The after-party for the seventh season premiere of HBO series Game of Thrones took place July 12 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. The star-studded event, which was produced by Billy Butchkavitz Design, featured a screening of the episode accompanied by a live orchestra. Afterward, guests traveled across the street to the rooftop of the Classic Parking garage. The structure had no elevators, so Special Event Contractors created a series of bridges and ramps that allowed guests to walk to the roof.
During the event, projections by Bart Kresa Design moved continuously, depicting images such as a dragon flying and breathing fire, and montages of every cast member’s official character posters. “Together we were able to create a special little Game of Thrones kingdom in the sky,” said Butchkavitz, who worked alongside his brother Brian under the direction of Lauren McMahon, senior vice president of awards campaigns and special events at HBO.
“My goal was to create a Game of Thrones museum,’ explained Butchavitz. Images by Lighting helped create a moody, winter-like environment, and spotlighted the event’s Game of Thrones-style paintings, sculptures, photography, textiles, and more. Paper costumes inspired by the show's costumer designer, Michele Clapton, were highlighted in display cases throughout the event.
Town & Country Event Rentals carpeted the entire 40,000-square-foot rooftop, and also supplied dining tables, chairs, and other rentals.
The DJ booth—where DJ Daisy O’Dell entertained the crowd—was a white replica of the show’s Iron Throne, and the dance floor depicted a map of the fictional setting of Westeros. Statues of the Night King, a villain from the show, stood on both sides of the booth. Other entertainment, such as dancers and stilt-walkers, were provided by Fire Groove Entertainment, and food was provided by the Food Matters. 200 Proof handled staffing.
For the premiere of HBO documentary series The Defiant Ones, which was held at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles on June 22, designer Billy Butchkavitz went for a dramatic, sculptural look. Cube sculptures produced by Agile Eye Solutions defined the three sections of the party, and the red color scheme took inspiration from the color of Beats by Dre headphones.
The four-part documentary follows the relationship between rapper and record producer Dr. Dre and Interscope Records founder Jimmy Iovine. Butchkavitz centered the premiere-party decor around bold images of the two, drawing from HBO’s ad campaign that featured black-and-white photos of legendary musicians with the word “defiant.” The event’s decor also featured artwork from Iovine’s Los Angeles residence.
Special Event Contractors engineered and built an elevated platform that served as the party pavilion, and the black-and-white photos were projected onto the 65-foot-tall wall of Paramount Studios’ Blue Sky Tank. The moving projection was created by Bart Kresa Design. Meanwhile, Images by Lighting emphasized Butchavitz’s use of pattern and the color red. “The lighting enhanced and amplified the raw graphic statement that I was trying to convey,” said Butchkavitz.
The sculptural elements continued to the flowers, greenery, and vases, and servers from 200 Proof wore black shirts with the word "defiant."
For the launch of TNT’s new series Will, which centers on a young William Shakespeare, the network worked with Empire Entertainment to produce a premiere screening on New York’s Bryant Park lawn in June. Guests viewed the premiere episode on a large screen while enjoying food from Hester Street Fair vendors, including the aptly named “To Banh Mi or Not to Banh Mi.” After the screening, guests walked to the Bryant Park Grill, which had been transformed into a festive Elizabethan party.
