Maximising Your Event with Professional Audio Visual Hire Services
New Zealand is the land of DIY. Kiwis everywhere have a proud tradition of figuring all sorts of things out and punching well above our weight, so is it any surprise that the same is true for putting on world-class events?
At Oceania, we put a lot of our energy into putting on incredible events for the people who want to leave a mark on the scene. But we also know that not everyone wants a team, which is why audio visual hire is a big piece of what we’re proud to offer.
Your audio visual equipment can make or break your event, so it’s important to hire the right pieces from the right place in the right way. This blog post is all about honouring the Kiwis who want to tackle their event’s audio visual work their way. We’ll unpack a few vital tips for how to maximise your event with professional AV hire services like ours to make sure things go off without a hitch.
Know Your Event’s Needs Before You Hire
Before diving straight into technical specifications and cable management, take a step back and ask yourself exactly what your event requires. Bloated budgets tend to come from unnecessary equipment hire, and missing AV equipment on the big day can stop your itinerary in its tracks.
There are three things that can help establish what you need for your event: purpose, venue, and attendance. In other words, the why, the where, and the who. Are you hosting a corporate seminar with multiple speakers in different rooms? Does your wedding reception need crisp sound and moody lighting to get guests on their feet? Are you hoping to draw concertgoers to a stage like moths to a flame?
Understanding the scale and type of event you’re hosting will make it a breeze to choose the right equipment. For example, a small conference will only need a simple PA system and a projector. On the other hand, a large festival will require a full lighting rig, multiple sound setups, and possibly even live streaming capability (depending on what kind of tickets you’re selling).
Our suggestion? Make a checklist! Take the most time with this step because it will ensure your audio visual hire goes smoothly.
Choose the Right Audio Visual Hire Equipment
Once you’ve got your list, the next step is to actually choose your equipment. It can be easy to feel swamped by a sea of numbers and technical jargon when you arrive at this step, especially if you’ve never hired audio visual equipment for an event before. Fear not; your secret weapon lies not in the equipment itself but in the company you choose to hire it from.
Some companies create AV gear packages that you can hire all at once, each one containing audio, lighting, comms, and visual equipment suited to a different scenario. But don’t be afraid to tailor these packages and lean into advice from your chosen company. They have years of experience backing their decisions, so if you have the time, scheduling a quick consultation before your audio visual hire can pay off massively down the line.
Test and Set Up in Advance
Now, tackling an event the DIY way doesn’t mean going in blind. If you’ve put on an event before, then you’ll know that the key to everything running seamlessly is a tech rehearsal. This is essentially a test run ahead of the big day, allowing you and your team to set everything up in advance and test out your audio visual hire equipment.
Your ability to do this will depend on what kind of terms you have established with your venue. When you can, schedule that rehearsal time into the itinerary when you book your location. This time is vital, allowing you to check sound levels, make sure microphones work, and generally tweak the little things that take an event from ‘good’ to mind-blowing.
If you’re unsure how to set up specific gear, many AV hire companies – including us at Oceania – are happy to walk you through the basics so you can handle things confidently.
Consider Your Support Options
Even the most capable DIY event planners sometimes need a hand. If you’re comfortable handling most of the setup but want an expert on standby, look into partial support services. For instance, our team offers options where you can hire the gear yourself but have an AV tech available for troubleshooting and guidance in the run-up to the event (or as a backup crew day-of).
This way, you stay in control of your event while having the peace of mind that help is just a call away if anything unexpected happens.
As you can see, carrying off an event DIY-style is more than possible with the right approach. Professional audio visual hire doesn’t have to blow your budget, and you can access some expert advice along the way to make sure you’re prepared.
Take it one step at a time, be clear on the purpose of your event, and don’t be afraid to ask questions if you want some extra insight. With these tips ready to go, you’ll put on the event of a lifetime.
Make the night yours with Oceania’s professional audio visual hire.
Name what you need, and our extensive DIY hiring department will make sure you get it. From the smallest things to the biggest staging setups, we’ve got you covered at Oceania.
Unsure about what your event needs?Get in touch with us for help curating a list of audio visual hire equipment for your event.