“ THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH TALK ABOUT WHAT CONSTITUTES HYBRID , HOW MUCH IT COSTS AND HOW IT SHOULD WORK , WE THOUGHT WE ’ D SHOW PEOPLE WHAT WAS POSSIBLE .”
in London to the big screen in Leeds .
AP Events founder Darren Glossop says : “ Hybrid isn ’ t a new concept for us either but it is different . The technology rapidly accelerated during the pandemic and whereas before , we would have been more reliant on costly satellite connections between cinemas , now Zoom and Microsoft Teams have allowed planners to join-up all the dots in a more budget effective way .
“ Since September , 60 % of our event briefs have been hybrid so it has been a big change . But so far it has been bullet-proof and the cinema environment is perfect for it . If you needed more audience engagement elements such as Q & A or two-way interactions between sites , you could put cameras on the raised stage in front of the screen pointing back at the tiered seating . I can ’ t think of any other venue where the hybrid event format works better than a Vue .”
Hayley Nolan from ABN Amro , one of the guests in attendance says : “ This is the first time I ’ ve been to a hybrid event in a cinema and it ’ s a fantastic experience . This format is very much here to stay so Vue is a great option for us .”
Macaulay ’ s advice for planners considering Vue for their hybrid events is to carefully consider the objectives so that cost and connectivity can align . It may be more cost effective to stage hybrid conferences in a venue with all the technology already built-in but roadshow formats looking to connect more than one cinema will have to factor in the venue hire .
“ We always say , speak to the production experts as early as possible in the planning cycle so that they can advise on more complex goals and audience engagement ambitions . Communication around hybrid is key because it is such an untried and untested format for so many companies . We ’ re fortunate at Vue that we can roll out the red carpet for guests with such trusted suppliers onboard . Hybrid is definitely here to stay so it ’ s our role to help planners grow in confidence to run simultaneous events around the UK and Europe and connect them via the silver screen .”