It wasn't Mos Eisley. But I saw an R2 unit.
The launch event MultiChoice held for its new DStv BoxOffice video-on-demand (VOD) service had the droids that any serious movie buff is always looking for - and held the secrets of the pay TV platform's phenomenal looking new pay-per-view extension.
The buzzed about do at Tintswalo at the Waterfall Estate in Johannesburg lured the biggest grouping of senior press people covering the television industry in South Africa and editors (although one sad TV magazine's editor dispatched one of his layout artists!) that MultiChoice has ever had together for a single media event.
The glamarama MultiChoice BoxOffice launch event took guests to - or rather immersed them in - the world of the movies in a very apt way. There were movie mock-ups ranging from Toy Story and Star Wars' C-3PO and R2D2 with lookalikes including Sherlock Holmes, Nanny McPhee, The Hulk, Captain Jack Sparrow - even Brad and Angie - populating the event and mingling with guests.
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On the inside The Hulk (yes. green.) was a bartender, Nanny McPhee blatantly sat and polished silverware (we love impromptu actors who improvise) and Angie in full black Tomb Raider regalia strutted her stuff. Also there was MultiChoice top brass like John Kotsaftis, CEO of DStv Online; Nico Meyer, CEO of MultiChoice SA as well as Imtiaz Patel, group CEO of MultiChoice SA and Eben Greyling, Naspers CEO of Pay TV platforms.
John Kotsaftis and Imtiaz Patel both did solid, glitch-less presentations. Also solid? The food. Guest mingled (I and some other journalists and editors first did some interviews) gobbled on everything from chicken pies and spaghetti and meatballs to an unending delight of a well-done light dinner buffet.
Something that often worries me when I go to things is that I go to work. I know other people go for goodie bags, or because their boss sends them (layout artist! unbelievable), or go - but without the intention of actually purposefully finding news. Since that's my aim, I always work first which means talk and trying to do interviews, which means often the food is done and gone by the time I get to any kind of a table.
The DStv BoxOffice launch didn't have that problem. The ''main course'' table was still stocked when I got there quite a while later, and was followed by a desert table and an open bar that was open from the minute we arrived.
There were lots of different pieces (almost too many variables that could go wrong in my mind) to pull such an elaborate live display and presentation off successfully, but MultiChoice managed very well.
Even the one on one interviews done Round Robin style went way smoother than the cattle herding I've resigned myself to years ago (although one did take place in a cellar, and Brad and Angie made such a noise right next to us while I interviewed Eben Greyling that I had to stop the interview halfway through while my precious minutes were running out and tell them to be quiet. They'll probably go smash my photo now too.) It was refreshing to be able to fit everything in and be able to grab a bite to eat and to chat and just mingle right at the end with some of the few other journalists I've known for years and years.
The DStv BoxOffice launch event was hard work to cover but enjoyable. MultiChoice did very well executing this corporate event. Maybe some other broadcasters and players within the television industry can learn a thing or two.
