Event management isn’t easy—and we speak from decades of experience in working with event planners.
Audio visual execution is the key to a successful event not only because it raises the quality in attendees’ memories, but because people notice when things seem off instead of just going well.
Follow this checklist to make sure you haven’t missed anything critical (including experts to install the equipment!). Ready for peace of mind?
Lighting
Lighting is arguably the most important aspect of your event venue.The only thing worse than not being able to hear event speakers is not being able to see them.
Effective lighting can be deployed with a variety of angles, colours, patterns, timers, and equipment types. The options are out there—it’s a question of accomplishing what you want on a cost-effective budget.
First, you need to make sure that the venue can support lighting for at least 40 or 50 people, if not more. Your event venue might have some lighting inside, or it might be held outside. Even hybrid events need strategic lighting for small things, like the transition areas.
Pick at least two spots where people will gather socially and focus the lighting there. It could be any of these locations:
- The entrance
- A dance floor
- A bar
- An anteroom
Those lights might need dimming controls if there are going to be “phases” to the event, like a wedding. Dances call for dimmed lights, whereas open mingling calls for wide lighting. You’ll also need three-point lighting on the presenter’s podium or stage.
Think about which of those styles will produce the lighting for your event. Create a checklist of the things you need (or questions about how to implement them) before you need them.
And don’t forget to ask your AV partner about the rigging!
Sound
Being heard is just as important as being seen for most events, but there’s more to it than just grabbing a microphone before taking the stage.
You need to think about how the sound is going to reach attendees who aren’t up at the very front with the speaker.
It’s easy to put the speakers at the front of the venue where the speakers stand, but that doesn’t help everyone—and the people in the front row are going to lose their hearing with too many speakers blaring
Great events bring the sound to each person based on where they’re sitting or standing. Bring speakers for every corner of the room! You can place them on the ground or mount them higher up—your audio visual partner will be able to lean in on ideal speaker placement and what’s needed to support them.
This all needs to fit into your budget, of course, meaning that you’ll need to take a look renting vs owning certain pieces of equipment, depending on how often your event is held.
Projection and Screens
What event would be complete without visual aides? Projectors tend to go hand-in-hand with event management due to the size of venues, but you’ll also need to think about:
- What kind of projector works with your venue
- Where the projector can and will be mounted
- The distance from the screen
Larger events might even require screens at the periphery for everyone to see and hear what’s going on.
Audio visual teams can install these without a problem, and the best ones can even consult with you about strategic placement. Don’t be afraid to lean on them for expertise.
Screens aren’t as affordable as microphones, so be sure to ask your AV partner about how to make it all work on a budget (while still leaving room for the unforeseen). This will go a long way toward fitting the projectors and screens into your budget.
Miscellaneous Equipment
There’s everything else that goes with your event; these things become overlooked because they’re often out of sight.
For example, we’ve had a client order lights without realizing they needed to order the fixtures needed to mount them!
Add these items to your checklist and then run the list:
- Soundboard
- Rigging for lights
- Extension cords
- Foot covers for cables running throughout a venue, if needed
- Secondary audio inputs
- Smaller light sources for the ground
- Cameras for recording everything
And don’t forget the on-site technicians! Audio visual production companies will have these on staff, but it’s always worth double-checking what your teams can cover (between in-house and external teams).
