Signature Production Group (SPG) is an event technology company providing audio, video, lighting and staging equipment and personnel for live business meetings. In March of 2020, everything on their schedule was canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The team at SPG adapted quickly and became experts in connecting remote presenters and audiences for virtual meetings. Their clients quickly realized that collaborative online tools designed for small teams aren’t effective for sales meetings, product launches, and training events with hundreds—sometimes thousands—of attendees. By the third quarter 2020, SPG had ten broadcast control rooms capable of streaming to online audiences of any size.
“We knew that an all-in-one online meeting solution wasn’t going to be enough for the event agencies and end clients that we serve,” explains Joel Paige, SPG General Manager. “One of our distinctives is that we provide the same support presenters are accustomed to having in a live environment like a teleprompter operator, graphics artist, audio engineer, and speaker coach.”
SPG’s recent investments will continue to expand their capabilities to meet the evolving needs of the meeting industry.
“The cancellation of live events for over a year has hit our industry hard,” laments SPG owner Dave Schwarz. “Many companies had to shut their doors and furlough their staff while they wait. But for those of us who specialize in live meetings—it’s not going to be business as usual for quite some time. Companies that haven’t been continually increasing their capabilities aren’t going to be ready for what’s next.”
SPG’s Quicklink Studio Servers are primarily used to create a simple, high-quality two-way audio and video connection to presenters who—for the last year—have primarily been connecting from home. But the number of “hybrid” events in SPG’s pipeline continues to increase. For those situations, Quicklink hardware on both ends can interconnect multiple meeting locations together using secure, redundant, HD-quality connections.
“Managing audio and video through the complexities of remote connections is one thing,” says Paige. “Adding to that multiple small audiences in a variety of locations—plus a contingent of the audience still watching from home. That’s a lot to manage—but it’s become our specialty. And that brings us to why we chose Riedel Communications’ products to keep us connected.”
Connecting the production crew in real-time with crystal-clear communications has always been a key to the success of a live event. SPG’s new Riedel Communications’ Artist 128 digital matrix intercom frame, Smartpanels and Bolero wireless intercom will ensure best-in-class crew communications. Beyond that, Riedel Artist AES, Dante and VOIP cards will allow SPG to connect remote presenters, multiple locations and production crews together in a single, comprehensive communications network.
According to Schwarz “There’s never been more uncertainty in our industry. But the planning agencies that we serve rely on us for the best ideas and options to present to their clients. They need us to lead and to innovate. These significant investments combined with exhaustive R&D puts us in the perfect position to handle the increasing complexities of hybrid, multi-site, remote and livestream events.”
Visit www.signature.tech for more about SPG
Visit www.riedel.net for more about Riedel
Visit www.quicklink.tv for more about Quicklink
For additional information contact Dave Schwarz, [email protected]
SOURCE Signature Production Group
