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17 Tips for Effective & Legal Event Contracts

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 14:13:13 GMT

When you’re planning an event, you are swimming in a sea of contracts. Some vendors that you hire present you with contracts that you have to sign. Other vendors don’t have contracts, but you wish they did. You might even be creating one yourself just to make sure you’re protected.

Whether you’re writing the contract or simply signing it, it’s important that you understand how to keep yourself safe and make sure you and your event are protected in the document. Let’s look at how you can do that!

How to Write an Effective Contract

Contracts are enforceable by law and will protect the rights and responsibilities of all parties involved. Because of that, creating an effective contract that protects you and your meeting can seem like an insurmountable task. You have to think of so many what-ifs that your head spins.

To help make it easier, you can follow these tips:

Keep it Short
The essential information that you need to include is who the parties involved are, what they are agreeing to do, dates and times that need to be met, why each party is signing, how the services are expected to be rendered, when money is due, and how much money will change hands.
Be Ready for Changes
The goals and objectives of your event are likely to change after you get started organizing it. Make sure your contract accounts for changes happening. This could include adding clauses dealing with how changes will be handled, that they will still be bound by the terms of the original contract, etc.
Be Specific
Where possible, use room names and diagrams provided by the venue with rooms identified.
Don’t’ use a Contract and an “Addendum”
Negotiate on a complete contract with the terms from each part’s documents.
Never Make Changes by Writing by Hand
Changes by hand are unprofessional and can be difficult to enforce. Take the time to retype the changes and keep the document clear.
Keep it Simple
Make sure the language is simple and easily understood by someone not involved in the negotiations. If you use industry terminology, consider including explanations.
Use Checklists or Bulleted Lists
This can help a lot with things like making sure force majeure clauses, attrition language, and nonperformance statements are clear.
Be Fair & Balanced
Try to have a good balance between the vendor and you. Work to find mutually acceptable language.
Consider the Technology Involved
Planners should consult their IT team to determine technology needed. This includes things like making sure you have WiFi and that it’s at an acceptable speed for your audience.
Preserve Your Right to Choose A/V Vendors
Clauses dealing with A/V companies and other suppliers are important. Your equipment is often a focal point for your event, so you need the freedom to utilize the companies that best suit your needs instead of one more interested in their relationship with the venue. This is an area where you are best served by getting bids from outside A/V vendors when prices may also be more reasonable.
Don’t accept the standard ADA language of hotel proposals.
Take the time to tailor the contract to the unique needs of your group.
Include a Change of Ownership or Management Clause
Life happens. When ownership or management changes during the course of your contract, it can make your arrangement difficult and maybe even mean you don’t get the resources previously agreed on. So make sure you reserve the right to cancel the contract without financial obligation if the vendor’s changes owners, management, or flags.

How to Make Sure You’re Protected When You Sign

As you’re organizing your event, you will feel buried in legal documents. You’ll be signing agreements with venues, A/V providers, rental companies, food providers, and so much more.

It can be tempting to sign quickly without reading and move on. However, if something goes wrong, you could find yourself out of a lot of money and time because you signed away your rights in this agreement.

So take a few minutes and check your contract for these main things and make sure you understand and agree with each one:

What do you owe? When is it due?
Make sure you understand what your financial obligations will be. What will you be paying, and when are those payments due.
How do you get out if you’re unhappy?
Things happen, and if you need to leave the agreement, how do you do it? Will you have to pay anything, or forfeit a deposit, and how much notice do you need to provide for intent to cancel?
Are you getting what you asked for?
One of the most common reasons for needing to rely on a contract for restitution is when the vendor doesn’t deliver on their promise. Make sure it outlines exactly what they are agreeing to provide and as detailed as possible. If you need specific flowers, or a specific number of servings, then make sure it’s outlined.
Do the dates line up?
Some events will have things that need done in stages. Make sure the dates you need are detailed in the contract so you can keep things on track.
What constitutes a breach?
In some cases, the vendor can take your money and not deliver the services because you breached the agreement. Make sure you understand your obligations and what would constitute a breach that can give them an out to take your money and run.

Get the Equipment You Need

Don’t forget to contact us early in your planning process to get the highest-quality A/V equipment and ask about having our experienced technicians deliver, setup, operate, and handle everything for you so your event goes smooth and you stay stress-free. Gault & Associates, Inc. is your best insurance policy for trouble-free A/V.

This Article Brought To You By:

Fred Gault

Fred Gault is the owner of Gault & Associates. He has run this family-owned business since 1983.

7 Tips to Improve Your Wireless Mic Performance

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 14:11:30 GMT

Wireless microphones are essential to today’s production values because they free performers from the shackles of cables. While these gadgets have transformed the entertainment industry, they have also presented an entirely different set of challenges to performers and other users. From poorly coordinated frequencies and poor battery management to incorrect antenna type, there are myriad of challenges that can affect the performance of a wireless microphone. However, most of these problems are the result of avoidable mistakes that can easily be put at bay. Outlined below are 7 tips on how to improve your wireless microphone performance.

Get your mic closer to the receiver to reduce noise

It is important to understand that all environments are invaded by radio waves. Most of these are caused by other electronic devices that emit stray frequencies. Good examples include computers, power supplies and hair dryers among others. In this respect, a wireless microphone needs sufficient signal-to-noise ratio in order to stay above the ever-present ambient noise. As such, you need to isolate the signal of your wireless microphone and direct it to only where it is needed. The closer your wireless mic is to your wireless receivers, the better. This gives the transmitter and receiver a shorter distance and stronger signal, resulting in high performance.

Countering the channel change issue

Normally you might experience your microphone mysteriously changing to different channels. This happens when you have synced the mic to the receiver via infrared (indicated as IR on wireless mics). This change alters the microphone’s performance and can ruin your address or performance. Interestingly the solution to this is very simple; first locate the infrared receiver then place a piece of gaff tape over the receiver. When you need to sync it again remove the tape then replace it after syncing.

Easy fix to the “power off” issues

Power interruptions (when the mic is going on and off) significantly affect a wireless mic performance. In essence frequent interruptions affect the communication efficiency of the mic. Sometimes users turn off the mic without knowing, however in most instances the absence of a power lock causes these interruptions. There are two fixes to this; one you can get a wireless mic with a power lock that keeps the mic on even when its off. Secondly you can place some medical or gaff tape over the power switch which prevents bumping onto the power switch.

Avoid blocking the signal

A rule of thumb when using a wireless mic is to always maintain a line of sight between the receiver antenna and the transmitter. It is advisable to avoid large objects such as walls and metals if you want the microphone to perform at peak levels. Most importantly, avoid large numbers of people if you can. This is because the human body is largely composed of water which absorbs the RF energy. For best results, consider placing the receiver antenna and the transmitters in the same room then elevate them above other obstructions and the audience. Also, avoid folding or coiling a flexible antenna as this obstructs the line of sight between your receiver and transmitter.

Use correct antenna type and placement

You can go a long in improving the performance of your wireless microphone by understanding which antenna type to use and how well to place it. Mistakes in antenna selection, placement, and even cabling can cause dead spots, short range, or low signal strength all which lead to dropouts. To maximize reliability and performance, make sure that you use the right type of antenna and that it is properly placed. For example, make sure that you place the antennas apart by at least a quarter of a wavelength.

Ensure proper battery management

Cheap batteries can have far-reaching impacts on the performance of your wireless microphone than you can imagine. High quality lithium or alkaline single-use batteries often have the most stable output voltage. When you supply your mic with low voltage, the transmitters will become prone to signal dropouts or audible distortion. The best thing to do therefore is to use rechargeable batteries designed for wireless microphones.

Set your gain properly

Adjustment of input gain is also vital to the performance of your wireless microphone. If you set your gain too high, this can lead to distortion while if you set it too low, it can also lead to poor signal-to-noise ratio. Strike a balance by setting the input sensitivity low enough to avoid clipping and high enough to preserve a good ratio. The best way to achieve a balanced gain is to set the gain in such a manner that the loudest input peak barely lights the overload indicator.

A wireless microphone is a great device in the entertainment industry but one which also posses numerous challenges. However, with the above outlined tips, you will be able to improve the performance of your wireless mic.

This Article Brought To You By:

Fred Gault

Fred Gault is the owner of Gault & Associates. He has run this family-owned business since 1983.

How to Choose the Right Screen & Projector

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 14:03:05 GMT

Screens and projectors are commonly rented by a variety of groups and organizations including:

Families renting them for home movie night or reunions
Local groups renting them for events like presentation, demonstrations, and movies
Business organizations for internal or client presentations or
Event organizers for events – including corporate or other

A screen of carefully chosen characteristics: size, material, and mount is necessary for professional presentation. It helps in presentation and its presence communicate professional approach.

Factors which influence choices for rental include:

Audience size

There’s a right screen size for different sizes of audiences. The screen should feel about 30% of a viewer’s field of vision. Wider than that causes viewers to move their head uncomfortably to take the whole panorama, and smaller screens are, well, too small. Details are hard to see and graphics are hard to read.

Lighting

Every projector is given a lumen rating which tells you how bright the projector will appear. The lumen level is normally a factor when using a venue with large amounts of ambient (existing) light. But in a darkened room or evening event, a lower lumen projector can be extremely effective for smaller audiences. We will make you make the right choice according to your venue.

The type of content presented

The type of material you’re presenting will determine the appropriate resolution for your projector. XGA resolution projectors are (1024×768) are the most common and are compatible with the vast majority of PCs and DVD players. They’re best for showing detailed PowerPoint slides, normal sized fonts, and high quality images and videos. Higher resolution images require more sophisticated projectors.

Screen

The size of screen being used or in some cases of using a wall (not recommended), the size of the image you wish to have will determine the type of projector required. Both Front and Rear(behind the screen) projection is available. We can assist you in making the best choice.

Throw distance

This is the distance between the screen and projector. This is normally an important factor when the distance is either very long or very short. We can help you make the most of your venue and select the right lens for extreme distances.

Projector resolutions

The higher the number of pixels, the sharper and more detailed the image will be. When comparing projectors, we compare their native resolution: most projectors are compatible with higher source resolution through the use of compression technology. We are here to help you make the right choice.

Audible noise

Projectors produce noises because of their fans. Most projectors are no louder than a normal computer, but some are very quiet producing a low 25dB. This is an important factor for home users as fan noise could distract from the movie.

Contrast ratio

The larger the contrast ratio, the greater the ability of projector to show subtle color details tolerant extraneous room light.

Retractable

When choosing a retractable screen, you’ll have some different case and mounting options; do you want it to be mounted to the wall, to the ceiling, recessed into a soffit or attic? Call us and we will help you make those decisions based on your room.

The distance your projector will be from the screen

The distance will depend on the lens being used by the projector. Sophisticated projectors allow for the use of different lens depending on the space available.

Your budget

No matter how much or little you have to invest, we have a projector that fits your needs. Call us so we may be able to offer tips regarding your layout and set up. Our vast experience inside various venues (hotel, convention center, school, church, etc.) will allow us to give you the most for your budget.

The main features to be considered when the screen is selected include:

Size

The size shall be determined by the distance between the screen surface and the viewer.

Minimum distance should amount to 1.5 × screen width
Maximum distance should not exceed 6 × the width

Format

Each kind of projection requires a specific format: ratio of width/height:

4:3 Projectors
16:9 (high-definition)
OHP text display – 1:1
Slide projectors 3:2

Screen area

Reflection – defined by the so called gain factor. It affects the perceived brightness of the image and depends on viewing angle. The higher gain factor the more bright the image is.

Office and school products usually use one of the two kinds of surface:
D surface (white matt) – gain factor 1.0–1.2 (DIN 19045).
S surface (glossy white) – gain factor 1.8–2.4 (DIN 19045), the image is twice as intense as D image.

Are you having any trouble finding the right screen and projector and you are feeling quite overwhelmed by the choice? Are you encountering terminology you have never experienced and feeling like you are going to choose the wrong thing? We want to help you by giving the right advice, just contact us to get professional help making a decision.

This Article Brought To You By:

Fred Gault

Fred Gault is the owner of Gault & Associates. He has run this family-owned business since 1983.