Corporate Event Entertainment - Film Premiere

Photo by Gustavo Fernandez

We had the pleasure of working with Benefit Cosmetics (acquired by leading luxury brand LVMH) to produce the premiere of their original film “Glamouriety”. With only a little bit of time, a TON of ideas, and a lot of hard work, our team was able to pull it off: a night of over-the-top glamour and fun. Glam was certainly the word of the month for us leading up to the big day. Red carpet isn’t quite glam enough – make it pink! (We had a custom pink carpet made to match the PMS colors of Benefit's special tone.) Those centerpieces are pretty but they need some bling—glam it up (a HUGE thank you to Blueprint Studios for doing just that!)! We need some gals to check coats but maybe we could have them look like 1920’spinups?

GLAM!

Wham bam glam, we took off running working with the perfectly powdered and glossed benefit power-women. Their creativity is boundless, and their tireless dedication to fabulous is inspirational. The point wasn’t just to create something pretty, it was to create a “once in a lifetime” feeling. What’s more, it had to be a roadmap of sorts. This event would shape the design and production of the international premiers to follow. We had to design a lighting scheme that would transform the iconic black and red-hued Bimbo’s 365 Club into a Benefit-wonder-land: pink everything!

Our lighting team, Entire Productions AV, was amazing, washing the façade in dramatic hues, shining star gobos across all the walls, and splashing the Glamouriety logo across the pink carpet for a dramatic entrance.

Aside from the clear goal of premiering the film with crystal clear audio and picture, we aimed to have champagne in hand, smiles on faces, and feet on the dance floor. Careful planning and timing was everything.

Mission accomplished.

Benefit is a unique brand, it’s luxury with a quirky twist. We can jive with that. As guests arrived in white limousines, they were greeted by a solo sax player playing outside of Bimbo’s on the pink carpet, gorgeous showgirls offering makeup touchups, and gallant men in tuxes directing the Benefit staff and VIPs to their seats. We parked a vintage Rolls Royce Silver Cloud out front, later joined by a striking vintage Bentley. Adding to the drama was the VIP trailer parked out front. Pink-hued and "benefitted" with decals depicting art from the film, the two stars of the evening got dressed and relaxed in style before their big debut. Original film costumes were flown up from LA, and we had character actors from the movie interacting with the crowd.

Fabulous food from Melons Catering piqued guests’ appetite after the film, and Kelly Park Jazz Quartet played the film’s theme song live. We had over 30 different entertainers throughout the evening, ranging from DJ Matteo spinning as dancers in tuxedos did back-flips across the dance floor, to vintage paparazzi cracking jokes with the guests. All I can say is we were thanking our lucky stars for clear-com headsets, nice weather, and amazing talent.

By the end of the night, with the last guest safely tucked in a town car, we looked at the glorious mess we had on our hands: empty champagne flutes, pink ostrich feathers strewn on the floor, TONS of lighting to strike, custom-made lipstick stanchions that needed to be repacked in their crates (crates that were delivered and subsequently torn open by frantic Entire Productions staff minutes before first guest arrival). Relieved to slip into flats and that my sense of humor was intact, I donned the feathered and jeweled headdress worn by the Bimbo’s Mermaid at the step and repeat, rolled up my sleeves, and we cleared the space. It was a long, fabulous, exhausting night. And we’d do it all over again! Thank you to Benefit Cosmetics for trusting us with your vision and letting us be a part of your special night. We certainly created memories and made friends that will last us long after I finally get the Glamouriety theme song out of my head.