Making a scene for the others
The Streuns like to make a splash: Jürg (57), Ivan (26), and Nicolas (22) Streun ensure that corporate events become a special experience. Using videos, graphics, decorations, stage design, and performance segments, they create a seamless, unforgettable event—and they call this art “scenography.”.
Sometimes Jürg Streun's work is enough to make you cry. At least when he does it well. Then the trained decoration designer makes his clients cry. But Streun also has laughter in his program, just as his customer wants. Jürg Streun and his two sons Ivan and Nicolas are the heads of Streun Communications. The company produces films, TV commercials and corporate videos and offers event scenography under the brand "Die Szenografen". "Scenography is the art of staging messages in a virtuoso and multimedia way and placing the right effect at the right time so that the viewer leaves an event with strong emotions," defines Jürg Streun. In short: scenography wants to make a message tangible. For example, Fiat is planning a dealer conference for around 400 people. With this event, the car company wants to motivate its people, offer them entertainment, and treat their stomachs to a sumptuous feast. At the end of the event, everyone will receive a small gift to commemorate the occasion. The company also wants a moderator to lead the evening in German, Italian and French, as well as a common thread linking all the elements of the event. Cars do not necessarily have to be on display that evening.
Now the Streuns are getting into the act: "First we looked to find a suitable location for the event," explains Jürg Streun. "We decided on the StageOne event hall in Zurich Oerlikon." Here, in addition to the convenient location, the three event professionals found the technical equipment needed for the staging as well as a large screen for an effective multimedia presentation. "Our basic idea for the event was to combine the world of work with the world of glamour. Then we developed a theme for the event: Grazie - Thank You, and designed a logo to match," Streun says. "On the one hand, the logo summed up Fiat's message to its dealers, and on the other hand, it served as a common thread for us that linked the various elements of the event." The logo also reappeared on the giveaway, a chocolate heart from Sprüngli.
Three men and one occasion
The scenographers also organized the catering. However, not because Jürg Streun is a passionate amateur chef, but because food and drink were to underline the message of the event. "At an event, we take care of all the elements that have something to do with the message to be conveyed," Streun explains. "That's what makes us different from an event agency." The Streuns also hired a moderator who speaks German, French and Italian for the Fiat event, in addition to several show acts whose performances, like the catering, were integrated into the overall message: The a capella troupe A-Live, for example, did not simply step on stage and sing, but began sweeping the stage during the CEO's speech. The latter reacted playfully
irritably at the cleaning work and pointed out that cleaning was now unnecessary - if they could sing, then it would be something else ... And already the singers were raising their voices. "It's very important to us in our scenography that not just any event set pieces are strung together," Streun explains his concept. "Every facet of the event should be necessary for the event to work. Only then is everything all of a piece. And only then are we satisfied." Fiat was also satisfied. "Our customer told us that the event had been a huge success," Streun says. "Everyone present was thrilled, he says, and some dealers even shed tears of enthusiasm."
With all media for all senses
Because Streun attaches great importance to careful planning, he also manages to get complications under control: A few years ago, half the hotel where the event was to be staged burned down an hour before it was due to start. "We moved a lot of our equipment to another building and started the event an hour late," Streun recalls. "In addition, we played images of the burning hotel on the screen, which were carried on various news programs. Finally, this event was now part of our event." Streun has never experienced a self-inflicted breakdown: "I've been waiting for that for a long time, but so far nothing has ever gone wrong. But before events, I often dream that everything will collapse. After all, every event is unique and we have no chance of repeating it. I therefore hope that it will continue to be just dreaming."
Arborist with passion
Jürg Streun was born and raised in Bern, and the city has left its mark on him: "As a child, I often walked back and forth under the arcades with my mother and admired the constantly changing shop windows," he recalls. "I loved what new things the decorators conjured up season after season; I wanted to do something like that when I grew up." Dreamed, done: Streun trained as a decorator after high school. He learns how to not only decorate rooms and shop windows, but how to skillfully stage them with photos, decorative elements and the merchandise for sale. "A decorator has to be good at a lot of things: painting, carpentry, photography and three-dimensional design," Streun explains. "That's always a bit suspect and an insult to any specialist - but that's the way it is. I've benefited tremendously from this training." Above all, Streun trained a quality that is the crucial basis for his work as a scenographer: imagination. "Back then, I had to be able to imagine what would come out when I linked different elements to form a whole," he says. Only someone who has mastered this game in his mind is a good "stage designer," whether it's for shop windows or large corporate events.
After his apprenticeship at Globus Bern, Streun worked for several years as a decorator at Globus and Jelmolí in Zurich. At 24, he is gripped by the desire to travel: He goes to Berlin, Paris and London, and in Berlin he works under Peter Stein at the Schaubühne am Halleschen Ufer as a stage cacheur. In 1976, Streun returns to Switzerland and takes a job as an event consultant and technician at the Holiday Inn congress hotel in Regensdorf. "The Holiday Inn, which is now the Mövenpick Hotel, had a large training area at the time with an audiovisual communications studio that provided training for employees of Mövenpick companies," Streun says. "In this training
center, I worked as an event consultant and was responsible for the stage technology in the congress hall. So I was able to gain a lot of experience, especially because video technology came up during that time." But in the long run, this job is not creative enough for Streun. He quits his job and works for four years on various television and theater projects. Along the way, he acquires knowledge in marketing and communication.
When the father with the sons
In 1982, Streun ventured into self-employment: He founded his first company, AVS - Audio Vision Streun, which he later renamed Streun Produktion. Until 2001, Streun produces films, TV commercials and multimedia events. Then he decides to liquidate his company and look for new challenges. He wanted to open a restaurant and do something completely different. Just two months later, Streun founded another multimedia company: Streun.com - Streun Communications. "My son Ivan wanted to start a business with me," Streun explains. "Actually, I had just finished with it, but then it appealed to me to work together with my son. Besides, former customers approached me with orders. So we founded the new company and agreed that Ivan would take over as managing director from 2003 and I would contribute my knowledge as a senior consultant." Streun's younger son Nicolas also works in the family business, as a graphics freelancer while he catches up on his Matura. "We work perfectly together and are good at incorporating all media into our productions," Streun says. "Ivan is very creative, patient and persistent, a tech geek and a total pro at post-production. Nicolas is a great graphic designer and insanely accurate. I have a lot of experience in film production and countless contacts. Besides, all three of us are obsessed with working out perfect productions. That fits together."
Above all, this fits in with the demands of the clients: "Each of our clients has different requirements, but they are always high and everyone wants the perfect staging," Jürg Streun knows. How the scenographers go about their work depends on the client's briefing. Some companies already know exactly what they want, others have just a vague message or a current advertising campaign that somehow needs to be incorporated into the event. "The most difficult step is to find the right location," says Streun, "then an important part of the work is already done. There are a myriad of facets to the scenographic realization of events: Decor, film, translation, moderation, music, food and drink. Of course, the three men don't do all that themselves. Streun Communications acts as a general contractor, bringing in the right people for every task: Event technicians, decorating studios, props makers, show people, presenters.
It takes about one to two months to develop and implement the scenography for an event. "We also like to take on short-term projects where everything has to happen very quickly," Jürg Streun emphasizes. "Then everyone involved is more willing to make decisions." Streun Communications is engaged either directly by corporate marketing or by advertising agencies that bring the scenography specialists on board for an assignment. "Often it's a matter of incorporating an ongoing campaign into an event," says Streun. "Then, of course, it's good if we work closely with the advertisers."
An event for 200 to 300 people can be had from 20′ 000 francs, a large event can quickly cost 500,000 francs. It depends on what acts and special effects the client wants. For a star performing in the evening alone, you have to factor in 10,000 to 50,000 francs, Streun calculates. "We notice that the money for event staging is not so loose at the moment with the companies," he says. "But panic is unnecessary, good events are always needed."
Pulling stitches with effect
The Streun tercet seems to be working well: Streun Communications looks after national and international clients such as Fiat, Chevrolet, Kia, Renault, Hyundai, Harley-Davidson, the EHMA Congress, Schwabe Pharma, Cantavino, the International Country Music Festival and Opel Ruckstuhl. The three have already staged events for the Fiat Group, BMW and Chevrolet. All car? "In fact, there is almost no car company represented in Switzerland that we haven't worked for," Streun says. "I'm a car and motorcycle freak, but I also like to do other jobs - always the one I'm working on the most." Still, Streun dreams of staging a big truck presentation one day, preferably on a giant screen with giant trucks in a stadium. A huge one, of course. The main thing is that it has an impact.
Anne-Friederike Wilhelm
Now the Streuns are getting into the act: "First we looked to find a suitable location for the event," explains Jürg Streun. "We decided on the StageOne event hall in Zurich Oerlikon." Here, in addition to the convenient location, the three event professionals found the technical equipment needed for the staging as well as a large screen for an effective multimedia presentation. "Our basic idea for the event was to combine the world of work with the world of glamour. Then we developed a theme for the event: Grazie - Thank You, and designed a logo to match," Streun says. "On the one hand, the logo summed up Fiat's message to its dealers, and on the other hand, it served as a common thread for us that linked the various elements of the event." The logo also reappeared on the giveaway, a chocolate heart from Sprüngli.
Three men and one occasion
The scenographers also organized the catering. However, not because Jürg Streun is a passionate amateur chef, but because food and drink were to underline the message of the event. "At an event, we take care of all the elements that have something to do with the message to be conveyed," Streun explains. "That's what makes us different from an event agency." The Streuns also hired a moderator who speaks German, French and Italian for the Fiat event, in addition to several show acts whose performances, like the catering, were integrated into the overall message: The a capella troupe A-Live, for example, did not simply step on stage and sing, but began sweeping the stage during the CEO's speech. The latter reacted playfully
irritably at the cleaning work and pointed out that cleaning was now unnecessary - if they could sing, then it would be something else ... And already the singers were raising their voices. "It's very important to us in our scenography that not just any event set pieces are strung together," Streun explains his concept. "Every facet of the event should be necessary for the event to work. Only then is everything all of a piece. And only then are we satisfied." Fiat was also satisfied. "Our customer told us that the event had been a huge success," Streun says. "Everyone present was thrilled, he says, and some dealers even shed tears of enthusiasm."
With all media for all senses
Because Streun attaches great importance to careful planning, he also manages to get complications under control: A few years ago, half the hotel where the event was to be staged burned down an hour before it was due to start. "We moved a lot of our equipment to another building and started the event an hour late," Streun recalls. "In addition, we played images of the burning hotel on the screen, which were carried on various news programs. Finally, this event was now part of our event." Streun has never experienced a self-inflicted breakdown: "I've been waiting for that for a long time, but so far nothing has ever gone wrong. But before events, I often dream that everything will collapse. After all, every event is unique and we have no chance of repeating it. I therefore hope that it will continue to be just dreaming."
Arborist with passion
Jürg Streun was born and raised in Bern, and the city has left its mark on him: "As a child, I often walked back and forth under the arcades with my mother and admired the constantly changing shop windows," he recalls. "I loved what new things the decorators conjured up season after season; I wanted to do something like that when I grew up." Dreamed, done: Streun trained as a decorator after high school. He learns how to not only decorate rooms and shop windows, but how to skillfully stage them with photos, decorative elements and the merchandise for sale. "A decorator has to be good at a lot of things: painting, carpentry, photography and three-dimensional design," Streun explains. "That's always a bit suspect and an insult to any specialist - but that's the way it is. I've benefited tremendously from this training." Above all, Streun trained a quality that is the crucial basis for his work as a scenographer: imagination. "Back then, I had to be able to imagine what would come out when I linked different elements to form a whole," he says. Only someone who has mastered this game in his mind is a good "stage designer," whether it's for shop windows or large corporate events.
After his apprenticeship at Globus Bern, Streun worked for several years as a decorator at Globus and Jelmolí in Zurich. At 24, he is gripped by the desire to travel: He goes to Berlin, Paris and London, and in Berlin he works under Peter Stein at the Schaubühne am Halleschen Ufer as a stage cacheur. In 1976, Streun returns to Switzerland and takes a job as an event consultant and technician at the Holiday Inn congress hotel in Regensdorf. "The Holiday Inn, which is now the Mövenpick Hotel, had a large training area at the time with an audiovisual communications studio that provided training for employees of Mövenpick companies," Streun says. "In this training
center, I worked as an event consultant and was responsible for the stage technology in the congress hall. So I was able to gain a lot of experience, especially because video technology came up during that time." But in the long run, this job is not creative enough for Streun. He quits his job and works for four years on various television and theater projects. Along the way, he acquires knowledge in marketing and communication.
When the father with the sons
In 1982, Streun ventured into self-employment: He founded his first company, AVS - Audio Vision Streun, which he later renamed Streun Produktion. Until 2001, Streun produces films, TV commercials and multimedia events. Then he decides to liquidate his company and look for new challenges. He wanted to open a restaurant and do something completely different. Just two months later, Streun founded another multimedia company: Streun.com - Streun Communications. "My son Ivan wanted to start a business with me," Streun explains. "Actually, I had just finished with it, but then it appealed to me to work together with my son. Besides, former customers approached me with orders. So we founded the new company and agreed that Ivan would take over as managing director from 2003 and I would contribute my knowledge as a senior consultant." Streun's younger son Nicolas also works in the family business, as a graphics freelancer while he catches up on his Matura. "We work perfectly together and are good at incorporating all media into our productions," Streun says. "Ivan is very creative, patient and persistent, a tech geek and a total pro at post-production. Nicolas is a great graphic designer and insanely accurate. I have a lot of experience in film production and countless contacts. Besides, all three of us are obsessed with working out perfect productions. That fits together."
Above all, this fits in with the demands of the clients: "Each of our clients has different requirements, but they are always high and everyone wants the perfect staging," Jürg Streun knows. How the scenographers go about their work depends on the client's briefing. Some companies already know exactly what they want, others have just a vague message or a current advertising campaign that somehow needs to be incorporated into the event. "The most difficult step is to find the right location," says Streun, "then an important part of the work is already done. There are a myriad of facets to the scenographic realization of events: Decor, film, translation, moderation, music, food and drink. Of course, the three men don't do all that themselves. Streun Communications acts as a general contractor, bringing in the right people for every task: Event technicians, decorating studios, props makers, show people, presenters.
It takes about one to two months to develop and implement the scenography for an event. "We also like to take on short-term projects where everything has to happen very quickly," Jürg Streun emphasizes. "Then everyone involved is more willing to make decisions." Streun Communications is engaged either directly by corporate marketing or by advertising agencies that bring the scenography specialists on board for an assignment. "Often it's a matter of incorporating an ongoing campaign into an event," says Streun. "Then, of course, it's good if we work closely with the advertisers."
An event for 200 to 300 people can be had from 20′ 000 francs, a large event can quickly cost 500,000 francs. It depends on what acts and special effects the client wants. For a star performing in the evening alone, you have to factor in 10,000 to 50,000 francs, Streun calculates. "We notice that the money for event staging is not so loose at the moment with the companies," he says. "But panic is unnecessary, good events are always needed."
Pulling stitches with effect
The Streun tercet seems to be working well: Streun Communications looks after national and international clients such as Fiat, Chevrolet, Kia, Renault, Hyundai, Harley-Davidson, the EHMA Congress, Schwabe Pharma, Cantavino, the International Country Music Festival and Opel Ruckstuhl. The three have already staged events for the Fiat Group, BMW and Chevrolet. All car? "In fact, there is almost no car company represented in Switzerland that we haven't worked for," Streun says. "I'm a car and motorcycle freak, but I also like to do other jobs - always the one I'm working on the most." Still, Streun dreams of staging a big truck presentation one day, preferably on a giant screen with giant trucks in a stadium. A huge one, of course. The main thing is that it has an impact.
Anne-Friederike Wilhelm
