Adelaide Intercontinental Ballroom, National Awards Dinner
Some of the most important people at an event are people the audience may never meet.
Technicians, stage managers, venue staff, producers and event managers are all working behind the scenes to make what happens on stage look effortless.
A recent national roadshow through Sydney, Perth, and Adelaide reinforced something I’ve believed for many years:
Great events are team sports.
For me, being the MC means becoming part of that team.
Technical teams shape the experience
A great AV and production team contributes far more than microphones, lighting and screens.
The strongest teams anticipate what is coming, identify potential problems before they become problems and understand how every technical decision contributes to the audience experience.
That becomes particularly important on a national roadshow.
You may be delivering essentially the same event in Sydney, Perth and Adelaide, but each venue is different. Access changes. Staging changes. Equipment changes. Timings change. And often, so do the people behind the controls.
The objective, however, remains the same: the audience should experience a seamless event.
Build relationships early
I like to meet and work with the production team as early as possible.
Who is calling the show? Who is managing audio? Where are the speakers entering from? How are presentations being managed? What happens if we need to change something at short notice?
These conversations may happen well before the audience enters the room, but they can make an enormous difference once an event is live.
Familiarity and trust also create useful shorthand.
When a run sheet changes or a speaker suddenly needs another few minutes, you don’t want lengthy conversations about what happens next. You want a team that communicates quickly, calmly and clearly.
“Seamless” takes work
When an event feels effortless to the audience, there’s usually a lot of work happening behind the scenes to make it feel that way.
A speaker is delayed. A presentation changes at the last minute. A session runs over. A microphone needs replacing. Lunch is running late.
Live events rarely unfold exactly as planned.
The audience doesn’t need to experience the pressure of those moments.
A strong event team adapts around them, finding solutions and keeping the program moving while protecting the audience experience.
And often, if we’ve done our jobs well, the audience will never know anything changed.
The MC sits at the intersection
One of the interesting things about being an MC is where you sit within that team.
I’m watching the audience, listening to the speaker, communicating with production, thinking about the next segment, staying aware of the organiser and keeping one eye on the clock.
My background in event production is particularly valuable here.
I understand what is happening behind the scenes and what the production team may need from me. At the same time, my primary focus remains firmly on the people in front of the stage.
That combination allows me to help connect what’s happening backstage with what the audience experiences in the room.
Planning a corporate event in Adelaide?
I’ve worked with event teams across Adelaide venues including Adelaide Intercontinental, The Playford Adelaide, Hilton Adelaide, Adelaide Town Hall, National Wine Centre, Adelaide Botanic Gardens, Ayers House, Stamford Grand and Adelaide Festival Centre.
Every venue and event is different, but I look for the same thing: a collaborative relationship between the organiser, venue, production crew, speakers and MC.
If you’re planning a conference, leadership meeting, awards night or corporate event in Adelaide, look for an MC who wants to become part of your event team rather than simply arrive to present the program.
Because when everyone behind the event is working together, the audience feels the result.
Great events may look effortless. Making them feel that way takes a team.
Andrew Gill | Corporate MC | Facilitator | Event Producer
Special recognition to Technical Director Graham Cunningham