Not every event requires audio visual services. But for those that do, the quality of your AV production can make or break the occasion. Use this checklist as an easy way to cover all of your bases and ensure that your presentation is one to be remembered.
Logistics
The speakers are obviously an important component, but they have to be moved and placed correctly. You should know in advance where they’re going to enter and exit the space. Do your best to have unobtrusive lanes for access, so you aren’t blocking people as they enter and exit. You should also determine where the speakers will be on-deck while people are waiting to speak. Again, they shouldn’t obstruct people when walking on and off the stage.
Rehearse with your speakers and have your AV team test all of the equipment. Anything that isn’t working should be replaced or repaired before the event and tested again to be certain it works. While rehearsing, you should be able to find an out-of-the-way spot for people to get mic’d before going on stage. Usually this is simply offstage or in a back room.
Schedule the manager to arrive at least 20-30 minutes before the event. He or she should review all of the content with your team. You can designate a liaison or handler to assist your presenters. This is simply a dedicated person to aid your presenters as they prepare and enter and exit the stage. The whole idea is to make the event as fluid and painless as possible.
Set-Up
Confidence monitors are incredibly helpful. They’re used to allow your presenters to see their slides and notes at the same time. Seasoned presenters may feel like they don’t need them, but they’re still human. It’s easy to skip over something or forget a key detail. The monitors help to alleviate the worry and provide an easier experience. These monitors can be placed downstage, so they don’t create an eyesore but are still useful.
Be certain that your monitors, speakers, and microphones are all compatible. You should never make assumptions. Every piece of equipment needs to be tested and retested. Check the size, number, and visibility of screens, as well as the placement of speakers. Everyone should be able to hear and see as clearly and cleanly as possible. Review all details with your AV crew to be certain everything is compatible, properly placed, and in proper-working order.
Presentation
It’s easy to overlook the presentation itself as you’re preparing for the event. If you’re doing a PowerPoint presentation, you need to check your slides before the event. You may also want to have both PC and Mac versions of your presentation. If one version doesn’t seem to be working correctly, hopefully the other one will. Consider the aspect ratio as well. The standard today is a 16:9 ratio, not the now outdated 3:4 ratio. If you pulled old slides for the presentation, you may need to redo them.
Try to use offline content as much as possible. You don’t want any connectivity issues to completely derail your presentation. Ideally, you should be able to complete the presentation flawlessly whether or not you have internet access. Be sure to have a backup copy of your presentation as well. This can be a USB or cloud storage, depending on what’s available. You don’t want a corrupted file to stop the event before it starts.
If you’d like to learn more about AV productions and how your event can be a smash hit, speak with the experts at AV2GO. The best audio visual productions in Houston, TX, don’t happen by accident.
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