In this series, features and series developer Heather Nicholls speaks to the unsung heroes of the events industry to reveal what really drives their passion and the remarkable contributions we too often overlook.
In this edition, we meet Mark Flight, AV Technician at IET London: Austin Court.
Flight’s events journey started when he worked as an AV Technician at Titan Film and Events, supporting tech set-ups for venue events. He said: “This role was a deep dive into the industry – teaching me everything from building stages and backdrops to general event logistics and the art of liaising with clients.”
He then moved on to Unique Venues Birmingham, where he was involved in all aspects of the event tech lifecycle, from set up to event day operations and de-rigging post-event. He said: “As a company which tailors its production to each event, meaning everything is built from the ground-up, this role really elevated my skillset and developed my confidence.”
He added: “All of this put me in great stead for my current role at IET Birmingham: Austin Court, where I’ve been an AV Technician for two-and-a-half years. As a small, close-knit team here, I love that I get to experience so many different elements of the event process – supporting not just with AV, but with setting up rooms, catering and sales, to name just a few.”
He was attracted to his particular role because Austin Court’s reputation spoke for itself. He said: “Between its fantastic location right in the heart of Birmingham, the calibre of its clientele and the industry experience it brings to the table, it felt leagues ahead of other venues.”
He also expalined that as the venue is not as large as other venues, its size means that you can really personalise the service that you offer and build lasting relationships with clients based on understanding, respect and trust. He said: “That really appealed and its been great to be a part of it.”
Flight shares that his role is vital to the success of an event because events are all about getting messages across and AV is the key to this. He said: “Presentation, sound, lighting, production, all these elements enhance the impact of a client’s message and, without AV technicians, it wouldn’t be possible to make this happen. We’re also at the heart of making sure, from an operational side, events run smoothly without a (technical) hitch.”
He added: “AV straddles many elements of an event – it’s not just sound, lighting, video, presentations etc, it’s all of these things and more, all at the same time. As AV technicians, we make sure all of these elements are in place and working properly so, from the client’s perspective, everything is ready to go upon arrival – and they can just move forward with their event with ease.”
Quick Q and A:
What does a typical day look like for you on-site?
My days start with an equipment check – I set everything up and make sure it’s all operating as it should be ready for the day ahead. I then action any changes clients have requested for their events that day so I can make sure, once the client arrives, everything is as they would like it and I’m free to support them. I also give tech advice to other departments, where necessary, to ensure a seamless transition through different elements of an event.
I greet clients upon arrival and then spend time talking through the event with them so I can allay any last-minute worries and ensure the client feels confident and comfortable with their AV support.
Once the event begins, it’s all hands on deck and I’m here, there and everywhere operating video graphics, actioning lighting, managing sound, running interactive elements such as polling, and producing back-ups in case of any errors – basically, anything and everything to ensure the client’s event flows from start to finish effortlessly.
If your job didn’t exist, what do you think organisers or attendees would miss most?
I think they would miss the relief of being able to pass the responsibility for AV into an expert’s hands – we give support and guidance, but we also remove the stress of having to operate equipment which clients might have little knowledge of. AV is very knowledge-specific and, as technicians, we have that in-depth understanding.
Not being able to seek support with this from a dedicated person would create a lot more stress for clients, especially if anything went wrong with the equipment. This would then naturally impact the success of an event and, in turn, people’s perceptions of it – people asking for refunds or deciding not to attend future events because the tech wasn’t perfect is the last place you want to be.
What’s something most people don’t realise about your job?
I’d say the depth of technical knowledge and experience needed to ensure everything goes right. Every time.
I always say, ‘it’s not the problem, it’s how you solve it’. That’s what matters, and it means you need to be on your game, analysing risks and having a back-up prepared or a solution to hand for every eventuality.
Even if it’s as simple as having a spare mic ready to swap in quickly and seamlessly or a duplicate PowerPoint on a separate machine, anticipating hurdles throughout the day, and having a plan in place in case they do occur, is key to keeping a cool head and recovering from issues without any stress or interruption for the client.
What’s the toughest challenge you’ve faced during an event?
One day, out of nowhere, nothing would turn on – and the client was on their way to the venue! Panicking wouldn’t have helped me keep a rational head and find a solution, so, I took a breath and calmly and methodically went through all of our kit. To my great relief, I discovered Austin Court has ‘surge protectors’ installed, which safeguard equipment from damage during a power surge. This isn’t a protection every venue has in place, but here it meant I was able to simply switch our systems back on and have everything ready to go by the time the client arrived.
The client had no idea what had happened that morning, and that’s how I like it. Because of the nature of tech, it’s always something clients worry about more than other event elements, so I work hard to create a relaxed atmosphere around this and make sure that, if anything does go wrong, it happens to me, not the client.
What’s one event you’ll never forget working on and why?
To be honest, there are too many events to pick from. The one thing I love about them all though is that they’re incredible opportunities to learn, and that’s what makes them memorable. Whether it’s something being sprung on you which you couldn’t have prepared for or unique requests from clients, they all give you the confidence to step up your game. They also add to your arsenal of skills and ideas which you can then take forward into future events.
What’s been your proudest moment so far?
To be honest, every event gives me a sense of pride, no matter how big or small. What I love is that tech and production at Austin Court are essentially built in. That means, unlike at other venues, I don’t have to spend all my time getting things set-up and working – and that enables me to actually dedicate time to delivering little extras for clients that make their event run more smoothly and their experience more rewarding.
Since the pandemic, Flight’s has started to see that face-to-face meetings are starting to dominate again. He said: “I’d say at least 70% of our events are in-person now. We still need to be prepared though for the 30% or so that either want or need to utilise hybrid or remote meetings and that means ensuring we have the tech in place, and fully integrated into our offering, for occasions when it’s requested.”
He explains that pre pandemic, there were very few hybrid events and when they were used it was only out of necessity for people who couldn’t make it to the venue. However, post-pandemic hybrid events happen as a result of choice, not just necessity. Flight said: “While face-to-face does seem to be slowly becoming the preference again, it’s essential venues have the AV in place to ensure hybrid is a possibility. At Austin Court, for example, we bulked up our tech during the pandemic to ensure hybrid capabilities are now integrated into every room.”
Flight measures success in his role by the absence of complaints. He said: “Client happiness is my top priority and, if things have gone that smoothly that the client can just move on after the event, then I know I’ve done my job right.”
He says that he thinks that better time keeping would make his job easier He said: “Everyone has their own lives and a million things they need to be doing so, of course, sharing your presentation for that conference at the end of the month, for example, isn’t a top priority. I completely get it.”
“In a perfect world though, if delegates were able to share their presentations a little sooner, I’d then be able to support clients even more effectively from an operational perspective. I’ve had delegates, for example, give me presentation slides on the morning of an event (or even during the refreshment break!) and, while we’re meticulous about ensuring the event still flows seamlessly, it would definitely be a little easier if presentations were shared on time.”
He says that AV technicians deserve more recognition because they are at the heart of the delegate experience. He said: “Without quality sound, for example, nobody would be able to hear the knowledge they’ve attended the event to learn. Without presentations and videos in place, speakers wouldn’t have the vital props they need to convey their messages effectively, engagingly and impactfully.”
He added: “Without production support, events wouldn’t flow seamlessly. Ultimately, if you want delegates to enjoy your event and come back to future events, that experience is everything. And that’s why you need AV technicians – because you can rely on them to have what you need, when you need it, to make your event a success.”
