Top Recommendations for Planning Your Stage Hire

Need a stage for your next event and not sure where to start? Event planning can be overwhelming, especially with so many minor details to consider, and with a long check list to get through! When organising event stage hire, the best approach is to break down your needs, and keep to a plan. Here are our top recommendations for planning your stage hire.

Step 1 – Draw up your floor plan

Get out a blank piece of paper, powerpoint document or whiteboard and draw up exactly how you envisage your room to be designed, within whatever constraints your event space is. Most importantly, make sure your floor plan is accurate and to scale. Mark up that random ledge jutting out from the wall, or weird corner that’s curved not straight – it will be crucial as you add elements to your room to know every nook and cranny. Other important items to make sure are marked up on your floor plan include,

• Powerpoint outlets
• Bathrooms and thoroughfare
• Service station, i.e. kitchen area, bar and wait staff serving area
• Entries and exits
• Beams and poles
• Windows, doors and balconies

Think of this floor plan like your event and stage planning bible. It will be your single source of truth for your entire event layout and floor design.

Step 2 – Confirm what size, height and shape of stage you’ll need

You might not have even fully considered or realised yet your stage choices available! Before getting into all your options, start with what did you have in mind? Who does the stage need to be visible to? What is or are the various audience vantage points? How will the stage need to be accessed? Do your performers or speakers need floor space to walk, move, parade? This will all help guide your decision making process.

All of our stages at Hire a Stage are custom built to suit your needs. We can design and create nearly any stage size based on your needs and specific requirements. From podiums or small riser stages, to full concert stages and catwalks. All of our stages are portable and easy to set-up and pack down. However, as mentioned in step 1, drawing up your floor plan is vital to getting your stage design right.

Step 3 – What lighting and audio do you need to support your stage?

The most common uses for a stage are concerts, performances, conferences and conventions and exhibitions, and formal or religious ceremonies such as a graduation or bar mitzvah. All of these stage uses require some form of lighting and audio. Firstly, you should determine the importance of each. For example, for a concert event, the priority is usually equal for both sound and lighting. The audience needs to be able to clearly hear the performance, however lighting sets the whole ambience and atmosphere for the event, i.e. a rock concert will have a very different lighting arrangement to a kids sing-a-long show!

For all stage hire planning, you should consider your lighting and audio as a package deal, as what you do with one, will usually affect the other. A useful tip is also to know the natural lighting and acoustics of a room or event space before jumping into the hire options. You’ll want your lighting and audio hire to be complementary to the natural environment and settings of your event space, and work harmoniously together of course (pun intended)!

For more information about staging hire and to get the best quality and quotes for your next event, contact Hire a Stage and view our full website.