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The Must-Haves from Your A/V Partner: A Conversation with Ashley Lehrman of Dynamic Productions

TME partners with trusted vendors to provide our clients with a seamless experience in assembling the audio, visual, marketing, and production needs for an event. Several years ago, we were introduced to Dynamic Productions and their Director of Accounts, Ashley Lehrman, who has since helped us to deliver a number of successful virtual, hybrid, and in-person events. A/V contracts can be overwhelming to review.  With that in mind, we sat down with Ashley to discuss the must-haves, extras that might be worth your investment, and how to choose the right A/V partner.    

A/V Partnership Essentials

Choosing the right A/V partner can be time-consuming, and depending on your budget or venue your options may be limited. Ashley provided some helpful insight into the must-haves you should request from any prospective A/V partner: 

• Reliable power sources ensure your event runs smoothly regardless of its location. With the increasing popularity of outdoor events, long-lasting generators are necessary to supply the energy needed to have a successful presentation, gala, or conference. 
• Quality audio systems allow your guests to easily hear speakers or music playing throughout the evening. Program participants should be heard from any location in your event, and each guest should experience the same volume level and clarity of sound regardless of where they are seated. 
• High-resolution screens and projection systems are needed to ensure any content being shown during your program, whether a presentation, video, or IMAG, offers a crisp visual and is easily seen from any point within the room. 
• A designated A/V tech on-site is crucial if there are any last-minute program changes or to troubleshoot any technical difficulties that arise. 
• Consistent communication with the venue is necessary to ensure all of the electrical, A/V, and aesthetic needs are met. Dynamic Productions utilizes a thorough venue checklist to outline all planning needs and streamline communications. 

Taking Your Event To The Next Level

Depending on the size and complexity of your event, an AV bill can run from $2,000 to $200,000. As you begin to discuss your event needs with your A/V partner, they will walk you through potential enhancements, using your budget as a guideline. If your budget allows you to consider enhancements beyond the must-haves, consider the following: 

• IMAG, short for image magnification, projects video being taken of stage participants (speakers at the podium) to the screens in the room giving the audience a better view. 
• Uplighting instantly changes your event space for minimal additional investment. By placing multiple lights around the perimeter of your space you can instantly elevate the overall aesthetic and create a greater sense of occasion. 
• Video walls create a dynamic backdrop on your stage and are customizable to your brand and content. The content can be changed throughout the evening providing a change in scenery for participants. 
• Confidence monitors prevent your program participants from using notecards or printed scripts to deliver their remarks and give them the confidence to address the audience with their remarks (and slides) in direct view. 
• Walk-up music for a speaker or honoree can change the atmosphere of the event and energize the audience. 

What’s Next in A/V? 

We continue to see the shift back to in-person events, but the interest in virtual and hybrid events persists across a variety of industries, capitalizing on stronger ROI and larger audiences gained during the pandemic. Ashley shared that Dynamic Productions works alongside the team at Virtual Tables, a virtual solutions company that offers a web-based platform that strongly translates in-person experiences virtually. Their platform provides a variety of fan participation tools to ensure a high engagement success rate. One key feature is their premium “table” video experience, which allows guests to interact with one another at “virtual” tables before, during, and after the event’s programming content. This creates an engaging and interactive experience, similar to in-person networking, but from the comfort of your own home.

Additionally, Ashley filled us in on one of their exciting, fan-forward, new technology called DigiSign. The greatest engagement a brand can provide is access to the talent. DigiSign has taken the traditional autograph experience and modernized it into an efficient, LIVE virtual experience for fans to have with their favorite talent. Removing the limitations of in-person logistics, DigiSign scales those opportunities to ensure the wow moments are activated for the maximum lifetime value of every fan, leaving them with a one-of-a-kind and authenticated digital signature collectible.

A/V can be a daunting part of the planning process. TME can help. Whether it’s securing the right A/V partner or determining the needs of your speakers or even the placement and color of your uplighting, our team can ensure you have everything you need for a successful event. 

About Ashley Lehrman

Ashley has been a key player on Dynamic Production’s production team for the past nine years. She shared her self-navigated journey with us and how it has led to fortuitous and serendipitous professional opportunities. Similar to members of our team, Ashley became engulfed in the events world back in high school. Since then, she has worked on a wide variety of events and now oversees the accounts team at Dynamic Productions as Director of Accounts while contributing to the success of events across the country.  

TME is grateful to both Ashley and Dynamic Productions for continuing to be consistent partners and providing our clients with top-tier service.