Successful AV production in New York starts before equipment arrives. A venue site inspection allows the production team to identify logistical issues that could affect staffing, setup time, equipment requirements, and costs.
From getting equipment through the door to keeping it secure overnight, here are five things we look for when inspecting a venue.
Before finalizing an AV production plan, check five essential areas: loading access, elevators, power, storage, and security.
Identifying challenges in advance gives the production team time to develop practical solutions instead of discovering problems during load-in.
First, determine how AV equipment will get from the truck to the event space.
Many New York venues don't have dedicated loading docks, which can mean curbside unloading. In these cases, we determine whether ramps, liftgates, or additional crew are needed.
If there is a loading dock, we check its height and confirm whether a dock plate or leveler is available. Dock times may also need to be scheduled around catering, hotel laundry, deliveries, and other event vendors.
These details can directly affect labor, timing, and production costs.
For events above or below the loading level, we inspect and measure freight or cargo elevators to ensure production equipment will fit. That includes checking the elevator door opening, interior dimensions, and weight capacity.
Freight elevators are often shared across a building, so access may need to be scheduled with management.
If there is no freight elevator, we evaluate passenger-elevator options, including dimensions, capacity, availability, and requirements for protective padding.
We also walk the complete route from the truck to the event space, looking for narrow doors, hallways, stairs, tight turns, and other restrictions.
Remember that AV equipment often travels in protective cases. The equipment may fit through a doorway while its case does not.
The number of electrical outlets in a room doesn't necessarily indicate how much usable power is available. Multiple outlets may share the same breaker, particularly in older buildings.
During the site inspection, we compare the production's expected power demand with the venue's available electrical capacity.
We identify which outlets share circuits, whether dedicated circuits are available, and whether other venue services will be drawing from the same power.
If additional power is necessary, we can discuss options with building management and determine whether an appropriately qualified professional is required. In some cases, external generators may be considered, although those involve additional planning.
AV and production equipment typically arrives in protective cases. Once everything is unpacked, those cases still need somewhere to go.
Onsite storage is preferred because it reduces unnecessary equipment movement. If storage isn't available, empty cases may need to go back through the elevator and onto the truck.
Extra case movements require additional crew time and can create scheduling challenges when elevators are shared. If the truck is used for storage, the vehicle and driver may also need to remain onsite.
Planning storage early can help control both time and budget.
Security is another important consideration, particularly in hotels, conference spaces, and other public or shared venues.
When equipment remains onsite after setup, we need to know whether doors can be locked, who can access the event space, and how back-of-house areas are controlled.
Confirm who has keys or credentials, whether employees or other vendors can enter the space, what security the venue provides, and whether overnight security is necessary.
Successful AV production in New York requires understanding how a venue operates before load-in begins. Loading access, elevators, power, storage, and security can all influence the production plan, staffing, schedule, and budget.
A detailed site inspection helps identify these challenges early, while there is still time to solve them.
These are just the first five considerations. In Part 2 of our AV Production Checklist, we'll cover five more details to evaluate when preparing a venue for a successful event.