Event Planners: Best Screen Displays For Your Event

What Type of Screen Do I Need For My Event?

Screens of all shapes and sizes are everywhere! You see TV screens of all sizes everywhere from your living room to your doctor’s office to corporate conferences and trade shows. Screens are a critical part of our everyday lives. When it comes to planning an event, the question you should ask is: what is the best screen to convey my message? From the technical event professionals at Wired Production Group, here are some ideas to consider.

The Best Screen Options for Indoor and Outdoor Event Displays

When thinking about your screen displays for your event space, some basic questions to consider are:

Does the event space have enough room for the types of screens I’m considering?
Is there adequate power supply for my screens in the event space and are those power supplies close to where I need them to be?
How far away will my audience sit from the screens?
Is the room dimly lit or do I have plenty of natural lighting? Will the natural lighting create a glare on the screens? (It’s especially important to consider the time of day of your event when natural lighting comes into play.)
Do my presenters have any special requirements for their screens?

Types of Screens for Indoor Events

Depending on the design of your event space and other various factors, you have plenty of options for screens for your indoor events. Here are a few indoor screen options to think about when planning your next event:

Projection Screens: Projectors and projection screens are common in professional event spaces. Many are built-in or available for use in hotels, convention centers, and some smaller rental spaces. Most event spaces have proper lighting to accommodate these indoor screen displays.

It’s important to remember that projectors and projection screens need a certain amount of space in order to fill the screen and create a good view for attendees. No matter how great your projector is, you need the space to set it up properly. Depending on the lens, your event space must accommodate not only the screens but the projector, too. If your projector is placed on the floor, your guests may hear the hum of the projector, they may see power cords running to/from your power source, and you want to be sure there is enough space to avoid anyone walking in front of the projector and blocking the display on the screen. If your projector is a rear-facing projector set up behind the projection screen or if the projector is hung from a professional rigging point, like the ceiling or a specialty projector stand, this might alleviate some of the common space issues for your event space. There are many options to utilize a projection set up in your event space. Consult an event professional to discuss your best options.

LED Screens: If projectors won’t work for your space or you’re displaying more than just a slideshow presentation, consider LED technology for a customized screen. LED screens are a modular, bright, exciting alternative to using projectors. With the ability to shape and size individual LED panels to work in your space and create a unique design, your LED screens will engage your audience from the moment they step into your space.

The modular nature of LED screens becomes a creative focus for an event professional. Not only will a production event professional work with you to create impressive visual content, but they will also ensure that you are maximizing your screen to match your space, your event theme, and your audience. If you decide LED screens are not the best option for your primary show content, there are many ways to utilize LED technology for other features at your event, like your welcome screen, a stage backdrop with rotating sponsor logos, or other decorative set design features to display messages. Keep in mind that custom LED screens typically cost more money, but make a much bigger impact on your audience.

LCD Televisions: Big screen TVs are also an option for your event. There’s always a smaller or a more intimate event
where LCD TVs might be a better fit. TVs range in size from 24” to 85” and can be mounted for display in a variety of ways, including on a truss, on TV stands or within custom stage design pieces. They can also be setup vertically or horizontally to display your content however needed. If you are looking for a crisp, clear display in a small event space with ambient lighting, plug in a big screen TV and get your event started!

Best Screens for Outdoor Events

If the weather is nice and you need the space, it’s always an option to host your event outdoors. From staging and roofing to lighting and audio, outdoor events offer a variety of event production options. So what screens should you use for your display at outdoor events?

Mobile LED Screens: For movie nights, tailgate parties, movie premieres and more, mobile LED screens are a unique solution for those hard-to-fit spots or where you need a ready-to-go-set up. Each mobile LED screen has its own on-board generator and can be put almost anywhere. Within minutes, professional video technicians can set up the screen for your event. LED screens come in a variety of sizes, but the three most common sizes are 10×6 display, 9×5 display, and a 7×4 display. Each display is weather resistant and ready to go wherever your event is.

LED Video Walls: LED video walls are an incredibly vibrant and customizable option for an event of any size. From surprise rain shows to wind gusts to a bright and sunny day, LED video walls can withstand all weather elements so you’ll be prepared for your outdoor event. The brightness of these screens are adjustable to match the mood and natural lighting. LED video wall sizing can be customized to display optimally for your event space. For a birthday party, hook up the PS4 and set up Fortnite for everyone to play. For an outdoor concert, consider a LED video wall to WOW your audience. Any LED video wall displays nicely outdoors for any type of event.

What Should I Put On My Screen?

To best display the content on the type of screen you’ve selected for your event, it’s critical to gather and plan ahead. Don’t wait until the day before the event to put together your slideshows and video compilations. Plan ahead with your professional AV team by your side. There are plenty of types of content to display in a variety of ways. The limits are endless! Do test runs of the content to ensure that everything is formatted correctly so that it displays correctly on the screen.

Types of Content for Your Event Screen Display

Images: Every photo has a story to tell! Show sponsor logos, photos of your guests, graphics from past years’ events or other images that get your audience excited about your event. Share the best images with your guests! Consider hiring a professional photographer that’s dedicated to capturing the moments of your event so you can relive the magic later.

Video: Whether you have a large list of videos to play or you’re looking to provide a live video feed at your event, video is an incredibly dynamic way to engage your guests. A professional video production company can help you map out what video features are best to show at your event. If you’re marketing your brand, sharing a story or case study, showing behind the scenes work, or maybe something totally different, a video is an exciting tool to use to convey your message. Want to get crazy? Host a party and show a movie or a football game on your screen! Make it fun, make it memorable, and best of all, make it look really good!

Live Streaming: It’s easy to host a virtual audience with live streaming…and it’s awesome to bring in speakers from anywhere in the world to your live event! Maybe your keynote speaker is unable to travel for some reason. There’s no reason you can’t bring them to your live in-person audience through live streaming technology. Consider the possibilities of live streaming speakers, performances, or bringing in audiences from other locations to your live event screens.

Social Media Wall: Want user-generated content to be displayed at your event? A Social Media Wall display allows you to help build trust in your business and brand with user-generated content from Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The real-time display provides all the social media updates from the attendees as well as those who are not physically at your event but are part of the event happenings on social media. When projecting all of the event-related material during your event, the audience becomes more engaged through the interactive display and feels connected to those who are also engaged on social media.

Presentations: You’ve heard slideshows are boring, but they don’t have to be! Presenters should never read directly from their slideshow presentation — and there are ways to help with that. Consider working with a content strategist or public speaking coach to help your presenters with some basic tips and tricks for developing their slideshow. Event production companies can also help by providing confidence monitors on the stage in front of your speaking. These monitors can display their script/talking points and as well as a timer for their presentation which can help them stay on track.

PRO TIP: All types of screens require content that is formatted appropriately for the display. For example, if you have a more rectangular 9×16 screen, you will want a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9 for your slideshows and video feeds. If you have a smaller, more square screen, your content should be sized to the standard aspect ratio of 4:3. An AV professional can assist you in determining what screen size is best for your space and your content.

What Else Do I Need For My Screens To Work At My Event?

It would be ideal if you could just put together the screen and your content would magically appear. Unfortunately, that’s not how that works. It takes an army of people to connect every element in your on-screen event: presenters, camera operators, lighting designers, audio engineers, technical directors, and possibly more, depending on the type of event. To be sure that you’re offering your audience the best viewing experience with limited interruptions, there are a few factors to think about when planning for your screen display.

Things To Consider For Your Displays At Your Venue

Internet Connection: You have your YouTube video pulled up on the screen, but it won’t play in front of your audience. That’s a problem! To avoid any issues with web-based content, consider having a downloaded hard copy on a USB flash drive or external hard drive ready to go. If that’s not an option or some of your content is internet-based, be sure to speak with your venue or AV team before the show to ensure you have a strong enough internet connection to present your content without any buffering or other delays.
Media Players: If you’re bringing in video files, image files, audio files, or any other type of media for your presentation, it’s critical to verify that the content is compatible with the computer system that will be playing the media.
Operators: Who is coordinating your speakers? Running the camera? Adjusting the lights? Playing the music? Changing the slides? If you have one point of contact who is directing the event, that is fantastic! That individual should be dedicated to documenting and directing how the show should flow. This is also known as creating a “Run of Show.” Without a basic run of show, there is no one to say how the event is going to flow. Avoid headaches and consider one point of contact or a team of AV professionals to handle your event’s technical direction.

Security Protocols: If you’re providing a laptop from your home office or utilizing a USB flash drive to access your content, be sure that you have all the proper security clearance to access these files. If they are protected from any type of secure location or access point, this can be a major issue on-site at your event. Avoid the hassle and check this prior to the start of your event.

Each visual element on the chosen display at your live event requires precise attention to detail, and despite technological advances in the live events industry, you still need intelligent humans to make your show go right. Take that tiny screen in your pocket and put it to use: start planning your event the right way by connecting with event professionals to engage your audience to your message today.