We chatted with our own Johnny Motoc about his passion for scenic design and how he has seen the industry change over the last few years.
Why scenic?
I come from the theater world. Building and organizing things on stage has always been a passion. When I discovered the world of opera this passion blossomed. Over time, it evolved from theater and opera to event production. As with theater, event production is filled with collaboration, creativity, and the opportunity to actually create things. I call it the Perfect Combination – Creativity, Fabrication, and Living Wage. It’s perfect for the carpenter in me, the dreamer in me, and the organizer in me.
How has scenic changed in the Event World?
It’s a standout time for scenic. Scenic is now the hybrid of integrating new technology into traditional display. For example, large painted backdrops flanked by projection screens are now replaced with video walls enhanced with Scenic accents. Colors and images can and do change in an instant. The ability to keep the audience’s attention even when the stage is empty is now an integral part of the presentation. And then, being able to change that mood in the moment, say for example when a CEO takes the stage, enables us to shift the focus on him and his message. It’s a moving but specific target, and we can chart the course that we want the spectator to take from beginning to end.
Now we have the ability to instantaneously change the mood. We can take you on a visual ride, clear and concise, or whipped into a frenzy. In this day and age people like and expect a degree of frenetic. However, at the same time the audience, whether they know it or not, appreciates the moments of calm and focused. It’s amazing how we can now do that through a combination of digital flexibility and brick-and-mortar stability. Logos can sit in 3D as stationary objects, while the brand messaging, complex and layered, can change behind it.
Everything is possible now. You can take the spectator to multiple places without them leaving their seat. Imagine!
My goal in all of the scenic that we produce is to bring each of our client’s unique personality to the design environment in order to entertain our audience while dynamically sending their message to their clients. Always.
A word from Johnny on one of his projects…
The MillerCoors project with AgencyEA highlights how I prefer to approach every project – as a collaboration between the Designer / Producer client and our accomplished fabricators. We work closely with the artistic team to develop a creative approach that meets the needs of both function and finances. Sometimes we all unfortunately have to say “Well that is quite beautiful but it may be outside of the budget”. We have all had that experience. But when we are able to follow up that statement with a number of suggestions that both achieve the artistic intent while providing more economical results, then it is a Win-Win.
Three things to know about Johnny…
Favorite food? Thai
Favorite music? ’70s Motown R&B
Favorite vacation destination? Anywhere that I can turn off my phone.
Reach out to Johnny if you’d like to pick his brain about scenic for your event or project.