7 Tips to Help Prepare for an Event

When it comes to pro­duc­tion, events of all scales require solid prepa­ra­tion and a well thought out plan. Here are some key ele­ments to think about when plan­ning your next event.

1. The event itself:

Ask your­self and the organ­is­ers a few ques­tions at this stage to ensure you are fol­low­ing their vision for the event from the begin­ning. What’s it about? Who’s it for? What do the organ­is­ers envis­age when it comes to the pro­duc­tion ele­ments? You want to ensure you meet their expec­ta­tions in style, look and feel and exceed them in exe­cu­tion, qual­ity and per­for­mance. You also want the del­e­gates to be at the event they signed up for.

2. The venue:

You’ll find the size, shape and exist­ing infra­struc­ture will give you a good start­ing point in cre­at­ing the look and feel in the room. It will also help in know­ing what gear you will need to source and bring in your­self. Be sure to get famil­iar with the venue and how the event plans to use the space. Get the infor­ma­tion you need about power sources, rig­ging points, lim­i­ta­tions (smoke, weight rat­ings etc) so you can pre­pare accordingly.

3. Equip­ment:

Think about every detail. Start with the obvi­ous (con­soles, pro­jec­tors etc) and work down to the lit­tle things that are usu­ally for­got­ten (sig­nal adapters, bat­ter­ies etc). Have detailed draw­ings and lists. Then make plans on where you can source it all from. If you need equip­ment from mul­ti­ple sources, ensure every­thing is labelled well, to make pack-​out and return easier.

4. Peo­ple:

Who do you need to get the job done and done well? Be sure you get peo­ple who have the rel­e­vant skill sets for the job you require, but that are peo­ple you can teach as well. Also be sure to pro­vide enough com­mu­ni­ca­tion dur­ing the lead up and through­out the event. What do they need to know from you to pre­pare and do the job well?

5. Bud­get:

Unless you’ve got all the gear, you’ll have to hire or bor­row — which can add costs. Even if you intend to only have small expenses such as con­sum­ables, clear up any ques­tions and expec­ta­tions around bud­get at the begin­ning of a project. Let the organ­is­ers know esti­mated costs as soon you are able.

6. Time:

What time frame do you have to make things hap­pen? Before the event, book hire/​borrowed gear as soon as you are able to, and allow enough time to pro­duce any con­tent you may need. Dur­ing the event, be sure to give your­self enough time to be set up and oper­at­ing before go time. Plan for and run media and sound checks — be sure every­thing works (or at least know what doesn’t) before it starts.

7. Look­ing after your­self and your team:

Some events, espe­cially week­end and week long events require early morn­ings, late nights and long days in-​between. Have fresh fruit, water and snacks avail­able dur­ing setup and pack out. Have set times for decent meals and breaks to get some fresh air and see the sun, and to get the sleep you need. Make sure your team are doing the same.
 

There is so much to pre­pare for when plan­ning an event. Over­all, plan well, plan ahead. If you have any ques­tions when prepar­ing your next event, feel free to make con­tact with us as we are more than happy to help.

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