Technology at events: the (in)visible hero of your event

Technology at events is like the foundation of your house: it can make everything sparkle, but if it’s not properly taken care of, it collapses like a house of cards. Fortunately, we’re here to provide that sparkle! Whether you are organizing an intimate gathering or a banging corporate festival, the right technical support is the link(aar) to an event that goes into the books. Think sound that fills the room, light shows that impress and of course a crystal clear microphone. In this blog, we’ll take you through the technical jungle and give you tips to make your event carefree.

Tech-talk: where do you start?

Technology at events is a craft, so before you roll out those cables and reel in all the innovations, ask yourself these three crucial questions:

1. What am I going to do? (corporate festival, presentation, workshop, gala?)
2. Where am I going to do it? (theater, exhibition hall, outdoor area, office location?)
3. Who are there? (What is your target audience?)

Many locations have a basic installation, and often there is a home technician who knows the controls like the back of his hand. But for that wow effect usually requires some extra spice: a bigger screen, more LED lights, or how about a CEO addressing the room via hologram? Then it’s time to call in our technical producers for customization. Because when it has to be really special, we ask for more know-how and depth. Together with the technicians we look at all the options, so that the plan fits perfectly within your budget as well as your goals (therefore: get the technicians on board as early as possible). For some events, technology plays an absolute leading role. There must be perfect cohesion between light, sound, visuals and video technology because it determines the entire experience. It’s not just a microphone that works – it either creates the atmosphere or breaks it down.

“Without good sound, your event sounds like a poorly recorded voicemail, and without good light, you’re standing in the dark talking.”

At Dutch Standard, we make sure that never happens. We work with techies we trust blindly. Why? Because we’ve seen often enough that when people arrange equipment themselves, they overpay, it’s not complete or simply no one knows how it works. Moreover, there is no consistency with the rest of the technology, the decor or even the concept. So don’t do it… Leave it to the show team, then the responsibility also lies with the right experts.

We have been working for years with technical producers who know what they are doing. Their material choices are not only practical, but also have a direct impact on the atmosphere. If you want an intimate and warm feeling at your gala, you really don’t want the entire stage bathed in cool LED lights. Timing, lighting and sound must be matched for the best experience.

Oops! But WHAT if technology does let you down?

We all know it: the microphone cuts out just at the wrong moment or the video gets stuck. Usually you don’t notice when technology is working well, but as soon as something goes wrong, everyone feels it. Stay calm, let the tech wizards do their thing and communicate with a smile to your audience. A light-hearted comment like, “Technical error, we’ll fix it! In the meantime, enjoy an extra cup of coffee,” can work wonders.

Of course, we do everything we can to prevent failures: test, test and test again. And yet that one cable can get pulled out, or a computer crashes. Fortunately, we always have backups, and 99% of the time everything runs flawlessly. But should something go wrong, our button kings know how to fix it.

As event managers, we ensure that:

1. Giving the cable heroes space to solve the problem.
2. We inform your guests, “We are working on it and solving it!
3. We stay on the ball: we’ll keep you updated on the duration and solution.
4. We tied the knot: do we continue with part of the technique or it we adjust the program.

What are the latest tech trends?

Innovation and technology at events are like pizza and cheese: you always want more! In recent years, we’ve seen a lot of cool gadgets, from LED panels that you roll up like a yoga mat to holograms for next-level presentations. And guess what? We are fully informed and will apply these innovations to your event if required.

In short: here’s what to look out for

1. What do you want to achieve? Tune your technique to the type of event, the location and your target audience.
2. Work with experts! We know the way to the best tech gurus.
3. Light, sound and visuals make or break the atmosphere. Make them work together for the best experience.
4. Test everything! We avoid surprises by thoroughly testing everything and incorporating backups.
5. Play in the tech playground! From LED panels to holograms: dare to try it out, we will help you with the latest innovations.

Technology at events is clearly more than pushing some buttons; it’s the red (cable) wire that makes sure your event is right from start to finish.