A seamless event starts with careful planning and an exceptional eye for detail. When you break down an event into individual parts, it’s almost impossible to manage without the help of professionals. From necessary event rentals to the hired personnel, event production requires the coming together of many different experts. If you’re responsible for planning an upcoming event in Jacksonville, the Sight & Sound team is here with your guide on what to do and what not to do.

DO – KNOW THE NUMBER OF PRESENTERS

It’s not only important to know how many presenters to expect, but also to know what they plan to present. The technology required for a jazz band is vastly different from what a professional speaker might need.

The speaker and entertainment lineup impact the event rentals your production requires. Important items you may not think of include: the type and number of microphones, type of on-site production experts, required mixers and more.

The number of presenters impacts the length of the event, and the length of the event impacts the overall cost. Work with your team to determine a budget before creating your speaker line-up. Paid presenters or not, the amount you spend on event rentals, the venue and hired professionals increases as the speaker line-up grows.

DON’T – FORGET YOUR ADAPTORS AND CABLES

Cables and adaptors for your required technology are vital parts of any event. Modern event production demands advanced technology. Every piece of technology you and your presenters use requires different adaptors and cords to operate properly.

While the AV company you hire may supply the necessary adaptors, it’s always smart to bring your own. The most common cables are VGAs (video graphics array), HDMIs, DVIs (Digital Visual Interface) and adaptors. If you have no clue what you need to bring, it’s important to talk with your dedicated AV expert.

Adaptors and cables are just the beginning. With the right combination of tech and cords, your AV experts will review the venue’s rig plot to bring your event to life. If one of your speakers insists on using their own media, please request they bring the correct adaptor.

DO – PROVIDE PRESENTATIONS TO THE AV TEAM IN ADVANCE

It’s always smart to review the presentations with your AV team at least 24-hours in advance. The experts will make sure all of the necessary event rentals are provided for each and every speaker and entertainer.

Other smart precautions include downloading all videos and hosting a rehearsal. The best way to avoid any hiccups during the event is to properly prepare in every aspect. A full run-through with your presenters prevents tech mix-ups, timing mishaps and unexpected obstacles.

DON’T – RELY ON WIFI OR BLUETOOTH TO PRESENT

This is one of the major sins of event production. The fastest way to throw a curveball into your event timeline is by relying on slow internet. It’s impossible to predict the strength of a WiFi connection at the venue during the time of the event.

Just think about it. What’s one of the first things you do when you enter a restaurant, venue or hotel? Connect to the wifi. Multiple devices connected to one wifi source dilutes the network. If you try to stream audio and video for your presentations, the slow wifi hinders the image quality, load speed and so much more.

Your best bet is to download every presentation to a PowerPoint, Prezi or thumb drive. Work with your Sight & Sound AV experts to identify the best download format for your event. While many venues offer high-speed wifi, it’s never wise to let the success of your event depend entirely on an unknown network.

A SUCCESSFUL EVENT STARTS WITH HIGH-QUALITY EVENT RENTALS FROM SIGHT & SOUND PRODUCTIONS

If terms like “rig plot” seem intimidating, we recommend teaming up with one of Jacksonville’s AV production professionals. Sight & Sound works with venues all over Florida to create successful events for companies like yours.

Not sure where to begin? From specific AV rentals to full-service event planning, Sight & Sound is here to help. Reach out to our team of professionals today to get started.