4 Event AV Contracting Tips to Consider

Scott Frankel

Attendees to Smart Meetings’ Culinary Experience, hosted at Paris Las Vegas, were treated to a free learning session led by Scott Frankel, president of Animatic Media LLC & Conference-On-Demand + LIVE. With an event production career that spans over 26 years, Frankel was a perfect choice as speaker to educate our audience on the fine details of AV contracting.

If you were unable to join in person, fear not—we’ve curated the top takeaways from the presentation for you to take into consideration when planning your next meeting or event.

Don’t Underestimate the Importance of AV

With a such large percentage of new professionals across all sectors of the meetings industry, Frankel emphasizes the vital importance of AV, as it can truly make or break your next event. When pre-planning, buyers often have the option of in-house or outside AV. Whichever direction you head in, both require a thorough needs assessment that goes beyond venue specs.

Read More: Elevate the ‘Video’ in Your Event Video Production Strategy

Communicate your needs and goals clearly and consider adding an AV representative to your next conference call, as that person can likely bring an important perspective to your planning process. The sooner AV is involved in your planning process, the better the AV team can provide the best overall service, as well as troubleshoot any unforeseen obstacles in advance of your next meeting.

Details on set up, rehearsal, show and strike are crucial to top-tier execution by AV teams, and the sooner you can provide them with those details, the better. Also, providing AV with as much lead time as possible is ideal; for example, if you have access to a venue two days before an event, try to let AV in as early as you can, rather than assuming that the day before is adequate.

Factor in the Easily Forgotten Obvious

AV teams need time for meals, breaks and other legal requirements. Be sure to allow space for those in your set up schedule. When it comes to your budget, keep in mind that overtime can quickly become a major expense if set up is not arranged to fit an eight-hour day.

Seemingly small things like mic counts are crucial to the seamless flow of your meeting; in addition to speakers onstage, factor in Q&A sessions and offstage interactions to ensure you are covered in all scenarios.

Light It Up: The #1 Way to Set the Atmosphere

Now that LED rules the school, lighting has become the most essential tool when setting the mood and energy of your event. Elements such as stage wash, camera lighting, scenic lighting, intelligent lighting, mood lighting and DMX/iPad room control come together to shape a top-tier professional setting, and your AV team should be well-prepared for all of these through pre-event meetings and conference calls.

Read More: How Technology Can Help Us Build a Greener Events Industry

The more clearly you communicate your objectives, the better suited your AV vendor will be to providing exactly what you need. What’s more, last-minute add-ons like power strips and extension cords can seriously impact your budget, as they can often be double or even triple the cost they would have been, had AV been aware. Money that could be spent on larger centerpieces or customized welcome gifts can be easily lost this way.

Building an A+ AV Team

When building your AV team or outsourcing, Frankel says the must-have members are an A1, V1, camera op and one shadow. Ideally, there would also be an A2, stage manager and graphics op. A show caller/producer might also be helpful, depending on the scenario. If you communicate your vision in as detailed a way as possible, your AV vendor should be able to provide you with exactly what you need.

Whether it’s a large-scale conference or a small breakout session, AV always leads the way in terms of presentation and outward professionalism.

The post 4 Event AV Contracting Tips to Consider appeared first on Smart Meetings.