Organiser's Guide - AV & Lightning

Venue Review of Organiser's Guide - AV & Lightning

How to impress your guests with sound and vision.

A is for Advice Unless you’re a tech geek, you probably won’t know much about AV. Do some research, ask for recommendations, whether from colleagues, Twitter contacts or the online V&E Forum (squaremeal.co.uk/forum/venues).

B is for Back-up Expect something to go haywire on the night. Most common are dodgy mics. Make sure you have replacements to hand and have them sound-checked in advance.

C is for Content There’s no point in blowing half the budget on HD screens if the visuals aren’t up to scratch. Content is king – focus on getting it right first.

D is for Developments AV technology moves on all the time so you need to keep up-to-date with the latest tech, lest you be judged by AV snobs. There’s nothing worse than having guests muttering, ‘This is so 2010…’ under their breath. And believe us, they will!

E is for Economy Don’t be scared: good technology doesn’t have to be expensive (though it often is). However, if one AV specialist is much cheaper than its competitors, you should ask yourself why. A topnotch outfit will almost certainly save you time and money in the long run.

F is for Feedback Surely by now everyone knows that if you get too close to the speaker stack with a radio mic, you’ll cause horrible feedback? It seems not – remind the speechmakers beforehand.

G is for Green The ultimate weapon in the party planner’s fight against stragglers. Set the lights to green, and the ghoulish effect will soon see them on their way.

H is for HD Believe the hype – it really is worth the extra expense (provided you’ve read ‘C’, above).

I is for Interactive Guests love anything interactive. Consider a graffiti wall (a huge screen with an infrared ‘spray can’) and make sure there’s a screen showing the event’s Twitter feed.

J is for Jargon Your AV team will often speak in a language incomprehensible to ordinary human beings. When they start, ask for an explanation: it might be important.

K is for Kilowatts

L is for LED Once you’ve used LED lighting at an event, there’s no going back. And you can run them from a standard 13-amp plug too.

M is for Music So easy to get wrong. Think carefully about what your guests will like. If you’re putting on an awards ceremony, prepare musical ‘stings’ for when the winners approach the stage.

N is for Naked Don’t feel compelled to decorate a bare room with drapes and flowers. A more cost-effective and interesting way to do it is lighting. You can also change the ‘decor’ of the event as the night goes on, at the flick of a switch.

O is for Original Even if your budget is small, AV experts with a bit of imagination will be able to create something unusual to wow your guests. Push them hard (they love it really, honest).

P is for Projection Projecting faces and slogans on the side of buildings is fun, but hardly cutting-edge. The next big thing is 3D video projection. It costs a fortune, but has to be seen to be believed – buildings can be made to ‘disappear’, crumble or turn inside-out.

Q is for Questions Create a check-list of questions, and make sure any AV firms you speak to give good answers to each and every one (in clear English, not techspeek) before committing.

R is for Reputation Don’t take risks on AV. If a specialist isn’t able to supply a list of recent clients (ideally with names you recognise), don’t hire them.

S is for Support When hiring kit, ask if a technician is included to set-up and run it on the day. If it’s even slightly complex, this is a minimum requirement.

T is for Testing Don’t assume it’s all going to work just because the sound guy says so. Test it yourself. And then test it again.

U is for Upbeat Assuming you’re not organising a memorial service, you’ll want your event to have a dynamic, positive atmosphere. AV is the easiest way to achieve it. Make sure your DJ knows to play upbeat tunes – there’s a time and a place for Radiohead and your event isn’t it.

V is for Volume Remember that a room full of people absorbs sound, and bear this in mind when doing a sound check in an empty space. But make sure that people close to the speakers aren’t deafened. As for the music, remember guests will want to chat, not shout.

W is for Webcasting Streaming your event live on the internet will cost next to nothing, so there’s no excuse. And why not edit a mini movie together to put on your company’s website afterwards too? It will drive a surprising amount of traffic your way, if it’s done to a high standard.

X is for X-Factor For your event to stand out from the crowd, you need that ‘X-factor’. Imaginative AV is the easiest way to get it. Explore the possibilities with your AV team – if they know you’re keen to do something out-of-the-ordinary, they’ll bring lots of ideas to the table.

Y is for Yelling Remember, you’re not a sergeant-major and shouting at guests isn’t cool. Even in a small room, use a mic.

Z is for Zones Use lighting to create distinct atmospheres in different areas. In a multi-room venue, have different music styles, too.