Getting the right person in the right position
When it comes to events, there are a lot of moving parts—the venue, attendees, speakers, schedules and, of course, the audiovisual and production team that makes it all look and sound amazing. It’s easy to think about AV in terms of just equipment and what looks cool during the show, but what really brings this equipment to life is the crew behind it. Depending on the size of the program, the line item for the crew might even be larger than that of the equipment itself.
Of course, not every AV or production company uses the same terminology for each position (just like a teleprompter is called an Autocue in the UK), and depending on the size of the show, many of the following roles and responsibilities can be combined under a single position. We can still take this opportunity to learn a little more AV lingo, and hopefully, you can use this as a cheatsheet for your upcoming events!
Let’s start by recapping the most common positions for the three areas we covered in the last few articles: audio, video and lighting.
A1: The A1 is the primary audio technician for the event. They often have input on how the sound system is designed and what type of speakers and amplifiers are used. They are most often found at the Front of House (FOH) tech table with the main audio console for the event and frequently are responsible for any audio playback, such as walk-in/walk-out music and stingers for stage entrances and exits.
A2: One of the most unsung heroes of an event, the A2 usually not only manages things like wireless frequencies and production communications; they’re often responsible for “mic-ing” up presenters before they go on stage. Because of that, they require good hygiene and people skills as they get very up close and personal with talent, keynote speakers and executives. This is the position I’ve sent home and replaced more often than any other.
Monitor Engineer: For programs with live singers and/or bands, a monitor engineer may be required. The monitor engineer runs a separate audio console that routes the mix of individual band members or playback to specific monitor speakers or to the individual in-ear monitors (IEMs) of the performers. The lead singer might want to hear only the backup singers and their guitar in their in-ears, while the bass player might want more drums and keyboards in their mix. The monitor engineer has to pay close attention to non-verbal signals the talent might be giving about volume and the mix throughout the program, and requires a special skill set.
Lighting Designer (LD): The LD on larger shows will literally design what types of lights are used and where they are placed for the program. At many corporate-style meetings and events, the design is often done before the LD is hired based on budget, and they are instead given a set of lights and approximately where they will be based on the design and rigging plot. In that case, they frequently “design” on the fly once everything is set up, creating walk-in/walk-out looks, video looks, ballyhoos and other effects, and are most often operating the lighting console themselves from FOH.
Read More: Event Lighting: Illuminating Success
L2: An assistant to the LD, sometimes also referred to as a Lighting Assistant. On mid-level shows, they might act as an ME.
Master Electrician (ME): On larger programs, the ME is responsible for hanging, addressing and cabling all the lighting equipment.
Video world is probably the portion of your event that can balloon the fastest, depending on the technical requirements of your program. Just a couple of screens and PowerPoint? You can probably get away with one person back there, but if there are going to be a lot of changes on the fly or if you’re going to be switching between multiple presentations frequently, you might need a dedicated PowerPoint/Graphics operator.
Add a camera, and you’re not only adding the camera person, but if you want it to look good, you probably need a Shader/Engineer as well. Have multiple videos playing back throughout your event? You might need a dedicated playback person. LED walls and panoramic screens look great, but often require a dedicated projectionist or LED engineer in order to do so. Be sure to keep all of this in mind—the more complicated the program is and the more video sources there are, the more this portion of the crew can grow exponentially, and I’ve seen “Video Villages” with more than 10-15 crew!
Video Director: On programs with multiple video sources and/or multiple cameras, the Video Director (and for reasons that should probably be obvious, never referred to as a “VD”) is responsible directly for running the video switcher and talking to the camera operators (“Zoom in on the guy on the left”), or is directing the person running the switcher on which camera angles to take.
Graphics (GFX): Generally, the person running PowerPoint and other graphics when they’re capable of being handled by a single individual, and may include switching between sources or determining what goes to the confidence monitors.
Read More: Elevate the ‘Video’ in Your Event Video Production Strategy
Playback: The person responsible for playback of video or motion graphics. Depending on the type of playback, they might be referred to by the type of technology they’re using, such as “D3 Op,” “Millumin Op,” “HiRez” or “E2”.
Engineer/Shader: Many programs will use the term Engineer as a catch-all for miscellaneous video personnel. The engineer may often act in the role of “Shader,” which is the person making sure the camera looks good and is color-accurate on screen, in the recordings or on a live stream. Other shows may require a dedicated Shader, depending on the number of cameras in play.
Projectionist: For shows with a lot of projection screens, blended panoramic screens or “stacked” projectors, these are the people responsible for making sure the projectors are properly aligned and color-matched so they look consistent across all screens. As this is something usually done before and after sessions are in progress, they will often double in another role such as Shader during the program.
LED Engineer: Similar to the projectionist, but specific to LED-wall technology, and again may double as playback or switcher for what video is going to the wall and when. Particularly for programs with both projection and LED technology, having a person dedicated to making the color and clarity of the LED wall match the projection can be critical.
Much like Video Village, the production staff can grow or shrink dramatically based on the requirements of the event. On small shows, all of the below might roll into a single position responsible for calling the cues, managing the client and talent, and even running some of the equipment. On others, you might need “one of everything” in order to successfully execute the event.
Executive Producer (EP): On large-scale productions, the EP is the person responsible for keeping an eye on literally everything, from the 10,000-foot level, but does not have any direct responsibility in calling the cues or running any equipment. They are the eyes that all other eyes look up to and are ultimately responsible for the production as a whole.
Creative Director: The Creative Director is responsible for overseeing all the graphical and video creative elements of an event. This can range from digital assets such as opening videos, PPT templates, “happy face” videos and music cues to physical assets such as signage, vinyl lettering, wayfinding elements and so on.
Read More: How Technology Can Help Us Build a Greener Events Industry
Production Manager/Project Manager (PM): The PM often acts as the account manager or client-facing point of contact for the production or AV company once the sale has been made. On small-to-medium shows, they can act as Executive Producer, Creative Director, Technical Director and even Show Director, depending on the requirements of the production.
Production Coordinator/Production Assistant (PA): Assistants to the PMs, PAs are versatile “little bit of everything” types. They often will handle the nitty-gritty details of vendor management and sub-rentals, paperwork and other day-to-day operations in support of the PMs, EPs and Show Directors. They can anticipate needs and jump in where they’re needed most, like a Jedi Master sensing disturbances in the Force. While they might not always be on your final bill, these are often the folks who keep the machine running!
Technical Director (TD): The TD is often the person that has the most responsibility for (shocking!) all things technical. They act as the bridge between your event goals and the actual gear, equipment and people on the crew, and often have deep knowledge across all disciplines, including audio, lighting, and video. Involving the TD from the beginning helps to spot any potential issues early on and ensures that all technical needs are realistic given the venue, timeline, and budget.
Show Director/Show Caller: This is the person directly responsible for “calling the cues” over the headset during the event. They are often responsible for developing the Run of Show (ROS) with the minute-by-minute goings-on when the program is in session; this is another position that should be brought in as early as possible in the event process. By the time the doors open, they should know the program as well, if not better, than you do!
Stage Manager: In theater, the Stage Manager acts as the Show Caller, calling the cues on the headset, but in most corporate-style events, the Stage Manager is the backstage right hand of the show caller. They help coordinate scenic and furniture moves, get presenters on and off the stage efficiently, and are the ones who run out with a paper copy of the script when a teleprompter goes down. Much like the A2, they are often talent-facing and responsible for the hospitality of the backstage and green room areas.
— —
There are plenty of other positions and roles on events, but most of the ones I haven’t mentioned are pretty self-explanatory, such as Camera Operator, Rigging Lead, Teleprompter Operator, Breakout Tech and so on. When I was responsible for procuring audiovisual and production services, I would almost never push back on the number of staff required for a program. Very, very rarely have I ever seen an audiovisual or production company “pad” their numbers with staff. Staffing is expensive, and there’s a much higher margin on equipment and services.
When I did push back, it always came from a good-hearted place: “This show is incredibly simple with only a single PowerPoint deck and no cameras. A single Graphics Op should be sufficient” or “There really aren’t that many actual cues in this program; I don’t think we’ll require a dedicated Show Director.” That being said, you should always feel comfortable asking your AV and Production providers exactly what each role will entail and why they are required.
When it all comes together, a great AV team is like the crew of a naval warship (or, if you prefer and are a geek like me, a spaceship). Each person has a role; they’re all in sync and working behind the scenes to pull off something epic. By understanding the purpose of each role and creating a collaborative partnership, you’re setting the stage for an event where the tech serves the experience, letting your content shine. With the right AV crew in place, your event can go from merely good to memorable, allowing you and your audience to enjoy every moment!
—
Smart Meetings Event Technology Correspondent Brandt Krueger is a senior production manager for an audiovisual company, an industry speaker and educator.
This article appears in the November/December 2024 issue. You can subscribe to the magazine here.
