Our Work

TEDxTokyo 2010, held on May 15th at the Kagaku Miraikan in Odaiba, featured performances and presentations by a wide variety of global innovators including Musician and Composer Jake Shimabukuro, Filmmaker Jin Tatsumura, Brain Scientist Ken Mogi, as well as Techno-Illusionist Marco Tempest.Empire Entertainment Japan is proud to have supported TEDxTokyo 2010 through production of the debut performance of Marco Tempest's Magic Projection, and through helping to secure Symantec Corporation as a Core Partner of TEDxTokyo.Marco Tempest's performance of Magic Projection leveraged the latest application of augmented reality and projection mapping techniques in a perfect fusion of entertainment and technology. p;One website's review stated, "When the robots come to enslave us, Marco will be the only man we can trust to negotiate a truce."TEDx was created in the spirit of TED's "ideas worth spreading" mission, with TEDx events planned and coordinated independently on local basis. The concept has gone viral, and events in more than 60 countries, and a vast number of cities and communities have already been held or are in formative stages. The goal is to spark deep discussions and connections in groups both intimate and expansive.If you would like to find out more about the TEDxTokyo, please visit www.tedxtokyo.com

The Big Lunch, established by The Eden Project in 2009, is an annual event which encourages people to sit down with their neighbors for lunch on one day of the year, in a simple act of friendship and community.Over 750,000 people took part in the inaugural event, but for 2010 The Big Lunch wanted to blow past that initial benchmark and record over 3 million participants in the nationwide July event.Generating heavy media exposure in anticipation of the 2010 event was critical to achieving The Big Lunch's challenging goal of over 3 million participants. The Big Lunch called on Empire Entertainment Japan for a solution to their challenge. Empire enlisted the support of revolutionary 3D 'Trick Artist' Kurt Wenner to create an original artwork that would deliver the world of "The Big Lunch" to viewers and news outlets.

In designing this original work, Kurt Wenner placed emphasis on not only the painted artwork, but also the interactive element of the artwork, helping to underline the community-oriented theme that The Big Lunch represents. The final artwork featured a picnic scene where Londoners interacted with the floating food and other elements picture within the arwork.Kurt Wenner completed the work at a live event at Aberdeen Road in London, and the public, press, and social media response to the work was immediate and overwhelming, with one outlet reporting, "Walking the streets can be incredibly dull. Walking the streets where artist Kurt Wenner has walked before you is generally anything but. Wenner 3D piece for The Big Lunch's kickoff is more than 16 feet by 16 feet and features the largest, most beautiful picnic lunch we've ever seen. This is one sidewalk we wouldn't mind tripping over."

In April 2010, Empire Entertainment Japan had the opportunity to serve one of the world's leading IT companies, HP, in connection with their product launch event in Japan.The launch was HP’s largest Enterprise product launch event in Japan in a decade and was part of several events and initiatives taking place simultaneously across the world.The Japan event was held at Shinagawa Intercity Hall, a large, open event space in the heart of Tokyo city. The event was structured with two sessions for press and customers. For this important event Empire designed and delivered from concept to execution.Empire secured the venue, provided all staging, sound, lighting, created a branded backdrop, catering and premium items and directed the product unveiling scene by the company representative. Additionally, Empire created original videos and graphics for invitations, décor and presentations to deliver a consistent and powerful message underlining the significance of the product launch.Onstage, Hewlett Packard Japan’s President, Mr. Shinichi Koide, was joined by Intel Japan’s President Mr. Kazumasa Yoshida for the unveiling of HP’s next generation mission critical enterprise server the Superdome II.Empire produced both the Press Conference – attended by over 50 members of Japan’s top media outlets, as well as the exclusive customer launch event – attended by over 200 hundred CTO’s CIO’s and top IT professionals of Japan.In selecting Empire Japan as it's producer, HP recognized Empire's position as a leading production company of cutting-edge product launches that utilize state-of-the-art design and technology as well as an effective partner on the ground in Asia.

In 2010 the city of Oran in Algeria hosted the LNG 16 Conference. LNG is the largest event in the world dedicated to the liquefied natural gas industry, attracting more than 2,500 delegates and 200 exhibitors. The LNG Exhibition and Conference takes place every three years with LNG producer and consumer countries taking turns to organize the event.The LNG Exhibition and Conference featured several major sponsored events on each day of the multi-day conference. Empire Japan had the opportunity to produce a party for a Japanese company participating in the exhibition.

The party performances kicked off with a grand opening featuring Japanese traditional Taiko drumming. Next Empire presented a live performance of Japanese calligraphy Shodo performance in which guests could participate. The show closed with a series of mysterious “Geisha Magical Performances.” The international audience responded with thunderous applause. The party was a great success and Empire Japan collaborated with technical teams from Japan and Morocco and managed the shipping of equipment from Germany to facilitate the performances.

Empire Entertainment Japan is a production company with global production experience, able to coordinate and manage flawless productions from the Middle East and Asia to Latin American and Europe.

The setting: The idyllic Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Cancun, Mexico. The purpose: An incentive program for one of the world’s leading communication technology companies. The perfect headline entertainment: International, Platinum-selling superstar Seal.Seal’s participation in the event was kept a secret until the moment he was announced onstage to the excited audience of 500+ guests & spouses. Once onstage Seal did not disappoint. His eighty minute set included several danceable R&B and soul covers as well as all of his biggest hits including “Kiss From A Rose,” “Bring it On,” and “Crazy” which had the audience dancing and shouting for encores. Following the performance, Seal graciously greeted and talked with VIPs for almost 30 minutes, taking photos with all of them. For this incentive program, Empire worked closely with the client’s meeting production company, Swift Media Group, to identify talent candidates, negotiate the performance contract (enticing him out of the studio where we was then recording), and facilitated the development of a working production plan with Swift Media Group and local vendors. Empire also worked to manage complicated logistics including the freight of equipment into and out of Mexico, local musician’s union requirements and work permits & visas.

Empire is a leading provider of headline entertainment for corporate meetings & events and is deeply experienced in overcoming the challenges of presenting headline entertainment outside of the United States.

Eager to break from the traditional Upfront formula, Bravo set out to showcase its content not through speeches and sizzle reels, but through experience.

For Bravo Media’s Upfront, the goal was clear: create an environment that would translate the network’s distinct voice into something tangible for advertisers. A raw SoHo venue was reimagined as a stylized “house,” with each room reflecting a core passion point across food, fashion, beauty, design, and pop culture. Guests moved seamlessly from a live kitchen featuring Top Chef talent to a beauty studio with hands-on styling, into fashion-driven photo moments and a fully realized talk show set inspired by Watch What Happens Live.

The experience was powered by nearly 70 Bravo personalities, integrated not as appearances, but as active participants across the environment. A custom blue carpet arrival, branded entry sequence, and layered press moments set the tone, while curated food, color-driven cocktails, and music extended the energy well beyond the scheduled program. Every detail was designed to keep guests engaged, exploring, and interacting throughout the night.

Our team led the full creative and production scope, from environmental design and scenic build to talent logistics, guest experience, and technical execution. The result was a highly social, deeply immersive event that strengthened Bravo’s connection with its advertising community and brought its programming to life in a way that was both strategic and unforgettable.

As the global economy continues its rise out of recession, many companies remain reluctant to invest significant portions of their event budgets for top-tier talent despite the undiminished need to inspire and entertainment employees & customers. Empire Entertainment, while continuing to secure high-end artists and large-scale corporate events, has responded to increasing client needs for cost-effective, high quality entertainment by delivering talent options to suit any budget. On three recent corporate events, Empire managed to deliver big name value and up-and-coming pricing. When a consumer products client needed an after dinner show for several hundred people in Dallas Texas, Empire delivered technology magician Marco Tempest's 'Power Show' with over 30 minutes of dazzling illusions on a large meeting stage with only one performer traveling. For a recent business meeting at the Dubai World Trade Center for a technology client with over 3000 attendees, Empire provided a 4 member cast of Europe's Phoenix Fire Dancers to perform one of their "Light Vision" sequences to open the first morning's general session. For a global consulting firm meeting in La Quinta, CA Empire provided after-dinner entertainment in the form of comedic improv troupe "Whose Live Anyway." Cast members Ryan Stiles, Greg Proops, Chip Esten and others brought down the house with their hilarious and spontaneous routines.

For these and other projects, Empire has used its extensive knowledge of locally-situated performer options, its negotiation ability and its longstanding relationships with artists to deliver top quality talent at prices that clients can afford. Empire has established itself in the securing and booking of talent, and have worked within every budget range.

For the highly anticipated launch of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition 2010, the Sports Illustrated events team selected Empire Entertainment to provide the perfect entertainment for two high profile, sexy marquee events in NYC and Las Vegas. Empire secured Sugar Ray's lead vocalist and host of Fox's "Don't Forget the Lyrics", Mark McGrath, to emcee the stage program. McGrath introduced the sexy models including this year's cover girl, Brooklyn Decker. At NYC's Hotel Gansevoort, Club Provocateur, first stop of the multi-media tour, onlookers such as John Legend, Jay Sean, and Gregg Bello watched the bevy of supermodels rock a runway that spanned the packed club. The models, guests, sponsors and McGrath partied the night away and later departed on a chartered jet from New York City to their next destination, Las Vegas.

At the final night of the launch at the Hard Rock Hotel's newest edition, Club Vanity, Mark McGrath once again emceed the stage program to an eager crowd of over 1,000 guests and sponsors. For this party, Empire secured rockers Maroon 5 to perform while DJ Cassidy spun. Empire was responsible for securing Maroon 5 and McGrath, handling details relating to their performances with the help of the Sports Illustrated Events team. Empire also worked closely with Team Velocity / Vivid who staged the events.

Empire is a leading provider of high-profile talent for corporate and media events.

When one of the nations largest companies decided to host a special weekend for customers at Super Bowl XLIV, they turned to Empire Entertainment to provide headline entertainment for the Saturday night before the game. With an intimate audience of less than 100 consisting of CEO-level guests along with their spouses and children, it was Empire’s challenge to come up with an entertainment option that would entertain all of the age groups within the room.With the decision made to hire a comedian, Empire recommended well-known Saturday Night Live writer and performer, Darrell Hammond. Darrell is known for being one of the most prolific comedians of his time, responsible for a wide array of memorable comedic impressions throughout his 15 years on the air.

In order to allay client concerns about content for this singularly important audience, Empire arranged for a pre-event conference call with it’s producer, Darrell and a company executive responsible for the evening. Through this call, Darrell Hammond learned a great deal about the attendees, the client’s goals for the evening, and the celebratory feel they were looking for. This gave Darrell the background necessary to tailor his performance material to exactly suit the audience.Darrell’s 45-minute standup comedy set kept the guests hysterically laughing from beginning to end. The material was 100% clean and included many of his best-loved impressions including Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Jesse Jackson, George W. Bush, Jay Leno, and Dick Cheney among others. Darrell also interacted with the audience, working a few very willing members into the act. Following the performance, Darrell participated in a meet & greet / photo-opportunity with all of the audience members, and even joined the guests later in their hospitality suite.

For this engagement, Empire was responsible for all contracting, scheduling, production, and logistical elements for Darrell Hammond’s performance. Empire worked closely with the venue’s staff to coordinate the perfect timing and set-up for the performance.

Empire is the leader in providing headline comedy entertainment for high profile events throughout the world.

This past January, BizBash, the event industry's leading publication, released their lists for The Top New York City Events. In addition to serving as producer of the event named as New York's #1 Media Event, the Time Magazine, Time 100, Empire was honored to have produced 5 events (out of 19) listed under the categories of "Top Industry Events" and "Top Entertainment Events" in 2009.Of the top 10 New York Entertainment Industry events last year, Empire served as producer of no fewer than five including the Time 100 Gala, The Webby Awards, The New York Film Festival, The Film Society of Lincoln Center Tribute to Tom Hanks, and The Gotham Awards.BizBash's "New York's Top Entertainment Industry Events 2010"New York Film FestivalFilm Society of Lincoln Center TributeGotham AwardsBizBash's "New York's Top Media Events 2010"Time 100 GalaThe Webby AwardsEmpire will produce many of these and other events in 2010.Empire is a leading producer of some of the world's most influential entertainment & media industry events.

The Omotesando Hills 4th Anniversary Party is a highly anticipated party hosted by the most prestigious and luxurious shopping center in Tokyo, Japan. In February 2010, Empire was in charge of casting and coordinating the artists for the Special Music Program to celebrate the 4th Anniversary of the Mall. The exclusive party was invitation-only with VIPs, company guests and shopping enthusiasts. Empire cast Japan’s Jazz Diva Aoki Karen, Classic Pop Singer Hirahara Ayaka, for the main stage. For the DJ session, Empire secured fashion model DJ Yoshida Natsumi and the immensely popular DJ DAISHI DANCE to heat up the night. More than 7,500 guests attended the event to celebrate, shop, listen and dance to live music, and enjoy the free champagne and chocolate fondue fountains inside the mall.

Empire Entertainment, in tandem with Honeysweet Productions, produced the first-ever Brand-In Entertainment Inaugural Integration Auction held at Christie’s Auction House in New York City.The purpose of the Inaugural Integration Auction was to invite professional representatives and advertising agencies to bid on exclusive packages to feature their services and products among a variety of media platforms. Leveraging relationships with major advertising firms in the U.S. and abroad, as well as with major studios, record companies and independent production companies, the Inaugural Integration Auction 2010 auctioned off choice brand incorporation opportunities in a multitude of platforms, including network television, online/ webisodes, graphic novels, films, plays and more.

The setting for the auction was from Christie's Auction House in New York City on January 20th, in the renowned Woods Room. The uniquely original auction was hosted by COO of Brand-In Entertainment and licensed auctioneer Tere Morris. The live auction and program featured stage appearances by John Salley, Samantha Marq, Paul Provenza, Joey Greco, Corbin Bernsen and others, as well as a special performance by Heather Myles from TruCountry.The focal point of the event was the silent auction, which featured an innovative electronic bidding system from IML that eliminates the traditional pen & paper bid sheet.

Empire & Honeysweet branded the room as if it were Brand-In Entertainments headquarters in a simple yet elegant design scheme that transformed the room. For this production Empire & Honeysweet handled all production design and management, talent coordination and stage management as well as consulting on all aspects including logistics, catering and show design.

When Omotesando Hills, one of the most prestigious and luxurious shopping centers in Tokyo, Japan, wanted to do something special for the 2009 Christmas and 2010 New Years season, they decide to program a series of live events and turned to Empire Entertainment Japan to help them realize their vision. More than a shopping mall, Omotesando Hills is the cultural and fashion center point of Japan. For this reason, events in this complex always receive a lot of media attention across the country especially during the Christmas season. Designed by world famous architect Tadao Ando, Omotesando Hills is one of the most popular sites to visit for Asia's fashion leaders and fashion forward tourists. Empire worked with Omotesando Hills to expand their brand through this Christmas program.

To accomplish this, Empire Entertainment’s Japan office programmed various artists to appeal to various segments of Omotesando Hills’ upscale clientele. Performers that appeared as part of this holiday series ranged from current pop artists such as May J. & MAY’S, Safarii to established veterans who know how to work any kind of crowd such as Ide Mariko and Naomi Grace. Also included were DJs AYUMi and DJ AMIGA to add a spice in to the holiday season, and Miss Universe Japan / Opera Singer Ogawa Satomi to get the crowd fully into the seasonal mood. When the New Year’s sun rose, Tonfu, Fusion Japanese Koto musicians greeted the crowd.The slope inside the mall is identical to the angle of the Omote Sando road that runs alongside the mall creating a six story visual panorama with winding balconies that wrap around a central, focal point on the grand staircase. On this staircase a grand Christmas tree was placed which served as a visual backdrop for the performances. Thus Empire was able to make use of the building's unique architecture to achieve maximum visual effect.Omotesando Hills was extremely happy with the results of this series and Empire was delighted to bring the talents of these various artists this great venue, and to help put smiles on the faces of thousands of Tokyoites shopping for their love ones during Christmas Season.

Empire is a leading booker of all forms of entertainment for retail centers, building launch events, civic plazas and real estate developments with existing performance facilities and stages. Empire Entertainment Japan K. K. is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and operates on behalf of private clients throughout Asia.

When a leading pharmaceutical company needs to do something special for its sales force -- something special in an off year -- it calls on Empire Entertainment. Empire leveraged its industry connections and know-how to secure the chart-topping, multi-platinum selling Counting Crows at a reasonable fee for a year-end gala in Phoenix, AZ, celebrating the client's elite sellers. For an intimate audience of 300, the Counting Crows ripped through a string of hits including 'Round Here and Mr. Jones. With their angst-filled hybrid of Van Morrison, the Band, and R.E.M., Counting Crows became an overnight sensation in 1994. Only a year earlier, the band was a group of unknown musicians, filling in for the absent Van Morrison at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony. Early in 1993, the band recorded their debut album, August and Everything After, with T-Bone Burnett. Released in the fall, it was a dark and somber record, driven by the morose lyrics and expressive vocals of Adam Duritz. The only up-tempo song, "Mr. Jones," became their ticket to stardom, and Counting Crows enjoyed a significant amount of success throughout the '90s and beyond. The Crows were preceded by a karaoke extravaganza featuring various attendees in crazy costumes singing parody versions of popular songs. The music was provided not by a karaoke machine but b y live karaoke specialists, The Amazing Embarrassonics.

When it came time to start planning their 10th Annual Gala, the American Friends of Israel’s Rabin Medical Center turned to Empire in order to take their event to the next level. The gala raises money for one of Israel’s premier hospitals, and every year they draw an elite crowd of civic and philanthropic leaders to support their cause.After an extremely successful gala last year, AFRMC needed help to brand the gala and secure high-stature entertainment to liven up the event. With the event on the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Empire helped develop the “Broadway on the Hudson” theme through Broadway talent solicitation and collaboration with their graphic designer. Given the client’s concerns that a lengthy program would alienate the audience, Empire conceived creative solutions to integrate the numerous speakers with entertainment components while solving timing issues regarding the schedule of events.

Through an extensive outreach process, Empire secured legendary comedian Robert Klein and world-renowned tap dancer Savion Glover to perform. Empire was also able to secure Charlie Rose to emcee the event and to facilitate the performances of other talent including the Broadway Show “Memphis”, the National Jazz Museum in Harlem All Stars Band and New York City Swing.Empire served as overall event producer for this 760 person gala managing all aspects of production including venue, lighting, staging, audio, image magnification, catering (provided by Restaurant Associates and Foremost Catering), video documentation, valet parking, security, design and décor, graphic presentation and overall project management. Empire also consulted on the invitation design, journal design, and creative programming aspects including scripting, show order, and the medical equipment appeal and art auction ran by Jennifer Roth of Sotheby's. Empire then developed a press release and distributed it to key media outlets for maximum exposure.

Empire is one of the world’s leading producers of not-for-profit events and fundraisers.

Once again, Independent Feature Project (IFP) turned to Empire Entertainment to produce the star studded 19th Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards. Despite the inclement weather, the guests came out in droves to support the film industry's legendary kick off event ushering in Awards season. Attendees included Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci, Willem Dafoe, Natalie Portman, Alec Baldwin, Chris Rock and Tim Robbins along with nearly 800 independent film mavericks.The Gotham Independent Film Awards, selected by distinguished juries and presented in New York City, the home of independent film, are the first honors of the film awards season. This public showcase honors the filmmaking community, expands the audience for independent films, and supports the work that IFP does behind the scenes throughout the year to bring such films to fruition.

Given the unfortunate weather, Empire quickly and creatively created a tented step and repeat red carpet to kick off the evening. This exclusive event was hosted by Cipriani Wall Street with guest DJ Jauretsi spinning all night long. Up and coming Comedy Central comdian Kumail Nanjiani opened the show with hilarious rants on the film community, taking special attention to William Dafoe sitting front and center.The crowd got a special treat when Meryl Streep took the stage to give a heart warming introduction to tribute her good friend Stanley Tucci. Other Award Tributees consisted of Natalie Portman, Tim Bevan & Eric Fellner, and the night's big winner Kathryn Bigelow. Bigelow's "The Hurt Locker" won both Best Feature and Best Ensemble Performance.

Empire acted as overall event producer, handling all event design and planning, technical production, graphic design of event materials and print advertisements, video roll-ins & scripting, stage management and talent wrangling, event logistics, budgeting and coordination.

Each Year, TIME releases a special issue devoted to the Person of the Year. This iconic issue highlights the individuals who have most affected the events of the year and made the greatest global impact. To support this tradition, each year Time Magazine holds a high level event at its New York Headquarters where Managing Editor, Richard Stengel, hosts a discussion with influential individuals about whom should be recognized as the year's Person of the Year. The 2009 was designed as a cocktail reception followed by a staged discussion. The program included former Mayor of New York and 2001 Time Magazine Person of the Year, Rudy Giuliani, Cardiac Surgeon, Author, and Host of the Dr. Oz Show, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Editor-at-Large of O Magazine, Gayle King, Top Chef Judge, and Founder & Co-Owner of Craft Restaurants, Tom Colicchio, ABC News and The View Host, Barbara Walters, and Mayor Luke Ravensthal of the City of Pittsburgh, the youngest Mayor of a major American City.

The lively discussion and audience Q & A focused on potential 2010 Persons of the Year ranging from the Twitter Guys and the Federal Reserve's Ben Bernanke to the Iranian Voter and Nancy Pelosi. For this elegant and chic affair, Empire worked with TIME's events team to design and install a lounge-style cocktail reception area featuring black lacquer central bar and serving trays, an image gallery of past Time Person of the Year Magazine covers and lounge furnishings.

With a dinner party feel, cabaret style seating was set; black linen cocktail rounds with Time red florals, and a branded stage setting and backdrop. In addition to design and decor elements, Empire worked with the guests and presenters to stage manage a flawless program.

Empire is a leading producer of high-profile media events.

When philanthropist, globe-trekker and photographer Bobby Sager released his photo book entitled The Power of the Invisible Sun, he and innovative not-for-profit initiative executive producer Tracey Durning engaged Empire Entertainment to produce release events in New York City and London. The events, which commemorated the release of Sager's bestselling book of images of underprivileged children throughout the developing world, would feature powerful projection treatments of his photography and philanthropic philosophies, performances by close friend Sting and a high concentration of celebrity attendees.

The first event was held at Donna Karan's Stephan Weiss Studio in New York's West Village, home of her growing Urban Zen activities. The event was attended by over 250 guests including celebrities such as Edward Norton, Donna Karan and Padma Lakshmi among others. Empire transformed the interior of the huge open space into a comfortable and contemporary lounge environment around which the photography was displayed by seven massive visual projections on seven screens. Durning carefully choreographed the projection sequences combining Sager's stirring images with animated handwriting and key phrases from the book with cascading images that surrounded the space, narrating the author's messages, which synchronized at times for emphasis. In addition to the projected images, Empire installed large format prints and text samples to give the space a p hysical image presence, including a custom-made "Hope" bar in black and yellow lacquer. The New York event's stage program included remarks by Donna Karan and Bobby Sager as well as an intimate acoustic concert by Sting and his band which the audience enjoyed while seated on carpets , cushions, and lounge furnishings. The menu for the evening reflected Sager's eclectic tastes with menu items such as snow cones, grain alcohol Jello shots and cotton candy.

The following week, Empire presented the European event in London at the iconic contemporary art museum - The Saatchi Gallery. This event was co-hosted by Sting & Trudie Styler, again featured a high definition, seven projector display of the photography, an eclectic menu of fish & chips and Jello shots, and a performance by Sting that included such hits as Invisible Sun and I'll Be Watching You. Attendees of this event included Annie Lennox, actors Val Kilmer, Neve Campbell and Richard Grant, and Vivienne Westwood among others. The Admirable Crichton provided all catering while Ingenius UK provided all technical support.

For these challenging, back-to-back transatlantic events, Empire served as overall event producer, and was responsible for oversight of elements including venue acquisition, design, decor, catering, staging, sound, lighting, video projection, red carpet, logistics, event flow, security and creating displays of the photography both projected and physical. Empire was thrilled to be involved with the launch of this book of powerful imagery and to participate in an initiative that helps to bring hope and opportunity to the developing world.

When a leading global company held three major events in three different cities in three days, they turned to Empire Entertainment's multi-tasking bandwidth to ensure that all three events would receive full attention and be executed flawlessly.October 20, 2010 – Las Vegas, NVWhen the client was looking for a headline act for a huge 80’s themed party to take place at The Beach @ Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Empire recommended and secured Huey Lewis and the News. In front of an audience of over 5000 attendees, Huey Lewis and the News rocked the hotel's Beach Pool Stage for 75 minutes, and had the crowd dancing and singing along to their hits such as "Power of Love," "I Want a New Drug," and "The Heart of Rock & Roll." Empire succeeded in selecting the perfect talent for this particular audience as it received the highest marks in this event's history from attendees.

Beginning with the proposal process, Empire was responsible for all contracting, scheduling, production, and logistical elements for the band's performance. In addition, Empire served as stage manager, coordinating various elements including VIP executive remarks, break-dancer performances, DJ, and the timing of a finale fireworks display set to it's own soundtrack, which went off immediately following the band's performance. October 21, 2009 – San Francisco, CAEmpire was onsite at one of San Francisco's hottest nightspots, Ruby Skye, to help produce a sponsored event surrounding a major conference. Two weeks prior to the event the client came to Empire with the desire to book an energetic headline artist to wow their attendees.

Working with the client's internal relationship managers, Empire quickly secured and contracted funky, up-and-coming hip-hop rocker Janelle Monáe to perform. Her dance moves tore up the stage, but she also found time to paint a picture and hand it to a lucky guest. As Janelle Monáe finished her hectic and eclectic set, a senior marketing executive took to the stage to announce a special surprise: the company’s new product was set to launch at midnight and this group of 500+ guests would be the first to own it. 100,000 watt DJ & drummer sensation DJ Ravi Drums joined the executives on-stage to provide a drum roll for the countdown to the midnight launch and then took over the party with a custom rendition of Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow" featuring a lyrical reference of the client’s product. DJ Ravi Drums kept the party going well past two in the morning with his brand of high-energy drumming. Empire secured and provided technical and logistical support for Janelle Monáe and DJ Ravi Drums in addition to managing their performances and the flow of the evening.

October 22, 2009 – New York, NYFor the conclusion of 3-days of events for this client, Empire was onsite to globally launch the client's new product at Skylight Studios in New York City. Filled with live demonstrations, art gallery exhibits, and product vignettes, 350 journalists, bloggers and executives gathered to buzz about the new release. The company’s CEO enthusiastically welcomed the crowd while the 5 year-old star from the company’s well-known TV commercials won over the audience with her sassy and charming appeal. The event provided a fun and interactive hands on environment to showcase the product’s approachable and streamlined functions of organizing everyday life. Empire was responsible for site selection and acquisition and secured Skylight Studios for this global launch event. Empire served as main liaison with venue & client regarding contracts, payment, schedules and permits as well as providing miscellanous support services including archival photography and a makeup artist for their presenting executives.

Whether it is securing headline talent, selecting the ideal venue, or handling all production and logistical needs, Empire Entertainment is a capable of executing simultaneous or back-to-back high-profile events on opposite coasts and around the world.

Each year, America's pre-eminent film presentation organization, The Film Society of Lincoln Center presents New York’s most established film festival. For the 47th Annual New York Film Festival, The Film Society of Lincoln Center turned to Empire Entertainment to serve as the overall production company and special event producers to support the extraordinary range of premieres, screenings and events. Empire’s responsibilities would encompass nearly 50 separate events & screenings over the course of the 17-day festival with many taking place in the newly renovated, Alice Tully Hall.

Highlights of the 2009 festival included a special screening of the 70th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz, in a newly re-mastered version, never seen before by the public. Present at the screening were 5 out of 6 of the remaining Munchkins from the films original cast.Crossroads of Youth, a Korean silent film from 1934 that was recently re-discovered and restored, was screened just as it was in the 30’s - featuring a live musical orchestra and a narrator. Attendees were transported back to a time when films were viewed as live experiences.Precious, the festival’s Centerpiece selection, premiered to a sold out crowd complete with a celebrity-filled red carpet to see the Oscar buzz-worthy film. Those is attendance to introduce the film were Mariah Carey, Mo’Nique, Paula Patton and Lenny Kravitz, in addition to Gabourey Sidibe, the film’s title char acter. Academy Award-winning Spanish filmmaker, Pedro Almodovar, was on hand to introduce his latest film, Broken Embraces. Introduced by lead actress, Penelope Cruz, the film’s sold out crowd gave a standing ovation at the film’s completion, a fitting ending to the festival’s closing selection.

Earlier in the day, Pedro sat down with the Festival’s Program Director for a 2-hour discussion on the history of cinema.Empire was also responsible for staging a series of Directors Dialogues, intimate one-on-one conversations between Directors with selections in the festival and industry experts. Directors this year included Italian filmmaker, Marco Bellocchio, “Precious” director, Lee Daniels, Austrian disturbia king, Michael Haneke, French veteran, Claire Denis. Darren Aronofsky (Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler) and Noah Baumbach (The Squid and The Whale) made appearances as moderators. The dialogues were recorded and later streamed on HBO.Empire is a leading producer of high profile festival and events and is honored to work with the Film Society of Lincoln Center. For information on sponsorships for the 2010 New York Film Festival please contact Yasmine Falk at yfalk@filmlinc.com

September 2009 was a very busy and exciting month for Kurt Wenner, the amazing 3D artist known for his realistic street painting and chalk murals all over the world. When GM’s luxury brand Buick was launching their new model, the 2010 LaCrosse, they wanted to deliver a memorable and original marketing stunt. When Buick turned to Empire for ideas, Empire secured Kurt Wenner to paint beautiful 3D paintings of the 2010 LaCrosse in major cities in the US. Kurt Wenner’s works were on display for the public at; Pen’s Landing in Philadelphia(9/2-6), Herald Square in New York City(9/7-13, Union Station in Washington D.C(9/17-20) and The Millennium Park in Chicago(9/26-27).

Kurt Wenner performed live demonstrations of his painting, which was fully accessible to the public who were able to experience both the making creation of the painting and the finished product’s impact. All of the 3D painting featured the new 2010 Buick LaCrosse, on a amazing backgrounds, symbolizing the city’s location where the painting was displayed.Kurt Wenner is an artist best known for being the innovator of 3D chalk murals projection called anamorphosis. His 3D Chalk drawings on pavements have been featured in many newspapers, magazine and television shows all over the World. His anamorphic art is meant to deceive the human eye, which might look ordinary from one angle, but viewed through a curved lens, it becomes 3-D. Originally from Ann Harbor, Michigan, Kurt graduated from Rhode Island School of Design. He started his career with NASA as an advanced scientific space illustrator.

Viacom and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation formally launched their national education initiative "Get Schooled," with a groundbreaking series of events that culminated with the television premiere Get Schooled: You Have the Right. The premiere aired simultaneously across all Viacom networks including BET, MTV, VH1, CMT, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV and Nickelodeon, marking Viacom’s first-ever programming "roadblock" or simulcast across all of the media company's U.S. television properties. Surrounding the premiere was a multi-tiered, integrated series of events designed to change the paradigm of pro-social initiatives. Featuring an education conference, small group discussion, concert, and television premiere components, the day-long program of events informed, entertained, and fostered relevant discussion all focused on promoting education reform.

Thought leaders, education stakeholders, corporate and non-profit partners as well as many celebrities convened on the famed Paramount Pictures Studio Lot in Hollywood, CA to take part in the affair, which was also sponsored by AT&T, Capital One Corporation and NYSE Euronext.Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report hosted the education conference during which a distinguished line-up of well-known voices in the education field presented their riveting ideas and novel insights. In classic Colbert-style, the host dryly interjected his witty political satire in between presentations from speakers that included Bill & Melinda Gates, Viacom President & CEO Philippe Dauman, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Tony Miller, Davis Guggenheim, director of An Inconvenient Truth, New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, Los Angeles school teacher Stephen Minix and political columnist Arianna Huffington among others.

Over 500 students from local Los Angeles-area high schools joined the multitude of attendees to view an advance screening of Get Schooled: You Have the Right. Miranda Cosgrove, star of Nickelodeon’s Emmy-nominated hit show “iCarly,” was received with squeals of excitement when she introduced the premiere to the student audience.For the final event of the day, Paramount's New York City Street Lot was the stage for celebration with a Block Party hosted by MTV’s Damien Fahey that showcased performances by DJ Spooky, America's Best Dance Crew’s BREAKSK8 and Champions Quest, R&B singer songwriter Monica, and teen pop sensation Jesse McCartney. Students and attendees alike rocked out on the Rockband 2 stage and browsed through Get Schooled website kiosks, while enjoying classic NY Street fare catered by Wolfgang Puck.

The event featured an extensive press component with several red carpet and PSA taping areas. There was heavy press turnout and coverage of both the education substance of the day as well as the many celebrities such as Heidi Klum, Ben Stiller, Seal, Hank Azaria, Andre Agassi and J.J. Abrams among others that attended. With only 30 days advance, Viacom turned to Empire Entertainment to serve as the production company for all elements of the event program. The concert and conference elements were shot as a live, multi-camera television events for VOD, executed with precision timing to allow for live broadcasts including interviews with Bill & Melinda Gates and Philippe Dauman with Maria Bartiromo for CNBC. Empire’s turnkey delivery of this project included supervision and management of all front of house logistics, creation and management of media and press areas, sponsorship activation and integration, technical and production design and support, speaker and talent coordination, content management, and supervision of all broadcast elements.Empire also worked closely with Radical Media, who provided for design inspiration for graphics, and scenic elements.

Empire specializes in managing multi-faceted, high stature live events such as the Get Schooled launch. From logistics and content to production and design, Empire delivers flawlessly on events and live broadcast projects of the highest caliber.

Every year Empire secures a comedy superstar to host a large-scale annual meeting for a major global corporation and approximately 20,000 of their regional employees. In 2008, Empire brought in the star of NBC’s hit comedy, “The Office”, Rainn Wilson, whose physical humor made the event wildly successful.This year, Empire tapped Saturday Night Live’s Seth Meyers to take the reigns at Safeco Field.Seth Meyers is best known for his role as anchor of Sarturday Night Live’s Weekend Update segment. What is less well-known is that Seth is also the head writer of Saturday Night Live, as well as cast member. His skill as a writer paired with sharp comedic wit made him the perfect host for this highly-demanding event.

In preparation for the event Seth worked with the client’s talented creative agency, Wexley School for Girls, and Empire to develop customized material, including a monologue, video sequences, and even a Weekend Update-style presentation for the event. Upon arrival in Seattle, Seth also shot a series of brief interstitial videos to introduce speakers. These included backgrounds like the Seattle Space Needle and Seattle’s famed Pike Place Fish Market where Seth literally caught a Salmon. Each video introduction played at the meeting was met with roaring laughter and applause.The earth-shaking finalé of Seth’s performance came as he explained to all the attendees that a seismograph had been placed in the building across the street and instructed everyone to stomp their feet in order to create a human earthquake. The vibrations of the 20,000+ person audience stomping rocked the stadium and cheers rang out when the live video feed showed that they had buried the needle!Seth Meyers worked closely with Wexley School for Girls and Empire on details such as scripting, costume, special effects, staging, etc.Empire negotiated the deal for Seth and worked with his management in order to negotiate time off from his duties at Saturday Night Live. An Empire talent producer also worked with Seth onsite to work closely with Seth for rehearsals and shoots to ensure the best possible performance.

Empire is a leading source of celebrity and headline talent for corporate meeting hosts, spokesperson roles and personal appearances.

When Vogue Magazine sought to present Fashion's biggest night in Japan, they turned to Empire Entertainment's Tokyo-based Asia Division to Provide Stage Direction for this high profile event.As part of a global initiative to promote retail, restore consumer confidence, and celebrate fashion, Japan and international editions of Vogue Magazine coordinated special evening shows in the respective world fashion capitals. These evening extravaganzas, known as Fashion’s Night Out, were held in New York City, Paris, London, Milan, Tokyo, Russia, Brazil, China, Spain, Germany, Greece, India and Taiwan all on September 10th and 11th, 2009!

On September 11, 2009, stores in the popular Omotesando and Aoyama shopping districts of Tokyo stayed open late in to the night to celebrate the collaboration of fashion brands and designers at Fashion’s Night Out.The opening ceremony for Fashion’s Night Out 2009 was held at the Omotesando Hills Grand Stairs, in the heart of the Omotesando shopping district and hosted by Chris Peppler and world-renowned supermodel Ai Tomminaga. Anna Tsuchiya appeared as a guest performer and gave a spectacular performance for the fans and other guests gathered in the mall. Celebrity guests including Maki Horikita, Mika Ninagawa, Hinano Yoshikawa also appeared to present auction items and celebrate the event with late night shopping. For the finale, Anna Tsuchiya reappeared for a special acoustic performance filled with fanfare and ending in thunderous applause.

Empire Entertainment, in addition to its other duties, acted as stage director orchestrating the Grand Stairs with finesse, allowing them to be used as both the concert stage and MC dais. The Grand Stairs were set and decorated with a variety of different furnishings to maximize the performance of the musicians, guest celebrities, and MCs. Even with the challenges of limited time for rehearsals before the shops opened in the morning, and with careful and smooth co mmunication among the staff and the artists, Empire was able to direct the event to a successful conclusion.

Empire is a leading producer of fashion and retail events worldwide.

On September 9, 2009, Empire Entertainment produced Diana Ross, AntiGravity®, and a fireworks display by Fireworks by Grucci on world-renowned Ellis Island. It was the second straight year that Empire was tapped by a NYC based investment bank to produce their annual gala, and Empire again provided oversight of nearly every element of the event, including staging, audio & lighting designs, tenting, talent booking and consultation, fireworks, bus and ferry transportation, stage management, signage, catering, décor, registration, staffing, and more.Empire arranged for 15 buses to transport the attendees from the Palace Hotel to three private ferries in Battery Park, also arranged by the Empire team.

As guests disembarked the ferries at Ellis Island, they walked a red carpet that led into the Exhibit Halls. The red carpet was flanked by a number of greeters costumed in red, white, and blue which played into the "Red, White & Blue All-American Barbecue" themed dinner that had been promised on the invitation (which was designed by Empire in consultation with the client). Stiltwalkers, cowgirls, jugglers and more welcomed the attendees upon their arrival.Once inside the Museum, attendees were treated to the spectacular jazz stylings of The Neal Sugarman Quartet while they enjoyed cocktails and private guided tours of the Great Hall and other incredible exhibits of Ellis Island. Following the cocktail reception the doors were opened to allow the 1700 guests to move to the main event area - - a 100' x 182' clearspan tent outside on the famed Ellis Island "Wall of Honor" lawn.

At the client's request, Empire designed three separate seating areas for guests which were arranged in a lounge setting, with white leather ottomans, banquettes, and sofas, accented with red coffee tables, blue pillows and throws. A 20' x 20' central white bar was dressed with vibrant florals and lit in a stunning fashion.The tent was built without sidewalls in order to accommodate the client's request to keep the event's outdoor atmosphere intact. Empire's caterer provided foodstations featuring barbecue favorites such as honey-chipotle barbequed baby back ribs, all-natural fried chicken, jumbo smoked turkey legs, as well as clambake elements including Maryland crab cakes, lobster rolls, and fried clams. The great food was washed down with blackberry basil lemonade, ginger iced tea, as well as red & white sangrias. During dinner, guests enjoyed Cirque-style performance segments by AntiGravity®, such as hand-balancing acts, contortionists, sword-swallowers, and fire-breathers, all costumed in attire to match the red, white, and blue theme of the evening. And when dinner was completed, the attendees were wowed by an incredible fireworks display over the New York City skyline.

The finalé of the evening came when Diana Ross made her grand entrance onstage, opening with her song "I'm Coming Out". Changing costumes a number of times during the performance, the Motown legend turned back time with smash hits including "Upside Down", "Love Hangover", and "You Can't Hurry Love". When she invited guests onstage to dance with her to "Ease on Down The Road", more than 30 attendees obliged. After finishing the set with "I Will Survive", she graciously met with 30 of the client's top VIP's at a private meet and greet.Empire prides itself in our ability to flawlessly execute complex events with large audiences in some of the most incredible event venues in the world such as Ellis Island.

What do you get when you combine flour, colorful dyes and a body? According to Filippo Ioco, those are just the right ingredients he needs to create his illusionary body painting artworks. Ioco has done it again, but this time, for the very first time, in Japan.Empire Entertainment Japan worked with Fuji TV’s “Miracle Experience! Unbelievable,” a very popular TV show produced and hosted by Takeshi Kitano. This program presents eerie events witnessed around the world and has showcased unbelievably talented artists and performers since 1997. This time, Ioco was featured on the two-hour special program broadcasted on August 6, 2009.

His guest appearance on this show was his very first appearance in Japan. He painted five models including a famous Japanese comedian, Yoshio Kojima. The five models were camouflaged into the landscape of the park right outside the Fuji TV station. The guests and audience at the studio were asked to find the five hidden models in the park: a rock along the waterfront, two trees, a sandman covering the top layer of the surface and a buried man’s head in the dirt. The show was a great success and amazed many viewers with Ioco’s innovative techniques and never-seen talent. His appearance on this show is a starting point for launching Ioco’s exposure to the Japanese audience.