Final scope of responsibility

Before the event, it is necessary to clearly establish, who delivers, installs, configures, and operates each essential technical element.. This is the most important point of the final check, as many problems do not arise from lack of equipment, but from the incorrect assumption that “someone else was supposed to provide it.”

The scope can be divided among:

• the technical company,
• the organizer,
• the venue,
• the artists,
• the agency,
• other subcontractors.

For example, the technical company can provide audio, lighting, and multimedia, the venue can provide the stage and main power, and the artist can provide their own backline and IEM system.

Such a division should be documented, not left assumed.

Elements that are at the intersection of several areas are particularly important, e.g.:

• power for the LED screen,
• audio signal for streaming,
• rigging points,
• internet,
• delivery of presentations,
• backline.

A well-prepared project should allow for an answer to a simple question: if something is not ready, who was supposed to be responsible for it?

If the scope has not yet been finalized, helpful material will be about what collaboration with the technical company looks like when organizing an event.. 

Current version of the script

The technical company should receive one current version of the script and know that this is what they should work on. With many revisions, the biggest threat is the parallel functioning of several different versions of the program.

The script should include at least:

• the order of points,
• approximate times,
• entrances of the hosts,
• presentations,
• videos,
• panels,
• performances,
• scene changes.

For more complex productions, cues are also useful, which are moments that trigger specific technical actions.

Example:

Cue 12: end of the film → stage light → opening the host's microphone → camera 1.

One program change can affect several departments simultaneously.

Moving a panel after the concert does not only mean changing the order in Excel. It may require:

• rearranging the stage,
• preparing microphones,
• changing lights,
• different video routing,
• modifying cues.

Therefore, a few days or hours before the event, it is worth clearly indicating: “this is the current version applicable to the production”. 

Schedule of assembly, rehearsals, and show

Before the event, a complete technical schedule should be confirmed, not just the start time of the event. The company needs time for load-in, assembly, configuration, testing, and rehearsals.

The schedule may include:

• access for the crew to the venue,
• start of load-in,
• rigging,
• assembly,
• configuration,
• line check,
• soundcheck,
• rehearsal of the presentation,
• rehearsal of the hosts,
• opening of the doors,
• show,
• load-out.

It is important that the hours are realistic in relation to the scope.

If the installation requires several systems, one cannot assume, that all teams will start working at exactly the same moment.

There is often a dependency:

structures → rigging → light/PA/LED → stage → wiring → setup → rehearsals.

Changing the access time to the venue can therefore affect the entire production.

If the venue moves the technical entry from 8:00 to 11:00, the organizer should immediately communicate this information. The company can then evaluate whether a larger team is needed, simplification of the setup, or a change in the order of work.

Access to the venue

Before load-in, it is necessary to confirm not only the address but the actual way to get to the event space. Logistical problems can take more time than the actual assembly of the system parts.

It is necessary to determine:

• the place for the approach,
• the technical gate,
• the hours of access,
• the height and width of the entrance,
• lifts,
• stairs,
• ramps,
• the route from unloading to the stage,
• parking spaces for the equipment.

The method of access after the event is also important.

If the venue closes the freight elevator at a specific time or requires leaving the room immediately after the show, this must be taken into account in the plan.

It is also worth indicating a person from the venue who will be available during the crew's entry. The information "security will know" is less secure than a specific contact for the responsible person.

For a large event, it is also good to confirm the order of supplier arrivals, so that several teams do not try to use one unloading point simultaneously.

Stage and audience setup

The final layout of the stage and audience should be approved before the assembly begins, as it simultaneously affects audio, lighting, multimedia, cameras, and communication pathways.

It should be confirmed:

• dimensions of the stage,
• height,
• location,
• stairs,
• platforms,
• risers,
• audience setup,
• FOH,
• passages,
• camera locations.

Changing the audience setup may affect PA coverage.

Shifting the stage may change:

• the position of the system,
• the directions of the light,
• the location of the screen,
• the routes of the cables.

For concerts, the artist's stage plan must be matched with the actual space.

If the stage is to function in several configurations, e.g. panel → gala → concert, the method and timing of the changeover must also be established.

The final plan should therefore represent the actual layout of the show, not the first working version prepared several weeks earlier.

Power and infrastructure of the venue

Power must be confirmed before the event in terms of availability and responsibility. The statement "power is on site" does not provide the technical company with sufficient information.

It is necessary to know:

• where the power points are,
• which systems are to use them,
• who is responsible for distribution,
• what the venue provides,
• what the contractor brings.

This concerns:

• audio,
• lighting,
• LED,
• video,
• backline,
• streaming.

Similarly, the remaining infrastructure needs to be established:

• internet,
• networks,
• rigging points,
• available cable routes.

If streaming requires a stable internet connection, testing it after the audience enters is definitely too late.

If the venue provides infrastructure, it is good to confirm contact with their technician or the person responsible for specific systems.

There should be no situation where on the day of the event the technical company learns for the first time that the previously indicated power points are not available.

Riders and contractor requirements

All current artist riders should be analyzed and agreed upon before the day of the event. It is not enough to simply send the document to the technical company.

It is necessary to confirm, among other things:

• PA,
• FOH,
• MON,
• input list,
• stage plan,
• microphones,
• IEM,
• RF,
• backline,
• power,
• risers.

If the local contractor proposes substitutes for equipment, they should be accepted in advance by the appropriate person on the artist's side.

This particularly concerns entries such as:

• preferred,
• acceptable,
• no substitute.

Before the event, it is also worth checking the currency of the rider.

The team may send several versions of the document, and working on an older input list can cause real problems during the preparation of the stage.

If the organizer does not analyze the technical documentation themselves, they should ensure that the company conducted the advance and has confirmed key arrangements.

Multimedia and materials provided by the client

Presentations, videos, graphics, and other multimedia materials should be delivered and checked well in advance. One of the most common sources of problems is the assumption that any file will "just work" on site.

Before the event, it is necessary to establish:

• who provides the materials,
• by when,
• in what format,
• on what screen they will be displayed,
• who is responsible for their order,
• who approves the final version.

For presentations, it is also important to know whether:

• all will be collected in advance,
• speakers are using their own laptops,
• the company provides a presentation computer,
• a confidence monitor is needed.

For videos, it is worth confirming:

• image,
• audio,
• aspect ratio,
• subtitles.

The safest workflow is one in which materials are tested before the event starts, rather than being brought on a flash drive five minutes before the speaker enters.

If a change of material is unavoidable, there should be a clear process for substitution and retesting.

Streaming, recording, and access rights to signals

If the event is being streamed or recorded, it is necessary to determine not only the equipment but also exactly which signals need to be delivered and to whom.

It is worth confirming:

• streaming,
• PGM,
• ISO recording,
• audio,
• presentations,
• graphics,
• cameras,
• method of archiving.

PGM is the final program signal – a ready mix of video intended, for example, for broadcasting or the main recording.

ISO recording means independent recording of specific sources, for example, individual cameras.

It is also necessary to specify who can use the signals.

For example, an external media team may need:

• audio feed,
• video signal,
• access to a selected camera.

One should not assume that every available source is automatically intended for delivery to every entity.

It is advisable to clarify both technical and organizational issues regarding access to the material in advance.

If the event requires extensive recording or streaming, the implementation of live streaming should be designed as a separate workflow, not as an incidental addition to FOH.

Contact persons and communication channels

Before the event, it is necessary to determine who makes decisions on behalf of the organizer, the technical company, the venue, and any artists. This is particularly important in situations that require a quick response.

It is worth preparing a short contact list:

• event manager,
• production manager,
• technical coordinator,
• person from the venue,
• stage manager,
• artist manager.

It is also good to establish a communication channel.

For a small event, a phone may be sufficient.

For a larger one:

• communication group,
• intercom,
• radio,
• dedicated production channel.

However, the most important thing is that not everyone issues independent commands to every technician.

If the client, agency, and host convey three different versions of the same change, the technical team must know,whose decision is final..

One main contact person on the organizer's side significantly simplifies this process.

Change procedure on the event day

Changes on the day of the event are normal, but they should have a defined procedure. The worst model is one where anyone can directly change the work of any department.

A good procedure might look like this:

change → decision maker → production/stage management → appropriate departments → confirmation of execution.

Example: the organizer wants to move the panel by 20 minutes.

This information may affect:

• the host,
• audio,
• lighting,
• video,
• backstage.

It should not only go to the sound engineer.

When making technical changes, their feasibility must also be assessed.

Adding two more wireless microphones may require not only providing two transmitters but also changes in:

• RF coordination,
• the patch,
• the mix.

The technical company should therefore have the ability to say that the specific change requires time or cannot be safely executed in the current conditions.

Emergency plan for key elements

Before the event, it is necessary to determine which elements are critical and what will happen in the event of their failure. It is not about duplicating the entire production, but about being consciously prepared for problems with the greatest consequences.

It is worth analyzing:

• the microphones of the hosts,
• playback,
• presentations,
• the routing of the main signal,
• internet,
• streaming,
• critical power elements.

Example: if during the gala all presentations are run from one computer, it is worth determining what will happen after its failure.

Similarly with streaming – if the broadcast is one of the key goals of the event, it is necessary to know if there is an emergency plan for the connection.

Backup does not always mean an identical second configuration. It may mean:

• another device,
• an alternative signal route,
• an additional microphone,
• local recording.

The most important question is:

"Which single failure could stop this part of the event and how will we work around it?"

Dismantling and hours of leaving the venue

The conditions for dismantling must be confirmed before the event, not after the last item on the agenda. Load-out may be limited by the venue's working hours, the availability of the ramp, or the security schedule.

It is necessary to determine:

• when dismantling can begin,
• by what time the room must be vacated,
• if dismantling is possible the next day,
• when transport is available,
• if the elevators are still operational.

The order of dismantling also matters.

If the PA, LED, and lights are on the structure, each crew must finish their work before de-rigging begins.

With multiple contractors, the joint load-out should be coordinated similarly to the setup.

It is also good to establish when the company's scope of work ends. It may include just assembling the system, removing equipment from the venue, or full transport to the warehouse.

Final checklist before load-in

Before starting the setup, the organizer and the technical company should be able to confirm the following points:

• The final scope of responsibility is established.
• The current version of the script has been provided.
• The schedule for load-in, rehearsals, and the show is confirmed.
• The access hours to the venue are known.
• The unloading area is established.
• The final plan for the stage and audience is current.
• FOH and technical positions have confirmed spots.
• Power and infrastructure have been confirmed.
• Riders are current and analyzed.
• Substitutes rider have been agreed.
• Multimedia materials have been delivered or a date for their transfer has been established.
• Streaming and recording have a confirmed scope.
• Contact persons are known.
• Communication channels are established.
• The procedure for changes during the event is clear.
• Critical elements have a contingency plan.
• Load-out and the time of leaving the venue are agreed.

If several of these points remain open, it is worth closing them before starting the setup.Finalization of the technical project of the event should primarily reduce the number of questions that need to be resolved on-site.

Summary

Frequently asked questions