The first was for Chinese director, Zhang Yimou's latest film, House of Flying Daggers. The exclusive after-film party for 500 guests was hosted at London's Imperial China restaurant in Soho. Sound Division's Chris Baxter was asked to create an atmosphere throughout the four-storey restaurant that was in keeping with the aesthetic atmosphere of the film. "I achieved this principally through a number of lighting effects," explained Baxter. "We covered the front entrance with a rippling water effect using Martin Manias, which was a theme we carried throughout the building. We floodlit the restaurant and food-serving areas in jade green which looked stunning, and we also uplit some 20 bamboo flower design using chrome Birdie uplighters. We had lots of lighting effects in the main room including a custom-made gobo of the Times logo with the Chinese translation underneath. In fact, the manager of the restaurant was so impressed with our lighting that we're now quoting for his new restaurant due to open next year!"
Baxter continues: "Audio-wise we supplied a DJ system based on Pioneer DJ equipment and a powerful JBL SRX dancefloor system on the ground floor which we linked to the in-house system so that the DJ could be heard across all four floors."
Sound Division supplied a second system for another after-film party to the Institute of Directors on Pall Mall, where the requirements were to supply audio and lighting effects for a main music room and a chill-out room as well as two plasma screens and DVD players. "We uplit the grand pillars of the main room in red, which looked very dramatic," commented Baxter. "From an audio perspective, we supplied a Pioneer DJ system and a JBL dancefloor system with a feed into the second room, much as we did for Imperial China. Everything worked impeccably."
(Lee Baldock)
