Source: AV Production by Metro Broadcast Ltd
We can't stress enough how important it is to have a good sound and lighting system along with other AV needs eg LED screens, 3D projections, projector screens, projectors, gobo lights etc.
Some clients opt to go with what the venue has to offer because it is already there. However, most venues do not invest in a proper system or even if they do, they sometimes do not have the manpower to maintain it or handle it during your event. Unless your venue is at KL Convention Centre or Rougeur KL, we recommend you select a proper vendor.
Best Events works with a select few vendors. Why? Because we have worked with them a long time and there's already a synergy built. Sure, we can work with vendors you have chosen, but it might take some time to warm up to how they work.
1. Working to budget:
Too often clients think they have found the solution by choosing the cheapest AV option. However, this can be blown out of the water as costs escalate when all the missed off extras are added on to the budget.
Sit tight, take a deep breath and consider the realistic option which includes all these necessities in the first instance and you might find that what appears to be the cheapest option isn’t always the best.
It's like when you book a cheap hotel, only to find the airport is miles away from the city and you have to fork out for an unexpected taxi to get to your final destination.
2. Service offering:
Hand in hand with the above point is that you should understand what the AV company has to offer. Ask questions to establish their full service offering, so you know if you need to outsource certain elements or if they can cater for everything for you one-shot.
3. Trust and Creativity:
If you trust your AV production company, why change? (hint: This question applies to hiring Event Planners too!) Inspire loyalty and you will benefit with good discounts and raising the bar in terms of event production and design year on year. Your AV team will understand and anticipate your ideas and needs more than a new company. Challenge them by allowing more artistic freedom with your event design – you can always compromise to reign in their creativity!
The vendors we have worked with are so on the ball that we don't have to instruct them to do things a certain way anymore. They know what we want is what our clients want. They are versatile and know what sort or music/AV service is suitable for different sort of events and there is no one plan fits all.
4. Consider AV very early in the planning stage
Sound and vision should never be an afterthought with any event. AV needs to be considered along with all the other fundamentals (event type, aims, target audience, theme, location etc.) at the outset. This means it can be budgeted for properly. Leaving it to the last minute often means scrambling around for a lighting and sound rig after you’ve spent the lion’s share of the budget on keynote guests and location. You leave yourself open to end up with an amateurish production.
5. Give a full brief to the companies you approach
Again, it’s about planning. You need to be able to define your vision for the event and set out exactly what it is you’re aiming to achieve. This way, the companies you approach will be able to assess what’s likely to be required in terms of equipment and stage crew. Crucially, this means those companies will be able to provide accurate quotes.
Photos of the event area can help especially if you include photos of where the power supplies are, the venue height from floor to ceiling, the full stage, back of stage and front of stage. Take photos from all angles to give a better understanding.
6. The more questions the provider asks – the better
Unless it’s just a very simple set-up that’s needed, beware of AV providers who feel that they are able to give you a definitive quote on the basis of a 30-second description of what you need. There is generally more than one way to bring a concept to life and an experienced provider will set out your options – explaining the pros and cons of each. In a lot of cases, a site visit will be in order (or you may wish to go and see the provider to see the equipment in action). Getting experts in early may open up possibilities you hadn’t thought of and an engaged AV provider is probably a good bet in terms of the likely levels of professionalism that will be on show at the event itself.
This doesn't mean asking questions to make you seem more knowledgeable about AV systems. If you're not sure about technical terms, simply ask, and the vendor would be more than happy to explain it to you.
Source: Jennifer Man for b.daily.co.uk, Vision Events and Best Events
Do you have any tips/AV stories of your own to share? Leave your comments below!
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