CT helps bring in the
Wow factor to E3
When the last attendee of Electronic Entertainment
Expo 2009 (E3) left the Los Angeles Convention
Center, Creative Technology were able to take a
deep breath and enjoy the feeling of success. After
all, the company’s video and audio pros from offices
around the globe had spent the previous ten days
creating, programming and building some of the
dynamic and captivating press events and booths
for Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, MTV, Capcom and
Square Enix.
E3 has been the one-stop wow-shop for gamers,
programmers, manufacturers and journalists since 1995. The
Expo is where some of the most noteworthy gaming industry
innovations have been announced, from Sony’s PlayStation 3 to
Nintendo’s Wii, and some of the most popular games on the
planet have been introduced. Indeed, E3 could be considered
the launching pad for careers of thousands of designers,
programmers and engineers from around the world.
The heart of any E3 Expo is on the conference centre floor,
where the promise of a unique and enthralling experience
entices the masses into booths showcasing the next generation
of gaming. E3 2009 boasted 216 exhibitors trying to capture the
attention of more than 41,000 attendees from 78 countries.
CT has a long history at the E3 Expo, yet this year’s event
boasted one of the company’s largest presences with teams
from CT Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and London on
hand. “We provided the bulk of the technology used in many of
the big, impressive booths,” remarked John Van Diver, CT Los
Angeles Business Development Manager, “Because we own
the gear and keep it in top operating condition, we are able to
help our clients deliver one of a kind, flawless presentations.
Our clients don’t want to be experiments. They want to know
what’s going to happen and that we can get it done.”
While each of the booths on the convention floor where CT pros
and gear were present proved that point, perhaps it was
nowhere as obvious as the press events thrown this year. “Sony
press events tend to be a little more involved, because people
expect it and because the company is such a huge brand,” says
CT San Francisco Project Manager Gerry Platt. “They have to
have the biggest, baddest trade show booth and the ultimate
press event that’s over and above what anybody else had the
creative resources to do.”
This year’s Sony press event was held at the historic Shrine
Auditorium in Los Angeles and boasted a stunning stage
backdrop that included a 34’X70’ centre screen bracketed by 34’
tall outer towers that were curved so that the image felt as if it
was flowing over the audience and bowed out at the bottom.
“Our biggest challenge, given the complex surface, was creating
a seamless image,” Platt said. To accomplish that on the centre
screen, the CT team utilised a blend of four Barco FLMHD20
projectors placed side-by-side. Barco Encore 3/E HD-SDI
processors were used to smooth the blended area. The outer
towers were covered using two FLMHD18s per side.
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