Supplier specifications
What an event staging coordination brief should say
The stage is where the programme becomes visible, and several suppliers will depend on what the staging brief decides.
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The short answer
A staging coordination brief states what the programme needs on stage, the layout and backdrop, the build and strike schedule, who else works on the stage, and who approves the finished set before rehearsal.
Rigging, load limits, electrical connections and structural safety are for the venue and a qualified staging contractor to confirm. The brief describes what you need and asks them to state in writing what is possible.
What the brief has to settle
| Item | What to write | Acceptance test |
|---|---|---|
| Programme needs on stage | Lectern, panel seating, demonstration, awards or performance, number of people on stage at once. | Contractor draws a layout that fits every programme item. |
| Layout and sightlines | Stage position, height requested, backdrop, screen position, steps or ramp, stage manager position. | Layout reviewed by the venue and programme owner. |
| Look and branding | Backdrop content owner, artwork deadline and who approves the proof. | Proof approved before production. |
| Build and strike | Access time, build duration, rehearsal slot, strike time and next-day arrangements. | Schedule agreed with the venue and cross-checked with other suppliers. |
| Interfaces | Where audiovisual, lighting and interpretation equipment connect to the stage or sit near it. | One interface list shared with all those suppliers. |
| Venue limits | Floor protection, load points, power sources, hanging points, noise and working hours. | Venue answers in writing; contractor confirms the design fits. |
| Sign-off | Who inspects the finished stage and what is checked before rehearsal. | Sign-off checklist completed by named people. |
Who confirms what
The programme owner confirms what is needed on stage. The staging contractor designs, builds and states what it can supply. The venue sets limits for the space. Structural and electrical safety is confirmed by the venue and qualified suppliers, not by the organiser's brief.
- Ask the contractor to list the standards and approvals it works to, and keep its answers on file.
- Ask the venue whether any inspection or permission is needed before the build starts.
Dependencies to put in one schedule
Staging sits at the centre of the room. Put build times for staging, audiovisual, lighting and sound check in one schedule so no two suppliers wait for the same hour. The emcee and speakers need a short walk-through of the finished stage, so schedule that too.
Questions to ask the staging contractor
- Which stage sizes and heights suit this room, and what do you need from the venue to confirm?
- What is included: platform, skirting, steps, backdrop frame, lectern, crew and transport?
- How long does build and strike take, and how many crew will you bring?
- Which parts do you subcontract?
- What happens if the venue changes the access time?
Worked example · Fictional example
A fictional awards luncheon
Fictional organisation and figures, used only to show the level of detail.
A fictional professional institute plans an awards luncheon with a lectern, a screen and a short presentation segment for eight award winners. The secretariat writes the brief with the programme needs and asks for a layout before pricing.
One contractor quotes a raised stage and another a low platform with a larger backdrop. Because the brief lists eight people on stage at once and the stage manager position, both quotes can be compared against the same requirements.
Use this yourself
Staging coordination brief template
Copy into a document and send with the programme and room plan. Mark unknowns Not decided with owner and date.
- Event, date, venue and room:
- Programme items needing the stage and the most people on stage at once:
- Layout wishes: position, height, steps or ramp, screen and stage manager positions:
- Backdrop: content owner, artwork deadline, proof approver:
- Access, build, rehearsal and strike times:
- Interfaces with audiovisual, lighting and interpretation: owner of the list:
- Questions sent to the venue about limits, with answers received:
- Contractor's written statements on design, standards and subcontracting:
- Price basis: platform, backdrop, crew, transport, overtime:
- Change and cancellation terms to be stated by the contractor:
- Sign-off walk-through: who, when, checklist:
- Acceptance: layout matches programme, schedule agreed, sign-off by:
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- A simple lectern and backdrop in a venue that supplies its own stage.
- The contractor and venue have worked together before.
- One person can keep the schedule.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Many stage elements, awards, demonstrations or performances.
- Several suppliers need the stage at overlapping times.
- The venue has limits you do not yet understand and nobody is chasing answers.
Want staging coordinated with the other technical briefs?
An Event Blueprint can place the staging requirements alongside the audiovisual and lighting briefs with one build schedule and one interface list. A project lead can then chase the written confirmations from the venue and contractors.
Questions organisers ask
Who decides if the stage design is safe?
The venue and a qualified staging contractor. The brief asks them to state the position in writing and records who confirmed it.
Should the backdrop be part of the staging brief?
Include its size, position and artwork deadline here. The design itself belongs in the graphic design brief.
How early should the stage be built?
Ask the contractor and venue to propose a schedule that leaves time for sound check and a walk-through, then agree it with all other suppliers.
Related resources
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