Avoid AV Nightmares by Splitting Roles Early
Big events in Edmonton move fast once doors open. Lights, music, video, cameras, presenters, and sometimes a stream all have to work together. When the AV company and the LED wall vendor are not on the same page, small gaps turn into stressful problems in front of a live audience.
A common issue is both teams thinking the other one is handling something like content playback, show calling, or confidence monitors. Then, just before doors, everyone scrambles for a spare laptop, a cable, or a missing file. That is not where anyone wants to be.
Many Western Canada events now mix in-house hotel AV, external event AV rentals in Edmonton, and a dedicated LED wall provider. Services overlap, which is helpful, but it also creates grey areas. In this guide, we walk through how to split responsibilities in audio, lighting, video, and content so your show looks clean, runs on time, and avoids those awkward onsite gaps.
Map Your Team and Onsite Roles
The first step is to map out who is actually involved. On a larger conference or gala, you might have:
- Venue in-house AV
- Primary event AV rentals in Edmonton (sound, lighting, projection, cameras)
- LED wall vendor (video walls, processors, LED techs)
- Webcast or broadcast crew
Instead of assuming anything, build a simple responsibility matrix. The idea is straightforward: list every task on its own line, then give each one a single owner so it is always clear who is accountable and coordinating with everyone else. Typical task lines include:
- Rigging and truss
- Power distribution
- Stage management and show calling
- Playback laptops and media servers
- Cameras and recording
- Comms system and headsets
- Confidence monitors and stage timers
One owner per line does not mean others never touch it. It just means one team is clearly in charge and will coordinate with the rest.
When we come in as the LED wall partner, we like to connect early with the AV company’s technical director. Together, we can review the stage and seating layouts, confirm sightlines for every section of the room, lock in rigging points and LED wall positions, and confirm power requirements before trucks are loaded.
For bigger shows, it really helps to formalize communication by setting clear points of contact and doing a quick pre-event alignment call. That usually includes:
- One main contact at each vendor
- A short all-vendors call before the event to walk the room layout, show flow, and handoffs
This simple planning work stops confusion long before anyone starts flying truss.
Audio and Lighting with LED Walls in Mind
Most of the time, the split for sound and lights is pretty clear. The general AV company usually owns the PA system and amplifiers, microphones and wireless, monitors and the front of house console, plus the lighting rig, dimmers, and lighting console.
The LED wall vendor focuses on the video surfaces and LED tiles, LED processors and signal path, and LED configuration and colour calibration.
Even with that clear split, LED walls have a big impact on audio and lighting. Brightness and wall placement can change how you light faces on stage, and large walls can affect practical placement and coverage decisions, including:
- Where PA hangs can safely go
- Where subs or delay speakers sit
- Sightlines from different seating areas
To keep things smooth, both teams should work from the same drawings so nobody is designing in isolation. At minimum, that means:
- A unified stage plot
- A rigging plan with clear trim heights
- Marked locations for line arrays, LED walls, and lighting fixtures
Colour temperature also matters. If the LED wall is cool white and the front light is very warm, presenters can look odd on camera and in person. Agreeing on colour temperature and brightness targets ahead of time keeps the look consistent.
On show day, someone has to call cues. In most cases, the AV company’s show caller or technical director runs the show, with our LED operator on comms. They call things like:
- Walk-in looks
- Host walk-ons
- Presentation starts and ends
- Entertainment segments
We listen for a simple “video go” or similar cue. That keeps transitions tight and avoids guesswork.
Video, Signals, and LED Walls
Video is where overlap can cause the biggest headaches because the chain crosses multiple vendors and multiple points of failure. The full chain often looks like this:
- Content sources (PowerPoint laptops, media servers, playback PCs)
- Cameras
- Main video switcher
- LED processors
- LED walls and any side screens
- Recording or streaming outputs
A clean split usually works best when the AV company owns cameras, the main switcher, and often basic playback laptops, while our team owns LED processors, LED wall configuration, and LED-specific signal paths.
Problems typically show up in the handoff zones, especially when assumptions replace a written plan. Common problem areas include:
- Each vendor assumes the other is bringing backup laptops
- No one brings a scaler or converter for an odd laptop output
- Laptops are set to the wrong resolution for the LED wall
- No clear owner for side screens or confidence monitors
To avoid that, agree on a simple video spec sheet in advance so everyone is working to the same targets and troubleshooting is faster onsite. That one-page spec should cover:
- Native LED wall resolution
- Preferred input resolution for laptops and media servers
- Accepted connector types for each input (HDMI, SDI, etc.)
- Required test patterns and when they will be checked
- Who is responsible for recording or streaming feeds
We find that when everyone has this one page in their hand, signal flow onsite becomes much calmer and faster to troubleshoot.
Content, Show Flow, and Playback Ownership
Content is another area where “we thought they had it” can cause delays. It helps to separate two things:
- Content creation, usually by the client or an agency
- Content playback, handled by the AV team, the LED vendor, or both, depending on the show
From there, lock down who owns which playback systems and show elements. In particular, agree early on who owns:
- PowerPoint and Keynote machines
- Video roll-in machines
- Any higher-end media servers
- Custom layouts and multi-screen looks
In many events, the AV company runs standard decks and videos. For more complex looks, like wide panoramic LED walls or multiple surfaces, we can handle media servers and layouts if that is planned ahead of time.
To keep content clean and readable, follow a few practical guidelines. The most important ones are:
- Match aspect ratios to the LED wall design
- Share resolution and codec guidelines for video
- Use “safe zones” so key text does not end up too close to the edge
Set a hard deadline, such as 72 hours before load-in, for “locked” content. That timeline matters because it creates room for essential checks, including:
- Testing files on the actual playback machines
- Confirming they match the LED wall resolution
- Checking that audio levels and formats are correct
Onsite, plan for content checks and rehearsals so the team is not discovering issues live. At a minimum, aim for:
- A line-by-line review of the run-of-show with AV and LED operators
- A check that every file on the list exists and plays as expected
- One cue-to-cue rehearsal for any high-stakes moments
Catching a missing sponsor logo or a broken video transition in rehearsal is always better than on stage.
Lock in a No-Gaps Event AV Plan
Once roles are clear, lock everything into simple documents that all teams share:
- A detailed run-of-show with cues for audio, lighting, and video
- A contact sheet for all vendors and key venue staff
- The responsibility matrix you built at the start
A quick “no surprises” checklist helps too:
- Who owns each system: audio, lighting, video, LED, content, recording, streaming
- Who brings which hardware, converters, and cables
- Backup plans for critical items like processors, laptops, and key cables
- Load-in, rehearsal, and strike times for each team
At XL LEDs, we focus on being a collaborative LED and video wall partner for Edmonton and Western Canada events. We help clients pick screen sizes and layouts that fit the room and then work directly with the other vendors so the technical details do not fall through the cracks. With clear roles, early communication, and shared plans, you can bring together event AV rentals in Edmonton, in-house AV, and a dedicated LED wall team without any gaps on show day.
Get Started With Your Project Today
If you are planning a corporate event, concert, or special gathering, our team at XL LEDs is ready to help you design the right audiovisual solution. Explore our event AV rentals in Edmonton to find the equipment and support that match your vision and budget. We will work with your schedule, venue, and technical needs so everything runs smoothly from setup to teardown. Have questions or need a custom quote? Simply contact us and we will respond promptly.
