Where a small AV budget actually goes
A school fundraiser, a hālau hōʻike, a church anniversary lūʻau. The budget is a few thousand dollars, the committee is volunteers, and somebody’s uncle offered to bring his speakers. I’ve done a lot of these, and the money always goes further when you spend it in the right order.
Spend it in this order
- The microphones for the moments that matter. The MC, the speaker making the ask, the kumu. Good wireless with fresh batteries and a spare. If the room can’t hear the ask, the rest doesn’t matter.
- Someone who knows what they’re doing. One experienced engineer with a modest system beats a big system with nobody behind it. Every time.
- Speakers in the right place. Coverage, not volume. Two speakers aimed well usually beat four aimed badly.
- Playback that works. Music for hula and walk-ins, cued from a device that isn’t also somebody’s phone getting text messages.
- Then the nice things. A screen for the slideshow, some uplighting, a second wireless.
What you can usually skip
- A second screen in a room where everyone can see the first one.
- Haze, moving lights and anything else that needs its own operator.
- A separate setup day, if the venue gives you a morning load-in.
- A crew of three where one engineer and a helper will do.
Use what the venue already has
A lot of school cafeterias, churches and halls have a house system that works fine once somebody tunes it. Before renting anything, I’ll come look at what’s there. Sometimes the best money you spend is an hour of setup on gear you already own.
And if you already have a quote from someone else, send it. I’ll tell you honestly whether it’s fair, even if the answer is “book them.”
Planning a show?
Tell me the date, the room and what you need. I answer every request myself.