At Cutting Edge Entertainment we don’t mess around because we know that dependability is #1. When it comes to the choice of work vehicle to haul bazillions of tons of sound, lighting and production equipment, this Disc Jockey company puts it’s trust in Ford.

For almost two decades we have depended on the unwavering reliability of Ford to deliver, and our trucks have never let us down. Unlike other companies that might do things the easy way, the rough and rugged DJs of C.E.E. brave the extreme weather conditions of the Philadelphia region in our trusty and reliable E 150 class Econoline vans. Come rain, snow, sleet or hail our fleet is ever at the ready.  These are truly mighty machines.

These fearsome road warriors boast 145 and 195 horse power fuel injected six cylinder engines, returning a stellar 14 mpg average. Combining raw power and sleek design, these sporty work horses – sometimes referred to as ‘The Hammer Of The Trade’  – have yet to fail us.  The simplicity of the vinyl interior, crank-up windows, manual lock doors and standard AM/FM radio lend to the genius of its hardcore design.  Hardcore machines for hardcore DJs.

Special thanks to Kevin York whose background in NASCAR photography made him the perfect choice to immortalize the awesome power of our small yet fierce fleet in photographs.  Like our Ford trucks, Cutting Edge Entertainment is all-American and proud.

-Craig

Photos by Kevin York (thanks Kevin) – www.kevinyorkphotography.com

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

As somewhat of a tech-geek myself – if not simply a big kid who loves cool toys and gadgets – being at the Eventions warehouse was like being a kid in a candy store.  Aisles and aisles of lighting gear, all meticulously organized and well maintained surrounded me as I just gazed as if I were in a DJ dream.  Over 7,000 square feet of warehouse to be exact filled with cases upon cases of every variety of event lighting one could imagine, stacked so high that he needs a fork lift just to get at them all.  Might I add that my visit with Brian was on a Monday- typically a slow day in the event industry – but there were over a dozen or so guys loading and dispatching truckload after truckload of gear.  Eventions Productions is truly an impressive operation.

I’ve heard it said that you can always tell a tourist in New York City because they are always looking up… well that probably describes me to a tee as I wandered around the warehouse.  Brian had to excuse himself for part of our tour to take a phone call, and I think he found me in almost the exact same spot upon his return, mouth agape in amazement.

Thousands of lights (yes, literally, as I was counting when he left me unattended) including martin intelligent effects lighting, LED’s, leikos, pin spots, par cans, and a bunch of others that I had never seen before.  There were dozens of speakers,  50″ high definition plasmas, and well over 400′ of trussing.  Just beyond the photo was a large pool where he keeps the sharks with the laser beams for Dr. Evil (just kiddin). Eventions also uses ‘line array technology,’ which is the stuff rock bands use to line up speakers for concerts at large venues.

My level of being impressed doesn’t end there.  On Eventions website they offer a service called ‘virtual lighting design’ which allows the client to literally take part in the creative process of their lighting design which has a really cool feature that allows the customer to experiment with all the lighting options available to them to get an idea of what it looks like before the event day.

And to top it all off, Eventions entire facility (office and warehouse) will go completely green by the end of August 2009, implementing LED eco-friendly lighting not only to save electricity, but in a conscious effort to conserve.

I look forward to working with Eventions, and Brian’s knowledgeable staff of event engineers in the future.   Where Cutting Edge Entertainment takes DJs and talent to a new level, Eventions takes technology just as seriously and their passion and love for what they do is second to none.

-Craig

www.eventionsproductions.com

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

Kevin and Ashley went all out with options adding an extended lighting package,  custom gobos and even a live percussionist to play along with the music.  The event – held at Spring Mill Manor in Bucks County, PA – was a complete success.  Special thanks to Carl our production manager for designing the lighting structure for the event and to the Burstin and Mednick families for inviting us to share this special day with them.

As you can tell by the photos, a great time was had by all.  Gabriel from Deja Vu Studios was kind enough to provide us with these amazing pictures.  Deja Vu did a fantastic job on both photography and Video, and we look forward to posting some of the video footage very soon.  Not only did Deja Vu do a great job, but they were complete professionals and an absolute pleasure to work with.  I would highly recommend them.

Deja Vu Photography & Video – www.DejaVuStudio.com

Kevin and Ashley, we wish you all the luck and love in the world, and congratulations on your marriage!

-Craig

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

Marc has been working for Cutting Edge Entertainment as a DJ/MC since 1996, while during the week he works as an elementary school teacher.

In surfing online for more information on the subject of event lighting, I came upon a great demo-video created by Dave Williams at DVideography showing the dramatic impact of decorative lighting. 

Here is part of a short Q&A with Dave Williams regarding the subject. 

Q: What is decorative lighting?

Decorative lighting includes up-lighting, pin-spots, gobos, and intelligent lights.

Q: How will decorative lighting enhance my affair?

Decorative lighting highlights or enhances anything you would want to draw attention to at your event. Without decorative lighting, many of the event’s details are lost. Decorative lighting adds depth, enhances colors, and helps the decorations and architecture ‘pop’.

Q: Will it work with any color scheme? (a commonly asked question)

On traditional lights, various gels are used to create moods or to match color schemes. Intelligent lights have the ability to change colors on the fly, either to subtly change moods throughout the evening or to match the music being played.

Q: Why would I want to add decorative lighting to my affair?

The benefits of decorative are obvious the second your guests walk into the event. Lighting brings the room to life and sets the mood for your event. It directs your eyes to the elements that are important; the centerpieces, the cake, the architecture, or any other decorative elements. Lighting gives your guests the ability to see and feel everything you have worked so hard to put together.

Q: Would a photographer or videographer recommend decorative lighting for an event?

Of course. The photographer and videographer have something in common – both need light for their respective crafts. With on-camera lights, both photographers and videographers can only illuminate what is directly in front of them. However, with strategically placed decorative lighting such as uplighting and pinspots, background elements (draping, walls, molding, centerpieces, etc) are visible, adding more depth to the images. Without decorative lighting, photographers and videographers have to use more flash or more video lighting to capture images properly, possibly damaging the look and feel you want.

Q: If I have candles on my centerpieces, is there still a need for pin spots?

This really depends on the type of centerpiece and the look and feel you want. Many centerpieces have elements that cannot be seen with just candle light.

Q: If I have effects lighting, do I still need decorative lighting? What is the difference?

Effects certainly have their place at a party but they cannot replace decorative lighting. Moving gobos and intelligent lighting are used primarily for a special effect while decorative lighting.Please feel free to contact us at Cutting Edge Entertainment for more information about decorative and effects lighting. Please also check out Dave Williams at DVideography. Dave is truly one of the top videographers in the Philadelphia region… Why you ask? Well, mostly because he knows what he’s doing, he does it well, and he’s a nice guy. Check out his website, and particularly his blog (which is outstanding). www.dvideography.com

 Much of the high end production work done in the videos on DVideographys website (lighting & multi-media) was produced by Eventions, one of the foremost lighting and production companies in Philadelphia.  http://www.eventionsproductions.com