Audio · 4 min read
A live-event audio checklist that actually prevents disasters
Most audio disasters at live events are not random — they are predictable failures that simple checks would have caught. Here is the actual checklist we run.
Blog
Notes from the field
Real lessons from running corporate events, galas, and broadcasts. Audio, lighting, video, and the operations that hold it all together.
Audio · 3 min read
Choosing between lavalier and handheld microphones for keynotes
Choosing the right keynote microphone is not a personal preference — it is a function of the venue, the speaker, and how forgiving you need the sound to be.
Lighting · 3 min read
Five lighting cues every gala needs
After enough galas you start to see the same lighting decisions over and over. Here is the short list of cues we plan first, every time.
Video · 3 min read
Multi-cam vs single-cam livestream: when extra angles actually help
More cameras is not always more production value. Sometimes one well-placed angle plus good audio is the right call.
Operations · 3 min read
Your conference Wi-Fi is the real production bottleneck
Wi-Fi is not a network problem. It is a production problem, and it is the first decision that should get made on a hybrid event.
Planning · 3 min read
Run-of-show templates we use for full-day corporate events
A run-of-show is not a script. It is an operational document, and the format matters more than people think.
Lighting · 3 min read
The hidden cost of cheap stage lighting
Stage lighting is a place where the budget version costs more than the upgraded one — once you account for everything that breaks.
Livestream · 3 min read
Hybrid events without the awkwardness: lessons from a year of running them
Hybrid is harder than in-person and harder than virtual. It demands intentional choices that most events do not make.
Planning · 3 min read
How to brief an AV team — what we actually need to know
Most client briefs are too short and too vague. Here is what your AV team really needs to do their job well.
Audio · 4 min read
DI vs mic'd: choosing input methods for live music
For event-venue live music, the DI vs mic choice is bigger than most engineers admit.
Audio · 4 min read
Audio for breakout rooms: a small-room playbook
Breakouts are the part of an event where production usually thins out — and the audio suffers for it.
Lighting · 3 min read
Color temperature matters: 2700K vs 5600K and the rooms in between
Color temperature is the single most underrated lighting decision. Get it wrong and the room reads cold or sickly; get it right and the room feels intentional.
Video · 4 min read
Recording the keynote: backup strategies that have saved us
The keynote will be recorded. The question is how many ways, and how many of them are independent.
Operations · 4 min read
Cable management on a moving show: the unglamorous fundamentals
Cables are the most boring part of the production stack and the part that most consistently determines whether a show feels professional.
Planning · 4 min read
Working with a venue's in-house AV: what to ask before signing
In-house AV is sometimes great and sometimes not, and the difference is decided by what you negotiate before signing the venue contract.