The Rundown
Topics: Awards Shows, Technical Production | 3 min read
Your technical team can be the difference between a glittering night to remember and a stressful challenge to forget, so it pays to understand what each of them does.
A huge amount of time, energy and money goes into planning and scripting an awards ceremony. From choosing a venue to judging the applications, it is a detailed and involved process.
On the day, you hand all of that over to a technical production team and trust them to execute the plan exactly as intended.
So who are these people, what do they actually do, and how do they make the difference between a smooth show and a difficult one?
Running the Show
Show Caller
The show caller performs a similar role to a producer in television. They instruct every team on what to do and when, delivering cues such as roll video and stand by for award 14.
It is arguably the most important role on the team. They lead the rehearsal and make sure everyone else knows exactly what they are doing, following the script throughout and knowing what is coming next at any given moment.
Most show callers are specialists, and often join very late - learning the script and the show once everything else has been finalised.
Stage Manager
The stage manager is the show caller's eyes, ears and arms.
They cue presenters on and off stage, make sure everyone is in the right position, and solve problems in real time - including running on a spare microphone when one fails mid-award.
Runner
Not every awards show has one, but a runner is invaluable to a smooth night.
They retrieve presenters from dressing rooms or tables and make sure the trophies are in the right place at the right time. It sounds minor until the moment a winner is announced and the award is still in a flightcase backstage.
Light, Video and Script
Vision Director
The vision director controls and instructs the cameras.
They work on a separate communication link to the camera operators only, telling them what shots to get and when they are about to go live to screen. Often they will also mix the camera feed themselves, cutting between angles throughout the show.
Lighting Operator
The lighting op makes sure everyone on stage is properly lit, and triggers the lighting cues that punctuate the night - winners' stings, specials and scene changes.
VT Operator
The video or VT operator triggers video cues on the screens.
Depending on the screen and stage setup this can be simple or extremely busy. On a complex show there may be several video operators handling different parts of the switching: triggering videos, changing screen states, and stepping through slideshows.
Autocue Operator
Awkward cue cards and presenters reading from the floor are largely gone. Modern awards shows use TV-style autocue, which displays the script on transparent glass so the presenter can look out at the audience and still read.
The operator scrolls at the presenter's pace, and inserts cues and pronunciation hints so the presenter looks entirely in control. It sounds straightforward - try it once and you will find it is not.
Sound and Spotlight
Sound Operator
The sound operator runs the mixing desk, opening microphones as people come on stage and muting them again as they walk off.
They adjust settings continuously to avoid feedback as presenters move around the stage, which is harder than it sounds in a room full of hard surfaces and reflective tables.
They are usually responsible for walk-on music for presenters and winners too - the cue that has to land exactly as someone reaches the steps.
Followspot Operator
The followspot operator moves the large spotlights around the stage, keeping them focused on the right person throughout.
On a large show there may be several operators working together, or robotic followspots controlled from a single position.
Every Show Is Different
These are the most common roles at an awards show, but no two are identical and there are often others depending on the format.
What stays constant is that the technical team can make or break the night, and understanding the challenges they face makes you a better client to work with.
Planning Yours?
If you are planning an awards show and want technical or creative advice, give the Premier Live team a call on 0116 202 9953 or email info@premier-ltd.com.
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