No Rigging? No Problem!

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We all know the situation: great venue; no rigging. So how do you produce an event in that environment without compromising on the results? In June of 2007, digital marketing and event solutions agency Cramer was faced with just this challenge. A sales meeting for a Fortune 500 company with over 200 attendees needed a set design as dynamic as the content planned, but the ballroom didn’t offer any rigging points. Here’s their solution.

To create a highly visual meeting environment, Versatile LED panels were used for scenic elements. Since there was absolutely no rigging available in the room, a truss frame was created and built around the entire room, with over 350 feet of truss, that created a high-energy rock ’n’ roll feel.

Instead of trying to hide the truss, LED lights were used to accent them. Cramer eliminated the décor of the ballroom with black drape and exposed truss and lighting instruments. This transformed the room into the edgy, raw environment of a concert venue.

The Experts Weigh In

“This was an elegant solution that solved the problems related to the facility while creating a high-tech and innovative look. This is a highly complex design that can easily downsize to any budget without losing its impact.”
— Warren Kong, Creative/Technical Director, Chameleon Designs LLC

“With no rigging available in a room, a ground-supported truss system is a great solution to the problem. Not only does it offer the necessary rigging positions for audio, lighting and video, but it helps transform the look of the room. For this particular event, the look of the truss really helps with their rock ’n’ roll theme.” — Mike Aug, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Event Tech

“More and more, corporate clients are looking for the ‘high-tech’ look, and showing the truss and equipment rather than hiding it is not only acceptable, but preferred. This rig looks clean, safe and effective. All in all, a good call.”
— Brian Konechny, President/General Manager, Q1 Production Technologies Vancouver

Five Steps to Technical Success

Steve Francomano, senior project manager of events with Cramer, has the following tips and best practices for your next event:

1 Going on a site survey or evaluating the space prior to it being booked is always a plus. This allows you to recognize and combat any potential technical problems before they arise, such as rigging limitations or issues with a loading dock.

2 Sometimes your greatest resource is the people who work in the space on a daily basis, whether it’s a hotel ballroom, convention center or arena. See if they have encountered similar situations or obstacles before, what has worked…and what hasn’t. Don’t underestimate the input or solutions they may be able to provide to your event.

3 Major technical changes can affect your already strapped budget, so if you propose new ideas, keep the budgetary ramifications in mind. Being able to manage the technical, creative and budgetary aspects of an event is a true art form and comes with experience. Always keep in mind that all of these aspects have to be incorporated for the event to be successful.

A good example of this would be the last-minute addition of seating for an extra 100-plus attendees. Planners might think that this should not be a big deal, especially if there’s available room, but you have to always keep in mind whether those additional seats will be able to see the projection screens, hear the audio or a combination of both. The solution may mean additional projectors and screens, upgraded audio, a larger labor call, etc., which would all mean added costs.

4 Large convention centers usually mean a lot of loading dock space, but are the loading docks anywhere close to your room? If not, be sure to give yourself ample time to off-load your trucks and push your gear to the room. Don’t forget to adjust your production schedule and other crew calls to reflect the amount of time needed to make this process happen. Giving you an hour to off-load a truck, then having that take two and a half hours in reality, can put a lot of pressure on time-sensitive deadlines.

5 Have an open mind and be willing to move in a direction that might not be the norm. Brainstorming ideas with your team may yield a solution or concept not thought of earlier in the planning process.

Know When You Go

Ask these 10 questions on your site survey to evaluate the technical challenges your venue poses:

• How many rigging points are in the room, if any?

• What kind of points are in the space and the load limits for each kind of point?

• Is there a good placement of the points throughout the space to accommodate your truss?

• If air walls are present, are you allowed to utilize them for rigging needs?

• Is there an in-house or contracted rigging company you must use, or can you bring in an outside rigging vendor?

• What kind of lifts can and cannot be used in the space for the riggers to reach the points?

• Does the loading dock have any restrictions on truck size?

• Does the dock need to be reserved for the time you would be utilizing it?

• Is there an actual dock or do you need to use a fork lift or lift gate on the truck to off-load your gear?

• Will other groups be loading in at the same time, which might require you to share resources such as freight elevators or back hallways?

— Steve Francomano, Senior Project Manager of Events, Cramer

About the author: Rachel Globus

Rachel Globus is the former editor and education director for Event Solutions.