Articles

The value in bringing order to the chaos of backstage.

In the process of delivering shows within the live events industry, the backstage has traditionally been considered this elusive and hidden space where all the ‘magic’ happens. The reality is that backstage can be a very dangerous place, especially for people unfamiliar with a show site environment. For many years, the importance of the backstage look and layout was ignored compared to the front of house and show stage. Today, a new trend has emerged where the design of the backstage has become a great concern. […]

Understanding the True Value of Technical Directors to Ensuring a Successful Event

Live events come together in many ways. Some firms bring in their own internal teams, while others employ a professional known as the technical director to facilitate the process. Essentially, the job of a technical director (TD) is to make a show run efficiently. From beginning to end, the TD plays a pivotal role in ensuring the event is executed not only successfully, but also in the most efficient way for the client. The benefit of a TD can sometimes be undervalued because it can take solving a problem for their role to be recognized, when the true value of what they do is minimizing any issues on show site. But, whether an event goes off exactly as planned, or experiences challenges, a good TD is well worth […]

The Critical Importance of Choosing the Right People for the Right Job

In the wild west of live events, it’s clear that the technicians rule the world. They transform black boxes of miscellaneous gadgets and gizmos into these amazing displays and moving experiences for the audience. Whether a small, medium, or large show, it is critical to have a talented crew to ensure a successful outcome. The team in place can either make or break a show, and it is extremely important to take the proper measures to place the right people in the right jobs for your next event. […]

Preparing to Navigate and Negotiate the Pitfalls of the Venue Contract

When planning a live event and trying to budget effectively, meeting planners may not realize what they can do to prepare on the front end to save time and money. During the planning process, companies commonly talk about equipment discounts, shipment costs, providing local labor and/or using in-house audiovisual to save money for the overall event budget. Although important items to consider, these types of savings occur much later in the overall planning, after the most important step in the process has already transpired – the execution of the venue contract. […]