How can an event technician specialist help me?
Whether you are planning celebration events for family and friends or organising business functions, there will always be a technical element involved in ensuring that everyone can hear and see what is happening. This can be both fun and stressful, particularly if you are a perfectionist, or are trying to put together a party or event which has to cater for a diverse age range and different tastes. Usually, what pulls such an occasion together and unites those attending is a common factor which will be enjoyed by everyone. In most cases, this is likely to be musical entertainment or a speaker (such as a comedian, story-teller, motivational lecturer, etc.), whether recorded or live. Unfortunately for the non-technical individual, setting up a musical, karaoke or even a simple microphone-led event is not as easy as it seems. If you are coordinating either a speaking or musical event and want to be sure that everyone can hear properly, don’t leave this to chance and run the risk of some of the audience not being able to hear properly. This is where an event technician specialist can save the day.
How can an event technician specialist help in business?
Many of the larger companies hold occasional or fairly regular seminars, workshops, training sessions, conferences and break-away team retreats for their employees to improve productivity and skills. Whilst the advent of the global COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing regulations resulted in many of these meetings necessarily being hosted on an online sharing platform during the various lockdown phases, it is hoped that face-to-face interactions will again soon become normal operating procedure. Over the last seven months, IT teams have been pulled into making online shared events a practical interim measure even over short distances, but it is clear that personal interaction between teams, employers and employees, lecturers and students, presenters and their audiences, amongst others, is the most effective and popular method of communication. The excitement generated during team-building exercises or the level of interest generated by a lecturer or motivational speaker can only really be appreciated in situations where everyone is together in one place and sharing the experience.
Business-related meetings rely on ETS personnel
In ‘real life’ situations (which existed pre-COVID-19), such meetings required the support of event technicians to work effectively. Whilst simple amateur setups can - and do - serve their purpose to a degree, a professional event technician specialist will ensure that all technical aspects related to the event work faultlessly or are able to be fixed if something does go wrong. Time is money, and ‘think-tank’ momentum gained in a team meeting cannot easily be regained at the same level if disrupted by malfunctioning equipment. If the event is being held off company premises, it would be worth while to utilise the services of an event technician specialist to ensure that everything is set up and functioning correctly. An event technician specialist will discuss with you the correct set-up needed as well as ensuring that all the proper equipment such as microphones, video recorders or broadcasting tools are available and working as they should.
This specialist may also be responsible for lighting or any other visual aids needed, and will ensure that these are all working efficiently for the event.
What are the duties of an event technician?
The primary responsibilities and duties of an event technician are to provide audio and video support at a performance, business conference or workshop, sports event or any other occasion which is being recorded or broadcast. In other words, event specialist technicians are generally able to organise any kind of function where technical equipment is needed. It could be a simple matter (to them!) of setting up a microphone and loudspeaker or amplifier for a speaker-led event, or setting up a more complex station for an amateur DJ. An event technician specialist may bring along his own equipment or be able to make use of the equipment which is already available at the venue.
What qualifications does an avent technician specialist need?
It is reasonable to expect that such a specialist would need to have obtained a few years of experience with audio-visual and electrical equipment. The more complex the job, the higher the qualifications required, preferably gained from working in theatre or film production in the recording or lighting departments. Event technician specialists should have strong computer literacy, as well as the ability to install, repair and replace electrical and audio-visual equipment or make alternative arrangements at short notice. Good communication skills are also necessary in this field.
How to find the right event technician specialist for your needs
Check their online ratings and customer reviews
Many event technician specialists work independently, relying on word of mouth referrals in both the professional and private spheres. Whilst it is possible to find them through advertisements in various entertainment and general-content magazines, as well as through the Yellow Pages, these methods do not give you an idea of the service, scope and professionalism they will deliver. Event technician specialists offer specific services, much as DJs and entertainers do, with their specific strengths and styles.
Whilst there are those who specialise more in events such as weddings, private celebratory parties and smaller gatherings, others may be experts in business-related off-site conferences and seminars, etc., or tackling in tackling large entertainment platforms such as outdoor concerts or sporting events. They are not yet a highly visible presence on the internet, although they are becoming more aware of this method of advertising. If you choose to go online, search sites such as Uptasker are great time savers. Uptasker is unique in that it not only lists in specific geographical areas, but also includes online ratings and customer reviews, as well as ‘one-click links’ to any available websites from which you will be able to see the sort of work any event technician specialises in.
