“This show needs to be experienced,” says Stephanie Bleakley, marketing manager for Integrate. “It’s more than just stalls and stands and products… In the live events industry, they’ve always got a gig, they’re always on the road, so it’s nice for them to have an opportunity to come together as an industry to network not just with their peers, but to meet some of these people who are pushing the boundaries of live event experiences.”
Now in its tenth year, Integrate is attempting to shine a light on future developments in the live events industry. “This is an event for the industry to come together, not just to celebrate the last ten years, but to help drive the industry forward for the next ten,” says Bleakley.
“The industry’s moving at such a rapid pace that it leads to the question of where the market’s going to take us in the next ten years. At Integrate, we have the leading manufacturers in the field. We have the people who are designing solutions for sets, audio and lighting that are really going to define what comes in the next one-to-five years. That’s where you really see the difference with Integrate—it really defines what’s going to come next in the industry.”
This August, Integrate is bringing together over 6,500 live events professionals for a series of seminars, classes and networking events. Over 1,000 brands, from giants like Google and Microsoft to Australian tech mainstays like Avid and Focusrite, will be represented at Sydney’s International Convention Centre.
“The Australian and New Zealand markets aren’t as big as the American or the European markets,” says Bleakley. “What we find in Australia is that [companies in the] Australian industry are early adopters. We’re the first to invest in new technology. In some respects, we’re more creative in our application of new technology, because we have to be. That really reflects on the type of products that you see on the show floor… There’s going to be genuinely new products on the show floor, as well as new applications of existing technology. That’s what people should expect to see.”
The Integrate LIVE program, featuring speakers experienced in behind-the-scenes sound and visual work, will be of special interest to venue managers and stage technicians. Any live events technician or planner should benefit from attending, says Peta Moore, who curates programs for Integrate LIVE.
Among the speakers is Pete Lynn, head of creative projection for the Technical Direction Company and an expert in projection mapping. Lynn’s previous credits include Melbourne’s White Night and Christmas building-side projections, Vivid Sydney and the Dubai World Cup. At Integrate, Lynn will examine new advances in projector technology and the challenges of large-scale projection mapping.
Lighting designer Ziggy Ziegler will also share his knowledge gained through 25 years of learning how to make concerts, expos and rooftop soirées look as good as possible. In his seminar, ‘Future Vision – Inspirational disruption in light,’ Ziegler will explore how to harness new lighting technology successfully, and how to get a return on increasingly high-dollar lighting equipment.
“I have found all sorts of fun ways to bring the human connection back into the process of a digital world,” writes Ziegler.
Of course, looks aren’t everything. Handling the audio side of Integrate’s LIVE program is Gert Sanner, regional application and educational manager for d&b audiotechnik. Drawing on his 20 years’ experience as a system technician and front of house engineer, Sanner will explain how to put together a sound system for any space, whether it’s a small classroom or the Sydney Opera House.
“They’re quite intimate sessions, so you get that one-on-one access where you can ask that burning question,” says Moore. “There are a whole bunch of interesting conversations to be had in terms of learning and inspiration… To have that access, to pick their brains and share ideas, is an opportunity second to none.”
An unmissable event for industry professionals, registration for Integrate is free on the expo’s website to ensure your place in an ongoing conversation is secured.
“As we move into a more tech-savvy world, we move into a more connected world,” says Bleakley. “The underlying fact is that you will interface with that through an AV platform… When you go to a gig, it’s not just a band on a stage anymore—it’s what kind of AV is behind them. It’s the quality of the whole experience. Integrate’s going to help move that conversation forward.”
Integrate will be held at Sydney’s International Convention Centre from Wednesday August 22 – Friday August 24.
