Author: Robert Chapman

A Personal Dr. Pepper Ramp Build Blog

One of the great things about working for In Depth Events is not having one day that is the same as the last. All of the previous events I have worked included stage and riser set up. This event was extremely different. I was assigned to work at the Dr. Pepper Ballpark on a wooden ramp. This ramp was being built in one of the seating sections by 3rd base. It was built in order to get equipment from the road down to the field so they could redo the field.

Preparing for Build of the Ramp

I showed up for this job on the third day of the build without any previous experience on a wood project. All risers and stages I have worked on in the past were steel with premade holes in the legs. As soon as I turned the corner I saw the massive wooden ramp about halfway built. An entire section of seating had been taken out and there were stacks upon stacks of wood. We had a team of nine (including myself) working on the ramp that day.

Two of us started working on putting together bolts for the ramp by taking a bolt and adding two washers and a nut to each one. Putting together these bolts saved a lot of time when we actually started inserting them into the wood on the ramp. Another person was using the power saw to cut wood pieces to the exact sizes needed for each piece of the ramp.

Building of the Ramp

Once the braces were in place we took a drill bit and made holes wide enough for the bolt to go through. After the hole was drilled another person would go behind inserting and tighten the bolts. This was repeated in the next step adding an extra piece of wood on either side of the brace and inserting four bolts. This was done ensure that each section was strong and stable. Finally, trestles where added flush with the braces using wood screws. The trestles were added in a pattern that had every other row of braces placed at the exact distance from the other.

The space available to work in while putting the pieces together was very small. It took a lot of patience and focus trying to drill each hole and insert each bolt. The gaps between each wood piece were just large enough to put one leg and a small handheld drill in. Our team quite literally worked side by side on this project, the entire duration of the build.

After all braces, bolts, and trestles were put together precut pieces of plywood were then added to the top. Two layers of the plywood covered the entire surface of the ramp. The plywood created the smooth surface needed for them to drive on. This specific project used around thousands of bolts and screws along with hundreds of pieces of wood.

My first day on site ended up being 10 hours of making, inserting, and tightening bolts. This project taught me many new and extremely useful skills in carpentry. It also tested my balance, focus, and patience throughout the build. I look forward to the next project with In Depth Events, I’ll be writing about it!


Facebook Event Page Set-Up

Using Facebook to Promote Events

Facebook is one of the greatest ways to promote your events. With over 490 million users that utilize the Event Pages per month, you’ll definitely increase attendance of your public event by using Facebook Event Pages properly. As a frequent Facebook user I see multiple events around my area daily and have had great success utilizing Facebook Events Pages to promote past events.

How to Set-Up a Facebook Event Page

To start, I always set up an event page in such way that the cover photo or video and event title are compatible with phone screens since most people scroll Facebook on a cellular device. At the time of writing this article Facebook's Event Tips Website claims the photo must be "at least 1920 x 1080 pixels (16:9 ratio)". The information popup when creating a new event page contradicts this telling you to make it 1200 x 628 pixels for an aspect ratio of 1.9:1. In reality 1200 x 628 is closer to 1.91:1 if you want to nit pick. To make it more complicated not  all devices will display this image or video at the same resolution with some mobile devices displaying it as wide as 1250 pixels. If you want to be really safe I suggest going with the 1.91:1 aspect ratio at a minimum size of 1920 x 1005 pixels and leave room on the edges for what ever random cropping Facebook decides to do. I would avoid using text in your cover photo as it can be hard to read on smaller devices. Also, Facebook will not approve any photo that is more than 20% text.

Pro Tip
When possible use a short video for your cover instead of a photo. This is a great way to grab someone's attention.

Once I have chosen a cover photo/video and title, I set the page with the exact date, time, and address for the event I am promoting. This allows people in the surrounding area to view the event and plan to attend. When choosing the name for a public event, I try to keep it short, to the point, and attention grabbing. Finally, I add a description with exciting details and encourage people to join us at the event.

Pro Tip
When adding the description for your event use hashtags and @mentions. If your event has acts or special attendees planned, add them as Co-Hosts or Relative Groups of the event. This will showcase your event on their pages attracting another group of people.

Facebook allows you to edit your public event up to three times but, changes can greatly affect attendance of people who are interested so I try not to edit events after they are published. I always work on a draft until I am sure it is ready then publish it for Facebook users to see. You want your Event Page to look professional but also be engaging at the same time.

Why Should You Use a Facebook Event Page to Promote Your Event?

Facebook Event Pages are like flyers who help reach more people than any piece of paper ever could. Designing the page and being able to post videos and continuous content grabs and holds people’s attention. Creating an Event Page allows you to showcase your public event in a unique way.

There is so much excitement in creating a Facebook Event Page. Each event has such great potential to showcase and promote. I would love to help you create a Facebook Event Page that could significantly increase the attendance of your public event.

For more information about how Facebook can be used to promote your public event, feel free to email me at media@indepth.events. I would love to answer any questions you have and discuss how I can help you promote your event.

Look for my next post soon: The Basics of Promoting Public Events Using Facebook


AT&T First Annual Business Summit at the Gaylord Texan!

Providing our LED lighted stage for a world class corporate event

Big events come to Dallas all the time, but the first annual AT&T Business Summit really pulled out all the stops.  A private performance at AT&T Stadium by Aerosmith was only the tip of the iceberg.  (And when Aerosmith is the tip of the iceberg, you KNOW it's a big event!)  AT&T also rented the entire Gaylord Texan Convention Center and Resort with forward-thinking exhibits in the exhibit halls, and interactive speeches by Randall Lynn Stephenson and GW Bush during the general sessions.  Darius Rucker performed at the Gaylord to round out the award-winning talent, and several breakout sessions discussed the future of telecom.

Thanks to our friends at Orbital Motion, the crew of In Depth events was a big part of the general session, providing an exciting main stage for the event.  In one of the most innovative uses of our LED stage surfaces, we provided an amazing triangle shaped, LED lighted stage for the main stage of this conference.  Months of design work and preparation paid off with a truly stunning stage for this international group of attendees.

Audience risers, carpet, marley, and staging rentals

However, our LED lighted stage wasn't the only thing we provided for this show.  A laundry list of six large audience risers, pipe and drape, stage marley, and thousands of square feet of carpeting were needed for the general session ballroom.  The breakout rooms all needed stages, carpeting, and elevated seating as well.  Coordinating with the riggers, decor, lighting, video, and audio was no small task during this three day build.  However, the staff at In Depth Events banded together to make sure every task that we contracted for was completed to meet or exceed client specifications. 

If you'd like more information on the creative uses of our LED lighted stages, our audience seating risers, or some of the other aspects of our staging rentals, we'd love to hear from you.  Please contact us and let us know how we can be of assistance to your next event!


Image for Truss and Ballast

Event Outdoor Signage and Structures for Sporting Events and Festivals – An Event Planners Guide

For large scale events like sporting events, large festivals and Municipal events, signage becomes a serious issue.  If your event spans an area over several acres, how to you point people to the main stage, restrooms or the emergency services area?  No less critical is the branding of the event and the branding of your vendor areas.  At In Depth Events, we are experts at event outdoor signage using a variety of media.  Read on for more information!

Live Events – Structure and Banner Solutions from In Depth Events

At In Depth Events, we are experts at event outdoor signage solutions.  We’ve used structures with vinyl banners as well as structures with large scale video walls.  Our technicians and engineers work hard to make sure these structures are safe, look great and fulfill the needs that put them there in the first place – to inform your attendees about a specific direction, scheduled event or vendor message.

Here are the four types of structures that you can easily use at your next festival, sporting event, or marketing event:

Inverted “U”:

Image of Inverted "U" event outdoor signage

An inverted “U” is a mini-beam truss structure.  It’s a great way to display a large banner such as a backdrop for a small stage or a step and repeat banner at a selfie station.  These structures are incredibly wind resistant, inexpensive and look great.

 

 

Media Towers:

Image of Media Tower event outdoor signageA media tower is either a triangular or square structure designed to hold large format LED Video walls.  These structures are usually about 20′ tall and very, very strong. They work well at central locations with lots of foot traffic – like outside the food court area.  The screens are used for vendor promotion, calendar/schedules of your event and live tweets.  When equipped with loudspeakers, these towers can also be used for announcements of upcoming events as well as emergency messages.

 

 

Truss and Ballast:

Image for Truss and Ballast event outdoor signageA Truss and Ballast structure is a proprietary type of signage that only In Depth Events has.  In combination with a 20-foot tall vertical piece of 24-inch x 30-inch truss is a 3600 pound ballast made of concrete and steel.  These units can be placed anywhere for very tall, very visible banners.  We also use them for outdoor light towers and as support for commercial bulb stringers.  These unique outdoor signage structures have been engineer certified to withstand well over 70 MPH winds while only using a 4-foot X 4-foot ground area.

 

 

Gateways:

Image of an Event Gateway event outdoor signageA gateway is a mini-beam structure that is engineered to allow people to pass under or through it.  They are most often used at the event entry or exit or, when attendees are passing through to a different part of the festival.   Gateways are usually lighted with signage towers on both sides.  Gateways are typically where the event name and sponsors are located, but it’s also become a great location for a selfie station.

 

 

 

The Bonus Structure Type  – Custom Signage Towers:

Image of Custom Signage Tower event outdoor signageDo you see something here that inspires you to create a new idea?  Do you have an idea that is completely off the beaten path?  The experts at In Depth Events can (and have!) provided event outdoor signage using custom structures that don’t look like anything else.  From truss vaults to branded outdoor seating lounges and even toboggan slides – our experts can create something completely new for your event.  Challenge Accepted!

 

 

Choosing the right vendor for live event outdoor signage structures

In Depth Events handles event outdoor signage structures for events all over the nation, so make sure to contact us first.  However, our Canadian and international event planners may have a difficult time finding a reputable vendor.  Here are a few pointers:

First and foremost – trust your gut.  Don’t settle for a company that doesn’t seem right for your needs.

  • Make sure the company you choose is capable of providing engineer certified drawings.
  • The company needs to be registered as a certified building contractor in at least their home city.
  • The company should own their own equipment, especially the trussing, tie-downs and ballasts.
  • Find a company that has recommendations for a signage or vinyl firm.  Having a good relationship with a signage vendor means they know what specification are needed.

Questions?  Feel free to Ask a Question of our experts.  We hope you enjoyed this blog post and make sure to check out our other Event Planner Guides while you are here.