Like the tip of an iceberg, show day is just the small part of your event that everyone can see. Getting to that day takes coordination, planning, and efficient communication. Similar to the part of the iceberg under the water, it’s the pre-production work that provides flotation and allows the tip to be seen. Conference calls and emails are helpful, as well as newer collaboration platforms like Slack and Basecamp, but the best way to get ideas across is with an image.
Vectorworks – The Event Professional’s Choice
At Event Tech we use Vectorworks, the industry-leading design software for the entertainment business, to create drawings of our events. These drawings serve as the information hub – connecting clients, vendors, and technicians to make sure everyone is on the same page.
CAD, or Computer Aided Design, is the process creating detailed technical drawings and 3D renderings that depict exactly how your event’s design and production elements fit together in the venue to create your event experience. There are several different types of drawings that a special events production firm can create for you using a CAD program:
- Floor plans
- Lighting designs
- Stage plots
- Site maps
- Cabling diagrams
- 3D design renderings
- Engineering drawings
3D Design Helps Set Expectations
Vectorworks allows us to design simultaneously in 2D and 3D. Most technical drawings are shown 2D in a plan view, looking down at the room from above. However, when there’s a desire to see what things will really look like in a room, we use 3D representations. A rendering is a more realistic image of the 3D space that shows all the room surfaces and can include elements like the beams of light that emanate from each fixture. Throughout the planning phases, being able to provide your clients and team with accurate 3D renderings of the final build will facilitate getting all of the stake holders on the same page. This helps to set realistic expectations before the day of the event.
Everyone Benefits From Detailed Drawings
CAD drawings help everyone. The event designer can see what the stage set and color schemes will look like. The meeting planner can see the spacing between tables and share that floor plan with the hotel. For technicians, drawings serve as the map of equipment placement and connections. Integrating data from the venue, like room dimensions and electrical access helps limit confusion, shorten set up times, and save money. And in the warehouse, CAD drawings inform our pick lists so that the right equipment ends up on site.
We also use Vectorworks to create drawings that we share with our Professional Engineer in order to prove structural stability and wind resistance at outdoor events. The engineer can see every detail about how a structure is built and will stamp or certify our drawings for submittal.
Information Sharing Through CAD
Many of the large events we stage are collaborations with other production companies. Being able to communicate effectively and share information ahead of time is key to making the load-in go smoothly, satisfy the client, and keep everyone safe. When there are multiple companies on site and space is at a premium, CAD drawings make sure that everyone knows where things go and any conflicts can be worked out before load-in. Since many similar companies also use Vectorworks, files can be passed back and forth with each vendor adding their bit to the drawing.
Event Tech offers a full range of professional CAD and event planning services. Incorporated into a full production design or offered as a standalone service to event professionals and coordinators, no matter how large your event may be or what stage of development you find yourself in, Event Tech can help put your ideas on paper. As you start the design process of your next project remember that if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.
