unit 5 : Staging

UNIT 5

Staging 

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 Choosing the event site,

Event Venue Selection

Keep following things in mind while selecting a venue for your event:

1. Target Audience/Guest Size: This means the number of people you are expecting to attend

your event. Make sure that your venue can easily accommodate your expected target audience. Your

venue should not be too small or too large for your guests. If too small, then your guests

will feel discomfort. If it is too large then you will unnecessarily end up paying more for

the venue. Get firm indications whether guests plan to attend your event by sending RSVP clearly

printed on the invitation.

The term RSVP is a French acronym. Its meaning in English is 'Please Respond'. If RSVP is

printed on the invitation then the invited guest is expected to tell the host whether or not

he/she is attending the event. Since many people don't understand the meaning of this

term or don't bother to reply back, it is advisable to individually call and ask your guests

about  there plan to attend the event. In this way you can get quite accurate idea of the guest

size which will help you in deciding food and beverage quantities also.

2. Target Audience Status: If you target audience are rich people then your venue must be a five

star hotel or resort and all the services provided during the event must be of very high quality.

3. Target Audience Convenience: Select venue according to target audience convenience.

Your venue should not be very far from the place where majority of your target audience

live. Your venue should have proper lighting and ventilation. It should not be in a noisy

or polluted area. It should be absolutely neat and clean and free from any type of infestation.

4. Climatic Conditions: Keep Climatic conditions in mind while selecting a venue. If you are

going to organize an event during rainy season or during peak winter then selecting an

open-aired venue is not a good idea. Always try to organize indoor events if possible as

there production cost is lesser than the outdoor events.

5. Venue History: Before hiring a venue check out the history of the venue. Find out how

many events have been organized in the venue so far. In this way you can find out whether

or not venue and the staff there is event friendly. This will help you immensely when you

later organize event there as you will have to do less amount of work in making the venue

suitable for the event. If venue has noise ordinance problems in the past like neigbours

calling the cops to shut down the event, then it is not a good idea to organize event there

especially outdoor event.

6. Venue Services: Before hiring a venue check out the number of services provided by the

venue like:

Parking Facility

Make sure venue has its own parking space. It should be big enough to accommodate your

target audience's vehicles conveniently. If parking space is not adequate then look for

other venue. Never compromise on parking space especially if you are organizing event

on a large scale.

Security Arrangements

Security of guests, service providers and target audience is a very important issue which

should never be neglected or compromised at any cost. Make sure that your venue has adequate

number of fire extinguishers, fire alarms, emergency escape routes, sprinkler system (a system

consist of overhead pipes designed to control or extinguish fires), security personals, handicap

ramps, security cameras, first aid kits and power backup (like generator, inverter, UPS).

Venue Staff

Your venue must have adequate number of staff to serve your guests. Find out the ratio of

servers to guests. The venue staff must be friendly, helpful and courteous. It should be

decently dressed. Give special attention to there personal hygiene. Nobody likes to be

served by someone who is stinking and looks like a pirate of the 13th century. Ask you

venue manager whether or not the staff is able and willing to work overtime.

Restrictions

Every venue has some unsaid restrictions like photography and videography restrictions,

alcohol restrictions, music restrictions, dress code, decoration related restrictions (like

you can not install your own structure and lights for decoration or paste/paint anything

on the venue's wall), advertising restrictions

Additional Services

Some venue provides additional services like catering, floral decoration, fireworks, audiovisual

aids; Staging, Lighting, props, decor for event production; ticketing, reservation,

transportation and sight seeing tours for the guests; DJs, anchors, performers etc for event

programs.

7. Venue Fees: Always consider following questions in mind while deciding to hire a venue:

1. What is the venue fee?

Does it include all other taxes? (Negotiate rental fee to ensure the best deal.)

2. What is included in the venue fee?

Is dance floor included in venue fee? Are table, chairs and linens included in the

venue fee? Is security and liability coverage included in the venue fees?

3. What is not included in the venue fee?

4. Is there any cost for parking?

Generally parking space is provided free of the cost by the venue but some venues

may charge separately for parking facility.

5. What is the price range for a seated/buffet lunch and dinner?

6. What are the Corkage fees?

This includes fees to server liquor. Make sure that venue has the license to serve

alcohol. Check the license for expiration date.

7. What is the cost of sleeping rooms?

8. What is your cost per person and per food item?

9. What are your bartending and bar set up fees?

10. What are your fees and how do you charge for providing additional services?

Such as floral decoration, fireworks, audio-visual aids; staging, lighting, props,

decor for event production etc.

11. What modes of payments are available?

12. What are your payment, refund and cancellation policies?

8. Venue Inspection and rehersal: If you will go as an event manager to a venue for inspection you will be shown the venue as an ideal venue for organizing your event. So best way of inspecting a

venue is to check-in there as an anonymous guest, stay there for 2-3 days and deliberately

use all the services provided by the venue.

Make sure Air Conditioners, fans, water tabs work properly, elevators are operational.

There is adequate lighting and ventilation. Check out for stage setup

9. Amount of Work Required: On the basis of venue history, services provided by the venue

and venue's inspection determine how much work is needed to be done to make the venue

suitable for your event. Select a venue where lesser amount of work is required to be

done. Lesser the work, lesser will be the production cost of the event.

Developing the Theme for an event and Managing the Environment

Before you pick an event theme at random, you should think about the reason for having a theme in the first place. Will it appeal to a certain audience?

At the same time, it’s also prudent to think about some of the limitations you face when picking a theme. Your event budget might be a deciding factor.

Here are some of the things you should think about when choosing an event theme.

1. Aim

The first question you should ask your self what the aim of the event is. A charity fundraiser will have a different purpose than a community street party.

2. Audience

The audience you want to attract should also guide your efforts when you choose a theme. A dress-up event will not be very appropriate for a group of business professionals.

3. Venue

The event venue will also limit the possible themes you can choose from. You can’t host an indoor beach party at a museum. (Well, you can, but…)

Pick a venue that matches your theme.

Your event theme should go hand-in-hand with your choice of venue. Make sure that they complement each other, rather than be at odds.

4. Budget

You should also consider the dreaded B-word. How much money will it cost to pull off a particular event theme? Do you have the budget for it?

Exotic venues and beautiful decorations can quickly get expensive. Consider your event budget when you choose the theme for your event.

5. Season

Depending on your event, the weather might also affect your choice of themes. If you’re hosting an outdoor event, then rain, wind, and snow could get in the way.

What to include in your event theme

Once you’ve decided on the theme for your event, it’s time to look at how you can incorporate it. Fortunately, your options are many.

The more elements you can include your theme in, the stronger and more memorable it will be. Quirky invitations, decor, and food are also more likely to get shared on social media.

Here are some of the things your theme could influence.

1. Invitations

Use the event invitations as a teaser for your theme. If you’re organising a treasure hunt, why not use a crumpled treasure map as an invitation?

Get creative with the invitations.

2. Marketing

The theme should also be part of your event marketing efforts. Social media is where you can use your theme to tell a story about your event.

If you’re organising a 70’s disco party, post images of fabulous outfits. Or ask people to share their favourite disco song and start a conversation around it.

3. Decor

The event decoration is probably one of the most important aspects of your event theme. Along with the venue, the decor is what helps create the right atmosphere.

A Halloween-themed dinner party should include some ghosts, pumpkins, and skulls. A Cinco de Mayo party needs a pinata.

4. Food and drinks

The menu at your event is also a great opportunity to incorporate your theme. In fact, the food and drinks can be as much a part of the décor as the decor itself.

You can also switch up the way you serve it. Why not serve pina colada in a hollowed-out pineapple for your Hawaiian-themed event?

5. Entertainment

The speakers or entertainers you feature at your event should also be in line with the theme. A Christmas party calls for singing elves, and so on.

Dressed up performers are always fun.

6. Activities

You can also incorporate some fun activities into your event. In the case of a treasure hunt, the activity is the event. But why not have participants dress up as pirates?

The activities should, of course, be in line with your event theme.