Event planning is a high-pressure job. It requires months of strategic planning and attention to detail to ensure a successful representation of your company or non-profit organization.

Throughout this process, you communicate with numerous individuals, discussing countless details. With so much on your plate, it’s understandable to feel overwhelmed when your A/V company starts throwing around terms like “gobos” and “edisons.” And while it’s their responsibility to explain their solutions clearly, understanding production terms will empower you to effectively communicate your needs.

Do I Really Need to Know my A/V Production Team’s Terms?

Juggling multiple tasks while orchestrating a great show can be challenging. At its core, production involves leveraging various technologies to effectively communicate your message to your audience. Familiarizing yourself with the names and uses of these technologies will help you make informed decisions when selecting equipment for your event.

This knowledge will also enable you to plan your budget more effectively and have meaningful discussions with your A/V company regarding your specific event requirements.


Set Yourself Up For Success at Your Event

Your message deserves to be heard by the right audience. Determine how many attendees should be present and select a suitable date for hosting the event. Consider whether an in-person gathering or a virtual conference would better serve your audience’s needs. Just like building a house, start with the basics when brainstorming your event.

Once you have a vision in mind, it’s time to plan the event’s details. For example, let’s say you decide on a hybrid conference with a main stage, large screens, and a side stage for live event  performances. Having knowledge of production terms will empower you to effectively communicate your vision to the production company.

Here’s an example: You can request having enough decks in the GS area to accommodate an 8-person panel with lavs. The band will require backline equipment, with wedge monitors for all band members except the lead, who prefers IEM as stated in their rider. Additionally, you’ll need bi-directional streaming capabilities for remote presenters and seamless at-home Q&A sessions. By utilizing these production terms, you’ll streamline communication during the initial planning stages.

Once all the technical details have been ironed out between you and your production company, they will provide you with a quote. Equipped with a strong understanding of production terminology, you can align yourself with the specifics of the quote and ensure all your requirements are met.

Finally, the day of your event arrives. It’s the culmination of all your hard work and planning. As you witness everything falling into place just as you envisioned, remember that you can always rely on production terms to ask questions and seek clarifications onsite.

Knowing the Production Language Will Allow Confidence On Your Big Day

Mastering production terminology allows you to further navigate the event planning process with confidence. By understanding the language of event production, you can effectively communicate your needs, ensure seamless execution, and deliver a memorable event that captivates your audience.

Event planning is a high-pressure job. It requires months of strategic planning and attention to detail to ensure a successful representation of your company or non-profit organization.

Throughout this process, you communicate with numerous individuals, discussing countless details. With so much on your plate, it’s understandable to feel overwhelmed when your A/V company starts throwing around terms like “gobos” and “edisons.” And while it’s their responsibility to explain their solutions clearly, understanding production terms will empower you to effectively communicate your needs.

Why Learning Your A/V Company’s Production Terms Matters

Juggling multiple tasks while orchestrating a great show can be challenging. At its core, event video production involves leveraging various technologies to effectively communicate your message to your audience. Familiarizing yourself with the names and uses of these technologies will help you make informed decisions when selecting equipment for your event.

This knowledge will also enable you to plan your budget more effectively and have meaningful discussions with your A/V company regarding your specific event requirements.


Your Event Is Important – Make Sure You’re Set Up For Success

Your message deserves to be heard by the right audience. Determine how many attendees should be present and select a suitable date for hosting the event. Consider whether an in-person gathering, a virtual conference, or a hybrid event would better serve your audience’s needs.  Just like building a house, start with the basics when brainstorming your event.

Once you have a vision in mind, it’s time to plan the event’s details. For example, let’s say you decide on a hybrid conference with a main stage, large screens, and a side stage for live performances. Having knowledge of production terms will empower you to effectively communicate your vision to the production company.

Here’s an example: You can request having enough decks in the GS area to accommodate an 8-person panel with lavs. The band will require backline equipment, with wedge monitors for all band members except the lead, who prefers IEM as stated in their rider. Additionally, you’ll need bi-directional streaming capabilities for remote presenters and seamless at-home Q&A sessions. By utilizing these production terms, you’ll streamline communication during the initial planning stages.

Once all the technical details have been ironed out between you and your production company, they will provide you with a quote. Equipped with a strong understanding of production terminology, you can align yourself with the specifics of the quote and ensure all your requirements are met.

Finally, the day of your event arrives. It’s the culmination of all your hard work and planning. As you witness everything falling into place just as you envisioned, remember that you can always rely on production terms to ask questions and seek clarifications onsite.

Knowing the Production Language Will Allow Confidence On Your Big Day

Mastering production terminology allows you to further navigate the event planning process with confidence. By understanding the language of event production, you can effectively communicate your needs, ensure seamless execution, and deliver a memorable event that captivates your audience.

It’s 10 minutes until the start of your organization’s biggest event of the year. The pressure is on. You feel the rush of adrenaline knowing that months of planning and preparation have led up to this moment. Looking around, what is it that you want to see? You have planned and accounted for every detail – that’s what you want to see.. You want to feel confident in knowing your presenter(s) and show flow have been tested and that they are ready and prepared. The mics are working clearly, the lights are perfectly placed, the cameras are in their proper position and your AV production team is primed, organized, and in equal anticipation of the event kick-off.

The opposite side of that scenario doesn’t sound quite as sweet. It only adds to your nervousness if you see the AV team running around in distress trying to make last-minute improvements or adjustments. The mics squeal consistently with feedback. The lights are super bright in some places, and completely dark in other spots. The cameras recording your show are shaky and just barely out of focus. These impressions matter. They matter to everyone involved.

How did you choose your AV team? In-House? Budget? Quality? Reputation? Referral? Or did you Google “production company near me”? What matters in the moment your show begins is that your vision and your message is portrayed with detail-oriented precision for a flawless experience for both you, your team, and your participants.

Your primary criteria when vetting a production company should never be about proximity to your event. The best, most experienced production partners you can find are used to traveling their teams to wherever they need to be — and staying within budget.

The Top 3 Reasons Why Your Production Company Partner’s Location Does Not Matter

  1. Production Companies who travel are often more experienced. Your event will be top-notch, every time.
  2. It’s one of your team’s most important days, don’t hold back on partnering with an A.V. team that best fits your needs.
  3. It takes roughly the same amount of time to set up, tear down, and complete your event. Hiring the right team will ensure this process is effortless and efficient.

There is an immense amount of detail that goes into making an event flawless. If even a small portion of those technicalities go wrong, it negatively affects the participant’s experience. To get these details right, you need a production company with a proven track record of excellence. A team that pays close attention to detail and has experience navigating and preparing for every scenario. For example, let’s say your show is in a local arena. You don’t need a production team that knows that specific arena your event is in, you need a production team that has deep experience with arenas. This also takes an immense amount of pressure off you and your team.

Your show took a lot of effort to make happen. No element should be spared in creating a flawless event experience for your audience. Similar to a photographer on your wedding day, you’re not just going to hire one who is close to the venue. It’s your big day! You’re going to hire one that matches your vibe, one you trust, and one that knows what they’re doing so you don’t have to worry about a thing when it comes to capturing the moments you want to remember. Hiring your production company with this same mindset can enhance your event and ensure it’s everything you’ve dreamed it could be.

You took our advice on the first two points (Nice job!). You hired a production team, regardless of location, with the highest standards of excellence in service and skill for your event. When you hire a production team with additional experience, setting up and tearing down events becomes effortless. Time is money. Teams who consistently produce events of similar scope are able to keep costs manageable even if they have to travel. Having an experienced production team that can optimize their time and effort is a great advantage and extra insurance for an impeccable show.

Your event is your biggest day of the year. Treat it as such. Don’t hold back on hiring a production team that fits your needs. Search nationwide for the right team instead of one who is close to your venue.

If cost is a worry for your event, rest assured that our team at avad3 has a system in place to keep traveling for events extremely cost-effective. Our team runs an analysis nationally to keep our costs extremely competitive.

    Article
    What to Look for When Hiring an A/V Team
    Published on November 25, 2024

    Executing an event can happen with zero drama if you know what you’re doing and have a great plan. Obviously events, especially large ones, have…

    Article
    How to Host an Eco-Friendly Event
    Published on November 01, 2024

    Every event has goals- maybe it’s to debut a new product, raise funds or awareness, or execute a business meeting. But the goals don’t have…

  • What We Do

    Let us take what we learn from over 100 events a year and apply that expertise to yours.

    Learn More