Event Producer Spotlight: Cynthia Lopell

1. Could you give a brief overview of CL22 Productions and share how you got your start in the event production industry?

Cynthia has launched her own design and production company, CL22 Designs & Productions Inc. With her degree in set design and construction, she worked in New York City for 10 years hoping her skills in creating environments that take its guests out of their own world and on a journey into another world. 1993 through 2008, Cynthia worked as an Event Producer and Designer in Los Angeles with Along Came Mary Productions, a top company in the entertainment arena for over 30 years.

Cynthia’s logistical and communicative skills, creativity, and expertise made her an extraordinary member of ACM’s event production team and is now taking it a step further with her own design and production company.Her superb coordination abilities have contributed to the success of the SAG Awards Post Party, The Soprano’s Emmy Celebrations, The Grammys as well as highly publicized premieres, charities, filmed events and large scale corporate functions as Bourne Identity, Soul Plane, Weeds, RugRats and Sponge Bob Square Pants series; LA Lakers Youth Foundation, Macys Passport, DIRECTV and HSN to name a few.Cynthia has a quality sense of overall concept, design, and event space flow. Her sharp eye for the fine details of decor including style, color, texture and patterns make her events unique, visually appealing and unforgettable. Her goal is to create an experience with no limits to the imagination.

2.How would you describe your design aesthetic?

With my background being in theatre design, my goal is always to create an environment that takes the guests on a journey – creates an experience, just like when you go to the theatre you walk away with a feeling of the emotional journey you just experienced. The other area I put a lot of thought into is the layout and flow of the space, as it is important to me for the design to encourage movement of the guests. Each area offers a different sensibility and pleasure.

Myself and my design partner Jackson Lowell, have an endless perseverance toward the integrity of the design, décor and event flow. One of our main objectives is creating environments that amuse, delight and inspire. We want the event to be a voyage into a world of spectacle and amazement. A multi layered sensory experience, a flawless celebration designed to go beyond the ordinary. We like to add elements that are out of the ordinary, that are different – like the fashion segments that were added to this years event, reflecting fundamental elements that exemplify NYC that everyone would know. For example, the New York Times gown, statue of liberty, Chinatown etc.

3.BizBash named the Super Bowl the #1 sports event in the United States, and this year you had the honor of producing DirectTV SuperSaturday Night in conjunction with the big game.Does producing an event of that magnitude require a different approach than producing a more personal event?

When doing an event this size the logistics become way more complicated. There are so many moving parts, that each area has to become a finely tuned dance and in essence I become the choreographer. Because I have done almost every job there is on an event site, from loading trucks to hanging lights to building sets to scullery, I have an understanding of the timing and what goes into completing each area. Having an understanding of the big picture gives me the ability to orchestrate the delicate layering effect needed to master an event this size.