Do I need dry hire or a production crew?
What equipment-only hire does and does not cover, and how to decide whether delivery, setup or an operator belongs in your brief.
Read answerThe practical side of production
Your lighting, sound
& event questions.
Straight answers to the things that come up when you’re planning a show, hiring equipment or improving a venue. No need to know all the technical language before you start.
A good place to start
Do I need dry hire or a production crew?
What equipment-only hire does and does not cover, and how to decide whether delivery, setup or an operator belongs in your brief.
Read the answerQuestions & answers
Event planning & hire
From the first brief to equipment returns. Make the responsibilities, timings and quotation clear.
Why do event production quotes look so different?
Compare the scope behind two production quotations: crew time, rehearsals, transport, equipment, exclusions and changes.
Read answerHow much time should I allow for a technical rehearsal?
Separate setup checks, soundcheck, presenter practice and cue rehearsal when building an event schedule.
Read answerWhat should be on an event cue sheet?
A simple technical running-order example covering triggers, actions, files and responsible people for a live event.
Read answerShould my equipment hire include the rehearsal day?
Why collection, testing, rehearsal and return times belong in the hire period, not just the public performance dates.
Read answerWill hired equipment fit through the venue?
A load-in checklist covering doors, lifts, stairs, unloading, room access and the photographs to send before equipment is booked.
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Questions & answers
Sound & microphones
Help people hear the words, the music and the questions. Start with the room and the people using it.
How big a PA system do I need?
Why audience numbers and watts do not tell the whole story when choosing a PA for speech, music or an outdoor event.
Read answerWhy does a microphone squeal?
Understand microphone feedback, what to check first and why turning everything up can make speech harder to hear.
Read answerHandheld, lapel or headset: which microphone for a presenter?
Compare presentation microphones by movement, clothing, hand use and the way the event is being run.
Read answerDo hired wireless microphones need an Ofcom licence?
UK radio-microphone licensing depends on the equipment and operating band. What to check with your supplier before an event.
Read answerHow many radio microphones can I use together?
Plan simultaneous microphone channels, other wireless equipment and frequency coordination before hiring extra radio systems.
Read answerHow do you microphone a school choir?
Start with the choir arrangement, accompaniment and room. Why more microphones are not automatically a better answer.
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Questions & answers
Lighting & effects
Light the performance, choose the right fixtures and plan effects around the venue.
What is the difference between a Fresnel and a profile light?
Choose between a soft-edged wash and a shaped beam, with practical examples for lighting performers, lecterns and scenery.
Read answerMoving light spot, wash or beam: what is the difference?
A plain-English comparison of moving-light types and the details to check before choosing fixtures for a show.
Read answerWhy are the stage colours bright but the performers hard to see?
Separate light for faces from light for atmosphere, and check the acting areas before adding more effects.
Read answerHow do I choose a follow spot for my venue?
The distance, coverage, operating position and performance details needed to specify a follow spot, beyond lamp wattage.
Read answerDo I need a lighting designer or a lighting technician?
Understand the difference between design, programming, installation and show operation when briefing a production.
Read answerWill a haze machine set off a fire alarm?
Haze can activate detectors. What to agree with the venue before booking an effect, and why there is no universal alarm-safe setting.
Read answerWhy does low fog rise or disappear?
How warming, air movement and the machine-fluid combination affect low fog, and what to check in a venue test.
Read answerCan you use smoke or haze outdoors?
Why outdoor airflow makes atmospheric effects less predictable, and what the production brief should say about the intended look.
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Questions & answers
Conferences & presentations
Clear presentations, confident speakers and a technical plan for everyone taking part.
What microphones do we need for audience questions?
Plan a conference Q&A with roving handhelds or a question point, including who moves the microphones and who operates them.
Read answerWhy do remote guests hear an echo at a hybrid event?
Understand the difference between a returned remote voice, room reverberation and PA feedback before changing the audio setup.
Read answerCan I record an event straight from the mixing desk?
What to check before recording a conference or performance from a mixer, and why the recording may need a different mix.
Read answerShould I hire a projector or a display screen?
Compare projection and display screens around the room, audience sightlines, daylight, content and installation space.
Read answerHow do I make sure my conference video plays properly?
Prepare video files, sound, cues and a fallback before rehearsal instead of relying on the presentation laptop alone.
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Questions & answers
Stages & rigging
Think through stage use, access and the information a supplier needs before specifying equipment.
What size stage do I need for a panel or band?
Build a stage layout from people, furniture, instruments and movement space rather than choosing by headcount alone.
Read answerWhat needs checking before booking an outdoor stage?
Site access, ground, weather planning, power and responsibilities to discuss before specifying an outdoor stage.
Read answerCan we hang lights or speakers from the venue’s bars?
The venue information and professional checks needed before an existing bar or attachment point can be used for a new rig.
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Questions & answers
Venue systems & upgrades
Plan lighting and sound around the people who will use, look after and maintain the system.
Can LED stage lights use our existing dimmers?
Why LED and moving-light power requirements need checking before connecting them to an older stage dimming system.
Read answerCan school hall lighting and sound be easier to operate?
Plan everyday presets and a separate production mode so a venue system works for assemblies as well as performances.
Read answerTalk to 10 out of 10
A question about your own project?
Tell us what you are planning, the venue and dates. We can discuss equipment, lighting design, production support or a permanent system without you having to write a technical specification first.
Initial advice and quotations are free.
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