Seven production questions to ask your venue
Rigging, power, load-in and curfew — the questions that decide whether a design can be built.
Published · By Moad Alodeh
A venue can look perfect on a site visit and still limit what can be built inside it. These questions, asked before signing, save difficult compromises later.
- Where are the rigging points, and what load can each carry?
- What power is available, where, and is a generator allowed or required?
- How many hours are allowed for load-in before the event and de-rig after it?
- Are there restrictions on open flame, haze, confetti or pyrotechnics?
- What is the sound limit, and at what time must music end?
- Which suppliers are mandatory in-house, and which can be brought in?
- What access is there for large structures — doors, lifts and service routes?
Why the answers matter
Rigging and power decide the lighting design. Load-in time decides how ambitious the build can be — a full ceiling installation or a large custom kosha may need a day or more. Access routes decide how structures are fabricated, often in sections sized to fit a service lift.
When design and production are planned together, these limits become part of the brief rather than surprises in the final week.