When the Swiss Armed Forces talk about the future at the ISAZ event, F/E is not far behind with innovative concepts. With our staging, we put future defense in the best light and set new event standards for the army.
In an impressive showdown in August, the Swiss Armed Forces provided information on the progress of the ongoing implementation of the WEA, short for Further Development of the Armed Forces, which has been underway since the beginning of 2018. The three-and-a-half-hour event staged by us not only presents the current situation, but also highlights visionary strategies for strengthening defense capabilities up to the year 2030. At the ISAZ event, however, we not only focus on informative content, but also skillfully combine dramaturgy, screen design, content production, process direction and stage management to provide a comprehensive and intensive insight into the future direction of the Swiss Army.
The Army and AI-generated images
Thomas Süssli, Chief of the Armed Forces (CdA) himself, opens the event, which takes place in the in the Kloten barracks or the Swiss Air Forces, and immediately introduces the visitors to the realignment of the armed forces. The commanders of the different departments then present specific necessary adjustments for their areas. Eight impressive LED screens, suspended frontally or diagonally above the stage and filled with AI-generated images, provide visual support and reinforce the content presented. This screen, comparable to the size of a tennis court, shows the Swiss Army in a new, futuristic dimension.
Aerial acrobatics and captivating choreography
A particularly impressive performance is provided by the commander of the Air Forces, who amazes visitors with a pre-produced video interview directly from the Superpuma-Helicopter. The video ends with a spectacular landing on the event area. The commander disembarks and the audience is convinced: this arrival is live. Only attentive observers notice that the expected helicopter noise and vibrations of the landing are absent - it is staged.
Young recruits perform in a similarly impressive manner at various points during the event. With modern choreographed military music, they provide diversification in the midst of a tight program.
Consistent screen design for solidarity
The connected screen design we created plays a key role in presenting the army as a unit, despite the many commanders and divisional officers giving speeches.
Stage manager Annina Hümbeli, always keeping an eye on the clock, ensures seamless transitions between the speakers by giving them the signal backstage in good time for their appearance. On this day, it is she who gives the decisive orders.
Hybrid event of superlatives
The ISAZ event represents a milestone as the Swiss Military's largest hybrid event to date, commissioned directly by the CdA. Live from the nearby OB van, two presenters conduct spontaneous interviews before and after the event in the live stream. Even in the Boradcast-Van around the corner, we keep the direction and all the strings in our hands and ensure that the ISAZ event will undoubtedly be remembered as groundbreaking for future presentations and events of the Swiss Armed Forces.