CINDERELLA MAN

Based on an extraordinary true story, Russell Crowe's latest blockbuster movie, The Cinderella Man, is about a down-and-out boxer who triumphs over the most unlikely odds. Whilst resurrecting his fighting career and rescuing his family from the poverty of the Great Depression he becomes a folk hero for all those struggling against adversity.
The movie's Australian launch at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion was a night to remember with a veritable 'who's who' of Australia's brightest and best enjoying a $2,000 a plate five star dinner, and entertainment including Melanie C and Leo Sayer.
Essentially a charity night, the event was generously sponsored by Kerry Packer's PBL and L'Oréal, and raised around one million dollars for the Just Enough Faith Foundation, an organisation devoted to feeding and giving a second start to the homeless - a fitting analogy to the Cinderella Man's own story.
With a boxing ring at one end, a performance stage at the other and a team of extras dressed in 1920's street clothes conversing and moving around the aisles, the Hordern was transformed.
32 Hundred Lighting provided total production, audio and lighting for the event with a selection of Audio-Technica Artist Elite microphones covering the critical interview and speech applications and a Martin Audio line array system delivering the result.
Speaking from the boxing ring was celebrity DJ and Master of Ceremonies Alan Jones, whose interview with The Cinderella Man himself, Russell Crowe, was broadcast through an eight cabinet Martin Audio W8C system. This was flown above the boxing ring, and carried the spoken word plus the backing band which subsequently performed in the ring.
On the main performance stage two lines of six Martin Audio W8LC compact line array cabinets were ably supported by 12 WSX subwoofers, all powered by QSC PL-2 amplifiers. The system provided Melanie C, Leo Sayer and their bands more than sufficient sound reinforcement for the night. Two Allen & Heath GL5000's handled mixing duties, a 48-channel at FOH and a 32-channel at foldback.
32 Hundred's MD Iain Reed commented, 'This was a great night to be involved in – not least because a million dollars was raised for a very worthwhile cause. Technically for us it was smooth sailing with no issues. Everything sounded great.'
All in all this unquestionably opulent event, while providing an opportunity for the rich and famous to experience great entertainment and premium production, contributed mightily to a very worthwhile cause - something the Cinderella Man would surely applaud!