AV Checklist for Charity Events: What to Confirm Before Event Day

Two weeks out, all the structural production decisions should be locked. If any of these are still open at this point, act on them immediately.

• Production company confirmed with signed agreement and agreed payment terms.
• Venue technical specification shared with production company: rigging points and rated loads, power distribution plan, room dimensions, load-in access route and freight lift specification.
• Stage plan agreed: position, dimensions, height, fascia finish, backdrop type (LED wall, fabric, projection).
• PA specification confirmed appropriate for guest numbers and entertainment programme.
• All entertainment advance calls completed. Any rider conflicts documented and resolved.
• Lighting design approach agreed: dinner state, presentation state, auction state, entertainment state.
• Haze or atmospheric requirements confirmed as permitted by venue in writing.
• Crew schedule issued. Named positions confirmed: technical director, sound engineer, lighting operator, stage manager.

One week out, focus shifts to the programme and the content that runs within it. Content that arrives later than this creates risk on the night.

• Run of show issued to all parties: event team, production company, venue events contact, entertainment tour managers.
• All video content delivered to production company: charity impact films, auction intro videos, holding slides, speaker presentation slides. Confirmed at native resolution of the screen configuration.
• All video files checked for correct format, resolution, frame rate and audio levels. Not just reviewed on a laptop.
• IMAG plan confirmed: cameras, positions, switching operation. If a vision mixer is in the plan, confirmed they have the run of show.
• Speaker briefing issued: arrival time, microphone type, presenting from stage or floor, AV capability for slides, who they hand back to.
• Auctioneer briefing confirmed: lot count, sequence, visual aids (slides or paddle cards), signing on screen.
• Venue load-in confirmed: arrival time, access route, parking allocation, out of hours contact number.

• Run of show reviewed for any last-minute changes. All changes communicated to production company in writing, not verbally.
• Any outstanding content items flagged to production company with confirmed delivery time. Not the morning of the event.
• Weather contingency checked if any element of load-in or the event is outdoors.
• Technical director's mobile number confirmed. Single point of contact for all technical communication on event day.
• Venue emergency contact confirmed for out of hours access if load-in starts before the venue's standard opening time.

• Production team on site at confirmed call time. All crew present and briefed.
• Venue contact met production team and confirmed access to all technical areas: power distribution, rigging points, freight lift.
• Stage built and positioned. Fascia dressed. Backdrop in position.
• Screen live and showing test content at event brightness level. Not just powered on — at the brightness and content format the event will use.
• Lighting rig complete. All states programmed: dinner, presentation, auction, entertainment. Tested in sequence.
• PA system powered up and line checked. All wireless microphones tested on the frequency plan. No conflicts with the venue's own RF.
• All content loaded and test-played. Correct files, correct order in the playlist.

• Handheld and lapel microphones tested from the lectern and from the stage speaking position.
• Confidence monitors checked from the stage: speaker can hear their own voice clearly at a natural level.
• Presentation slides — if any — advanced from the stage clicker and confirmed displaying correctly on screen.
• Audio from video playback checked at the back of the room. Levels set to event standard, not to the empty room.
• Entertainment sound check completed. Artist confirmed happy with monitor sound.
• Room ambient noise level accounted for in PA gains. A full room of guests is significantly louder than an empty ballroom at sound check.