Two basic models of technical implementation

In practice, the organizer most often chooses between two models: one general technical contractor or several companies responsible for separate departments.

In the first variant, one entity can be responsible for:

• audio,
• lighting,
• multimedia,
• the stage,
• structures,
• streaming,
• personnel,
• logistics.

This does not mean that everything must come from its own warehouse. The general contractor can use partners, but it is he who manages the whole.

In the second model, the organizer chooses separately:

• an audio company,
• a lighting company,
• a stage supplier,
• a LED operator,
• camera production,
• streaming.

Each contractor is then responsible for their own scope.

Both models can be correct. They differ primarily in that,where the responsibility for coordination lies.. 

One general contractor – what does such a model look like?

In the general contractor model, one company becomes the main technical partner of the organizer and coordinates the agreed scope of production.

The organizer provides:

• the brief,
• the script,
• the venue plan,
• the riders,
• the schedule,
• additional requirements.

The contractor then plans the technology as one system.

They can carry out part of the departments themselves, and outsource part to partners, but they should maintain control over:

• the project,
• the schedule,
• logistics,
• points of contact,
• responsibility.

This is the model closest to comprehensive technical service of the event.

The biggest advantage is the simplification of communication. The organizer does not have to independently connect information between five teams, as they have one main contractor responsible for coordination. 

Several specialized contractors – what does such a model look like?

In a multi-contractor model, each department is entrusted to a separate company with a specific specialization.

It can look like this:

• audio – company A,
• lighting – company B,
• LED and multimedia – company C,
• stage – company D,
• streaming – company E.

Such a model provides great freedom in choosing specialists and can be very good for demanding productions, where each area requires exceptionally strong competencies.

The problem arises when there is no one person or entity responsible for connecting all departments.

Each company can perform its scope correctly, yet the whole can still have issues.

For example:

• lighting needs points occupied by PA,
• LED blocks the camera,
• stage did not foresee space for the world monitor,
• streaming does not have established audio routing.

Therefore, the multi-contractor model requires very strong production management.

Communication and the number of contact points

The more contractors there are, the more communication channels and greater the risk of discrepancies. This does not mean that having many suppliers is a bad solution, but it requires a better communication structure.

With one general contractor, the organizer can have one main production contact.

With several contractors, they may contact separately:

• audio,
• lighting,
• video,
• the stage,
• streaming,
• transport.

If every decision requires sending the same information to several people, the process quickly becomes inefficient.

A particularly dangerous situation is when one change only reaches part of the teams.

Example:

the organizer moves the stage by a meter but only informs the staging company.

The consequences may affect:

• PA,
• cameras,
• lighting,
• screens,
• cable routes.

Therefore, with many suppliers, there needs to be one current point of documentation and clearly define, who is responsible for distributing changes..

Responsibility for system integration

The most important element of the entire model is the responsibility for integration. Someone must look at the event as a whole, not just at individual departments.

Integration includes, among other things:

• space,
• structures,
• power,
• routing,
• networks,
• the schedule,
• communication.

If the general contractor is responsible for everything, they are the natural owner of these dependencies.

If several suppliers are working, it is necessary to indicate:

• production manager,
• technical coordinator,
• a person on the organizer's side,
• another clearly defined decision point.

The absence of such a role leads to the worst type of problem:

everyone did their part well, but no one was responsible for the whole.

Schedule and dependencies between teams

Event technology is not installed in any order. Individual departments have dependencies that must be taken into account in the schedule.

An example order might look like this:

1. structures,
2. rigging,
3. PA and lighting,
4. LED and multimedia,
5. stage and backline,
6. patch,
7. configuration,
8. rehearsals.

If the audio company can only start installation after rigging is completed, its schedule depends on the construction team.

If LED is mounted on a structure shared with lighting, both departments must cooperate.

With several independent contractors, it is easy to have a situation where each company adopts its own entry plan without considering the rest.

Therefore, the schedule should be common for the entire production, not separate for each subcontractor.

Audio, lighting, video, and stage – where do the touchpoints occur?

The most problems arise at the interfaces of systems, because that is where responsibility is not always clear.

Audio, lighting, video, and stage meet in several areas.

Structures:

PA, fixtures, and LED can use the same rigging points.

Space:

FOH, cameras, and the audience sometimes compete for the same spots.

Power:

Each department has its own requirements and cannot assume unlimited availability of power.

Routing:

Streaming and video need signals from audio.

Scenario:

One cue can trigger light, video, and audio simultaneously.

Stage:

Backline, monitors, wedges, cameras, and scenery must fit in the same space.

With the complex technical execution of the eventthe touchpoints should be resolved at the design stage.

Logistics and assembly order

With many companies, logistics becomes a separate challenge. Each contractor has their own vehicles, equipment, crew, and time needed for assembly.

So it is necessary to plan:

• hours of arrivals,
• unloading locations,
• delivery order,
• lifts,
• ramps,
• parking,
• temporary storage.

If four trucks arrive at the venue simultaneously with one dock, some crews will be waiting.

With one general contractor, it is easier to coordinate transport within one logistics.

With many companies, a person is needed to manage the shared load-in.

This also applies to load-out.

Dismantling cannot be chaotic if the systems are interconnected. The structure cannot be removed until the equipment of other teams has been safely dismantled.

Costs – is one company always cheaper?

No. One general contractor does not have to be cheaper, and several independent suppliers do not have to be more expensive.

The cost depends on:

• equipment,
• personnel,
• transportation,
• assembly,
• scope,
• margin,
• availability of resources,
• subcontractors.

A general contractor may have an advantage due to shared logistics, transportation, and crew. On the other hand, they may add the cost of managing partners.

Several specialized contractors can be cost-effective if each provides exactly the scope in which they are efficient.

However, the cost of coordination must also be taken into account.

If the organizer has to spend many hours on:

• phone calls,
• schedules,
• agreements,
• resolving conflicts,

this is also a real production cost, even if it does not appear as a separate item on the invoice.

Therefore, when comparing models, it is worth analyzing the entire process, and not just the sum of the offers.

Risk of competency conflict

A competency conflict arises when it is unclear, who is responsible for the element that lies between the scopes of two teams.

A typical example:

a video company needs an audio signal for streaming.

Who is responsible for:

• output audio,
• level,
• routing,
• cable,
• test?

If audio assumes that it ends responsibility at the console, and video assumes that it will receive a ready signal at its station, the problem may only reveal itself during the rehearsal.

Similarly with:

• power,
• rigging,
• structures,
• internet,
• communication.

The best way to limit conflicts is a matrix of responsibility.

For every essential element, it should be clear:

• who delivers,
• who installs,
• who configures,
• who tests,
• who is responsible during the show.

When do many specialized contractors have an advantage?

The multi-contractor model has an advantage when the project requires very specialized competencies that are hard to expect from a single contractor at an equally high level.

Examples:

• very large LED,
• extensive broadcast,
• unusual rigging,
• specialized scenery,
• large PA system,
• advanced streaming.

At large events, it is often natural to use various companies.

It is only important that there is a strong coordination layer.

This model works particularly well when the organizer or agency has its own production manager who can manage the technology.

Then you can consciously choose the best specialists from every area and combine them into one project.

This approach is often found in larger festivals and elaborate productions, where the choice of a technical company for organizing a large music festival also means choosing partners for specific departments.

When is a general contractor more advantageous?

A general contractor is particularly advantageous when the organizer does not want to coordinate several teams independently or the event requires strong system integration.

The greatest benefits arise in:

• corporate events,
• gala events,
• conferences,
• premieres,
• concerts with elaborate video,
• hybrid events.

In such projects, there are many dependencies between:

• audio,
• video,
• streaming,
• lighting,
• the stage.

One company can simplify:

• communication,
• the schedule,
• responsibility,
• logistics.

This does not mean that it has to do everything independently. It can manage subcontractors while remaining one partner for the client.

This model is particularly convenient for the organizer who wants to hand over the full technical service of the event to one team instead of building its own production department.

Hybrid model – one coordinator and specialized partners

The hybrid model often provides the best combination of both approaches. One company or production manager is responsible for the whole, but individual departments are carried out by specialized partners.

It can look like this:

• general contractor – coordination,
• audio partner,
• LED partner,
• stage partner,
• own lighting department,
• external broadcast.

The organizer still has one main point of contact.

Specialists, on the other hand, retain their own competencies.

The condition for the operation of this model is a very clear division of responsibilities.

The general contractor should control:

• joint project,
• the schedule,
• logistics,
• communication,
• points of contact.

They should not just "pass on phone numbers" to their subcontractors.

If one entity calls itself a coordinator, it should actually be responsible for integration, not just for gathering offers.

Summary

There is no single model of event technology organization that is best for every event. One general contractor simplifies communication, logistics, and responsibility, while several specialized contractors can provide greater freedom and access to very strong competencies in specific areas.

The most important thing is who is responsible for integration. Audio, lighting, video, stage, power, and logistics have many points of contact, which is why they cannot be managed completely independently.

In small and medium productions, one contractor often simplifies the process. In very large or specialized projects, many suppliers can be a natural choice.The most universal model is one in which there is one coordinator responsible for everything, even if several specialized partners work under them.

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