Griffin Studios, our custom-built, broadcast ready television, film and event was designed from the ground up to produce the ultimate live auction experience. Most of our clients do not realize the work that goes on behind the scenes, but it is a major production for us to put on our live auction events.
In our studio we have dozens of high resolution cameras, and a very impressive lighting set up. Griffin Studios also has one neat feature, a “Cyc wall.” The blue background of our auction is lit up on a wall that fades ever so gently into the floor, creating the illusion that it never ends. If needed, we can also produce visual effects using this as a green screen. We typically have one to two auction studio producers, one to two staff clerking the sale, and of course our fantastic group of auctioneers who rotate every one to two hours.
The November Showcase auction saw a lot of bidding activity on the phones, especially in the Rarities Night session of the sale, Phone bidding is available for all our showcase auctions, and really helps to create excitement for higher value lots. Shown above, our newest auctioneer Sam Markell has numerous angles recorded for every lot, allowing us to switch the camera view often and keep the presentation dynamic and interesting. My first time auctioneering was nearly a decade ago in a live auction session in Baltimore. Over time we have seen the number of bidders in the room decrease. However the bidders on the phone and online has increased dramatically, as people have discovered how easy and convenient it is to participate from wherever they may be.
