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Music Matters_ How The Right Event DJ Can Elevate Your Event

Music Matters: How The Right Event DJ Can Elevate Your Event

Music Matters How The Right Event DJ Can Elevate Your Event

Music is one of the most memorable parts of any event, however, it’s often overlooked. First of all, you want the sound equipment at your event to be suitable for the space. This is something an event DJ can really lend expertise to.

Next is the music you’ll select. For weddings and parties, these choices are often deeply personal. For corporate events, the psychology and objectives behind musical selections are different but no less important.

Today we’re exploring some things you should think about on the technical side as well as why music matters for your branding during professional events.

Things To Consider And Discuss With Your Event DJ

The following consideration list will help you have a meaningful conversation with your DJ.

Type Of Event

Planning your wedding? You’ll have a list of songs that are special to you and important to include. Make sure to provide that to your event DJ. Corporate event? Talk to your professionals about their recommendations for engaging, soothing background music.

Venue Requirements

Is your event indoors or outside? This, and the size of the space makes a huge difference for your event professional. A professional DJ will have all of the necessary equipment to suit the space. This is a huge benefit to hiring a DJ in the first place. Many, like Diamond Sonic, also include event rental equipment to suit any needs. They can speak with the venue to find out exactly what’s provided and what you need to rent from them.

Matching Tempo To Tone

Background sound and music impact the mood of any gathering and may also set the pace for festivities. The right tempo can inspire people to dance or help them relax. Some music can even boost creativity and make people feel more social. Professional DJs can pick music that is best suited for the specific requirements of your event.

Themed Event Music: if your event has a particular theme, your music can reinforce this. Because event DJs are so experienced, they have a huge knowledge base to pull from and can help you identify an appropriate soundtrack.

How An Event DJ Can Help You Decide on Music For Corporate Events

Music for business events is largely something that goes unnoticed in the background, but there are moments when you want it to stand out. Furthermore, just because something isn’t standing out doesn’t mean it isn’t having a subconscious effect on your audience.

Corporate event music should include a mix of relaxing music, energizing but unobtrusive music, and tracks that hype up your audience for certain speakers or brand reveals. Music can help shape the energy of group meetings, business dinners, conferences and trade shows while giving these events an air of sophistication.

Instrumental music is often the best choice, but there are so many styles to choose from. Classical and house music, for example, are vastly different although often instrumental. Your event DJ can help you make the right choices.

Your Event DJ Is A Valuable Resource When Choosing Music For Weddings And Parties

Weddings, anniversaries and planned social gatherings give an opportunity for you to share your personality with your guests. You’ll probably have a list of songs you’d like to hear. If you are concerned that your choices won’t last from start to finish, however, your DJ can help. Once you provide them with your ‘must haves,’ they can choose complementary music to mix in, extending the right energy from the moment guests arrive until they leave.

You might think you want to choose every single song, but once reality hits you could soon find this more stressful than you expect. Let your DJ help with this and speak with them about accepting requests from your guests to keep the party going.

Whether you want to be very involved in your event music selection or prefer to hand those reigns over completely, the right event DJ is a valuable resource.

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How To Coordinate With Your Sound Technician For Events, Successfully

Working With A Sound Technician For Events

Part of successful event planning is being a jack of all trades. When it comes to the audio at your corporate or private event, however, you probably need help. Even if you understand that you lack the skill set to handle your own event audio, it’s scary to hand it over. How do you stay involved in the process if you know nothing about sound tech?

First of all, don’t worry. You’ve got enough on your plate; you don’t have to run your own sound too. In about 3 minutes you’ll have the knowledge you need to pick the right sound technician and plan together for an awesome event.

Don’t Check Out On Your Sound Technician For Events

You don’t need to teach yourself sound engineering but you should learn enough to advocate for your needs. Assuming your sound technician is a full-blown A/V Professional, they’ll handle lights as well as audio, if necessary. Live A/V support involves lighting rigs, projection systems, public address (PA) systems, conference microphone devices and wireless microphone systems.

With that in mind, what equipment do you think your event needs? Think about the experience from start to finish and do a mental walk-through before meeting your A/V candidates. Try to communicate these needs to your engineer.

Do your presenters have demonstratives? Providing this information to your sound technician elicits their advice about showcasing them to the fullest.

What does your audience want out of the experience? Fill your A/V engineer in on their expected level of immersion and participation. They can help you make that happen with wow factor techniques like projection mapping.

Are two presenters ever speaking at the same time in different rooms? Are you hosting a Q&A with the audience? Logistics like this affect the equipment your sound company will provide. Your engineer may want to see the space and house equipment if they’re unfamiliar with your venue.

While the right A/V professional will ask you these questions, you should be prepared to prompt them if necessary.

Be Curious And Courteous With Your Sound Technician For Events

It goes without saying that you and your A/V team are in partnership and the goal is a successful event. Each side should be engaged, open and polite if not downright friendly. The tone we communicate questions and concerns with is important when collaborating. It preserves the creative energy of the interaction.

That being said, asking lots of questions is also important! Don’t hesitate to ask for clarification, advice, suggestions, and recommendations. Your A/V team have the experience and knowledge to be an asset to you.

Don’t pretend you understand technical details because you’re intimidated or don’t want to annoy your engineer. It shouldn’t be a big deal for your contractor to explain things to you in less technical language so you remain involved. It’s also a bad idea to put off your questions because it could change the way your techs handle your sound and lighting.

Involve Your Presenters In The Planning With Your Sound Technician For Events

Your presenters are also experienced and that can benefit you. Ask your presenters about their specific A/V requirements to guarantee their presentations sound and look the way they expect.

They could need a wireless microphone for demos, for instance, or a projector for slides. Don’t find that out during their presentation. Be proactive and get the information you gain to your AV contractor as soon as possible.

Create A Contingency Plan With Your Sound Technician For Events

No event planner wants to hear this, but sometimes things go wrong at live events. Make troubleshooting and backup options a part of your planning sessions. You’ll already have a plan in place to remedy it quickly.

The better you anticipate these issues the faster you can remedy them.

Meet Your Sound Technician’s Team

Unless your event is very small, you’ll have several sound and lighting people on the job. Request a verbal walk-through of responsibilities to understand who does what.

Here’s a little cheat-sheet to get you started.

What Is A Front-of-house (FOH) Engineer?

The FOH controls the overall house sound for your attendees. They often position themselves at a sound console in the middle of the audience to get the best sound vantage point. They’re responsible for optimizing everything attendees hear.

What Is A Monitor Engineer?

There are two somewhat separate sound systems happening at most live events: stage sound and room or house sound. Presenters and performers can’t hear themselves the same way the audience does, so they get their own speakers on the stage or fit in their ear. These speakers are called monitors. They’re mixed independently from the house sound.

You’ll usually find the monitor engineer in the wings or backstage.

What Is An Audio Assistant?

These assistants set up, breakdown, swap and monitor technical equipment as needed.

Want To Meet The Diamond Sonic Team?

Do you feel better communicating effectively with your A/V technician? It’s ok to hand over the reins but not to stick your head in the sand. Together, you can plan an incredible experience where media supports but doesn’t outshine your objective.

Need help with lights and sound at your event? Call or email us today to talk more! You can reach Diamond Sonic at (888) 674-6198 or email us at info@diamondsonic.com.

 

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Why Rent A Photo Booth For Your Next Event?

Why Rent A Photo Booth For Your Next Event?

Photo booths are the new throw-back ‘it’ thing. Private events, marketing initiatives, corporate celebrations, and weddings use photo booths to create lasting memories. Is it right for your event?

We love hooking clients up with photo booths because they just equal fun. Sometimes, that’s the splash a corporate event needs to be meaningful. When team building is a part of your message, photo booths inspire and cement these bonds.

A Photo booth is a streamlined way to replace the fad of disposable cameras at events, putting less pressure on your guests. It also prevents anyone from constant distraction or selfie obsession like the guy in our photo here. Don’t be that guy. Help your guests not be that guy either.

If you like the sound of any of these benefits, call for our photo booth rental rates today.

Why Rent A Photo Booth: Spontaneity

While a photo booth is not intended to replace an experienced event photographer, an experienced photographer has a polished touch. You may want to see your guests’ creativity shine. Let them loose on a photo booth!

With an open photo booth, you unleash everyone’s creativity, spontaneity, and selfie-loving obsessions. So let your photographer capture the important moments. Just give guests a reason to snap a few shots on the fly!

Why Rent A Photo Booth For A Corporate Event?

All of the benefits here apply to corporate events as well as private. Photo booths certainly make your event more entertaining but they’re practical for business as well. For example, you’ll receive crowdsourced content for later use in social media or traditional marketing. You also get a feel for the energy you inspired.

Without a photo booth, your attendees get all the social media clout. When you also have access to those files you can share, tag and engage for boosted exposure. Promote a customized hashtag before, during and after your event to catch those straight to IG moments, too.

Photo booths build camaraderie which makes stronger teams and networking allies later. From the files we give you, you’ll see the connections that exist between your attendees. Turn these pictures into personalized gifts for sponsors, donors or customers.

Why Rent A Photo Booth: Easy To Use

The tech has advanced, but photo booths are still easy to operate. Many photo booths have simple touchscreen displays. Wireless remotes trigger the camera in others. Let us know if you want an attendant to stick close by to answer any questions and entice guests to take part.

Why Rent A Photo Booth: No Pressure, All Fun

Regardless of the number of selfies in their Insta feed, lots of people are shy. This is especially true at events where we meet strangers and see people we’ve been apart from for years.

Do you think the people attending your event will relish the opportunity to get a picture from a professional photographer? If not, a photo booth is a low-key alternative or addition.

Many photo booths show guests the photo before they commit. This takes all the guesswork and intimidation about having your photo taken. Don’t like the result? Just try again!

Why Rent A Photo Booth: A Personal, Memorable Moment

While party favors are a thoughtful addition to any event, how personal are they ever, really? We mostly shove them in a drawer when we get home or worse, toss them away.

Think your guests will be as quick to toss out their photos? Not likely. It’s a more valuable gift to give the people supporting you.

Since you get a copy of all of the photos, your videographer can even add some to your final event video.

Why Rent A Photo Booth: Novelty

When did you take your last real photo? The kind you walked away with to frame? It’s almost unheard of in the digital age and this makes photo booth pics a novelty.

It’s a double benefit: a real picture now and access to the digital files later.

Rent A Photo Booth In San Francisco

If you’re sold on the benefits of a photo booth, contact us today. We’ll discuss availability and rates. Because we’re a full-service event company, we may have other things to help with too.

Call or email at:
Toll Free: (888) 674-6198
(650) 600-9266
info@diamondsonic.com

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Event Videography: How To Choose A Video Editing Style

Video editing is a type of art in itself, which therefore can be quite subjective. One person will love an edgier video editing style while another prefers something classic. The purpose of your video also dictates the style in some ways. A video of your family reunion might not look the same as a corporate event video.

While the best way to describe what you want to your videographer is to show them some examples, this guide will get you started. It will help you think about video editing styles and understand enough to communicate your needs to your videographer.

Video Editing Style Guide: Romantic

A romantic editing style is very soft without much direct emphasis. Many mid shots are used to help keep it basic and illustrate people’s body language towards one another. The shots are longer and more fluid as the editors focus on the overall storyline and character relationships.

The style is straightforward and vulnerable, focused on shots and camera angles as well as setting the scene. The romantic style is all about flow, continuity, and storytelling.

Video Editing Style Guide: Classic Video Editing

Classic video editing entails many foreign sounding elements but you’ll recognize them in practice.

A classicly edited video clip (often excellent for company events) uses B roll footage to set the tone and provides context. This could be footage of other people checking into your event, a staged planning meeting, close up shots of your products, or maybe techs loading equipment into the venue.

These clips could be used in order to disguise cuts or smooth transitions between scenes.

Other technical details like camera angles and the shooting plane are also employed, but just understand a classicly edited video is subtle, smooth, and not distracting from the subject at hand.

Video Editing Style Guide: Modern Video Editing

Modern video editing, on the other hand, can stand out on its own. If you’ve watched a video and thought about the editing, it could be in the modern style. Things like jump cuts can be used deliberately in this style to create a sense of awareness in the viewer.

Party and concert footage may use modern video editing elements successfully, but you may not want them in your corporate video.

Video Editing Style Guide: Edgy Video Editing

Edgy video editing places pretty conspicuous editing techniques in the viewer’s line of sight to communicate an artistic and avant-guard tone. For instance, transitions in an edgy video could drop to color negatives or dissolve and shot angles may be unusual and compelling.

Basically, you’re pushing the envelope here making this style great for brands with a bit of bite to their identity, music videos, and art projects.

Highlight Reel vs Video

You also must decide if you want a quick highlight reel of your event that gives a quick 2-5 minute overview or a longer 30-40 minute video. Think of the highlight reel as a trailer or recap of the best moments in a sporting event. It’s more exciting and attention catching because it boils down the best parts of your event or message.

We often recommend highlight reels to our clients, both corporate and private. A highlight reel of your wedding or conference could be more useful than a longer piece of content. It prevents wandering attention and is more likely to get viewed in its entirety.

Communicating With Your Videographer

Even if you’re more confused than when we started, the real key is communicating effectively with your videography vendor. Spend time explaining exactly what you are looking for as well as what music you want in the final video. Provide examples when you can, particularly of videos the videographer you’re working with already shot.

We absolutely love collaborating with clients to come up with the right theme for them. Contact Diamond Sonic today to request a quote or schedule a time to talk about the best style of editing for your goals.

 

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Corporate Event Planning Logistics

Corporate Event Planning Logistics

An event is an event, right? What could go wrong? Take a professional’s advice and don’t even pose that question to yourself. There are real planning differences between a corporate event and a private event. Even if you are experienced in one, don’t blindly assume the same rules apply to the other. We’re here to share the logistics we find most important from our vast experience as a corporate event vendor.

Think about these things the very moment you decide to have an event. Putting them on the back burner could cost everything.

Corporate Event Planning Logistics: Liability And Disclosure

There are legalities and privacy concerns at play with corporate events that aren’t as obvious with weddings or family reunions. Although, it’s not a bad idea to ask for proper insurance at your wedding, either!

Event Liability Insurance

Event liability insurance provides coverage for damages you could be liable for. This includes accidents during your event that cause injury or property damage. Hundreds of people attend large corporate events and it’s impossible to prevent damages on that scale.

Many venues may require proof of insurance coverage from you before contracting to host your business event. Be prepared and talk to an agent before you venue shop.

Your vendors should also be properly insured. Specialty vendor insurance protects concessionaires, exhibitors, and vendors as well as the company holding the corporate event. Claims arise from limitless situations including operations, premises, products, completed operations, advertising or personal injuries.

Request a Certificate of Liability Coverage from the vendors working your event.

Request Additional Insured Coverage

You can take your caution a step further and ask for Additional Insured status on your vendor’s insurance policies. This covers any liability running to you if, for instance, a speaker falls over injuring someone.

The best practice is asking the vendor to add your business to their policy as an “Additional Insured” because this places you under the umbrella of their insurance. Your status should show on the Certificate of Insurance. Request this coverage for the day of the event and additional set up and tear down days also, if necessary.

Non-disclosure Agreements

NDAs are a different type of insurance. They protect your information from unwanted leaks whether intentional or unintentional.

You’ll work with many different individuals and companies to successfully plan an event. You may share information with them that is sensitive, proprietary or confidential. This is an important reason to establish a Non-disclosure Agreement with vendors. This ensures that no sensitive company data is breached before or during your event.

Corporate Event Planning Logistics: Team Planning

Entire teams often work together to plan corporate events and you need to manage this process correctly. Working with so many people can cause lags in communication when deadlines are at stake. It’s also easy to lose track of what each member of the team is doing.

It’s important to remain professional and courteous with your vendors and the venue. Give them as much advanced notice as possible when decisions are made. The same goes for changes in the plan.

Remember that vendors themselves are often involving 3rd party professionals or rentals and they need to secure those services in advance. In spite of the best intentions, corporate planning teams often suffer from an internal breakdown in communication that delays crucial details causing last-minute scrambles.

You must manage the input from your team and the needs of your vendors to keep your timeline intact.

Corporate Event Planning Logistics: Pulling It All Together

Your event is a big deal. You spent a lot of time planning so be sure you deilver your important message. That’s why proper planning is important. It’s the silent backbone of every successful event. When done expertly, it goes completely unnoticed. It’s glaringly apparent when it doesn’t go smoothly, however.

For help executing the videography, audio visual rental and support and photography for your next corporate event, contact Diamond Sonic. We’ll take it from there.

 

 

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Corporate Audio/Visual Services: How To Make Your Next Event A Multi Media Experience

Corporate Audio/Visual Services: How To Make Your Next Event A Multi Media Experience

Corporate audio/visual services incorporate on-site services with post-production work. This means the right event production company can plan, deploy and screen this content during live events as well as create valuable deliverables for your use after the event.

While you can create and run media in-house, that leaves a lot up to chance. Because audio/visual professionals have advanced skill with the equipment and timing at events, your employees and colleagues are at a disadvantage. They could encounter crippling problems they can’t overcome. When running an event, this is critical, as there are no opportunities to fix it once you are live.

Even if you do manage to conduct an error-free event, you are still tasked with editing and post-production work, which includes knowledge of compression, EQ, video formats, timecode, syncing audio to picture, de-noisers, limiters, phase, color grading and so much more.

A professional multi-media or AV company can troubleshoot in advance, or even live if necessary; as well as create a powerful visual to share internally or externally with new recruits or prospects. Don’t squander the opportunity to wow attendees during and after your show!

Corporate Audio/Visual: The Role of An AV Company at Corporate Events

An AV company primarily sets up and runs the multimedia components of an event. This includes professional grade audio, video, switching, lighting, projections, slideshows and more. A team of AV professionals ensure all of the electronics are hooked up correctly and sets your media into motion at the right time.

It shouldn’t just be a show up, plug in, press play relationship, however. The best event AV companies will meet with you prior to your event, schedule phone calls with you in advance and plan over e-mail or text message to ensure you are always on the same page and have a solid plan in place. They will listen to you and ask questions in order to find out what kind of experience you want to convey to your audience. After all, a corporate event is an opportunity to showcase the values and style your business embodies.

A professional AV company is on hand during the event to watch over and troubleshoot issues that could arise with the media equipment. This is no small thing during an event where all eyes are on your brand! At a corporate event, AV technicians are like insurance against embarrassing technological failures that grind presentations to a halt. This is an area where it is well worth it to invest, as it will pay back dividends!

While it isn’t the AV company’s primary role to take the stress off you, that is a demonstrative side benefit of hiring professionals. You have enough to worry about so rest easy after putting the media in the hands of a tech who knows the equipment inside out.

Corporate Audio/Visual: The Power of Corporate Videography

There is more to event media than setting up and setting things in motion. Corporate videography helps develop brand awareness and is a useful tool in your future marketing.

A professionally shot corporate video of your event extends the return on your investment by chronicling the information, presentations, and energy of your event. Guests can refer back to key points you shared with them as well as remember (and even promote) your company by watching and sharing your videos.

Furthermore, your corporate event video is a useful part of your content strategy. Share clips of it on your social media to create a buzz and boost your SEO.

While it’s tempting to cut costs by trying to film the event yourself, the finished product will be of a substantially higher caliber if it is professionally shot and edited. This communicates your brand’s commitment to quality to anyone who views your event video.

Finally, today’s branding is all about telling a story. A corporate event video is the story of the event, your company’s aesthetic and how you treat guests. It highlights the cutting-edge information you possess that sets you apart from competitors.

Corporate Audio/Visual: How An AV Company Contributes To A Profitable Event

The secrets of a profitable event are planning, perfection and passion. These are also the three crucial tenants we approach all jobs with.

At Diamond Sonic, we carefully plan with you in advance and cover every detail we can. This eliminates some of the unknown factors that are potentially live event killers. This includes QA testing all equipment, eliminating ground loops or power issues many older buildings possess, ringing out microphones, eliminating HDMI consumer protections – which can completely black out an otherwise healthy video signal – and so much more!

We deliver the event with a passion you can feel from setup to run of show to teardown. We play a strong supporting role during the event to guide all of your important media to fruition.

While we know that nobody is perfect, perfection is our goal and benchmark. We believe that dedication is an asset for companies hiring an outside AV company. Details are our life. Our goal is to positively wow your guests with the power of effective, immersive audio and video media. Our dedicated staff adheres to high standards and shoots for perfection. Together, we can make a lasting impression on attendees.

If you need an audio/video production company in the San Francisco area, we hope you’ll call Diamond Sonic today. We are honored and excited to become an asset during your next amazing event!

 

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