Flashback to 2020 - the COVID-19 pandemic threw our world an industry altering curve ball; everyone, everywhere had to pivot. Being nimble and accommodating to the ever-changing business landscape is yet another variable that everyone must consider. We must think on the fly, be ready to adapt, and overcome more challenges than we’ve ever faced before.
Whether it’s your first or 40th event, Clearwing exists to elevate your ideas and help you create amazing entertainment experiences - it’s what we do.
We’re here to help you find the questions to ask, needs you’ll want to identify, and even give you unexpected tips you will need to create an innovative, engaging, and successful event.
Let's start here
Remember: A memorable event is a byproduct of a memorable idea, concept, product, or message and production companies exist to elevate, amplify, and illuminate this. Without your input and commitment, all production companies will struggle to meet your expectations.
What type of event are you holding?
What is the desired experience?
Where will the event be held?
When will the event take place?
Who are your vendors?
Strategy Development
Remember: A memorable event is a byproduct of a memorable idea, concept, product, or message and production companies exist to elevate, amplify, and illuminate this. Without your input and commitment, all production companies will struggle to meet your expectations.
What’s your big idea? Do you have a cause worth championing? Does your company have a product they’re rolling out? What message do you believe others need to hear? What do you wish to inspire in those attending your event? What do you want others to know?
Assemble a leadership team of 3-5 people; this group is key to your success. They have a shared interest to the success of your event. The skills and traits of your team members should be varied; balancing objectivity, creativity, perspective, and focus; the vision comes from you, your team rallies around your vision, together the strategies are developed to achieve your end goal, and these strategies serve as the launch-point to your event. If done correctly, your strategies will help develop a clear scope of work with your vendors.
Scope of Work
The success of your event is tied to a well-defined scope of work. A scope of work articulates what you want to achieve, which then helps you assemble a budget. A budget that everyone follows is a byproduct of clearly defined expectations, roles, and event tasks. Within the budget, you should have items for vendors, talent, transportation, permits, labor, hospitality, and the venue.
Event Types
In-Person
Let's be real: nothing beats an in-person event. The collective experience, whether in small or large groups, points to humanity’s desire to be amongst a group of like-minded people. Watching a sporting event at home is fine; cheering alongside 5,000 fan-friends is exhilarating. No one has ever said, "I was there," while sitting on their couch watching their favorite artist release a new album.
Viewing that event on screen reminds us that we aren’t actually there and reinforces to the viewer that those who are there are set apart, exclusive, and special. Health precautions are now taken into top-priority along with other key considerations such as safety, security, rigging, and catering.
Hybrid
The pandemic accelerated (at warp speed) a transition that was already occurring. Ever watch an award ceremony at home? How about an exclusive auction? Congratulations, you’ve attended a hybrid event. What the pandemic did, was force a greater attention-to-detail for the online audience. Outside of broadcast television, prior to March 2020, most hybrid events were poorly produced with meager camera angles, unpleasant audio, and dismal lighting. On top of that, the events were usually free to view.
What makes a good hybrid event? A good hybrid event creatively and technically considers the online audience, but reminds them that they aren’t actually in the room. This reminder keeps them engaged and interested. How you balance this reminder is where your success is found. Ignore your online audience (ex: poor lighting) and they'll close their browser.
Virtual
For most of 2020, events and experiences were viewed through the glowing screen of a smart-phone, laptop, or TV. Event producers quickly learned two things: We must go to our audience and our audience must be able to find us. The virtual-only approach is still popular today, and comes with huge cost savings. However, without a stable online platform and ability for your audience to access the platform, your event will fall short.
Key Event Roles
Let's dive a little deeper into the team who will ultimately make your event a success.
Event Producer: The individual tasked with ensuring all event elements (Videos, Live Speaking, Event Start and Conclusion), occur in proper sequence, on-time, and as planned.
On-Site Producer: Oversees all aspects of the event on-site, while providing communication between the client and vendors.
Technical Director: Looks at all aspects of the show loading in, the show itself, and loading out, while also overlooking safety.
Creative Director: The individual tasked with keeping your event engaging and interesting. Without this person, your event risks being sterile and boring. A creative director will draw out the emotion from your idea.
Drafting & Design: Converts designs, layouts, and ideas into technical drawings for vendors.
Craft Services Manager / Catering: They fuel you, your team, and your audience.
Talent Manager: The individual released to find onstage personalities in alignment with your aesthetic and brand.
Promoter: An event promoter holds the responsibility of the marketing and promotion of an event.
Marketing Manager: The individual that ensures your brand, logo, and product voice are consistent element-to-element throughout the event.
Venue Manager: Venue managers oversee all of the activities, employees, vendors, and business associated within venue/facility.
Hospitality Manager: Runs the day-to-day operations of a restaurant or hotel, including overseeing personnel, ensuring that facilities are properly maintained, and taking steps to ensure customer satisfaction.
Transportation Manager: Oversees the logistics and operations of an event with a heavy reliance on vehicle use, deliveries, freight, and transit.
Choosing a Venue
The venue that hosts your event will determine your success. Is there enough parking? Are hotels nearby? Does the venue have enough power to support the video wall you’re renting? Additionally, does your online venue support multi-language audio channels? Can the online venue scale up to an in-rush of online viewers? Your event begins outside of the venue. If attendees can't park, find the room, or have difficulty logging in, their experience is already off to a poor start.
Consider the following:
- Does your event need to be indoors or outdoors?
- Is live entertainment a requirement?
- Are there nearby hotels?
- Are there nearby restaurants?
- Are there nearby activities/entertainment?
Venues & Production Vendors
Venues will almost always have a preference for production vendors. Some may have in-house vendors, whereas others may outsource. Always check to see if the venue you’re considering has a buyout option for using your own outsourced production vendor. In most cases, the penalty for outsourcing may be worth it depending on the size and scope of your event. An in-house vendor is great for simple presentations, small events and meeting rooms - but, they can be limited in terms of capabilities.
Aside from the obvious, an outsourced production vendor can provide turn-key creative services and control, delivery, and setup. They’ll also have the ability to control all technical equipment, handle production riders, and provide consistency between different cities and venues. If you’re hosting a larger event, find a vendor who can navigate relationships between hotel and in-house contracts; they become your partner. Rather than a short-term relationship route, a true production partner will work with you to maintain consistency as your events happen - and you won’t be faced with a brand new challenge for each and every event you hold.
Finding a Production Partner
Consider a vendor who offers complete turn-key creative, design, and technical services. Not many production companies actually provide all services under one roof, usually it’s one or the other. Budgets from any vendor can be misleading. Find a partner who is realistic. You want a partner who gets it correct up front. Does it seem too good to be true? There may be a reason. Avoid a vendor who chooses to post-bill, or bill you after the event. These unexpected costs such as travel, lodging, transportation, and consumables will significantly add up. The costs may cause you to go substantially over budget, leaving you on the hook due to the contract you signed up front. At the end of the day, your production partner and other vendors play key roles in making the most out of your budget - and ensuring your event is a success.
Key Production Roles
These are typically roles your production partner will provide, though in some cases they may be part of your team, or another operational vendor you bring on.
Technical Director: Oversees all aspects of the show itself, load in and load out, while also supervising safety.
Creative Director: Takes the lead with graphics and digital assets while maintaining responsibility of assuring that everything is loaded and functioning correctly, saving you time on site.
Project Manager: Ensures the fulfillment of your scope of work, that all tasks are assigned to an individual (or team) and expectations are being met.
Production Manager: Oversees the technical logistics and operations of the event. The production manager is a behind-the-scenes ninja, informing you of problems that arise and their plan to prevent problems from affecting the event in a negative way.
Account Executive: The relational bridge between you, your company, and your production partner.
Lighting Designer: The individual charged with capturing your event aesthetic and translating it to a visual element seen by your attendees.
Sound Designer: The individual charged with ensuring everyone hears what those on stage have to say and understands what they're saying.
Video Producer: In charge of executing visual elements that are displayed live during the event through different devices and screens.
Head Rigger: A head rigger calls the shots when it comes to hanging items high above the audience, stage, or both - their job is focused on safety.
Scenic Designer: The individual charged to create brand-specific staging elements that directly support the creative goals of your event.
Stagehands: These are your laborers - you want to have enough. However, there is a fine line between quality and quantity. Having experienced stagehands will ensure that your setup and tear down goes smoothly and on time. Some venues won't give you an option for stagehands, as they have in-house contracts. Do your research here. Non-reputable labor companies may not be the best choice as they may not have experience working within the same environment you are producing.
Site Surveys
Upon reaching out to production partners, you’ll want to meet them at the venue for a site survey. The following are some needs you’ll want to identify or chat over.
Access
- What hours of the day do you have access to the facility?
- Are certain areas restricted or only accessible by venue staff?
- Are there green rooms for key personnel such as talent, entertainers, artists, or VIP’s?
- What’s the push like? Is there a clear path from the loading dock?
- Are there stairs? Only a doorway?
Rigging
- What structure is available?
- Are there height or weight limitations?
- Can rigging be done safely?
Power
- Where is it?
- How much is available?
- Is there anywhere for generators?
- What are the power requirements?
Event Flow
- How will security work?
- Where will catering go?
- What’s the parking situation?
- Where will your attendees enter and exit?
- Have you identified your egress plan?
- What’s the flow for key personnel?
- Where will storage be located?
Cost Saving Tips
Do it in a day, not several.
Don’t stretch it out. You’re paying most vendors and staff by the day, not the hour.
Avoid holidays and weekends.
These will always incur extra costs, whether it be paying overtime, inflated hotel and travel rates, or fighting shipping restrictions.
Be flexible.
A production rider may say one thing, but your production vendor may have a suitable alternative for less cost.
Consider the location.
Mid-market cities are often the best location as everything will cost substantially less. Chances are, your vendors have most likely worked together already as well. Think outside the box. Nearly any venue can be transformed - warehouses, hangers, farms, private residences, ballrooms, parks, and more.
Communicate with your production partner when booking talent.
Talent will have a technical equipment rider. It is nearly impossible to find a production company who will own every piece of that equipment. To keep sub-rental costs down, you may need to negotiate offering substitutes for equipment within the rider.
About Clearwing
We transform events, venues, activations, performance and unconventional spaces into unforgettable environments. We are a full-service creative and production company with an extensive history of providing exceptional service to some of the world’s largest brands. Our 45+ year reputation has resulted in strong connections with manufacturers, suppliers, and vendors, enabling us to provide any service anywhere to meet any need. With our unique approach and openness to collaboration, we are ready to partner with your team.
Clearwing started out in 1974 by providing audio and staging rentals for regional festivals in the Midwest. Since then, some of the largest names have counted on Clearwing, from Bob Dylan, the Foo Fighters, Steve Miller Band, Gracie Abrams, Pearl Jam, Bon Iver, Summerfest, the Blue Man Group, Target, Best Buy, Google, GoDaddy, the NFL, NBA, MLB, and The White House.
Clearwing has physical offices strategically located across the nation to serve clients nationwide. We’ve deployed gear and crew across the U.S. and all over the world.
Let's create an amazing experience, together. Get in touch with us.