Case Studies

These are just a few of the many events we’ve helped design and produce over the years

Project: 2019 International Swimming League Finals

Challenge

Creating an aquatic theater that provided clear views for the audience of the International Swimming League’s inaugural season grand final.

Solution

For the grand final in Las Vegas, we transformed the Mandalay Bay Casino Arena into an awe-inspiring aquatic theater, complete with one million gallons of water, a custom acrylic side pool, custom decking and a full production package. For this two-day show, we spent a week-and-a-half loading equipment, filling nine semi-trucks with audio-visual gear. With our LED screens and the crystal-clear acrylic walls along the long side of the pool, this event allowed for full visibility of the amazing athleticism on display.
2019 International Swimming League Finals

Project: Conner Prairie

Challenge

Engaging the audience of Conner Prairie’s outdoor Symphony on the Prairie concert series and tracking weather that could disrupt a concert.

Solution

Dodd provides rolling LED screens that project pre-show advertisements as well as live camera shots of the performers and audience members during the concert. The shots of the crowd members create a fun Jumbotron feel. Dodd not only ensures safety and efficiency with its portable LED screens; we also have a wireless weather station attached to truss that tracks wind speed, allowing us to determine if weather permits a concert to continue. We are proud to be part of this wonderful outdoor event at this unique historic place.
Conner Prairie

Project: Shining a Light

Challenge

Managing the audio and visuals for a nightly, year-round sound and light show designed to honor Hoosier military servicemen and women, past and present. Made possible through a Lilly Endowment grant, this year-round installation sheds light on Monument Circle. The nightly Signature Salute is one of the key features.

Solution

With our 240,000 lumen, 4K laser video projection system, we project images and sounds of historical significance across the Indiana Soldiers and Sailors Monument and surrounding buildings as a patriotic score from the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra plays. As the music crescendos, four beams of light reach skyward from each quadrant illuminating the top of the Monument, thus visually signaling Indianapolis as the Crossroads of America. In addition to this nightly feature, we provide video and audio assistance for all other programming around the Circle, such as Holidays on the Circle.
Shining a Light

Project: Corporate Employee Awards Banquet

Challenge

Combining music, video and custom-built scenic elements to convey the theme of this client’s annual awards banquet.

Solution

This project is particularly fun for us, as it allows us to get extra-creative and tap into our scenic design skills. This client’s annual awards banquet always has an imaginative theme that makes for marvelous visuals. For the Alice in Wonderland-themed banquet, our custom-built scenic elements included a giant replica of the Caterpillar as well as large iridescent mushrooms flanking the stage. We also crafted a playlist to further immerse guests in Wonderland. In addition to providing video and audio assistance with the awards presentation, adding these whimsical touches is a pleasure for us.
Corporate Employee Awards Banquet

Project: The Burlington Capital International Omaha

Challenge

Setting up visual equipment to provide coverage of this popular and highly anticipated equestrian event brings the best horses and riders in the Midwest together to compete for top prizes over the course of four days.

Solution

We work around the animals and the dirt trucks on the dressage and jumping track to provide LED lighting and screens supported by truss structures. The screens project footage of the competition events as well as advertisements and Jumbotron-like reactions from the crowd. This is one of our most challenging events in terms of the physical obstacles we have to work around, but it is also one of the most rewarding.
The Burlington Capital International Omaha

Project: Urbana Student Missions Conference

Challenge

The Urbana Student Missions Conference is a five-day event that takes place every three years and brings together a diverse mix of college and graduate students as well as pastors and church and ministry leaders. Our challenge is to create an environment that supports worship leaders and keynote speakers as they engage in 16,000-person worship sessions as well as seminars, manuscript Bible studies and testimonies from the global church and prayer ministry.

Solution

Setting up a turnkey production package with custom truss structures in the massive America’s Center Dome — the former home of the St. Louis Rams — was a fun challenge for the 2018 conference. We were thrilled and honored to provide Audio, Lighting, Video, LED, Rigging and Scenic for both live music acts and keynote speakers, again bringing a fresh design to the Urbana Conference.
Urbana Student Missions Conference