Audio Visual Solutions · (888) 961-9700 · avmeetings.com
For Event PlannersEvent AV Planning Checklist
34 things to settle with your venue and your AV company, from eight weeks out to the day after the event. Book Audio Visual Solutions early and we handle 17 of them for you and help with 13 more.
Less on your plate, from day one
Most of this list is coordination: union labor rules, power, loading docks, security registration, vendor check-in. When AVS is booked early, we work those out directly with the venue's in-house team, so you don't have to.
- Union labor, handled. We check the venue's union requirements, work with the union labor reps and hire the crew directly. Labor goes on one simple bill with everything else AV.
- The venue side, handled. Power, loading procedures, security registration and check-in, worked out with the in-house team.
- One point of contact for everything AV, from the first call through teardown.
Planning events is your job
You're juggling accounts, venues and deadlines every day. Hand us the AV and the venue coordination that comes with it, and spend your time on the parts only you can do.
Planning this event landed on you
Your boss asked you to put together the conference, or the gala fell to you and a couple of colleagues. As a family-owned company with 23 years of experience, we'll guide you through each step and handle what we can while you get your bearings.
8+ weeks out
Before you sign the venue contract
- Ask whether the venue has an in-house AV provider and whether you can bring your own AV company.AVS helps
- Get every outside-AV fee in writing: outside-vendor fee, power, rigging, internet and any required venue technician.AVS helps
- Find out whether the venue requires union labor, and what that means for setup and teardown crews.AVS handles
- Ask for floor plans with room dimensions, ceiling height and the locations of doors, columns and chandeliers.AVS handles
- Confirm load-in access: loading dock or entrance, freight elevator and the earliest time the crew can get into the room.AVS handles
- Book the room for setup and rehearsal time, not just the event hours.AVS helps
6–8 weeks out
Decide what the event needs
- Set the headcount and room layout (theater, classroom, rounds) so screens can be sized for the back row.AVS helps
- Choose screens: an LED wall for large rooms, daylight or cameras; projection for smaller rooms and breakouts.AVS handles
- Count the people who will speak at the same time, including panels and Q&A, to plan the microphones.AVS helps
- Decide whether anything will be recorded or streamed, and to which platform.AVS helps
- List any remote presenters joining by video call.AVS helps
- Note anything that will hang over the audience (screens, banners, lighting) so it can be planned and approved.AVS handles
- Ask the venue whether a public meeting or accessibility requirement calls for assistive listening.AVS helps
3–4 weeks out
Lock the details
- Get exact screen dimensions and aspect ratio from your AV company and share them with whoever builds the slides.AVS handles
- Order a wired internet connection dedicated to the stream or remote presenters; hotel Wi-Fi is not enough.AVS handles
- Confirm power at the stage, front of house and any streaming position.AVS handles
- Arrange union labor if the venue requires it, and fold the labor cost into the budget.AVS handles
- Register the AV crew with venue security and confirm the vendor check-in process.AVS handles
- Send the AV company your brand colors for uplighting and stage graphics.
- Request a certificate of insurance from your AV company if the venue or your company needs one.AVS handles
- Draft the run of show: every speaker, video, walk-on, award and break, with times.AVS helps
1–2 weeks out
Content and people
- Collect final slides and videos, and send them to the AV company to test on the real screens.AVS helps
- Share the final run of show and speaker list with the AV crew and the venue.AVS helps
- Send remote presenters a test-call time and the platform link.AVS handles
- Confirm who on your team is the single point of contact for the AV crew on show day.
- Confirm load-in, rehearsal and teardown times with the venue in writing.AVS handles
Show day
On site
- Walk the room with the AV lead after setup: sightlines, screens from the back row, mic check.AVS helps
- Run a rehearsal with the main speakers, including walk-ons, slide clickers and any video cues.AVS handles
- Test the stream or recording end to end before doors open.AVS handles
- Brief presenters on where to stand, which mic to use and the confidence monitor.AVS handles
- Agree on how the AV crew will reach you during the show.AVS helps
After the event
Wrap up
- Ask for the recording and any stream analytics.AVS handles
- Note what worked and what to change for next time while it is fresh.
- Share event photos with the venue and your AV company.