IET Birmingham: Austin Court hosts the BBC film preview of My Name is Leon
Published: Fri 10 Jun 2022
Austin Court is a purpose-built events venue with cutting-edge AV facilities and flexible spaces that made it a suitable location for the preview.
We also provided on-site technical support to ensure that the event ran smoothly, with our own IET technicians assisting the BBC’s crew with equipment, lighting and sound requirements.
In attendance were VIPs from the film industry alongside 40 members of the public who had won tickets through a ballot, with several spaces at Austin Court used throughout the evening.
The atrium was used for registration, the Waterside Room hosted a drinks and canapés reception for attending VIPs and the Courtyard was the backdrop for media interviews and photographs.
The Kingston Theatre took centre stage by hosting the screening of video clips from the film, as well as a panel and Q&A discussion with the cast.
The locations used at Austin Court are all fully accessible.
Hosting an event of this scale required a mixture of technology equipment, screens, lights and sound. To make sure the event took place without a hitch, a technology rehearsal was carried out prior to the start of the preview.
The technology and digital support we provided included:
- HD projector with a screen size of 3.5m x 1.97m
- Digital screen outside the Courtyard for welcome signage
- Lighting to enhance the stage
- Lapel microphones for the cast during the panel and Q&A
- Music playing for the arrival and exit of delegates
Set in 1980s Birmingham, My Name is Leon tells the uplifting and incredibly moving story of nine-year-old Leon, a mixed-race boy, and his quest to reunite his family after being taken into care and separated from his blond and blue-eyed baby brother.
Told through Leon’s eyes, we follow his journey, full of energy and hopefulness despite the hardships he encounters, and witness the touching relationship between him and his foster carer.
Hosted by BBC WM's Nikki Tapper, guests at the preview event had the opportunity to see exclusive clips from the film (which was filmed in and around Birmingham), and a panel discussion with the film's executive producer, Sir Lenny Henry, writer Kit de Waal and director Lynette Linton.
