Recently a major corporate CEO was scheduled to speak in Mumbai, India to an audience of thousands. But with only a day's notice his schedule changed unexpectedly requiring him to remain in Beijing, China. The simple solution was to videotape his keynote address and to get it to India to play at the conference but there were two challenges: First, how to arrange a professionally-produced shoot in China with only a day's notice and second, how to reliably transmit the files from behind the 'Great Wall of China' - China's internet firewall.The client's conference producer turned to Empire's New York office to solve both problems. Empire immediately connected with our Tokyo-based Asia Region headquarters for assistance and within three hours had identified three production teams on the ground in China who were available and qualified to produce the shoot. Overnight the details were arranged to create a small set in a ballroom at the CEO's hotel and to bring in camera crew, audio, teleprompter, backdrop, scenic and lighting. Early that morning the shoot took place and immediately afterward the video was edited onsite at a quickly arranged edit suite with graphics and audio mixing added and the final product approved by the client's communications staff.The next challenge was to get the HD video file to India in time to test it and play it that evening in Mumbai. A courier with a copy of the video left the shoot immediately to the airport as a backup while the Empire video team immediately began uploading the file via VPN to multiple servers on proprietary corporate networks not subject to Chinese firewall restrictions.Minutes later the client team in Mumbai was able to successfully access the file and confirm successful playback at the conference. The client was thrilled that the Empire team had been able to solve the problem and the best part of it all, the entire project only cost a few thousand dollars.Empire's growing global presence, network of affiliates in countries worldwide, experience producing projects in 65 countries and instant response make us an ideal resource for all types of event, communications and marketing projects worldwide.

The Webby Awards, honoring excellence online, is famed for allowing winners just five words to deliver their acceptance speech. After a fantastic opening monologue, host Patton Oswalt explained that much can be accomplished in just 5 words, and he referenced "One small step for man" during the 16th Annual Webby Awards at The Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on May 21, 2012. The unique rule has led to some uproarious and poignant moments over the years, and 2012 was no exception.

Receiving a Lifetime Achievement Awards for his work online, Mayor Michael Bloomberg used his five words as an ode to New York, stating “Make it here, then anywhere”. Holocaust survivor Tibor Sands accepted the Cultural Institution Webby for the “Remember Me Project” on behalf of Blue State Digital. The octognerian took the stage to a standing ovation from the crowd, held his trophy proudly and told the viewers “Thanks for remembering me”.The quirkiest acceptance of the evening came from singer/actress Bjork, who was honored as Artist of the Year, and accepted by saying “A…E….I….O….U!”.Comedian Louis C.K., accepting his Person of the Year Award was not to be outdone, telling the audience, “When I die…….bye-bye”. Spectacular live concert performances by Passion Pit and The Key of Awesome, as well as appearances by Spike Lee and New York Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin brought tremendous energy to the room, but for the first time, the highlight of the Webby Awards may well have been a video.Justin Long and John Hodgman (of “I’m a Mac. I’m a PC” fame) introduced two-time Oscar Winner Richard Dreyfuss to the stage, where he explained that Steve Jobs had personally chosen him to do the voiceover work for the first-ever Apple commercial. After some words of high-praise for the Apple co-founder, Mr. Dreyfuss then introduced a video tribute to Steve Jobs, conceived by Empire producer Adam Kahan and shot almost entirely in iPhones, which included some of the greatest luminaries on the planet delivering just five words each about the late technology titan. President Clinton kicked off the video by saying “We thank you Steve Jobs”, and was followed by George Lucas (“For Making Technology into art”), Bono (“For saving lives with (RED)”), Buzz Aldrin (“For exploring beyond our reach”), Jimmy Fallon (“he made turtlenecks sexy again”), and even President Obama (“thank you for thinking different”). 2012 marked the eighth consecutive year that Empire has produced The Webby Awards. Incredible new partners this time around including Creative Directors Andrew Fried and Thomas Kail, scenic designer David Korins Design, Director Gary Natoli, and many more. Major League Baseball Advanced Media once again did an outstanding job handling the livestream of the event.

Empire is proud to serve as producer for the most innovative industry's most innovative recognition event.

Conservation International, one of the largest conservation organizations in the World, returned to New York City recently to host its annual New York Gala at the iconic Pierre Hotel. This year’s gathering of over 300 guests would celebrate Conservation International’s 25th anniversary and honor long-time Conservation International board member, Henry Arnhold. Empire worked closely with this client to create a memorable event highlighting the growth and accomplishments in the fight for conservation and sustainability for future generations.After an elegant cocktail reception in the Cotillion Room, guests were invited to dinner in the Grand Ballroom where Empire transformed the space into a lush forest. Woodland sounds filled the air as guests were seated immersed in nature. Beautiful and sustainable floral centerpieces made of live bonsai palm trees, succulents atop moss-adorned tables contributed to the earthy theme of the evening. As the program began, a warm amber glow throughout the room highlighting overgrown palm trees faded and the focus turned to the stage where an impressive wall created entirely of live moss and orchids set stood as the backdrop for the program.The stage program included tributes to Henry Arnhold (known to the family, friends and colleagues as “Uncle Henry”) for his generosity and efforts in conservation. Guest speakers including Chairman and Co-Founder of Evercore Partners, Roger Altman; President of the Council on Foreign Relations, Richard Haass and former World Bank President, James Wolfensohn who all commended “Uncle Henry” for his involvement in sustainability and his lifetime of humanitarian workMarrying Henry Arnhold’s support of the arts and the mission to ensure a sustainable future for generations to come, dinner host committee member, Jodi Arnhold invited students from the School of Dance of the world-renowned dance company, Ballet Hispanico to the stage to perform two vibrant dance numbers. The dancers’ lively flamenco and a whimsical ballet set a festive tone to the evening and reminded guests that all the efforts of Conservation International is integral to the vitality of the community. Conservation International Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO, Peter Seligman awarded “Uncle Henry” the Global Conservation Hero Award and unveiled the founding of the Institute for Environmental Sustainability and Peace at Conservation International. Seligman then took to the stage to highlight Conservation International’s accomplishments of the past 25 years including creating strategic partnerships with major corporations like the Gap, Wal-Mart and Starbucks to value forest eco-systems for forest-friendly methods that preserve and grow the environment.Board Member, Heidi Miller, concluded the evening’s program by inviting guests to continue the fight for a more conscious and sustainable world by donating to the Conservation International cause. The evening raised over $1 million.Guests continued the celebration mingling and enjoying a lovely dessert reception in the Garden Foyer.Empire and Conservation International were able to deliver a beautiful evening for gala attendees driving home the CI mission and recognizing achievement in the fight for a brighter future.

On May 24, 2012 Empire Entertainment was proud to serve CoreMedia Systems as producer of their high-profile charity concert and auction to celebrate their 20th Anniversary. Sponsor donations went to the Good Tidings Foundation, a children's charity that looks to equally support arts, education, athletics and dreams for youth from communities of need in the San Francisco Bay Area. The event took place at the historic Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City and featured performances and collaborations by The Knocks, platinum recording artist O.A.R. and the Boys and Girls Choir of Harlem. The rock-concert-like energy was paired with cocktail hour as more than 1,000 sponsors and guests from the direct response media industry gathered to support Core’s lasting commitment to giving back.The host of the event, CoreMedia Systems, Inc., develops and supports CoreDirect, the industry’s most widely used direct-response media management software. The system is used by more than 100 direct response agencies and marketers to plan, buy, manage, measure and optimize direct response media campaigns. Glenn DeKraker, the company’s founder and CEO, proudly stated, “Thanks to our supportive clients, we’ve been able to celebrate other milestones in our company history by helping charities like Keep a Child Alive, Shine on Sierra Leone and Bono’s Project Red. For our 20th anniversary, I can’t think of a more deserving recipient from the direct response advertising community than the Good Tidings Foundation.”Empire Entertainment transformed the century-old former opera house into a sleek, modern lounge. Both the exclusive VIP-Sponsor lounge and the main floor were furnished with stylized white settees and end tables lit from the interior. While guests mingled to the music of DJ duo The Knocks, the crowd savored Pinch’s notable hor d’ouevres, which floated above the audience suspended from balloons or dangled from racks of hooks carried between servers. Guests participated in a silent auction, sporting Yankees ace, CC Sabathia signed Jersey, a volleyball signed by two-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh, “The Boat House” painting by famed artist LeRoy Neiman, NY Yankees Scout Seats and a Gibson Guitar signed by Allman Brothers’ Warren Haynes.The American rock band and Platinum recording artist O.A.R. took to the stage to the tumultuous excitement of the young, roaring crowd who eagerly mouthed along the words to a mixture of the band’s well-known classics, such as “City on Down,” “King,” “Takin on the World,“ and “Poker.” The band even performed a cover of U2’s classic “Sunday Bloody Sunday” before inviting the Boys and Girls Choir of Harlem on stage with them for the group’s evocative, soulful sound on “War Song,” and “Heaven.” Finally, guests hit the floor as The Knocks took back over the turntables and spun a wild after party with everyone on their feet.Empire Entertainment served as overall event producer, coordinated all logistics, catering, décor, talent coordination, technical production, security and onsite management.Empire was proud to partner with CoreMedia Systems to support the Good Tidings Foundation.To learn more and donate to the Good Tidings Foundation, please visit www.goodtidings.org. You can learn more about CoreMedia at www.coremedia-systems.com.

On May 7, 8, and 9, Empire helped world-famous cosmetics and skincare brand, Shiseido celebrate their 140th Anniversary with a 3-day pop up event at OpenHouse Gallery in New York’s fashionable NoLiTa neighborhood.This program was designed to take place in a single headquarters of activity which served as a platform for several separate programs including internal and client events, press events and a consumer-facing marketing day.Working with the client and their communications agency, Kaplow Communications, Empire designed and created a visually-appealing space based on Shiseodo's esthetic and brand guidlines. The design inspired by the Japanese Cherry Blossom tree and featured a museum display with a 140 year timeline wall, vitrine displays of historical artifacts, transformative scenic décor, and computer stations for social media activity, all combining to showcase the hallmarks, history and trend-setting future of the world’s oldest beauty brand.A central theme of the anniversary was based on a Japanese tradition of writing wishes and hanging them around trees in temples. For Shiseido, the 140th anniversary celebrated Wishes of the World represented both visually in the space and digitally. In the entryway of the event Empire created a large Wishing Wall which was adorned with hanging Ema, traditional Japanese wooden plaques. The physical Wishing Wall also framed a digital wishing tree, which displayed wishes posted via Facebook. Guests were given the opportunity to visit the Shiseido 140th Anniversary Facebook page to make a wish and purchase anniversary Shiseido products online. Their wishes appeared on a digital cloud of cherry blossom leaves on the screen within the physical ishing wall.At the center of the main room, a live, blooming Cherry Blossom tree served as the event’s dramatic centerpiece. This impressive and beautiful perennial was surrounded by a graphic timeline and museum display of artifacts, offering guests a detailed look into Shiseido’s rich history, stretching back to the 19th century.The event activity included a breakfast, lunch, dinner and a cocktail reception for members of the press featuring a presentation by creative director, Dick Page and a showcase of Shiseido’s upcoming fall products. At each event guests were treated to Japanese delicacies, traditionally prepared with exquisite detail down to the charcoal-purified drinking water.On the last day of the event, the space opened to the public, becoming a pop up shop for the fashion-forward, NoLiTa shoppers. Empire provided a promotional street team, outfitted in beautiful, Japanese kimonos, to draw the public into the space. Hand massage stations and make-up consultations were offered, as guests relaxed underneath the canopy of cherry blossoms.Empire was proud to work with Shiseido and Kaplow PR to create this one-of-a-kind event for this very special anniversary.Empire is proud to serve some of the world's most established and leading edge brands with innovative press and event marketing activity and branded installations.

Each Year, Conservation International presents an important fundraising event in the San Francisco / Silicon Valley area for its top donors and leaders in the internet and technology industries. To underscore CI’s messages of conservation and environmental protection, the 2012 Gala was held outdoors in a clear tent in the spectacular home of Intel Corporation Founder Gordon Moore.Guests arrived at the home via a shuttle bus trip that took them away from the urban centers of San Francisco and Palo Alto and up into a pristine California Redwood forest.

After a cocktail reception on the beautiful grounds of the estate, guests entered a large, clear tent to the sounds of crickets and the gentle glow of fireflies – installed by Empire’s special effects team. Immediately guests could tell that tonight’s event would be no ordinary fundraiser.Throughout the dinner, guests heard remarks from a collection of extraordinary speakers. Motion picture superstar and longtime Conservation International supporter Harrison Ford delivered welcoming remarks along with those by Gordon Moore and Gap Inc.'s Bob Fisher.Next a far-ranging conversation on conservation and energy ensued featuring former U. S. Secretary of State George P. Shultz and Farallon Capital Management’s Tom Steyer moderated by Sequoia Capital Partner Thomas Stephenson. During the conversation 92 year old Secretary Shultz displayed the latest in solar energy panels to the audience.After dinner, private Wealth Partner’s Ken Siebel spoke and introduced Conservation International’s Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO Peter Seligmann, who delivered a powerful keynote on the state of global environmental crisis and what Conservation International is doing to correct it around the world.

At the end of the dinner New York Times Columnist Thomas Friedman and his wife Ann took the stage to thank the guests and direct everyone to the dessert reception where they remained talking under the stars.The setting for the dinner was spectacular and Empire worked closely with the groundkeepers of the Gordon Moore estate to light the 100’+ redwood trees so that the they would be slowly lit as the sunset turned into nightfall. The event was attended by many of Silicon Valley’s best-known entrepreneurs and business leaders including Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom.

To learn more about Conservation International visit http://www.conservation.org/

Viacom’s US Hispanic network, Tr3s: MTV, Música y Más joins forces with Empire Entertainment to deliver their annual Upfront event at the Highline Ballroom in NYC. Starting with the creative concept of a Latin street party, Empire sought to transform the venue into an embodiment of the brand’s bilingual and bicultural flavor. With existing VIP areas revamped into custom-built “taco and dulce storefronts set up along its perimeter, the Highline Ballroom in New York City was transformed into the barrio for Tr3s’ preview of the upcoming television season.” from Latin Recap Online. Through a mix of creative, technical, scenic and décor production, Empire completed the transformation of the Highline Ballroom into the look and feel of an outdoor street festival or block party. Channeling the festive spirit of a Latin street fair, this block party was universally styled, resembling a street that could be found in the Bronx, LA or Mexico City.The ceiling was draped with bistro lights, while food was served from stylized areas including a mock taco stand branded after Tr3s’ own Ricardo Laguna (from “The Ricardo Laguna Project”) and a Dulce storefront representing the network’s hit franchise: The Quieros (in particular, Quiero Mis Quinces and Quiero Mi Boda). Also installed in the room was a Colombian party bus from which DJ Mauricio Parra spun, enticing guests to climb on board and dance the night away. Colorful uplights and authentic décor accents completed the aesthetic, giving guests a transporting experience in a well-known venue. The presentation kicked off with comedian Erik Rivera taking the stage to warm up the crowd and focus the attention of a lively crowd. After a brief, but hilarious set, Erik introduced an opening video roll, which kept the audience laughing the whole way through. Actor and Executive Producer of one of the network’s new shows, Wilmer Valderrama, then took the stage to intro the high energy 2012 sizzle reel featuring music and imagery that embodied the spirit of the brand and built up the room’s energy.For the introduction of Tr3s’ General Manager & EVP, Jose Tillan, a live bike stunt by network star Ricardo Laguna was staged, simulating Mr. Tillan’s BMX skills. The presentation by Tillan kept the audience’s attention and moved along at a pace of interest that surprised guests when it quickly became time to for the live performance of the evening. The crowd roared as international super star, and Grammy & Latin Grammy award winner Juanes took the stage, ending the presentation and setting the upbeat, dance floor mood for the rest of the night. After Juanes finished his set, where one lucky guest was given a Juanes-autographed guitar, the DJ was back on the turntables and took the party into the night. Guests enjoyed tacos, nachos, ceviche, Cuban sandwiches and custom cocktails, all representative of the variety of flavors to be found at a street festival. From conception to execution our client’s objective and Upfront vision was achieved in every aspect of a seamless event. Strong partnerships with the Highline Ballroom and others led to precise implementation of the event. Empire is a full-service, creative production company that produces first class events for first class clients.

Empire Entertainment once again had the pleasure of producing the 5th annual Internet Week New York festival, which featured hundreds of events around New York City between May 14 to 17, 2012. This year, the unique event, which celebrates NYC’s thriving Internet industry and community, was headquartered at Soho’s 55,000 square-foot event space, 82 Mercer.Festival co-founder David-Michel Davies aptly described the continuing need for such an event by saying, that, these days, it is the Internet instead of television that is at the forefront driving pop-culture today. Indeed, Mayor Bloomberg further corroborated this stating at his on-site press conference, “New York City is the place to be if you’re a growing tech start up,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “Our tech companies are looking for talent, and we want to make sure that everyone – no matter where they live today – knows about these jobs and is able to apply for them.”Having grown-out of its previous home at the Metropolitan Pavilion, the 4,000 guests milled about the enjoying presentations ranging from Buddy Media's "How to Master Social Advertising," Flavorpill's "Sifting for Culture on the Internet," to Yahoo's "Big Data, Big Solutions," and mingling with online-celebs including David Karp, founder and C.E.O. of Tumblr, David Carr, columnist for The New York Times, Mitchell Baker, Mozilla Foundation chairman. With more than 2,500 visitors each day and 500 companies represented, the space was strategically organized to create more intimate spaces for these exchanges, including three stages and various lounges furnished by official design partner Design Within Reach. The second floor transformed into a hub of innovators sharing and exploring ideas with each other in over 100 formal presentations and discussions.Highlights of the week included:· The opening day party at Internet Week HQ followed by the after-party at Tribeca Grand, featuring Performances by DJ Michna, MDNR, and Wild Belle· Keynote presentation by former Oakland Athletics General Manager, Billy Beane.· Recreating Startup City, the New York City way. Startup City was once hailed as the home of Silicon Alley during the initial tech boom of the early 00's and is now in the midst of an even more exciting wave of technological innovation and entrepreneurship. For this reason, Internet Week NY felt compelled to create our own mini-version of this amazing renaissance in Startup City, a curated and creatively designed footprint within the IWNY Headquarters where 12 up-and-coming startups showed the thousands of attendees their offerings.· Pete Cashmore, C.E.O of Mashable sitting down for a fireside chat with Mr. Davies as he reminisced about starting the largest independent website dedicated to news, information and resources for the connected generation at age 19 back in Scotland in 2005 out of his bedroom while Mr. Cashmore ruminated on the swiftly blurring lines between consumer and producer as users begin to activately creating, customizing and publishing content, not just passively consuming ready made products. Furthermore, Mr. Cashmore explored the notion of social media as a personal filter tool to help us make sense of the world around us while making it more personal and relevant.The festival once again expanded to a theatre space to accommodate longer presentations and conferences. Taking place on the ground floor of 82 Mercer, MediaPost held two day-long conferences, OMMA Mobile and OMMA Social. APPNATION hosted their conference & demo on all things mobile apps and Mozilla wrapped up the week with “Opting in to do not Track”, exploring new technologies that allow customers to opt out of third-party web tracking.Empire oversaw the 5th Annual Internet Week New York festival headquarters from conception to completion, coordinating registration for the thousands of guests, stage management and producing all of the presentations in the theater and on both HQ stages, and managing the event sponsors from the design process for their footprints in the space and all of their needs from load-in to load-out.

Cable's leader in reality programming, Bravo, held its annual upfront party, celebrating another successful year of growth in viewership as well as new initiatives into the digital marketplace. The party was held at the multi-level Center 548 in the Chelsea art district, where guests arrived on the iconic Bravo blue carpet and were greeted by a fleet of registration staff.

Guests were escorted inside the venue’s massive 300 square foot industrial freight elevator, dressed with blue carpet and bathed in light from the custom chandelier, comprised of linked neon tubes in Bravo’s passion colors. As the elevator began its ascent, the walls came to life with columns of LED lights while Bravo's on-air announcer Rick Gomez introduced guests to the night’s party theme: Powered by Bravo. The first visual element as the elevator doors opened was a 12' high array of light strips, crawling up to a warmly glowing canopy of light bulbs dropping at varying heights. Screens of steel conduit brimming with LED lights ran from floor to ceiling, piping in Bravo's passion colors throughout the space. The pipe motif continued to the stunning 20-ft custom bar, constructed entirely of horizontal runs of gold conduit pipes of various lengths. Caterer Creative Edge Parties collaborated with Roblé to execute the menu and provide staffing. Sleek lounge areas were designed for Bravo’s passion colors for Food, Fashion, Beauty, Design & Pop, and featured white tufted ottomans over round custom printed area rugs and topped with matching printed throw pillows and custom drop chandeliers.

To highlight their newest Passion Point, Digital, a digital mosaic was fabricated out of iPads, iPhones, Macbooks, and flat screen TVs, each showcasing the multitude of apps, games and websites Bravo is launching in the digital marketplace. A sculpture of 16 clustered talk bubbles emerged from a wall, serving as the stage backdrop and a focal point in the room. While simply up lit during cocktails, the talk bubbles came to life with a spectacular 3D video animation show to kick off executive remarks. Guests were then invited to head downstairs for a live taping of Bravo's hit late-night talk show, Watch What Happens Live! Seated cabaret-style alongside "Bravolebrities", guests were treated to an hour-long “All-Star Party” show -- all ringmastered by the ever-entertaining Andy Cohen. After this one-of-a-kind show, guests headed back upstairs where the room had been transformed for the after party. Gaming areas were revealed, treating guests to a variety of activities from skeeball and ping-pong, to a giant set of Connect Four. The talk bubble sculpture came to life again with a series of custom animations timed to the beats spun by DJ Mick Boogie which kept guests dancing.

Empire Entertainment worked closely with Bravo’s Trade Marketing, Creative and Press teams and served as overall event producer and designer for the program. Empire’s responsibilities included overall design and management, coordinating custom scenic, decor, audio/visual, catering, activities, venue, red carpet, talent travel logistics, graphic design, printing, permits and security.

Each year TIME publishes the TIME 100, a list of the 100 most influential people in the world. To celebrate the TIME 100 issue, TIME hosts an exclusive gala event in New York City attended by current and former TIME 100 honorees, celebrities, and leaders. The TIME 100 gala is one of the highest profile media events and once again, Empire was thrilled to serve as event producer. This year's TIME 100 Gala took place on April 24, 2012 at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center. TIME Managing Editor Rick Stengel and TIME Vice President and Worldwide Publisher Kim Kelleher hosted the event. The TIME 100 consisted of multiple red carpets, a cocktail reception, a seated dinner and a stage program that combined musical and comedic performances with speeches. Sponsors included The Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card from Chase, Korean Air and Chivas Regal 25 Year Old Original.Performers at the 2012 TIME 100 Gala included Rihanna, Stephen Colbert and Raphael Saadiq. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave the keynote address. Timothy Cardinal Dolan; Barbara Van Dahlen, Founder of Give an Hour; Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, President of the University of Maryland; and others made remarks.

The event was also attended by a who’s who of business, culture, sports, philanthropy, politics and science. Some of this year’s celebrated attendees included Kristin Wiig, Jeremy Lin, Chelsea Handler, Louis C. K, Matt Lauer, Aziz Ansari, Tilda Swinton, Claire Danes, Amy Poehler, Seth Meyers, Tyra Banks, Harvey Weinstein, Pete Cashmore, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Jose Andres, Ann Patchett, Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller, Rene Redzepi and many more.

For this event, all of the evening's production components require seamless execution and Empire was proud to once again work closely with the TIME team led by Ali Zelenko,Vice President, Communications, Time Inc. News Group; Carrie Dolen, Executive Director of Marketing Services, TIME; and Kristen Leoce, Events Director, TIME. Empire’s responsibilities ranged from securing the performing talent, coordinating with the venue and catering (provided by Great Performances), design & décor of all spaces, branding and sponsor fulfillment, step & repeat, staging, sound, lighting, video projection, video documentation, media feed, talent and presenter coordination, stage management, staffing and security.For more visit TIME.com for a brief summary of the 2012 TIME 100: http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/04/24/time-100-rihanna-clinton/

Empire Entertainment is one of the world’s leading producer of high profile events and is proud to again have been chosen to produce this remarkable program for TIME.