Why Pre-Visualisation Can Save Time and Money on Event Production

When it comes to live event production, some of the most important work happens long before the first piece of equipment arrives at the venue.

Pre-visualisation allows lighting designers and production teams to start building, testing and refining elements of a show in a virtual environment before getting on site. From experimenting with lighting looks to checking positions, sightlines and overall design concepts, it gives the production team an opportunity to turn ideas into something much more tangible before the physical build begins.

At MSL Group, we use pre-visualisation as part of the planning and design process for productions across Manchester, Greater Manchester, the North West and beyond.

What is event pre-visualisation?

Event pre-visualisation is the process of creating a virtual representation of a venue, stage or event environment.

Using specialist visualisation software, a production can be recreated digitally, allowing lighting fixtures, staging and other production elements to be positioned within the virtual space.

Lighting can then be programmed and viewed within that environment, giving designers an indication of how different looks, colours, positions and effects will work before entering the real venue.

For productions with limited access or tight setup schedules, that preparation can be particularly valuable.

More productive time on site

Venue access time can be expensive – and there is usually plenty to accomplish once the production team gets through the doors. Equipment needs unloading. Staging may need building. Lighting has to be rigged, sound systems installed, LED screens configured and equipment tested before rehearsals or sound checks can even begin.

Starting lighting programming from scratch at this point can add another significant task to an already busy schedule.

Pre-visualisation allows a proportion of that creative and programming work to take place beforehand.

Rather than arriving with a completely blank show file, the lighting team can potentially arrive with much of the groundwork already completed and use the time in the actual venue to refine and adapt it.

It doesn't eliminate the need for on-site programming – the real-world environment will always require adjustments – but it can make that time considerably more productive.

See the design before committing to it

Something can sound fantastic during a production meeting and look very different once it is actually placed on a stage. Pre-visualisation gives the production team an opportunity to explore those ideas much earlier.

• How will a particular fixture position work?

• Is the lighting rig achieving the coverage we're looking for?

• Does the design complement the staging?

• What will the stage look like during the biggest moments of the show?

• Being able to visualise these elements before the physical installation means ideas can be developed and changed without repeatedly moving equipment around a venue.

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Pre-programming your lighting show

One of the biggest advantages of a visualisation studio is the ability to connect a lighting console to the virtual lighting rig.

This means a lighting programmer can work much as they would in the venue.

Fixtures can be patched, groups created, palettes built, positions established and cues programmed while the visualiser responds to the data coming from the lighting desk.

For theatre productions, concerts and more complex live events, this can allow a substantial amount of programming to happen away from the venue.

Once the actual rig is installed, the programmed show provides a starting point that can then be updated to account for the real fixture positions, performers, scenery and venue conditions.

Giving clients a clearer picture

Pre-visualisation isn't only useful for technicians. For someone who doesn't work with production equipment every day, a lighting plan or technical drawing doesn't necessarily communicate what the finished event is going to feel like. A visual representation is much easier to understand.

It can help clients, producers and creative teams see the direction of a design, discuss different ideas and make decisions before equipment is installed.

That can be particularly useful when several people are involved in approving the final production.

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Finding potential problems earlier

One of the biggest benefits of planning any production properly is discovering problems while there is still time to solve them.

Pre-visualisation can help highlight potential issues with fixture placement, coverage, stage layouts and design choices before the production reaches site. Of course, a virtual environment can never replace proper site surveys, technical planning or real-world testing.

What it can do is give the production team another useful tool for identifying issues and refining the design earlier in the process. And finding a problem in the planning stage is generally much easier than finding it while the clock is ticking towards doors opening.

Is pre-visualisation only for large events?

Not necessarily. Pre-visualisation is often associated with large tours and major productions, but the principle can be useful on productions of many different sizes.

The important question is whether the time spent preparing beforehand will make the eventual installation, programming or creative process more efficient.

For a theatre production with a tight technical rehearsal schedule, it could mean programming key lighting sequences before entering the venue.

For a corporate event, it could help demonstrate the proposed production design to the client.

For a concert or live event, it could allow the lighting designer to build the foundations of the

show before the rig is available.

The approach can be scaled to suit the production.

From visualisation to the real thing

Pre-visualisation is ultimately only one part of the production process.

The real value comes from connecting the planning stage with what eventually happens on site.

MSL Group provides technical production services covering lighting, sound, video and LED screens, staging, rigging and production crew. This means the design and pre-visualisation process can form part of a much wider production package rather than existing separately from the physical equipment and people delivering the event.

We also provide dry hire for production companies, venues and technicians who already have their own team but require equipment for a particular project.

Planning your next production?

Whether you're starting with a fully developed technical specification or simply an idea of what you'd like to achieve, getting the production team involved early can make a significant difference.

Pre-visualisation gives us another way to explore ideas, prepare programming and develop the technical design before arriving at the venue.

If you're planning a theatre production, live event, corporate event or another production and would like to discuss pre-visualisation, lighting design or technical production, speak to the MSL Group team.

MSL Group – Event Production, Hire & Technical Services

Manchester, Greater Manchester, the North West and UK-wide.