ a night ahead of its official release date.
Jason Greenberg, E2K Vice President for live events commented, “We trust Creative Technology to deliver an impeccable product each and every time, on any project, on whichever continent. When working with discerning, global brands like National Geographic or The Wall Street Journal, e2k needs an A-Team in the trenches by our side. CT did it again in London. The projection mapping was meticulous and the audiences from National Geographic and Disney walked away mesmerized. Moreover, we loved working with the kind, professional and attentive CT crew. Every department was top notch from scenic to lighting to audio, in addition to the robust video and livestream elements.”
