WSU Recognition Gala in Seattle

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Man presenting at the WSU 42nd Annual Recognition Gala
Wide shot of the stage and people enjoying dinner at the WSU 42nd Annual Recognition Gala
People taking photos together at the Man presenting at the WSU 42nd Annual Recognition Gala
A woman standing on stage with a drink in her hand at the Man presenting at the WSU 42nd Annual Recognition Gala

Client Objective

A great gala feels effortless. Guests should feel the emotion of the mission, the energy of the room, and the momentum of the program. For the WSU gala at the Sheraton Grand Seattle, the objective was to deliver a fundraiser experience that looked premium, sounded clear, and stayed calm behind the scenes.

That meant building a reliable live event AV workflow for a fast-moving night. We needed strong IMAG so every table could see the stage, clean playback for videos and sponsor moments, and multi-camera coverage that could tell the story with close-ups, wide shots, and movement. Just as important, the whole system had to be easy to run under pressure, with consistent results from doors to final cue.

In other words, the technology had one job: disappear. When the show “just works,” the audience stays present, the speakers feel supported, and the cause gets the spotlight.

Benefits and Results

We built a show environment that matched the scale of the room and the stakes of the night. A ROE Black Pearl LED wall created a bright, crisp visual anchor for content, while projection support helped extend coverage where it mattered. Together, the room stayed visually connected, even from the back of the ballroom.

To keep the program feeling polished, we designed the video system like a broadcast. Sony HDC-4300 cameras gave clean, consistent images for IMAG and program feed, and a 24-foot Jimmy Jib added cinematic movement that made the night feel big without feeling busy. Switching ran through a Blackmagic ATEM 4 M/E system, giving the director fast control over cameras, playback, and transitions as the show shifted between speakers, video moments, and auction pacing.

On the audio side, we focused on intelligibility and confidence. A Yamaha CL series console with Yamaha Rio stage I/O kept the mix stable, while Shure Axient wireless and DPA headsets helped speakers stay clear and consistent. Comms kept the team coordinated so cues landed cleanly and the room stayed in rhythm.

The result was a gala production that felt seamless for guests and dependable for operators. Strong visuals, clean audio, tight cueing, and a workflow built for a live fundraiser where timing matters.

Key Systems

  • LED video wall: ROE Black Pearl BP3 tiles + EVision HD101 processing

  • Projection: Epson Pro L1505U 12,000 lumen laser projector + 7’11″x14′ front projection screen

  • Cameras: Sony HDC-4300 studio cameras + 24′ Jimmy Jib

  • Switching: Blackmagic ATEM 4 M/E Broadcast Studio 4K + ATEM 2 M/E Broadcast Panel

  • Audio: Yamaha CL1 console + Yamaha Rio 1608-D stage I/O

  • Wireless mics: Shure Axient Digital + DPA 4066 headsets

  • Comms: FreeSpeak wireless intercom + RTS system