THE PULSE

Case Study: Seek Awards
Written by Robert Ness and Loredana Cross | 5 minute read
In November 2023, the SEEK Awards brought together over 400 in-person attendees and an international online audience to celebrate excellence in recruitment and talent acquisition. With only two weeks’ notice, The Cue Company was engaged to prime the technical production of this event, tasked with delivering a seamless experience that would meet the high expectations of both live and virtual participants. This was an opportunity for us to showcase our ability to balance short lead times with complex technical demands, highlighting our adaptability, innovation, and strategic problem-solving skills across our expanding team. This case study exemplifies how The Cue Company’s agile approach, technical mastery, and commitment to sustainability not only overcame unique challenges but also elevated this event, setting a new standard for hybrid production quality and audience engagement.
Short lead times have increasingly become the norm in event production, as clients often identify their exact needs shortly before the event, due to limited resources and high operational demands. While a longer lead time is always appreciated, at The Cue Company, we pride ourselves on our adaptability and agility, stepping in with proactive solutions and streamlined processes to meet tight timelines and provide essential support. For this event, our team handled a range of key services, from refining MC speech notes to ensure an inclusive and authentic tone, to overseeing key technical provision. As the core liaison for the event’s technical delivery, this included managing accurately timed technical rehearsals, show calling, vision operations, enhanced communication solutions, and streaming services.
Technical rehearsals took place with the event’s three main presenters throughout the day, as we fine-tuned aspects to ensure voiceovers and presentations resonated effectively for both live and virtual audiences. This rehearsal process also allowed us to address any potential technical issues in advance, providing speakers with confidence and clarity. Our expert show caller managed precise cue timing, allowing the speakers and MC to focus solely on delivering their messages without distraction. During the event, this seamless orchestration of cues contributed to a polished and engaging experience for both in-person and virtual attendees alike.
One of the technical challenges that we encountered was a delay in the arrival of key staging elements during bump-in, impacting our ability to position and adjust the staging setup, as well as lighting and camera positions as initially planned. When these pieces arrived, our team quickly adapted, recalibrating lighting and camera shots to maintain visual appeal and ensure a cohesive on-brand experience for both in-room and virtual audiences. This rapid adjustment allowed us to optimise staging despite the shortened timeframe, ensuring that the setup met the event’s high visual standards.
The greatest technical challenge, however, was working with the existing on-site cameras at Town Hall: multiple cameras from different manufacturers to cover the event from various angles. Typically, using cameras from different brands can lead to inconsistent image quality and colour across screens, resulting in a disjointed experience for viewers. Such variations in colour and image settings can be distracting, especially in hybrid events where visual consistency is crucial.
To overcome this, The Cue Company implemented an innovative mixed-manufacturer camera solution, achieving seamless image quality and colour consistency across all camera feeds. By utilising Skaarhoj Control Panels, a Blue Pill Server, a TallyMA, and custom built interface cables, we enabled real-time colour shading and tally lights across different cameras, allowing for efficient remote control and streamlined operation, without managing a range of cumbersome image settings. While this approach has been seen since, it was a newly developed solution at the time of the 2023 SEEK Awards, showcasing The Cue Company’s innovative and agile approach. Our solution allowed us to harness existing equipment, ensuring high-quality, cohesive visuals without the need for a single-manufacturer set-up.
In alignment with our commitment to sustainability, The Cue Company took these deliberate steps to minimise the environmental impact of the SEEK Awards production. By maximising the use of existing equipment at Town Hall, we significantly reduced the need for additional transport and setup, which helped lower freight emissions and resource consumption. Our innovative approach to integrating mixed-manufacturer cameras not only enhanced production efficiency but also exemplified our dedication to eco-conscious practices. By adapting to the available infrastructure and finding creative solutions that eliminate unnecessary waste, we demonstrated that high-quality event production can also be environmentally responsible, benefiting both the client’s budget and our sustainability goals.
Feedback from the client and attendees was also resoundingly positive, with The Cue Company’s seamless handling of logistics and innovative problem-solving creating an elevated, polished event experience. In-person attendees experienced an engaging and dynamic atmosphere, while virtual viewers enjoyed the same high-quality visuals and audio, feeling fully included in the event. Smooth transitions and consistent visuals kept both audiences engaged from start to finish. Virtual attendees were engaged from the US and UK, and with a 65% retention rate, significantly above the hybrid event average. Post-event feedback and data such as this continue to reinforce The Cue Company’s reputation for excellence, exceeding client expectations and setting a new benchmark for hybrid event production. This project highlighted the power of thoughtful technical direction to transform events and create lasting impact.
This resourceful approach can be adapted for a wide range of future events, especially where budgets or environmental goals favour maximising available resources over sourcing new gear. By leveraging on-site equipment, we can reduce overall costs and carbon footprint, providing a sustainable and budget-conscious solution without compromising on visual or technical standards. Looking ahead, this approach is particularly beneficial for hybrid conferences, corporate functions, and international broadcasts, where diverse camera setups are often necessary, and quality and consistency are paramount. The flexibility demonstrated at the 2023 SEEK Awards set a new standard for our team, and we’re eager to apply these insights to continue delivering efficient, impactful events that meet both client objectives and sustainability goals.

IMMERSION
Written by Loredana Cross | 6 minute read
In the vast and dynamic landscape of the events industry, immersion has emerged as a pivotal concept, transcending traditional boundaries to create deeply engaging and memorable experiences. This multidimensional approach leverages cutting-edge technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (XR), spatial audio, and bespoke offerings, to envelop participants in environments that stimulate the senses beyond the visual and auditory. Across the spectrum of the events industry, from entertainment venues where attendees can experience live performances in unprecedented ways, to educational settings that transport learners to historical scenes, and onto corporate settings that utilise immersion to facilitate creativity, strategic planning, and team building, the applications are as varied as they are impactful.
However, the journey towards creating these immersive experiences is not without its challenges. High costs of advanced technology, the complexity of integration across diverse platforms, and the scalability required to accommodate varying audience sizes pose significant hurdles. Solutions to these hurdles are as innovative as the technologies themselves. Strategic partnerships with technology providers have emerged as a cost-effective means to access the latest immersive tools without bearing the full brunt of upfront investments. Moreover, the development of modular and scalable software solutions allows for the customisation of experiences to fit different event sizes and types, ensuring a broad applicability.
Museums and exhibitions have increasingly embraced immersive technologies to captivate and educate audiences, offering valuable insights for the broader events industry, particularly in the context of hybrid conferences. Internationally, the Beyond King Tut exhibition and HBO’s collaboration with the Natural History Museum, illustrate the transformative power of immersive experiences. These exhibitions utilised VR, AR, and spatial audio to create deeply engaging environments that transport visitors to ancient Egypt and fantastical realms, far beyond traditional museum displays.

Closer to home, the Van Gogh Alive exhibition transformed the iconic paintings of Vincent van Gogh into a dynamic, multi-sensory experience. This immersive exhibition utilised cutting-edge audio and visual technology to create an engaging environment where visitors could step into the vibrant world of the artist. The exhibition’s success was highlighted by its global tour, which included stops in over 100 cities, including Sydney, showcasing its widespread appeal and the innovative approach to experiencing art.
Such immersive experiences significantly enhance audience engagement, a critical factor for the success of any event. Interactive installations and personalised content allow
visitors and guests to actively participate in their learning journey, rather than passively observing. This high level of engagement is measured through various means, including real-time feedback, duration of interaction with exhibits, and social media engagement post-visit.
The lessons learned from these museum and exhibition experiences can be directly applied to corporate settings. By incorporating elements like VR, AR and XR into conferences, organisers can create more engaging and interactive sessions. Similarly, offering personalised content based on attendee interests or professional backgrounds can significantly enhance the conference experience, making it more relevant and engaging for each participant. These strategies not only elevate the attendee experience but have the ability to provide organisers with actionable data to further refine and improve future events.
As a significant shift towards hybrid conferences continues, the industry’s commitment to sustainability is highlighted. Whilst social restrictions may be a thing of the past, integrating practices that reduce carbon footprints and promote environmental responsibility remain at the forefront of the sector. This trend extends to the use of digital platforms and mobile technology, reducing the need for physical materials, and enabling a more flexible, inclusive, and accessible event experience for attendees worldwide.
The Cue Company stands at the forefront of hybrid events, transforming virtual participation into an experience that rivals, and can surpass, physical attendance. Working closely with VR, AR, and XR suppliers and experts, The Cue Company is able to enhance hybrid conferences with interactive elements that bridge the gap between virtual and physical realms. This can include creating 3D virtual environments for networking, interactive Q&A modules, AR overlays for live presentations providing additional data visualisations, VR product demonstrations, or even remote hands-on workshops through XR platforms. These integrations enable participants to engage with content and each other in more meaningful ways, fostering a sense of presence and community regardless of their physical location. Through these collaborations, The Cue Company ensures that each conference is not just an event but a comprehensive experience that leverages the best of emerging technology.
Recognising the diverse needs and resources of our clients, The Cue Company also offers simple solutions that can maximise existing home setups to deliver an enhanced immersive experience. Pairing remote attendees’ home facilities such as a large screen TV and sound bar, with The Cue Company’s expertise in multi-camera webcasting and robust ICT & data capabilities, ensures the delivery of dynamic visuals and spatial audio that rival in-person events. This avenue provides high-quality immersion, whilst being an attainable feature for events of varying scales and budgets.
To elevate the experience further, The Cue Company collaborates with clients to curate bespoke attendee packs, designed to engage all senses. These packs, tailored to the event’s

theme, may include tech enhancements for a deeper virtual immersion, branded merchandise to foster a sense of belonging, or even sensory products to create a full-spectrum environment at home. This innovative and scalable approach not only enhances the virtual experience but also bridges the physical divide, ensuring every attendee, regardless of location, enjoys a cohesive and immersive event experience.
Looking ahead, the potential for immersive technologies to shape the future of hybrid events is immense. Advances in AI are expected to play a pivotal role, offering unprecedented levels of personalisation and interactivity. AI could be used to tailor event experiences to individual interests, learning styles, and engagement patterns, creating a highly bespoke, engaging, and valuable experience for each attendee. Imagine virtual event platforms that adapt in real-time to user interactions, offering personalised content recommendations, dynamic networking opportunities, and interactive sessions that respond to the collective mood and interests of the audience.
The future of hybrid events will also likely see a greater emphasis on data analytics and feedback mechanisms, utilising AI to gather and analyse attendee feedback in real-time. This will enable event organisers to make on-the-fly adjustments to sessions, discussions, and networking opportunities, ensuring that the event remains engaging, relevant, and responsive to attendee needs.

Advancements in virtual and augmented reality are also poised to significantly elevate the remote participant’s experience in hybrid events. As these technologies become more advanced, they will offer a heightened sense of presence, closely mimicking the feeling of being physically on-site. Future iterations of VR could create fully rendered, interactive replicas of event spaces, allowing remote attendees to navigate and interact within these spaces as if they were there in person. AR may complement this by overlaying digital information onto the physical venue, enriching the real-world environment with interactive data and visuals. Advancements
such as these will transform how attendees network, participate in exhibits, and engage with breakout sessions, offering a seamless blend of physical and digital realms, enriching the attendee experience whilst simultaneously expanding reach and inclusivity.
As we look to the future of the events industry, it’s clear that immersive technologies are not just fleeting trends but foundational elements that will define the future of engagement and interaction. The Cue Company, through its innovative use of technology exemplifies the potential to create experiences that are not only memorable but also deeply meaningful. By bridging the gap between the physical and digital, we are entering a new era of connectivity, where the boundaries of what’s possible continue to expand. As we embrace these advancements, the future of events promises to be more inclusive, interactive, and impactful, redefining our understanding of community and collaboration in a globally connected world.
“An enormous thank you to the entire team at The Cue Company. Our event was seamless and looked absolutely stunning. Thank you for your time, expertise and efforts.” – Loredana Cross, Director of Monstera Creative
“Thanks so much again for your time! We need to make you a super hero cape, your amazing work saved us so much time on the first stop of the tour. Thanks again for EVERYTHING!.” – Lucy Clements, CEO & Founder of New Ghosts Theatre Company