Why Event Site Visits are ImportantTechnical Event Production |
Discover the importance of a technical production site visit or recce ahead of an event or conference
When organising an event or conference, it’s essential to arrange a technical site visit of the venue in advance of the event date. Going into a venue blind is not an option for any event professional, whether you are a co-ordinator, caterer, security and especially a technical director.
A full pre-production technical site visit will give the relevant suppliers and event departments valuable insight to the space, access routes, loading bays, power supply, rigging points, lighting and facilities onsite. Ultimately this will ensure your suppliers are informed from the start. As a result, they can provide accurate pricing to help you manage your budget.
Why do I need a site visit before an event or conference with my technical production department?
The technical production department plays a critical role in the success of your event or conference. As the department in charge of lighting, rigging, power, set, stage, sound, translation equipment, filming, PA systems and presentation support, they take charge of the look and functionality of your event or conference.
It’s therefore important to have their input early on in the event planning process. Ideally an event planner would consult with their technical team before settling on a venue. It’s possible the technical team have worked there before and can provide some valuable insight on venue’s set up and its suitability for your event design and function. Ultimately, a site visit with your technical production company is an essential part of the event planning process.
Who needs to attend a site visit?
It’s important for each head or department to attend your event or conference site visit.
The department heads involved in your site visit will depend on the type and scale of your event or conference. Some individuals will assume several roles, but here is a list of those that should be involved in a site visit from the beginning:
- The Event Director
- Operations Manager
- Event Co-ordinator
- The Venue’s Representative
- Event Designer
- Set and Stage Designer and Builder
- Lighting Designer
- Technical Director
- Videographer
- Catering and Hospitality Manager
- Safety and Security Manager
- Sustainability Manager
Who is responsible for organising a venue site visit?
The event director, producer, planner or co-ordinator will be the person responsible for organising the venue site visit and inviting the core event team. Heads of department may require specialists to investigate further, in which case they will make the appropriate arrangements.
What happens during a pre-production event site visit?
During a pre-production site visit, the heads of department will assess the venue thoroughly for the following:
Access routes, including stair and lift access
This is to ensure that flight cases, set panels, truss, and all equipment can be transported easily from the loading bay to the event space. If the access routes are limited, more crew will be required for the installation to meet your time frame and the equipment specification may need to be altered. All of which has an impact on your budget, timeframe and styling of your event or conference.
Floor space and ceiling heights
This is a critical element to the design of your event or conference. There must be enough floor space for your required set, stage and production desk, as well as seating or standing room for your guests.
During a pre-production site visit, we will measure the dimensions of the event space, as well as the access route to ensure we price the technical specification accurately and can meet your timeframe for installation.
Floor load capacity
The floor load capacity can dictate the use of certain equipment during an event. For example, if you are in a conference room on the first floor or upwards, the floor load may not be strong enough for certain equipment, such as a video wall.
A video wall is incredibly heavy and requires a lot of space. If the floor load weights are not available or are not strong enough, it might be that you have to swap to a projector as an alternative.
Rigging points
The rigging facilities at venues vary enormously. For example, a hotel conference room will occasionally be equipped with rigging points in the ceiling, which are convenient for installing additional lighting. Others will not. Exhibition halls and entertainment venues also come well equipped, however they can charge for the use of the rigging points, which can be an extortionate unforeseen cost if not picked up during a site visit.
Power
The requirements for power will differ for every event and venue. A dedicated event venue should have adequate power for a range of conferences and events, but if you are choosing a remote location, a private residence, or commercial building for example, the power loads may not be adequate for professional technical equipment. Therefore, we would have to specify the correct power distribution units. A generator may also be required.
Networks
Technical equipment for lighting, sound, projection, video production, translation equipment, headsets and PowerPoint presentations work on a network. The venue’s wifi will not be adequate, so we specify a main network and back-up network for events. Not only does this support the equipment installed, it can also enables contactless payments, connectivity for guests and streaming.
Third party suppliers: hospitality, catering, vendors and exhibitors
It’s not just the main stage that the technical department need to consider when running an event or conference, we also converse with other suppliers to ensure their needs are met for power and lighting.
For example, the catering crew need power for their ovens, fridges and coldrooms. While security teams will need heating and lighting, and this might be outside of the event hours. Seller also have a requirement for power and lighting.
These are considerations that are often overlooked by event planners, therefore the technical team provide essential insight at every site visit.
What if the venue is in another country or far away?
Regardless of the town, city or country, a site visit is still necessary for all events. Here at The Production People, we travel the world to carry out site visits. While this may not seem the most economical or environmentally friendly option, we aim to carry out more than one site visit during our travels. Where possible we also tag it onto the beginning/end of an event in a similar location. Many of clients plan events 1-2 years in advance, so we can be efficient when scheduling site visits.
Where the event is in the same country as your technical team, a site recce should be entirely feasible.
Can you run an event or conference without a pre-production site visit?
We strongly advise you do not arrange and plan an event at a venue or location that you, nor your technical team, have visited in advance.
Even if you know the venue well, the personnel could have changed, or your event requirements may be different. Ensuring everyone in your event team is informed at every stage throughout the planning stages is vital.
What could go wrong if I don’t have a site visit?
If you do not have a pre-production technical site visit ahead of your event you risk all of the following:
- The specified equipment not being able to physically fit in the event space.
- The load-in and load-out overrunning, resulting in overtime for crew and extra venue costs.
- Technical issues in the set-up phase and during the event, due to lack or power or network.
- The equipment not being suitable for the event or the space.
- Stressed crew, staff, talent, presenters and client, due to poor communication.
- Inadequate delivery of the event production, leading to bad reviews.
How to arrange a site visit with a technical expert?
If you would like further advice or support on the technical production for your event, then speak to The Production People. We offer technical support for a range of events, including:
Private Events
