Lighting, large screens, clear audio and staging are integral to event design. Triple S Studio in Teaneck, a family-owned-and-run full-service audio/visual production company, has developed a growing niche in planning and running all the technology for parties as well as large events for schools, nonprofits and corporations.
The company began as a photography and videography studio and expanded into managing all the technology for events. When the pandemic lockdowns put the brakes on large in-person events, Triple S studio used the technology they already had in place to live stream smachot. Today, live streaming is still being used to include guests in the simcha who can’t make it in person.
David Savetsky, founder of the company, can’t get to all Triple S events in person, but with live streaming he can still attend. Live Streaming is better quality than Zoom. When you get a friend with his laptop to Zoom the event, you never know if it will work properly or really catch the action. For large events, live streaming can bring in key speakers from remote locations.
Zev Savetsky, one of three brothers who run the business, said having a professional on hand to manage technology keeps everything running smoothly, with less anxiety for the host. “We handle all aspects of the event, from A-Z,” said Zev. “It’s not somebody coming in, throwing on some lights and walking away. One person is responsible and stays there throughout the event. So if anything goes wrong, we’re there to handle it.”
Zev has been at parties where the sound system is set up and then the caterer comes in and plugs in their equipment and the electricity goes down. “But because I was there and I know where the lighting controls are, I can tell the caterer where to move and get extension cords if necessary and put the electricity back on.”
Lighting has become the unsung star of event production. Logos are no longer just for swag. You might see an animated spinning logo or monogram on a screen, the wall and the dance floor. Those gorgeous table centerpieces shimmer under ceiling lights shining down on them to add more drama.
Zev has been focusing on the production of bar and bat mitzvah parties. He works with the motivators and party planners to make lighting an essential part of the theme and the action. “I’m setting the room lights before the party to give the room the right amount of light, so everybody can see each other and the food,” he said. “People want ambience so we put up accent lighting around the room with the color that matches the theme of the party. During the dancing we make the lights flash different colors, which adds a little excitement to the dancing.” For events with sit-down meals, the tables get their own lighting. “We light up each individual table and we light up the centerpiece with a special type of magnetic light in the ceiling.”
Many events have a montage playback on screen but things can go awry, especially if it’s run by a friend with a projector helping out. When Zev is at the event, this is another project that he sets up and manages. “You don’t even need a screen if you have a nice wall,” he advised. “I’m putting a projector in the back of the room aimed at usually a clean wall, and I put up the logo that will stay up the entire time to give the room a more customized feeling for the party. With one press of a button, the montage will play when the host is ready and then it automatically goes back to the logo. My projector is a high-end professional model that’s bright, so there’s no need to shut the lights on and off. I bring my own speakers so there’s no connecting with the DJ with the microphone, or avoiding a wire across the dance floor. Everything is very neat and clean and out of the way.”
Photo booths are common at events but Triple S produces photos that are professional quality. Adults, as well as kids, like to go home with a physical, high-quality photo. For weddings, instead of a photo booth, Zev will have a roving photographer take photos which are made into magnets and put on a board so people can take theirs as they leave the party. He also does a real- time montage, where photos are projected onto a screen shortly after they’re taken.
One new addition to events is called projection mapping, using multiple projectors to visualize a theme around the entire space. Zev has done a jungle where birds are flying around. He did a party where one wall looked like an aquarium, with projected fish swimming around the room. He has also done projections of flying butterflies. He recently did an event where he made the room into a winter wonderland. Snow and trees were projected on the walls. The drapes and carpet were white, adding to the theme.
Triple S handles all areas of engagement parties. “Engagement parties are about elegance,” said Zev. “We provide a DJ to do the music, which is more for background, with a good sound system. We put accent lighting around the room and feature the name of the chosson and kallah with special lighting called a gobo.” Rachmi Savetsky is the photographer, following in the footsteps of his esteemed father.
Yosef Savetsky handles large events such as school dinners and fundraising galas. His team starts hours before the event begins to set up and test all their audio and video playback systems and lighting. “We have the best professional equipment and the know-how to operate it,” said Zev. “We make your event run smoothly with no stress.” Triple S gives special attention to sound, which can be very uneven at large events. They have a process to avoid that. “We have an engineer coming in with a special white noise device that he puts out to see where the feedback is. He can tweak the room so everybody has clear and even sound with no one straining to hear or asking for the volume to be lower.”
Triple S Studio has one-stop shopping packages for smachot and events to handle production services for every budget. Contact Zev at (973) 869-9232.
Bracha Schwartz is special sections editor at The Jewish Link.
