The MMVA stage
Photo: BizBash
Construction is well under way at the intersection of Queen and John streets as Much Music prepares to host the 2008 Much Music Video Awards on Sunday. Production began on site May 29 in preparation for the 19th annual live broadcast and party for 2,000 guests. As many as 3,000 fans are also expected to line the streets to see performances by the likes of Rihanna, New Kids on the Block, Flo Rida, Simple Plan, and Finger Eleven.
"It has grown considerably. It's just gotten bigger and bigger and bigger," said Francine Socket, CTV's director of special events and merchandising, who has been planning the MMVA party along with her team—Pashalia Bitzionis, Julie Fortunato, and Ann Marie Borosic—since December. (This is Socket's 19th year planning the event.) "Because this is not a party venue, it's a TV station and a business, we had to create a production schedule that met the needs of both productions—everything to do with the broadcast and the party. We have more than 100 vendors and two skinny little driveways in the downtown core ... and one freight elevator [in the building]. It's like a ballet ... everybody is assigned a time they can enter the premises."With the construction of the main stage almost complete in the parking lot adjacent to the building at 299 Queen Street West, the preparations for the party are set to get under way today. "The party tent [courtesy of Regal Tent Productions] goes in on Wednesday. Then it will be lit, and then the audiovisual elements will be applied, such as big-screens monitor so guests can enjoy the show from any place in the party. Last, but certainly not least, is the catering," Socket said. She is using two separate catering companies, one for the party and the other for the celebrities in attendance. Noble Culinary Creations Catering is catering the party, and Montana restaurant, behind the Much building, is catering the greenrooms. "We have them look after all of the celebrities, in the event that they want something last-minute," Socket said.
In terms of the menu, she said her choices "were made based on foods that satiate. People are here for six hours during the dinner hour." Although she wouldn't reveal the menu prior to Sunday's event, Socket said she selected items that are trendy and easy to eat. "And I always do 30 percent vegetarian. And there are never any peanuts in this house," said Socket, whose team handles the parking-lot party, a party on the second floor, the 20 celebrity greenrooms, and all the requirements for the press room.
She noted that the second-floor space is a new addition to the event this year. "We're transforming work areas into party spaces, and that means they're being dressed with lighting and audio," she said of the eTalk offices. "On Friday night, we take down everybody's computers, phones, desks. They've got to pack up their belongings."
Although the live broadcast doesn't start until 9 p.m., guests will begin arriving for the preshow party at 6 p.m. And, with five security companies—the Federal Protection Agency, Primary Response Inc., Star Security, Northwest Protection Services, and an in-house team—and the involvement of the Toronto Police Service, security will be tight for the event. "We had software specifically designed for an electronic check-in," Socket said, noting that the program will allow for a smooth check-in and will inform the event staff of who did and didn't show for the awards.
When the event wraps up, teams will begin tearing down the party areas overnight Sunday to ensure the office space is ready for staffers on Monday morning. The stage will be packed up and cleared out of the parking lot by Wednesday, and planning will begin for the 2009 show. "Next week we'll start planning for next year's event. We'll have a postmortem, and we'll talk about what really worked and what we'd do differently," Socket said.
"It has grown considerably. It's just gotten bigger and bigger and bigger," said Francine Socket, CTV's director of special events and merchandising, who has been planning the MMVA party along with her team—Pashalia Bitzionis, Julie Fortunato, and Ann Marie Borosic—since December. (This is Socket's 19th year planning the event.) "Because this is not a party venue, it's a TV station and a business, we had to create a production schedule that met the needs of both productions—everything to do with the broadcast and the party. We have more than 100 vendors and two skinny little driveways in the downtown core ... and one freight elevator [in the building]. It's like a ballet ... everybody is assigned a time they can enter the premises."With the construction of the main stage almost complete in the parking lot adjacent to the building at 299 Queen Street West, the preparations for the party are set to get under way today. "The party tent [courtesy of Regal Tent Productions] goes in on Wednesday. Then it will be lit, and then the audiovisual elements will be applied, such as big-screens monitor so guests can enjoy the show from any place in the party. Last, but certainly not least, is the catering," Socket said. She is using two separate catering companies, one for the party and the other for the celebrities in attendance. Noble Culinary Creations Catering is catering the party, and Montana restaurant, behind the Much building, is catering the greenrooms. "We have them look after all of the celebrities, in the event that they want something last-minute," Socket said.
In terms of the menu, she said her choices "were made based on foods that satiate. People are here for six hours during the dinner hour." Although she wouldn't reveal the menu prior to Sunday's event, Socket said she selected items that are trendy and easy to eat. "And I always do 30 percent vegetarian. And there are never any peanuts in this house," said Socket, whose team handles the parking-lot party, a party on the second floor, the 20 celebrity greenrooms, and all the requirements for the press room.
She noted that the second-floor space is a new addition to the event this year. "We're transforming work areas into party spaces, and that means they're being dressed with lighting and audio," she said of the eTalk offices. "On Friday night, we take down everybody's computers, phones, desks. They've got to pack up their belongings."
Although the live broadcast doesn't start until 9 p.m., guests will begin arriving for the preshow party at 6 p.m. And, with five security companies—the Federal Protection Agency, Primary Response Inc., Star Security, Northwest Protection Services, and an in-house team—and the involvement of the Toronto Police Service, security will be tight for the event. "We had software specifically designed for an electronic check-in," Socket said, noting that the program will allow for a smooth check-in and will inform the event staff of who did and didn't show for the awards.
When the event wraps up, teams will begin tearing down the party areas overnight Sunday to ensure the office space is ready for staffers on Monday morning. The stage will be packed up and cleared out of the parking lot by Wednesday, and planning will begin for the 2009 show. "Next week we'll start planning for next year's event. We'll have a postmortem, and we'll talk about what really worked and what we'd do differently," Socket said.
