Full Production expands with investment in new Headquarters
UK – Full Production, the Berkshire-based specialist in the design and delivery of world-class entertainment technology solutions, has completed the move to a much larger premises, with significant new facilities. Located in Ruscombe, between Reading and Maidenhead, with fast access to the nearby M4 motorway and Heathrow Airport, the new site offers an attractive new working environment for staff and clients alike, including enhanced workshop, prep and testing areas, a meeting and training room, increased office space and a new, fully equipped Vis Suite.
Founded by Steve Richardson in 2010, Full Production offers complete technical resources to the entertainment production industry, from lighting, sound and rigging to staging and video. The company has also been focusing on adding facilities and capability to its in-house workshop, increasing its activity in advanced solutions R&D, custom manufacturing and prototyping to ensure the very highest levels of service.
The new premises represents a significant investment, and follows a period of rapid expansion for the company since Covid. In addition to its extensive office and workshop spaces accommodating its full-time staff, the new site offers a welcoming ‘Green Room’ for visitors, plus a comfortable Vis Suite equipped with an MA Lighting grandMA3 system and Depence software.
Marc Thornton, Director of Live Events and Touring explains, “For the Vis Suite, we wanted a space that feels warm and homely. We want people to feel relaxed, to be able to escape to somewhere pleasant and peaceful. We’re in quite a rural location, with various very nice pubs and restaurants nearby offering accommodation. Part of the attraction for our clients is to escape for a few days, allowing them to fully concentrate on creativity.”
Richardson adds “It was important to us not only for the Vis Suite to be a dedicated well-equipped room, but to have an ambience and to be a desirable destination.”
Richardson has been pleasantly surprised by the company’s post-pandemic rate of growth. Of the move to new premises, he says, “Happily, within our ten-year plan we have included a degree of futureproofing, and have room available to play with. If we outgrow the space in its current configuration, we can double the size of the facility if we need to.”
In recent years, via clients including Treetop Golf and Pixel Artworks, Full Production has made valuable contributions to a series of large-scale special events, installations and attractions, in the UK and overseas. Having recently completed a landmark installation for Treetop Golf’s new attraction at the Metrocentre shopping centre in Gateshead, the company is now looking toward a number of exciting projects already in the pipeline. The team will be using the new space to produce in-house all its custom solutions for shows and installations, continuing Full Production’s push towards self-sufficiency, with all its advantages in increased efficiency, consistency and reliability.
“We have the confidence to invest in the company and build for the future, in a sustainable way,” says Richardson. “It shows our firm belief that that the business has a solid foundation for years to come.”
Full Production raises the game for Treetop Golf
UK – Full Production, the Berkshire-based specialist in the delivery of world-class entertainment technology solutions, has completed the audio-visual design and installation of the latest Treetop Golf destination. Sited at Metrocentre shopping centre in Gateshead, the new themed attraction includes over 400 luminaires and an immersive audio system with 140 loudspeakers.
The regular service supplier to Treetop since 2020, Full Production has lived up to its name with this, the fifth Treetop Golf site, carrying out the design and installation of the audio, lighting, show control and visual infrastructure. With successful attractions in Leicester, Cardiff and Manchester, Treetop’s management brought in Full Production for its next site, in Birmingham, where its critically acclaimed design and installation significantly raised production values. With this experience, Treetop’s management were fully convinced to enhance the new Metrocentre site even further. As well as requiring that the multi-faceted system be able to run standalone, without technical operators, for 14 hours a day, 7 days a week – it would also set a new bar for world-class visitor experiences, employing the very latest show technology.
The site has two themed 18-hole golf courses – ‘Tropical Trail’ and ‘Ancient Explorer’ – plus the Bonus 19th hole. Full Production’s Steve Richardson says, “When designing these sites, we have to keep in mind that, first and foremost, it has to function as a mini golf course. Because of this, when we lit the Birmingham site, we had adopted a ‘more but less’ approach – more lights but at a lower intensity – to ensure the playing surfaces were evenly lit, minimise shadowing, and be sure the players could actually see the ball! We brought that approach to Treetop Metrocentre too. This is the base of our design, which we use as a framework to then build the eye candy and wow-factor within the integrated elements.”
Consequently, the Metrocentre design features a lot of luminaires. Among them are 270 Jade Expo track-mounted fixtures from CLS, which include an internal soft diffusion filter. “The Jade fixtures are great,” says Richardson. “Each has a 42˚ beam-shaper to even out the beam and eliminate any hot spots, plus some deft barndoor action to remove spill on the kerbs and planting. Their DMX control is invaluable – many of the units are only running at 5 or 6% on the playing surfaces, but the output is consistent and even – and we can also utilise them for ball trigger effects.”
Also used, for the very first time, are 20 EclMini DAT Gallery fixtures from PROLIGHTS. Of these, Richardson says, “They are new to us on this site but are phenomenal. When we were designing Birmingham, I struggled to find a small profile fixture, with shutters and onboard DMX dimmer, which could hang from a lighting track – this product ticks all of those boxes, and the light output is insane! In the future, we’ll be using these a lot more for gobo and texture work.”
The lighting design also features more than 50 lighting fixtures from Chauvet – including Accent 3, Ovation E910 FC and ColorDash Batten Quad 12 models – plus Elation SixBar 500s, UV Battens from ADJ and several dozen RGBW LED downlighters and uplighters.
There are 40 ball-sensors triggering special ‘moments’ for the players on 18 interactive holes across the Metrocentre site. It sounds straightforward, but show control is complicated, as Richardson explains. “Most holes have ‘Win’ and ‘Lose’ routes, but each can have multiple outcomes. The Bonus 19th hole, for example, has one win and four losing routes. The ‘Win’ route has five outcomes and the ‘Lose’ routes have 10. As the ball triggers the sensor, our Pharos LPC2 controllers fire a host of commands across the network – playback for lighting, pixel-tape, audio automation and video which are synced together.”
Video content, including graphics, effects and results is displayed on a number of screens which are fully integrated within the various elaborate set-pieces throughout the site. Digital content is stored on and played back from 13 BrightSign HD1024 units.
However, it is with audio that Treetop has taken the biggest step forward at Metrocentre. Here, guided by Full Production’s vast knowledge and support, they wanted to ensure the visitor experience was enhanced as much by the possibilities of audio technology as by the lighting and visual elements. To help its client meet this need, Full Production drew on the skills of its regular go-to audio solutions architect and experienced sound system designer, Dan Roncoroni of Raven AV.
Initially, Roncoroni made some improvements to the audio system at the Birmingham site, and some strong recommendations for the future, which led to Treetop agreeing to make a significant new investment in audio. “I stressed the importance of investing not just in audio hardware, but in content,” he says. “Sound designer Dave Shepard has put together a team of composer, voice actors and a script writer to create all-new content for quite a lot of the holes in Metrocentre. Dave understands what I wanted to do, so he’s designed it for spatial audio.”
Audio enhances the visitor experience. Spatialized sound effects are triggered on the majority of holes throughout the site. For several holes of the Tropical Trail, in an area called the Mystic Wood – seen as the ‘highlight’ of the route – these sound effects are enabled by a TiMax SoundHub-S32 with Dante networked I/O, with its hybrid delay/level spatialisation system. Elsewhere, Roncoroni uses the level-based spatialisation capabilities of Innovate Audio’s panLab software. He explains, “Some content needs to be very accurately localised, for example birdsong moving from the low-level shrubbery up to the centrepiece tree, and TiMax does a great job at that. For the rest of the site, where we just need a more general, atmospheric positioning of sound, the power of TiMax wasn’t needed and panLab was the ideal option. Both systems are invaluable in these situations as time-saving programming aids. To do this manually, setting the delay times in each loudspeaker, would have taken forever!”
Playback, through either TiMax or panLab, is controlled via QLab software, from two Mac Minis, one serving each 18-hole course. Scripts within QLab randomise sound effect playback (saving staff from irritating repetition) while lockouts ensure that ‘win’ or ‘lose’ moments are uninterrupted. “It’s relatively complex,” says Roncoroni. “There are just over 1,000 cues between the two Mac Minis – so we’re doing quite a lot there on the audio front.”
He adds, “The idea is that, when you shut your eyes, you are in the middle of a jungle – it’s more immersive. The loudspeakers disappear and you just hear the content. You don’t hear where it’s coming from.”
To deliver those realistic, spatialised sounds – including birdsong and screeching monkeys – 140 loudspeakers are secreted around the set. These include over 100 cabinets from UK manufacturer EM Acoustics, with the remainder a height layer formed of pendant loudspeakers from QSC Pro Audio. Power is provided by 16 of the new Unica amplifiers from Powersoft, which also gives the advantage of a suite of monitoring and alarm tools – an extra layer of assurance in such a situation. Great care has also been taken to maximise intelligibility – quite a challenge in a busy, noisy environment receiving hundreds of visitors, of various ages, every day.
One especially interesting element is also from Powersoft – a tactile transducer called the Mover. This is a small (9cm x 9cm), robust unit with a moving magnet and platform which can impart an earth-shaking rumble to a floor or wall. In the Ancient Explorer’s temple-themed environment (think ‘Indiana Jones’ rather than ‘quiet prayer’) an obelisk falls over, accompanied by a terrifying ground-shake from the Mover.
For Roncoroni, without space to hang a large subwoofer to achieve a similar effect – and with noise issues to be wary of – the Mover is a fine alternative. “This was something entirely new for Treetop,” says Roncoroni, “but everyone loves it. It’s been really successful.”
Full Production is now responsible for the ongoing service and maintenance at all five Treetop sites which, between them, see more than 14,000,000 triggers in the course of a year. Richardson concludes, “We’re very proud of what we’ve achieved for Treetop, and of course we’re hugely grateful for the trust they’ve put in us, to deliver such a wonderful environment. We look forward to the next challenge.”
Technical Information:
AUDIO
68 x EM Acoustics EMS-41
13 x EM Acoustics EMS-51X
5 x EM Acoustics EMS-61
4 x EM Acoustics EMS-81X
14 x EM Acoustics S-48
24 x QSC AD-P4TB pendant loudspeakers
1 x TiMax SoundHub-S32
8 x Powersoft Unica 2000W/8-channel amplifiers
8 x Powersoft Unica 4000W/8-channel amplifiers
LIGHTING
270 x CLS Jade Expo
20 x PROLIGHTS EclMini DAT
30 x Elation SixBar 500
34 x CHAUVET Professional COLORdash Accent 3,
11 x CHAUVET Professional Ovation E-910FC
6 x CHAUVET Professional COLORdash Batten-Quad 12
22 x ADJ UV Battens
CONTROL
3 x Pharos LPC2
2 x Netgear M4250-26G4F-PoE++ Switch
1 x Netgear M4250-10G2XF-PoE++ Switch
1 x Pharos TPS (touch panel station)
7 x Pharos RIO 80
12 x Artistic Licence Railsplit RDM
3 x Artistic Licence RailSwitch
1 x Dell NUC control PC
1 x 4-way KVM
1 x KVM console drawer
1 x Enttec S-play
4 x Enttec Octo
40 x ball sensors
13 x Brightsign HD1024
Full Production performs back-to-back at Warwick Castle
The summer season at Warwick Castle presented back-to-back challenges for Full Production, called upon by event producer Pixel Artworks to provide lighting, crew and expertise for the historic venue’s two big visitor attractions – Dragon Slayer and Sundown Spectacular.
Warwick Castle, owned by Merlin Entertainments, hosted the two family-fun attractions in the spacious castle courtyard, just a few days apart in August. Pixel Artworks brought in Full Production having worked with them on a number of previous projects. Full Production’s Director of Live Events and Touring, Marc Thornton, served as lighting designer and led the company’s team under the guidance of Pixel Artworks’ production manager, Joe Kelly.
The first show, Dragon Slayer, had two Acts: the first – a live action extravaganza complete with knights on horseback battling dragons and monsters – was “a full-on medieval experience,” says Thornton. Running nightly over a 10-day period, it told the legendary tale of the trials of valiant hero, Guy of Warwick. This large-scale show required theatrical-style lighting (programmed on an MA2 by Harry Williams) to cover the action not only on the 27m wide main stage, but also along the side and central aisles among the seated audience, numbering 2,000 each night.
A timecoded section of the show, Act Two saw the story complemented with projection-mapping on the castle walls, from specialist company QED, with content created by Pixel Artworks. “During the projection-mapping, we were essentially using the lighting to reflect what was being projected, colour-matching to make it feel more immediate,” says Thornton. “So, if a wall falls down in the projection, we accentuate that with lighting effects over the audience. It makes it feel closer, more immersive.” In fact, Act Two required around 120 lighting cues to match the intricacies of the 25 minutes of projection content.
One challenge was that in such a protected space, the use of mounting structures was strictly forbidden, so fixture placement was limited to the castle roof and walls. “All the lighting positions had to date from the 14th century, or whenever it was,” notes Thornton with a smile. “And we had to ensure that we weren’t blocking the all-important projections. So, it was about finding the right lights for those jobs.”
Thornton opted for SGM G7-Spot moving head fixtures to do the lion’s share of the courtyard coverage, chosen both for their power and weather protection, while G-Profile Turbo heads were used for keylight. “I was very pleased with those, they gave the performers a really nice skin-tone,” says Thornton.
The team carefully raised the fixtures up to the prime locations along the castle’s stonework, using a crane to reach the roofs and a cherry-picker for the tops of the walls. Six Ayrton Cobra moving heads were used as sky beams to help visually frame the stage space, while 16 colour-changing Astera Pixel Bricks, battery-operated and wirelessly controlled to avoid cable runs, lined the stage itself.
After Dragon Slayer, the Full Production crew of Mat Spencer, Alex Davies, Alex Hummel and Shaun Graham were partially rotated, with Seb Hancock joining Thornton, Spencer and Davies for the turnaround for Sundown Spectacular, just three days away. This second event would change down a gear, with live music, DJs, food tents, entertainers and a fireworks finale. As such, it would have a different dynamic, which meant a new set of demands on production.
Production changes included the reduction of the 27m stage to a 5m festival-style stage, for which Thornton’s crew added a small floor package. While the majority of the G7-Spots and G-Profiles stayed where they were, the six Ayrton Cobras were divided to frame the space at opposite points of the courtyard, and the team placed a large number of SGM P-5s – the RGBW, IP-rated LED wall-washers – around the periphery to illuminate the walls away from the projection, “in the area where the audience weren’t for Dragon Slayer, but would be for Sundown,” says Thornton.
Lighting programmer and operator for the Sundown Spectacular, again using the MA2, was David Abra. The show was mostly busked by Abra, apart from the last 40 minutes when the lighting was timecoded to match the 40-minute soundtrack, to which the firework display was also timecoded. For that 40 minutes Abra programmed 160 cues – in one night.
These were first-rate productions, which included cutting-edge sound design and audio setup from another leading specialist in its field, Autograph Special Events. Led by Andy Hedges, Autograph supplied a 5.1 surround sound system, mainly made up of d&b audiotechnik Y-Series (“our go-to loudspeaker for this kind of event,” says Hedges), with programming and playback design by Adam Taylor, to deliver the immersive audio and aural imaging that were the perfect accompaniment to the surrounding visuals.
“These were great projects for us,” says Full Production’s managing director, Steve Richardson. “For a start, they gave us a chance to try out some new tech – Dragon Slayer was the first time we’d used the Ayrton Cobra fixtures. It has to be said, the phosphor laser engine is quite something – it seems to keep going forever, with an infinite focal range. And of course, it was a real pleasure to work with Pixel Artworks and Autograph again. Thanks to them, and to Marc and our fantastic team who helped bring these challenging jobs together in such style.”
Pixel Artworks’ Joe Kelly comments, “Full Production played an integral part in making Dragon Slayer and Sundown Spectacular huge successes by designing, rigging and programming the lighting elements for both events. Warwick Castle is a beautiful yet challenging place to rig lighting fixtures and equipment. However, Full Production carried this out with ease. The final result for both events looked fantastic!”
Full Production and Avion TSL
launch strategic partnership
Full Production, the Berkshire-based specialist in the design and delivery of world-class production, has announced a new strategic partnership with Coventry-based Avion TSL. The partnership will see both companies benefit from the sharing of premises, resources and expertise, enabling the delivery of a stronger and faster service to a broader range of clients in the UK and beyond.
Founded in 2010, Full Production has worked on a variety of top-flight events in recent years, from touring exhibitions and awards shows, to television, festivals and other special events. Drawing on a network of skilled designers, project managers and crew, the company prides itself on its central ethos of ensuring the customer’s vision is realised as fully as possible.
Avion TSL, a family-run business formed in 2001, specialises in providing full-service production for, concerts, fundraising events, fairs, Christmas walks and other visitor experiences. Under the new partnership it will operate under the Full Production banner where appropriate, while continuing its own activities as Avion TSL.
“Avion TSL focuses on a largely different niche, but is very much a like-minded company,” says Full Production’s managing director, Steve Richardson. “We worked alongside them last year, and we saw that they shared our customer-driven approach to the events market, always taking great pride in bringing an event to life, always enthusiastic and professional. I believe we will complement each other very well.”
“We’re both companies that like to say ‘yes’ when clients ask if we can do something, or if we have previous experience of a type of project,” says Avion TSL’s events manager, Mat Spencer. “This partnership makes us all part of a bigger team, with a bigger store of skills and experience to draw on – it gives us more opportunity to say ‘yes’.”
The partnership promises to bring benefits to both companies. These include greater resources in stock and expertise, increased capacity, geographical reach and market share, as well as benefiting customers with economies of scale and faster response times.
“Sharing the Coventry warehouse space and offices is a big plus,” says Richardson. “Having that stock of equipment reduces the transportation required, cutting delays and the time taken between sites. And we have expertise to hand. An example is the Treetop Adventure Golf sites in Birmingham and Leicester: having access to people and resources virtually on the doorstep of those sites is a huge advantage.”
On the importance of personnel, Richardson says, “It’s no secret that recruitment is a struggle at the moment. We’re in the very fortunate position of having no shortage of work – and we’re not going to start letting customers down by turning work away. This partnership gives us increased access to more skilled, full-time people, as well as to an even bigger pool of reliable, experienced freelance crew. It makes it easier for us all to meet our servicing and maintenance commitments to installations across the country.”
“We’re getting an absolute wealth of information and support from this partnership,” Spencer agrees. “We’re excited to see what develops and grows from this over the next couple of years. It’s going to be an interesting journey!”
Supporting grassroots sport – Full Production and Littlewick Green Cricket Club
The Full Production team has lent our technical expertise to many incredible events, TV shows, installations and more over the years. What you might not know about us, however, is that we’ve also lent our support to a different cause a bit closer to home: Littlewick Green Cricket Club in Berkshire.
Full Production is a family-run business, and giving back to our local community is important to us. It’s for this reason that we are one of two headline sponsors of the club, investing our money and time into supporting grassroots sport in our area.
Littlewick Green Cricket Club was founded in 1810, and for more than 200 years has been at the centre of the village of Littlewick Green. It has two adult teams as well as seven children’s teams for kids of different ages. This includes a girl’s team which is now into its second season, after a successful debut in 2021. At the peak of summer the village green at Littlewick can have as many as 100 children playing cricket on it at once – and a few adults enjoying a cider (or two) from the sidelines!
2022 marks Full Production’s second season as one of two headline sponsors, although our involvement with the club goes back longer than that. Managing Director Steve Richardson moved to Littlewick Green in 2014, and made regular attempts at playing cricket for Littlewick Green before breaking his leg in 2020. He plans on making a grand return this season…although his wife and Full Production colleague Jo might have something to say about that.
Full Production’s work with Littlewick Green Cricket Club underlines the importance we place on investing in young people, and bringing up the next generation. Whilst we don’t expect the Under 17s team to all take on Full Production apprenticeships, we think it’s important to invest in the future.
Bill Green, Chairman of Littlewick Green Cricket Club, commented: “It is fantastic to have Full Production supporting us. We are a village club for local people, playing on the village green and using the village hall as our base. Steve and his family are popular village residents and his personal commitment to the club and understanding of village sentiment, combined with Full Production’s commercial insight and support, has made a huge difference to our success.
FULL PRODUCTION TRAINS WITH RIGGING TEAM
As we gear up for a busy summer, the Full Production team has been brushing up on our training. Over the course of three days in February, we completed a course with our friends over at Rigging Team which covered many different aspects of rigging and working at height.
Rigging Team Managing Director Adam Searle ran us through important regulations such as PUWER (The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations) and LOLER (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations). We also covered topics such as distributing loads correctly on trusses, how to operate chain hoists, steel wire rope terminations and the use of personal protective equipment. We got plenty of practice using Rigging Team’s custom training facility, which includes a large steel structure where practical assessments take place.
As Full Production continues to grow, we are always on the lookout for opportunities to invest in our people. This training keeps us up to date with the most recent regulations and refreshes our knowledge in a complex and important area. It ensures our team feels as confident as possible working with potentially dangerous or heavy equipment, especially at height.
Full Production’s Director of Live Events and Touring Marc Thornton commented: “I can’t recommend enough the training run by Rigging Team. They delivered an engaging session that covered some crucial skills and knowledge. I have been rigging for over ten years but all these skills were picked up on the job – it’s great to complete a course which formalises that knowledge.”
FULL PRODUCTION APPOINTS NEW DIRECTOR OF LIVE EVENTS AND TOURING
Full Production, a production services company based in Berkshire, has appointed a new Director of Live Events and Touring.
Marc Thornton steps into the role after several years as Lighting Director and Programmer for some of the UK’s biggest artists, including Foals, Charli XCX and Goldfrapp. He will be overseeing the live events and music arm of the business, adding his wealth of experience to a team that is growing following a series of new client wins.
Marc is a BRIT school graduate who began working alongside Full Production Managing Director Steve Richardson early on in his career, whilst they were both working at White Light. Marc worked with Full Production as part of a successful freelance career for the past eight years, before joining the company on a temporary contract in February 2021. He played an integral part in some of Full Production’s biggest projects of 2021, including the Warwick Castle Sundown Spectacular, and installations such as Treetop Adventure Golf.
Marc now joins the company on a full-time basis as a Director, and will be helping steer its direction in the future. His addition will bolster Full Production’s existing range of production services, which includes live events, installations, broadcast and live music. In 2021, the team was involved in projects that included lighting St Michael’s Cave in Gibraltar, the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, and Champions Tennis at the Royal Albert Hall.
Commenting on his appointment, Marc said: “I’m delighted to be coming on board full time with the team at Full Production. Steve has played a big part in my career from the moment I started in the industry, so to find myself with the opportunity of joining the team on a permanent basis is really fantastic. I have always enjoyed seeing what projects Steve and Full Production have been doing and I think together, we are going to create some really interesting and exciting pieces of work.”
Full Production Managing Director Steve Richardson commented: “2021 was a fantastic year for us, which saw us return to the exponential growth we were seeing pre-Covid, and with 90% new business. As a result of this continued success, we’re delighted to be in a position where we can continue with our planned expansion of the Full Production team.
“In creating the Live Events and Touring role for Marc we are ensuring that this arm of our business can continue to service our clients needs to the highest standards, and have the capacity to expand in what is a very fast moving and exciting sector for us. Marc’s experience adds another string to our bow and I am excited to begin this next chapter of Full Production’s development with him beside me.”
marc@fullproduction.co.uk , steve@fullproduction.co.uk
For media enquiries please contact:
Stuart Wood / stuart@creativebd.co.uk / 07784528297
The ‘Who Cares Wins’ awards, celebrating the achievements of healthcare workers around the UK, took place on Tuesday 14 September 2021 at London venue Roundhouse.
The awards ceremony was organised by The Sun newspaper and attended by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the Duke of Cambridge, David Beckham and many more celebrity guests. It was also broadcast on Channel 4, Sunday 19 September.
The show featured video pieces telling the stories of the winners, in categories such as ‘best doctor’, ‘ultimate lifesaver’ and ‘unsung hero’, as well as multiple musical performances.
Lighting was supplied by Full Production, who were brought in by Lighting Director David Bishop and Thames TV. Bishop has worked on some of the UK’s most high-profile TV, including the Duke of Sussex’ Royal Wedding and the BBC Proms. Bishop and Full Production have previously collaborated on many other shows including multiple seasons of the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.
As was my previous experience with Full Production, they were immensely helpful…their support to me prior to the show, and to the gaffer and electrician team during the show, was outstanding.”
Lighting Director David Bishop
To achieve the brief, Full Production worked with long-standing delivery partners LiteUp. Among the variety of equipment used in the show were 104 Martin Mac Aura XBs, 13 Robe Esprites, 60 Claypaky Sharpy Plus, and a range of LED battens from Prolights, Miltec and GLP. Six Robe Robospot systems were used to track those on stage and walking up from the audience, while two GrandMA consoles with synchronized backups were used for control.
The setup for the event posed some challenges as it had to be done very quickly, in the space of 24 hours. Construction works around the Roundhouse made the trucking schedule difficult, and security for royal and celebrity guests complicated things further. Full Production were able to overcome these challenges, however, to provide a timely and effective service.
Full Production Managing Director Steve Richardson commented: “It was fantastic to support a great cause and recognise the hard work of our NHS, as well as everyone who works in healthcare in this country.
“Full Production’s strength is in knowing who to partner with to get the job done. We’re a small enough company that we can be very nimble and build trust directly with our clients, but big enough to deliver a fantastic service for a show which welcomed some of the most high-profile guests in the UK. I also really enjoyed working once again with David Bishop, who is an expert when it comes to lighting in the broadcast sector.”
Lighting Director David Bishop commented: “As was my previous experience with Full Production, they were immensely helpful and provided excellent substitution recommendations for fixtures to help keep within the show’s budget. Their support to me prior to the show, and to the gaffer and electrician team during the show, was outstanding.”
Full Production’s Steve Richardson on why respecting freelancers’ time is the way to win their loyalty.
We don’t work a standard 9-5 job: load-ins start in the early hours of the morning, with rehearsals quite often shortly after lunch. Then there’s the show itself, followed by the load-out – all in the space of 18-24 hours with very little downtime. We work in an industry which famously has a “show must go on” mentality.
But at what cost?
Poor sleeping patterns, long periods away from home and bad eating habits on site are very common. It wasn’t that long ago, perhaps even before the pandemic, where a lack of sleep and generally being run down was worn as a badge of honour by many throughout the industry.
More recently, my LinkedIn and Facebook networks have been crying out for staff. Not an hour goes by without a post on various freelance forums or company pages, requesting assistance in finding crew for shows and events across many genres of the industry.
Why?
Simply put, there is a real shortage of skilled crew for events and installations, and as a company owner I’m finding myself having to pick up the shortfall both mentally and physically.
I think this has been caused by a couple of things:
Firstly, many people have outright left the industry. Myself and my colleagues all know people who have left roles in events to go and work elsewhere, in industries they believe are less likely to be shut down by virus regulations. This, coupled with film and dramas swallowing up a large number of console operators, has left a massive shortfall in areas of the entertainment industry which have been shut down for a long time.
“There is a fine balance between getting what the client wants, and offering your staff and contractors healthier working hours.”
Steve Richardson
I think another reason for the shortage is that, for many people, the benefits of freelance work are beginning to be outweighed by the risks. There is a smaller pool of talented freelancers than there was pre-pandemic, and many of them are now only searching for full-time employment. That shouldn’t be a surprise: many freelancers were forgotten about in the government’s financial aid. Who can blame them for wanting a bit of financial stability moving forwards?
One way I think we can entice freelancers back onto jobs is to show them that we respect both their time and their wellbeing. We need to support them with strong HR processes, and we need to stop offering them shifts which, whilst financially tempting due to the length, offer very little in terms of personal wellbeing. I’m talking about those 1.5x or 2x days, quite often with 12+ hour shifts. After spending more time at home with family and friends, people value their time much more than they used to.
At Full Production, we’re making this change. We’re trying, as much as possible, to split those long shifts in half, hiring a day crew and a night crew, or a load-in crew and show crew with a handover in between. Sometimes, though, this is dependent on the client – they need to play their part by offering a realistic budget and just as important, a realistic schedule.
There’s the trickle down effect and when clients start cutting budgets, the impact is felt most strongly by the people on the ground, who quite often will have to make up the difference with longer hours.
There is a fine balance between getting what the client wants, and offering your staff and contractors healthier working hours. We’re committed to making this change, but it won’t happen overnight. It also isn’t always going to work for everyone, I’ll be the first to admit it – there are always going to be key personnel which sadly aren’t able to be swapped out due to continuity – but even small changes when and where we can will benefit the majority.
Throwback Thursday : Tut Load Out
Throwback Thursday : Tut Load Out Even in the midst of lockdown, work (quietly) went on. We spent three weeks at the Saatchi Gallery loading out (whilst socially distanced) ‘Tutankhamun Treasures of the Golden Pharaohs’. Full Production provided project management, lighting technicians, AV technicians, carpenters and local crew – over 200 days in total. It was great to see so many of our lovely freelancers back doing what they love!
