For Stoelt, leaning into the lighting design is key to making an impact at his events. “We make lighting a top priority throughout the entire design process, and we're always experimenting with unique and exciting ways to integrate lighting into our projects at large,” he said. “For the Rainbow High x Shadow High experience, lighting was not only an integral component, but an excellent opportunity to create some unique and dynamic experiences.”Photo: Vero Image
LOS ANGELES—Event designers love to play with bold colors and interesting lighting. So when toy company MGA Entertainment asked for a pop-up celebrating its colorful fashion doll franchise Rainbow High—along with its unique new Shadow High line of grayscale dolls—producers Stoelt Productions knew they had a chance to get creative.
The inspiration for the 30,000-square-foot activation came from the playful rivalry between the fan bases of Rainbow High and Shadow High, tying in elements of the toy lines' accompanying animated series.
“Bringing to life key moments from both series was a top priority to make this fun and engaging for the fans,” explained Matt Stoelt, CEO and creative director of Stoelt Productions, whose team handled design and production for the event. “We knew that we had to design two very distinct and different worlds.”
The event’s large footprint was broken into three parts: Rainbow High, Shadow High, and an on-site retail store.
“Rainbow High was anchored with a scene from the series that included the lockers and hallway of the school,” said Stoelt of the bold, multicolored space. “Select lockers were propped out with the elements from each character’s interests and talents from the program, creating surprise and delight.” There were also a number of vibrant photo moments, including life-sized doll packages that guests could pose inside, plus an LED rainbow wall.
The Shadow High side, meanwhile, offered more dark and dramatic moments, tying into the unique black-and-white world of the series and toy line. Guests entered the space through large, grayscale arches.
“The emphasis was on utilizing lighting and technology to bring to life the ‘glitch’ from the series and the monochromatic characters,” Stoelt said, adding that the Shadow High experience was anchored by a massive overhead truss structure with LED strips and a bright, vivid array of LEDs projected on the ground. Moving lights were used to create shadows and "glitches" throughout the space.
In addition to the impactful use of color and lighting design, Stoelt and his team thought carefully about the best ways to engage the line’s audience of children and teens.
“In a world where content is king, it was vital that we looked at this project through the lens of their eyes and combined that with the brand's objectives,” he noted. “Our overreaching goal was to make the experience fun, engaging, and interactive for kids while still appealing to adults, influencers, and collectors.”
The pop-up hosted an invite-only gathering for 300 influencers and VIPs on May 21. The following day, MGA employees were given dedicated time to enjoy the experience before it opened to the public. For the public gathering, 350 tickets sold out in just nine minutes.
Check out the list of vendors involved, and keep scrolling for more photos and logistical info from the family-friendly pop-up.
VENDORS:
Catering: Whoa Nelly
Decor: Taylor Creative
Design, Production, Fabrication, Staffing, Video, Lighting & Sound: Stoelt Productions
Drapery: Dazian
Exterior Graphics: Primary Color
Heavy Equipment: PowerTrip Rentals
Rentals: Town & Country Event Rentals
Staffing: 24 Seven
Producer Matt Stoelt says that despite the size of the space, the biggest challenge was finding ways to fit so many components in one area. “As the design evolved, we quickly consumed almost all of the available footprint with the photo moments, activation, and decor,” he said. To help, the team ended up relocating most of the support space to the loading dock and the second floor of the building. "Additionally, we were creative with the rigging, placing the main overhead truss in Shadow High on top of the existing steel in the venue, freeing up some additional footprint."
“Utilizing up-lights is hands-down one of the easiest and most effective ways to fill a space and make scenic builds more dynamic,” Stoelt advised. “Most modern LED uplight fixtures are wireless and are DMX controllable, adding another layer of customization.”
