Access All Areas Supplements The Next Generation Supplement | Page 14

NOVEMBER 2018 | THIRTY
The thirty
Abi Philp, Loos For Dos Harry Samuel, LiveStyled
As an event supplier of one the less
glamorous sides of events my highlights
will, I am sure not my event highlights
will carry the same pizzazz many of my fellow
Next Generationers. I stumbled into the world
of loos after a summer gap-yearing around the
well-trodden paths of Australia, New Zealand
and Asia arriving back in the UK penniless. A
family friend needed some office help and so
begun my toilet career at D & P Luxury Toilets.
Learning the trade with some of London’s best
event planners as well as supplying to the first
Royal Wedding (Kate and Will) allowed me to
very quickly understand what was required from
a supplier to be seen as one of the best. Being
efficient, on time and offering a quality service
ensured that the business grew year on year. In
2014 I moved to LOOS FOR DOs and here with
the ongoing support of #LOOCREW have once
again grown the business, the client pool and the
facility that we offer.
My proud career moment is Victorious Festival.
I became involved with the Victorious team in
2014 and watched this fledgling festival grow
to a huge August Bank Holiday show stopper.
Standing on the trailer at 10pm on the Sunday
evening with the #LOOCREW singing along
to Noel Gallagher, looking out to thousands of
people and you realise you are a small cog that has
offered so much joy to people. With the launch
of the campsite back in 2017 and working with
the team to continually fine tune the sanitation
program on site I am very proud of what is now
on offer on site and the standards of service that
we offer. My career highlights so far have mainly
centered around LiveStyled’s major
milestones. As the person responsible
for sales & marketing and customer success, I tend
to think in terms of deals.
From signing up Live Nation’s O2 Academy
group and SSE Arena Belfast to our smart venue
platform, through to the whole of AEG Europe
(including The O2, the world’s most popular
entertainment venue) and Tottenham Hotspur, it’s
been a hugely rewarding experience over the last
few years. With over 50 venues across Europe and
traction accelerating in international territories
including North America and the Middle East,
it definitely feels like the business is poised for
greatness.
Over the next few years I expect we’ll get to a
point where consumers simply expect digital &
mobile technologies to play an integral part in
live experiences. People are already frustrated by
having to collect paper tickets from a box office
or to join queues having no idea whether they’ve
got time to grab a drink before the action restarts.
Now that the technology is available, venues and
event organisers that miss the opportunity to take
the lead on solving these age-old problems will be
at risk of falling behind their competitors.
Gabbie Savell-Stewart, Fisher
Productions
The events that stick in my mind
are ones that have had a creative but
challenging brief where I have worked
closely with the design team to create something
inspired and unique.
One of my most notable projects was creating
a spectacular entrance to a high end retail brands
launch event using SGM LB-100 fixtures in
a bespoke built mirrored room. I designed the
technical spec, working within the restrictions of
the venue, and ensured the smooth install onsite
working alongside our staging department to
deliver what we had initially designed.
Another of the projects I enjoyed was creating
an innovative stage backdrop and table centres
for the Beazley Designs of the Year 2018 at The
Design Museum in January. This involved the
use of pixel tape integrated into the set to create
a tunnel of light on the stairs and the design and
production of battery LED cubes to use as eye
catching table centres.
Events are moving more towards induvial
engagement for the guests: a tailored experience
through the use of bespoke design, lighting and
other technologies that can be used to create that
‘Instagram-able moment’ to be shared via social
media and extend the reach of the event even
further.