Empire was overjoyed to work with the Catholic Charities of Archdiocese of New York once again to help produce the 75th annual Cardinal’s Christmas Celebration held virtually this holiday season. The evening highlighted their many programs that support underserved women and children over the holidays and throughout each year.

The evening was hosted by Rosanna Scotto, Host, FOX 5 NY News, and featured festive choir performances by Saint Raymond Elementary Junior Choir and Young People's Chorus of New York City; remarks from Catherine Kinney, Luncheon Chair, Cardinal’s Christmas Celebration; Francis La Salla, Corporate Chair, Cardinal’s Christmas Celebration; Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, Executive Director and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York; and His Eminence, Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York; and a heartfelt tribute to the late Mary Higgins Clark, author, philanthropist, and dear friend of Catholic Charities.

Typically, the annual celebration is held as a luncheon chaired by Mary, whose passing this year left many bereft in an already challenging year. Dedicated in Loving Memory, the program included stories about her life and achievements through the lens of her son and daughter, Dave and Patricia Clark. Additional contributions from her granddaughter, Elizabeth Clark, and Former Assistant, Nadine Petry, illustrated Mary’s empathy for the women and children served by Catholic Charities, and the importance of her faith.

Empire wrote, directed, and produced the Mary Higgins Clark tribute video and five other feature videos in addition to producing the overall gala, including the Saint Raymond Elementary Junior Choir performances; the Catholic Charities Youth Programs Montage, narrated by Philip Dorian, Director of Agency Relations, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York; and the Catholic Charities Good Counsel Homes video, narrated by Christopher Bell, President & Founder, Good Counsel Homes, which featured moving testimonies from three current residents; and Jazmine Cherry, Case Manager, Good Counsel Homes.

The St. Nicholas Project video highlighted Catholic Charities’ work providing resources to recipients in need, which included testimonials from Mr. and Mrs. Esquivel and former recipients and volunteers of the Project, before leading into a text-to-pledge appeal by Jason and James Togba, brothers served by Catholic Charities Alianza Youth Services.

To close this beautiful program, His Eminence read The Birth of Christ as is Luncheon tradition. Students from St. John Chrysostom School reenacted the Christmas Tableau in the emotional feature video while wearing face coverings as the Cardinal narrated, reflecting the severe change in social-norms over the course of this year. The Nativity Scene faded into a closing choir performance of Silent Night, and the program ended with a digital donor scroll and tribute pages.

Empire is a proud event producer of galas and benefits, specializing in virtual and socially distanced on location video production, project management, virtual platform design, and more.

Empire was honored to produce the livestream program for the Greenberg Prize to End Blindness, a joint effort by leading scientists and figures from the worlds of business, politics, culture, art, music, and entertainment to rid the world of blindness.

Founded by Sanford and Susan Greenberg, the evening marked the culmination of years of challenging scientific work and celebrated thirteen doctors and researchers for their contributions to permanently and universally eradicate blindness. Their breathtaking advances were spotlighted through a series of powerful videos illustrating their discoveries and innovations as well as their impact both locally and worldwide.

In addition to the Visionary Prize and Outstanding Achievement winners, participants included writer Margaret Atwood; former Vice President of the United States, Al Gore; Founder and Chairman of Tishman Speyer Properties, Jerry I. Speyer; three-term Mayor of New York City, The Honorable Michael Bloomberg; United States Senator, Chris Coons; artist, Frank Stella; Nobel Laureate, Richard Axel; and Grammy Award-winners, Art Garfunkel and Diane Schuur.

The program also featured a moving tribute to late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, with footage of Justice Ginsburg reading from Sanford D. Greenberg's memoir, 'Hello Darkness, My Old Friend' and a recitation of remarks Justice Ginsburg was planning to deliver at the event.

Empire is honored to have teamed with executive producer Sanford Greenberg in creating the overall program, shaping the run-of-show, and writing a moving script, as well as coordinating speakers and talent logistics and managing overall visual design, original video packages, graphics and animations, editing, captioning for all guests, and the technical delivery of the livestream and website.  

For this expansive project, Empire and Sanford Greenberg collaborated with various partners including High10 Media, Pressure Creative, Presidential writer Jake Maccoby, and many others.

Empire is a leading content producer of virtual, broadcast, and livestream productions as well as distinguished awards and recognition programs.

To learn more visit: https://endblindness2020.com

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With the help of Empire, the fourth and final episode of the 2020 Unfinished Live digital series streamed live to an international audience. This final episode focused on the questions of “What is possible now?”, “What does a moral nation do?”, “Who do we want to be?”, “What are you protecting?”, and “What's a question that changed your life?” Writer, artist, and activist Baratunde Thurston again served as host live from Los Angeles.

The audience was invited to contemplate and connect with culture-shapers, impact leaders, change-makers, and artists for a fast-paced hour of live segments, dynamic films, showcased lived experience, creative expression, and real-world candor. Through conversations, exchanges, and roundtable discussions, experts joined everyday voices in a nuanced exploration of possibility and discovery.

Featured speakers for episode four included singer, songwriter, and musician, Bruce Springsteen; Black Futures Lab Principal, Alicia Garza; artist, poet, and chef, Precious Okoyomon; Serpentine Galleries Artistic Director, Hans Ulrich Obrist; playwright, actress , and professor, Anna Deavere Smith; Chairmanand CEO of Unfinished, Frank McCourt; Creative Producer, Director and ED of Sankofa.org, Gina Belafonte; Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer of Unfinished, Alison McCauley; photographer, artist, and education worker, Bayeté Ross Smith; and President of Unfinished Labs, Braxton Woodham.

Unfinished Live has partnered with an unparalleled, impact-driven partner network to create both the series and the impact platform (see below), including The Aspen Institute, The Shed, For Freedoms, Ford Foundation, Imperative 21, Ashoka, Georgetown University, MilM2, McCourt, and PolicyLink.

Empire is proud to serve as producer of this important series, managing the development and production of each episode as well as the overall project.

About Unfinished

Unfinished ​is an impact network and media platform devoted to the simple idea that if we open our minds and create the space for possibilities, we can advance powerful solutions to the most critical challenges of our time. By tapping into the power of communities, creative media, and new technology, we connect thought leaders, culture-shapers, policy-makers, and innovators to provoke ideas, elevate unheard voices, and pursue collaborations for greater impact.

To learn more visit: https://unfinished.com/

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Over the course of three days, Empire Japan (Tokyo) and Empire US (LA) had the opportunity to collaborate with Eurasia Group. Together, they produced the GZERO Summit, an annual event that brings together top global speakers and business leaders. This summit features wide-ranging discussions on the most pressing issues shaping our leaderless GZERO world. For the first time ever, the event was held in a fully remote, online format.

Over 1,500 participants registered for the event to listen to panel and roundtable discussions on a wide range of topics including how COVID-19 has drastically changed the state of the world. Special guests from Japan included Hiroshi Kajiyama, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry; Taro Kono, Minister in Charge of Administrative Reform; and Yasutoshi Nishimura, Minister of State for Economic Revitalization. From abroad, illustrious names such as Eric Schmidt, Former CEO and Executive Chairman, Google; Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Natural Resources, Canada; and Kevin Rudd, 26th Prime Minister of Australia, graced us with their presence during the live event.

Empire teams worked with Eurasia Group to identify and customize the event platform, manage registration, FAQ and Zen desk, speaker advance, video production in Tokyo, and production of all panel discussions live at our in-house LA Studio. This ambitious gathering of more than 60 speakers, over the course of three days across eight separate sessions, was a huge success.

To learn more, visit: https://www.gzerosummit.com

As the business environment has changed, companies are being forced to rethink the way they are organized. How do we reconnect with our customers, partners, employees, and communities in this new way of life? Salesforce hosted a virtual conference entitled “Salesforce Live” to address these issues and more.

This virtual conference offered discussions and opportunities about the future of business and introduced case studies of leading companies that are transforming their businesses and organizations.

Empire worked closely with Salesforce to develop and produce the opening session of the virtual conference. Using a motion tracking system to link a CG space in real-time, Empire created a virtual national park where Shinichi Koide, Chairman, President and CEO, Salesforce Japan, gave his welcoming speech.

Empire was responsible for the overall CG production, directing, filming, and editing. We are proud to have worked with Salesforce once again and continue to act as a leader in producing virtual events.​

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Empire had the opportunity to work with Slack to produce “Slack Tour Japan Online”. With over 3,000 registered attendees, this online conference introduced new ways of working with their communication platform and explored the latest in digital transformation.

Slack CEO and Co-Founder, Stewart Butterfield, along with Slack CPO, Tamar Yehoshua, led the opening session followed by a keynote by Seiji Sasaki, President of Slack, Japan. Other sessions spotlighted special guest speakers who provided tips on how to work remotely, transform their organizations, and increase productivity.

The highlight of the online event was the sponsor information hub, where participants experienced the collaboration between Slack and partner companies' services and solutions in a 3D space.

Empire was responsible for the overall planning, design, content distribution, production of the sponsor information hub, and online communication platform.

Empire is a leading producer of virtual and digital events. We strive to deliver the same high production value, immersive and interactive qualities we are known for in live events to virtual audiences.

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This year Medidata, a Dassault Systèmes company and the global leader in the digital transformation of life sciences, chose to take their annual NEXT user conference virtual and global, welcoming more than 2,500 attendees.

The three-day program featured 15 keynotes and over 50 breakout sessions and panel discussions across four distinct tracks, one of which highlighted the customer experience and insights in COVID-19 clinical trials. Speakers included Dassault Systèmes Vice Chairman and CEO, Bernard Charles; Medidata’s Co-CEO and Co-Founder, Glen de Vries; and Former Commissioner of the FDA, Scott Gottlieb.

Empire was tasked with coordinating, recording, editing, packaging, and streaming all 65+ sessions, as well as building out graphics packages for each session type.

Empire also worked with Medidata’s Global Marketing teams to bring the Medidata brand to life on a two-dimensional platform. The virtual “Innovation Lounge” was created for attendees to connect and network with sponsors and Medidata sales and customer support teams. The site also featured a customized theater for Medidata’s Japanese audience with translations and live discussions.

Empire is proud to collaborate with Medidata on this annual, top-tier business event.

To learn more about Medidata NEXT please visit: medidata.com/en/events/medidata-next

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Empire was proud to help Unfinished Live deliver the third of four, livestreamed episodes of its digital series to an international audience. This episode focused on technology and humanity and asked the fundamental question “Is technology driving progress or chaos?”

Writer, artist, and activist, Baratunde Thurston, again served as host live from Los Angeles and explored the topic with a cast of technologists, impact leaders, change-makers, artists, and the viewers.

The audience was guided through a fast-paced hour of live segments, dynamic films, and provocative performances to showcase lived experience, creative expression, and real-world candor. Through conversations, exchanges, and roundtable discussions, experts joined everyday voices in a nuanced exploration of possibility and discovery.

From the tech industry to public policy to the technology itself, episode three included 2020 Presidential candidate and Founder of Humanity Forward, Andrew Yang; Host of the TED Radio Hour at NPR, Manoush Zomorodi; Co-Founder and President of the Center for Humane Technology, Tristan Harris; Axios Chief Technology Correspondent, Ina Fried; President, Color Of Change, Rashad Robinson; Artist and Senior Technical Training Specialist, Contentful Amelia Winger-Bearskin; Co-Founder & Co-Director of the AI Now Institute, NYU, Meredith Whittaker; Political activist and Founding Member of Pussy Riot, Nadya Tolokonnikova; Executive Director, Aspen Digital, Aspen Institute Vivian Schiller; Professor and Director, Georgia Tech Center for Music Technology, Gil Weinberg; Founder, Code for America, Jennifer Pahlka; artist and filmmaker, Lynn Hershman Leeson; CEO of Genetic Alliance, Sharon Terry, and Shimon the Robot.

Unfinished Live has partnered with an unparalleled, impact-driven partner network to create both the series and the impact platform (see below), including The Aspen Institute, The Shed, For Freedoms, Imperative 21, Ashoka, Georgetown, MilM2, McCourt,and PolicyLink.

Empire is proud to serve as producer of this important series, managing the development and production of each episode as well as the overall project.

About Unfinished

Unfinished ​is an impact network and media platform devoted to the simple idea that if we open our minds and create the space for possibilities, we can advance powerful solutions to the most critical challenges of our time. By tapping into the power of communities, creative media, and new technology, we connect thought leaders, culture-shapers, policy-makers, and innovators to provoke ideas, elevate unheard voices, and pursue collaborations for greater impact.

To learn more and to RSVP for an upcoming episode visit: https://unfinished.com/​

Empire was thrilled to make it snow in two cities for advance drive-in screenings of the series premiere of Bravo’s highly anticipated The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. Held just two days apart, each event featured real snow and a huge glowing marquee sign at the entrance where VIP guests, press, and close to a thousand fans queued to enter the pop-up drive-in theaters.

The consecutive drive-ins were held in Los Angeles on a grass lawn outside the Rose Bowl and presented by AT&T, then in downtown Salt Lake City across from the Vivint Smart Home Arena and presented by Dish. All attendees were treated to complementary Bravo snack boxes filled with multiple flavors of popcorn, candy, a beverage, and a branded face mask. As an added bonus, each event featured a drive-up photo booth experience for sharing snaps instantly on social media, #RHOSLC.

The Salt Lake City screening was attended by many of the hometown Housewives themselves including Jen Shah, Heather Gay, Lisa Barlow, and Whitney Rose, who brought along their own entourages (aka party squads) for the big premiere event.

An après ski theme was featured throughout the event from the big entry statement to the photo booths and screen content with prop skis, snow-capped mountains, and giant snowflakes.

Both attendees and staff were kept safe with strict social distancing measures and mask-wearing in place from load-in to load-out and enforced by security personnel. Covid-19 Safety Guidelines were also communicated to all attendees during online registration, follow-up emails, and via onsite event signage and pre-show screen content.

Empire had so much fun creating these drive-in premiere screening events and is a proud producer of live and virtual events in accordance with Covid-19 Health and Safety Protocols and Guidelines.

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Empire was proud to help Unfinished Live deliver the second of four episodes of its digital, livestreamed series to an international audience. Focused on big societal issues and how conversations can lead to impact and positive change, Unfinished Live is a new kind of intelligent digital programming that combines storytelling and content with live audience interactivity and calls to action.

One week after the U.S. presidential election, the second episode topic was Democracy and Voice and examined the urgent questions about the future of democracy.

Writer, artist, and activist, Baratunde Thurston, served as host guiding the audience through a fast-paced hour of insight discussions, films, and artistic commissions that invited the audience to participate and ask how do we citizen?

Bringing together a wide range of disparate voices and perspectives, episode two included artists Yo-Yo Ma, Carrie Mae Weems, Alfredo Jaar, and Hank Willis Thomas, artist and Co-Founder of For Freedoms; the preacher Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, Co-Chair, Poor People's Campaign, architect, Forward Together Moral Monday Movement, as well as the innovators, Eric Liu, CEO & Co-Founder, Citizen University; Krista Tippett, Host and Creator, On Being; and David Bornstein, journalist, author and Co-Founder, Solutions Journalism Network. Additional attendees included academics Kristen Soltis Anderson, author, speaker, commentator, and Co-Founder, Echelon Insights; Arthur Brooks, Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School & Arthur C. Patterson Faculty Fellow at the Harvard Business School.

The program consisted of live host segments, dynamic films, and thought-provoking performances to showcase lived experience, creative expression, and real-world candor. Each conversation reminded us: Who is the “we” in ‘we the people?’ What do we owe each other? When can the healing start? Where do we go from here? What is the democracy of the future? Through conversations, interviews, exchanges, and roundtable discussions, experts joined everyday voices in a nuanced exploration of possibility and discovery on the episode’s topic.

Unfinished Live has partnered with an unparalleled, impact-driven partner network to create both the series and the impact platform (see below) including The Aspen Institute, The Shed, For Freedoms, Imperative 21, Ashoka, Georgetown, MilM2, McCourt, and PolicyLink.

Empire is proud to serve as producer of this important series, managing the development and production of each episode as well as the overall project.

About Unfinished

Unfinished ​is an impact network and media platform devoted to the simple idea that if we open our minds and create the space for possibilities, we can advance powerful solutions to the most critical challenges of our time. By tapping into the power of communities, creative media, and new technology, we connect thought-leaders, culture-shapers, policy-makers, and innovators to provoke ideas, elevate unheard voices, and pursue collaborations for greater impact.

To learn more and to RSVP for an upcoming episode visit: https://unfinished.com/

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