In a society where social media is littered with updates on every aspect of people’s lives, what does an event that hides from the camera tell us about internal communication networks?
Personally, Romeo and Juliet has never been my favourite Shakespeare play. A story of two love-struck teenagers pining over one another and proclaiming that nobody ‘understand-eth’ their love, is a little too over-dramatic to me.
Enter Baz Luhrmann, armed with his 1996 film masterpiece, accompanied by Secret Cinema.
For those who aren’t aware, Secret Cinema specialises in ’live cinema’ experiences. Each event combines a screening of the chosen film with immersive live performances by actors – all taking place in sets built to look almost identical to the film.
And the secret part? Guests don’t know the exact location until they arrive. And even during the event itself, there are no cameras or phones allowed – it’s all about experiencing the moment.
So how does an event that hides its face from the camera stay so successful? And what does it tell us about internal communication networks? Here are three lessons from Secret Cinema to you’re your communications from being a tale of woe…
Act 1. In fair Verona, where we lay our scene…
‘Employee experience’ has been, and is still, growing in importance across internal communication networks. And one of Secret Cinema’s strengths lies in its ability to immerse guests in the world of the film before they even arrive. Tickets are often bought months in advance, so keeping the intrigue and momentum going is important.
In the months leading up to the event, messages are posted to a designated website along with email notifications. But all communication is in keeping with the style of the film. Most messages come directly from the ‘characters’ themselves.
Father Laurence advises all to ‘come prepar’d for peace’, whilst Tybalt Capulet declares ‘cry havoc!’. House attire is ‘advis’d’, dance battle moves are ‘requir’d’ and beneath it all, the excitement around the event grows.
Act 2: Two households, both alike in dignity
Although Secret Cinema excludes all photos, it does use social media to its advantage – to create a community and encourage communication between the attendees.
Once they ‘ve been assigned their character and join house Montague or Capulet, guests are encouraged to interact with one another on social media before the event. Each house has its own social media page, and members of each ‘family’ can ask one another questions, share costume ideas and announce their character.
With minimal effort, a space has been established where interaction can involve the guests and begin to build a sense of community. This clever use of tools to build common ground is something many internal communication networks could easily emulate.
Act 3: I see Queen Mab hath been with you
Creativity sets this style of event apart from others of a similar nature. Every little detail has been considered; from the copy used in each communication down to the names of the drinks at the venue itself.
Once a guest has arrived, they can’t help but be immersed in the film wherever they turn. Nothing seems out of place or left as an afterthought, and it’s this level of creativity that gets people returning year after year. Without that creativity, it would just be a film screened in a bizarre location!
We love bringing our creativity to helping build internal communication networks so, if we can help you, get in touch.
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