Today our guests are the founders of Rent For Event, an audio visual production company that supports festivals, exhibitions, conferences and more. Together, we dive into the specifics of the live events industry and particularly, the unique challenges of outdoor events.
-Great to see you. First, would you share a little bit about your company, Rent For Event?
Great to be here. All events, exhibitions, presentations and conferences need high-quality technical support: the right sound, lighting and visual effects. At Rent For Event, we help our clients by guaranteeing that wow factor through beautiful lighting and the latest equipment, including projectors, LED screens and more. For us, visitors need to fall in love with the event from the first moment…Simply put, we help our clients impress.
So you rent equipment and send out technicians to manage it?
Correct. We have an arsenal of cutting-edge gear including sound, lighting, screens, projectors, generators and more. Our experts help clients build the right toolbox for their events and we also provide on-site support. Another service we offer is professional content capture at events. Our team of designers, editors and production staff create high-quality content that continues to generate value for clients, even long after an event is over.
What is special about outdoor events?
In general, the outdoors create a more relaxed vibe. Guests tend to be more at ease and we actually have observed increased audience loyalty when it comes to outdoor experiences. Plus, you can be much more flexible with the size of your event. Also, the technical gear designed for outdoor use has been improving steadily over the years.
What are some of the challenges specific to outdoor events?
First and foremost would be powering your lighting, sound, screens, etc. For us, this is easy because we have decades of experience supporting events that are removed from traditional power infrastructures. In these cases, we bring our own generators and handle all the power needs of the event from the ground up. This way, there are no surprises and our clients can rest assured knowing that everything is going to work as expected. For this reason, I always strongly encourage outdoor event operators to hire and trust professionals rather than trying to navigate these technical pieces themselves.
How does equipment differ for outdoor events?
That really depends. For example, we could be looking at an exhibition, a festival, and so on and each situation is going to be unique. But regarding a “basic” setup, one of the most important elements is high-quality sound as well as visual components that can withstand glare. Again, these would all be specific to the location and the event in question, but when in doubt, always reach out to professionals for support—they will save you time, money and your sanity!
What kind of support or services does your company provide during an actual event—once doors are open?
Great question. As a rule, outdoor events tend to cover large spaces. It doesn’t have to be a major music festival or something of that nature—even weddings and other celebrations can be pretty spread out. When you have equipment distributed throughout an open air site, you need a solid plan for monitoring and controlling everything. At Rent For Event, we have an experienced team of specialists who work on these types of projects day in and day out. If any changes or issues arise, we smooth things out discreetly and quickly.
What do you think determines the success of an outdoor event?
My answer is always proper preparation. As a rule, outdoor spaces lack the infrastructure of traditional event venues, so you have to build everything from scratch. You need to be extra detail oriented and remember to consider the weather, the durability of the gear and so much more. You also need the right team on the ground. There’s a lot of important minutiae to consider.
How many staff members do you typically need to support an outdoor event? Also, how many people are on your team at Rent For Event?
To answer your first question, it always depends on the scale of the event. On average, I’d say 2-5 professionals generally do the trick. At the moment, the main team of Rent For Event includes 15 incredible team members, most with an excess of 20 years of experience. Additionally, we have about 50 staff as subcontractors and partners.
You have supported events all over the US. What are some of the regions you are most active in?
We pride ourselves on being able to help clients no matter their location because we have partners in every state. Regarding the areas we are most active in, I would say San Francisco, San Diego, Florida, Texas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Arizona, New York and, of course, Los Angeles.
What differentiates you from your competitors?
We consistently deliver unparalleled quality and professionalism. Plus, I like to think our roster of clients speak for themselves: Nike, CBS, 1800 Tequila, Netflix, Footlocker and other amazing brands. Another thing is our speed. We can provide full technical support for events of any scale with less than 24 hours notice.
How do we find out more?
Simply visit our website rentforevent.com you’ll find out all the information you need, including how to get in touch with us. To check out examples of our work, go to our Instagram or YouTube. Thanks for the time!
