The Real Skills to Look for in an Event Lighting Company in New York

As an event producer in a competitive market such as New York, you know that producing a memorable event requires a team of dedicated, knowledgeable professionals. There are many details that you need to take into consideration when building a team to get beneficial results.

Event Lighting in New York

One area that can be particularly challenging is finding the right technical event production company to handle your event lighting in New York. While there are many companies to consider, event lighting is a major component of any special occasion and the final choice should not be made in haste.

When it comes to planning a major event, budget considerations always factor into any decision. High-quality, professional skills can often be overlooked in favor of a technical event production company who solely offers a low price on labor and equipment. Your decision should be based on much more than simply hiring the company that offers the lowest price.

Let’s take a look at some of the qualities beyond price and equipment you should look for when hiring a technical event production company to handle your special event lighting in New York.

Knowledge and Experience

Lighting technology is always evolving and changing. For example, today’s computer controlled fixtures can each perform dozens of different functions. Modern digital lighting consoles are advanced computer modules capable of controlling multiple levels of parameters and layers of automation.

While many companies have access to this type of equipment, it takes specialized training and expertise to understand the myriad of options that are available from a purely technical standpoint. Add to this the creativity needed to highlight the types of effects that make your event stand out, and you can see how working with a company based solely on equipment and price may not be the best option.

When looking to hire a technical event production company to handle your event lighting in New York, make sure that they possess the depth of knowledge of the latest technical developments in lighting, as well as the experience necessary to use it to its maximum potential. The best equipment at the best price is useless if the lighting operator doesn’t know what to do with it!

Making the Right Choices

Event lighting is an intensely creative endeavor that requires a designer’s eye when creating a lighting plan. Well-designed event lighting in New York has the power to completely transform any venue into a stunning new environment that will emotionally touch and delight your audience, leaving them talking about your event long after it’s over.

Choosing the correct lighting relies on a number of factors that an experienced technical event production company will take into consideration when designing and assembling your event lighting in New York. Some areas they should consider include:

• The Venue – Knowing the capabilities of the venue including the size, layout and existing lighting equipment is crucial.  Nothing is worse than over (or under) lighting your event because the company you hired was not familiar with the venue. Make sure any company you hire has either worked in the venue before, or will do a site visit before preparing your proposal.

• Type of Event – If you’re planning a wedding, the lighting is going to be completely different than if you’re producing a rock concert or a trade show. Your technical event production company should understand exactly what goes into any type of event that you are planning.

• Event Theme – This is related to the type of event, but encompasses much more detail. If you are producing a Winter Carnival themed charity event, you don’t want your lighting to consist of washes of warm reds and yellows. Your event lighting should reflect and enhance your theme, not conflict with it.

• Budget – Your budget should always be a consideration for any technical event production company. They should understand exactly what you can spend and budget accordingly. Your proposal should reflect all the costs for your event lighting in New York, including equipment, staff, set-up, tear down and trucking. You need to make sure that every aspect of your production is clearly outlined in your proposal and that there are no hidden costs. Make sure that they include a line item for any additional time or equipment costs that may be needed so you’re not hit with a surprise bill when the event is over.

All of these factors will figure into your final lighting design. A professional technical event production company will be able to clearly explain the choices they’ve made, why they made them and what it will cost.

Level of Support

Make sure the company you choose can handle the job. Just because they have the equipment and offer you a great price shouldn’t make them the clear-cut choice. If they can’t back it up with a team of qualified, competent professionals, it can spell trouble down the road. Ensure that they have budgeted for enough crew to load in, set-up and operate the lighting within the timeframe of your event.

You want to work with a company that is big enough to cover multiple events without “borrowing” staff from one to cover another. You also should have a point person in the company, either a technical director or project manager that can answer any questions or address any last minute concerns that may arise.

The size and scope of your event will determine the level of support you’ll need. Make sure any company you hire cannot only cover any contingencies that may come up, but has the experience and staff in-house and on hand.

Staff Capabilities and Overall Experience in the Market

Event lighting in New York is challenging. To make “lighting magic” requires a highly-talented, creative and professional group of people who can work together like a well-oiled machine! Make sure the company you hire can put together a team for your event with various specialties and experience. While every event is unique, you need to have a team that has been there before and has the expertise and experience to handle an event like yours.

In a market as competitive and complex as New York, the company you hire should also have generous experience in the area. That means they’ve been in business long enough to have worked in many venues and with many producers and vendors in the market.

Producing an event in a market like New York can be made much easier when you work with the right company. BML-Blackbird has been producing and providing event lighting in New York for decades. We are one of the leading technical event production companies in the market and will work with you to create the magic that will make your next special event a success!  If you’re planning an event in the New York or New Jersey area, give BML-Blackbird a call. You’ll be glad you did!