Why good AV should be invisible

Sound is the most critical AV discipline at events. Bad sound wrecks a presentation, a music act or a panel, even when everything looks beautiful. Good sound is invisible: everyone hears every word, without echo, hiss or volume problems.

At a corporate event we distinguish between speech and presentations, music and entertainment, and background music and atmosphere. For venues with difficult acoustics (high ceilings, hard walls) an acoustic pre-assessment is needed. Plan this early in the production.

After sound, lighting and vision are the most important AV elements at corporate events. They shape the atmosphere, the visibility of speakers and screens, and the overall feel of the space.

Atmospheric lighting gives a venue character. Uplighting in the brand colours, or a dynamic colour wash that moves with the programme, is relatively affordable. The effect on the overall experience is large.

For presentations you traditionally project onto a large screen. At bigger events an LED wall offers more brightness and flexibility.

Hybrid events place extra demands on the AV production. An online attendee experiences the event solely through image and sound. If that quality falls short, they drop off quickly.

A professional livestream needs at least five elements: multiple cameras, a dedicated audio mix, a stable wired internet connection, a streaming platform, and a technical director who keeps an eye on the stream.

A simple AV setup for 50 to 100 people typically starts at around €1,500 to €3,000 including the crew. Think of a presentation evening with sound, projection and basic lighting.

A complete production for a staff party or kick-off averages between €8,000 and €20,000. Plan on 500 people, a stage, an LED wall, atmospheric lighting and a PA system.

Larger production events with bands, special effects and livestreaming can come in at €30,000 or more. Cutting corners on AV is one of the most common causes of disappointing events.

Live Impact handles the AV production as an integral part of the overall event production. We work with regular AV partners who know our way of working and the Live Impact quality standards.

Our AV production team reviews artists' technical riders and runs a site survey. On the day itself we are on site for the get-in, sound check and the full delivery.

Call us on 085 401 40 14 or email hello@live-impact.nl. Seriously fun.