Blog

Loading In: InfoComm 2012

Posted on June 12, 2012

Mike Graham looking pensive in front of MVP modular video panels.

Written by Mike Graham, product manager for CHAUVET Professional

I love it when a plan comes together.

We are almost done with the rig for InfoComm.  Again, preshow planning has proved that going over and over (and over) your plans is time well spent. Having five days to load in doesn’t hurt either. Having this additional time has allowed us the luxury of not rushing anything. We have been able to take our time to make sure every element is working at its best.

With every show, I try to learn something new that will help me with my next show to make the load in process even easier. On the LDI show last fall, I learned that laying out the floor in a grid makes laying out motor points quick and easy. With this method, you can set out coordinates for each point. This also works for power points under the carpet. You can also send beforehand so the points are laid out before you arrive if you want.

On my floor plans, I always drop in X and Y coordinates in 1-foot increments on the length and width of the floor. This removes all of the guesswork. Plus, if the people managing your rigging or carpet needs don’t have AutoCAD or some other drawing program, they can easily see the measurements.

Something else I have learned along the way is that it is important to pack your tools in your road case, but make sure that you at least fly in with the following items in your bag:

  • Tape Measure
  • Chalk
  • Spike Tape
  • Razor Knife
  • #2 Phillips head screwdriver
  • Flat-head screw driver
  • Mag light
  • Show plan print outs
  • Pens, pencils, and markers

With these simple tools, you can do a ton of work on the floor of the booth before your gear gets there. (For other travel tips, check out this prior Tech Talk.) It’s a good idea to not rely on your computer for your show plans. Firstly, you don’t want to leave your computer running for everyone to touch and play with.  Secondly, the screen is not big enough to look at it quickly. Thirdly, the battery will die at the worst possible moment. Have a set of plans printed out.

See you at the show!