The Future of Backdrops is Now

We recently ran a special event for a large corporate incentive meeting where attendees got a glimpse at a new era of backdrops. Entertaining 250 people, we built a custom stage in Hangar 3 on the deck of the USS Intrepid anchored in midtown Manhattan on the Hudson River and erected a special video screen as a back wall to the stage. As part of the backdrop, we employed an ongoing video presentation that featured the following elements - waving American flags; a video-narrated "story of the Intrepid" while it was in open-water combat; and slide-show images of legendary performers while “cover” talent was entertaining live on stage.

Overall, the use of backdrops at events is undergoing yet another huge change. In just the past two years, backdrops featuring digital prints, custom images on special materials or over-the-top themes that in some cases featured water walls have gradually been replaced with less expensive video and picture imagery that add more wow factor for attendees.

In the current economy, the key for incorporating backdrops is versatility - and that demand is opening the door to exciting new technology that can be used over and over again.

Hurry Up and Wait

Two of NYC’s most crucial transportation hubs – JFK Airport and the Roosevelt Tram, will be undergoing some hefty renovations beginning this month.

At 14,572 feet, JFK’s runway is the second longest commercial landing strip in the country and handles a third of the airport’s traffic, including more than half of its departures. The renovation aims to widen the runway from 150 to 200 feet and will include a new drainage system, new electrical infrastructure, and the addition of delay reduction taxiways.

Another renovation has already begun on the Roosevelt Island’s Tramway. In operation since 1976, the Tram carries residents of Roosevelt Island 250 feet above the Hudson River to Manhattan. The complete overhaul will increase efficiency as well as allowing each train to operate independently of each other.

Let’s hope that they finish construction faster than the long anticipated 2nd Avenue subway line (new completion date – 2017).