Steve Helliker

Global service company Serco had just celebrated its 25th Anniversary as a listed company. Its Global Pulse Awards – which recognise those who exemplify what the company stands for has become a place to celebrate excellence and demonstrate the qualities Serco will take into its next 25 years.

It was key we should deliver outstanding storytelling that would bring the heartbeat of this company to life. This was the fifth Pulse Awards Ceremony I had produced for Serco, and the third at Grosvenor House. I always make every event I produce unique however, I knew this had to be very special, so my first task was to assemble an amazing creative and technical team to help me execute this complex project.

Each winner’s story was scripted as a short film with each one placed within a 360 degree immersive experience using four stages, surrounding projection and a whole raft of technical wizardry to take Serco’s audience on a global ride that showed the variety of the company’s activities - taking its audience to the very heart of what makes the company great, the places and communities where its people make a positive difference.

We sifted through the vast archive vault at Serco HQ and used it to create a dazzling and emotive experience of Serco’s twenty-five years and then translated it into a legacy film.

For me, the key was to deliver outstanding storytelling that would bring the heartbeat of this company to life on a global stage to the many different stakeholders among our audience and to make a core part of this experience live beyond the event for Serco’s 122,000 employees.

Our set-up also gave us the opportunity to present Serco’s story in a special presentation which traced the history of the company. We wanted to make this a really emotional piece. So, after developing the script, two researchers spent three days sifting through the vast 35mm slide archive vault at Serco HQ - virtually every project had been photographed - to select the most powerful stories. And we found and recorded voice narratives with Serco Alumni employees who were there when the stories happened.

The whole piece became a powerful and inspiring expression of the things that have made Serco great and an encapsulation of the energies, dedication and values that will shape the next 25 years. What’s more, we’d planned everything so that post-event it could be translated from a 360 degree show to video - a challenge in itself!

It’s worth noting that to make sure we didn’t give anyone neck ache over the course of the evening, we used 180 degrees duplicated for the winners’ stories and reserved the full 360-degree experience for the Serco film and support for the entertainment.

To stress the global/world-class theme, we enlisted the help of some world-class performers for the entertainment - West End and Broadway singers Ruthie Henshall, Kerry Ellis, John Lee and Alex Hanson, supported by the Guildford School of Arts choir and a live 10-piece band.

“Last night you pulled off a masterstroke. Without doubt the evening was one of the finest events I have had the privilege of be a part of. Thank you!”

The ballroom at Grosvenor House is a large space usually used for 1,000 or more guests. We wanted to transform the ballroom into a more intimate space and everyone on a spine-tingling ride around how Serco and its people make a positive difference in the world, and the values that underpin their work.

However, with less than 48 hours on site to build, rehearse, deliver the show and load the last truck out, it was going to require meticulous planning – and a lot of nerve!

Our first decision was to script each of the award winner’s stories like a short film. We wanted to get our audience involved in these stories and how they expressed the spirit of Serco, rather than just listening to a roll call of fatuous superlatives.

The next challenge was how to connect all these stories up into the ‘global ride’ we had in mind – to show the reach and scale and variety of this company’s activities together with the landscapes, places and communities where it operates.

With four stages marking the four corners of the world we set about our design. We decided to install a multi-projector set-up with sixteen high power projectors projecting wide screen over four flown front projection screens

We then added four LED screens to each corner of the room to provide a ‘living’ backdrop to each stage. Twenty channels of Dataton Watchout were used to program the software created by the production team.

All the award graphics and stunning imagery were created specially to support each aspect of the experience: the stories; global journey; underlying company values; the evening entertainment; and a specially created presentation of Serco’s history.

Six animators and approximately 1,260 hours were required to create the complex often 3D visuals that wowed the audience. The imagery was also created so it could pass from one screen to another. Additionally, live camera was mixed on to the screen where appropriate from fixed and moving cameras around the room.

All of this was positioned in an enclosed space on the lower level of the Grosvenor House ballroom to create a room within a room enclosed with a colour changing RGB star cloth on each side.

I knew we had a challenge with opportunities such as sight lines and providing directional sound from each of the stages. But once we had the stage set in place, the room looked stunning. The whole evening utilised the four stages for both awards presentations and entertainment. The audience was kept on its toes as people were never sure where the next item on the programme would come from.

Striking, animated 360-degree backdrops were designed for each act and there were themes within the entertainment that expressed the wider themes of the evening.

But with all this going on, we never forgot that this was about the Global Pulse Award winners. As well as crafting their story, we had created an environment in which their achievements were showcased through an animated presentation using photos and videos alongside the award graphics we had created. We also took photos of the moment they received their award and mounted these backstage so we could present them to every winner on the night.

It made each winner feel incredibly special and valued - and that was exactly how we wanted them to feel.

“Steve has managed a number of events for me. He has brought imagination and creative ideas to enable the events to have real impact. He is innovative in his approach, works well as a member of a team and delivers on time and to budget. The people he brings to the party in relation to the elements that need to make up a successful event have all been professional and fitted in well to deliver top class events. He is also great fun to work with!”

Robert Smith, Director Business Compliance and Ethics at Serco Group plc

I pride myself in being an award-winning expert in the field of event management and outstanding production with the creative, technical and management skills required to successfully deliver impactful events that engage and motivate audiences above and beyond expectations.

Strong understanding of event logistics, timelines, and the ability to manage complex details, ensuring everything runs smoothly.

Ability to create unique and engaging event and production concepts, themes, and designs that capture the target audience's attention and create memorable experiences.

Engage in clear and effective communication with clients, suppliers, & team members.

Proficient at delegating tasks, managing creative & technical teams, and ensuring everyone is aligned with the events goals.

Managing resources, budgets, timelines, and priorities ensuring everything on track.

Developing & maintaining relationships with creative and technical suppliers, negotiating contracts and ensuring quality services.

Excellent negotiation skills helping to secure better deals and partnerships that benefit the project.

A keen eye for detail to ensure nothing is overlooked leading to polished productions and events.

Adept at identifying and resolving problems swiftly and effectively.

Excellent understanding of brand identity and messaging ensuring that creative work aligns with client brand values and image. Adept at seamlessly integrating brand logos, colours and themes.

When I produce and manage events for my clients, it’s not just another one in the calendar, it’s an experience I hugely enjoy and it’s one I want you to enjoy too! At the heart of every project is a dedicated team. My experience and contacts bring an extraordinary depth & breadth of talent from technical and creative backgrounds. No project is the same, so I always tailor the talent to match the need.