A Technical Operator has done a good job when no one knows they were even there. So it's up to us to tell you what they do.
Run up to the event
Your ‘Man or Woman in Black’ will know your programme inside out and will keep everything on schedule. They will have been fully briefed on every detail of the programme from the lighting to the streaming.
Be it speeches, panels of experts, slideshows, videos or music, your Edward’s Technical Operator will ensure seamless flow from one medium to the next. They will rehearse any AV requirements with participants, brief presenters on cues, and check that all presentations run without a hitch. With access to speaker presentations in advance they will test (and modify if necessary) slide shows to ensure that they look great and all the video links work and play at the right volume before the audience turns up.
Set up / pack in
The crew and the vans arrive and your Technical Operator(s) will systematically unload the gear, using our clear drawings to identify where every piece of equipment needs to be located. They’ll run out the cables, mount data projectors and screens, connect laptops, rig professional lighting and set up the sound systems, mixers and microphones.
The lighting is adjusted, the sound tuned, the slides tweaked, and everything is tested thoroughly for every eventuality on the programme and for other things that we know will happen!
During the event
Our ‘Men and Women in Black’ aim to be invisible. Our experienced operator will sit out of the way running the equipment. They will make sure that microphones are clipped on correctly, speakers are at ease, presentations run smoothly, and any individual speakers or entertainers’ special requirements are met – and that there is no feedback! Sound levels are constantly monitored and adjusted to achieve optimal audio quality for all guests.
The attendees will be completely oblivious to the level of planning and detail that has gone into making the event audio-visually a success, but they will be able to hear clearly, see easily and interact from the floor if required.
The event organiser and MC can concentrate on running front of house, knowing that in the unlikely event of a technical hitch, there’s someone in a black shirt on site to assist.
Pack out
The Event Organiser and MC can head home, put their feet up and enjoy a hard earned wine or beer. Once the last person has left, our team will take it all apart, systematically put it back in boxes and onto the transport to return to the warehouse or continue to our next event.
Probably the only profession where you don’t want people to know you were there – but you’ll know if we’re not…
Anyone who is involved in event organisation knows that if anything is going to go wrong, it is going to be the technology. Edwards always make our events seamless. I had to give Brian a special mention at the end of the conference because none of our speakers and delegates had even noticed him – always a sign that the AV support was spot on!
Craig Garner, Health & Safety Manager, EMA
#technicaloperatorsmatter
