Before the House Opens
The questions producers and organizers ask most often when lighting, screens, sound and streaming meet for the first time. Each answer points you to the person who should make the final call.
Who should own the show timeline?
One named person, usually the production manager or stage manager. Every department works from the version they distribute. Two running orders in circulation is a reliable way to get a wrong cue.
Can I plan rigging or power myself using this guide?
No. Rigging, structural loads and temporary power must be designed, installed and checked by qualified professionals and approved by the venue. Use this guide to understand their questions and prepare the information they need.
How early should technical suppliers be involved?
As soon as the venue and running order are roughly known. For a mid-size conference that is often eight to twelve weeks out; for complex mapping or broadcast work, earlier.
What pixel pitch do I need for an LED wall?
A rule of thumb: the closest comfortable viewing distance in metres roughly equals the pitch in millimetres. Your video engineer will confirm it for the room size, budget and camera shots. See Displays.
Why does the LED wall flicker on camera?
Usually a mismatch between the wall's refresh or scan settings and the camera's shutter speed. It is fixed in rehearsal by adjusting processor and camera settings, which is why cameras should see the wall before doors.
Do I need a separate audio mix for the stream?
In most cases, yes. The room mix assumes listeners also hear the stage acoustically; the stream needs more voice and consistent loudness. See Audio.
How much upload bandwidth does a stream need?
Plan for a dedicated wired connection with upload capacity well above the stream bitrate, often double, plus a backup path and a local recording. Test it at the same time of day as the event.
What is a cue-to-cue rehearsal?
A rehearsal that runs only the transitions. The show caller and every department practise each change, such as walk-ons, video playback and panel setups, without running full speeches. See Operations.
How do I make the event accessible for people with hearing loss?
Ask for a hearing loop or assistive listening system and live captioning, planned with the audio team so they share the clean voice feed. Check seating and signage for loop coverage too.