Room setup to present PIGS!

Creating an effective room setup is an important part of the PIGS! presentation. It allows everyone to enjoy and gain as much as possible from the performance. And of course, it enables us to present the absolute best show we can. Here's how your team should set up the room for us:

        * Stage - a raised stage is preferable. Enabling audiences to see the full height of the presenter (that's right, from my shoes up!) allows everyone to see and experience the full theatrical performance.

        * Theatre-style seating - the chairs should face the stage on a slight angle forming a shallow "V" shape; this allows each person to look directly at the stage, rather than turning their heads slightly... no one wants to be a pain-in-the-neck. Or get one.

        * Laptop computer - please supply a laptop for projecting our PowerPoint slide presentation. See Data Projection page for details.

        * Data projection - see Data Projection page.

        * Sound system - see Audio Requirements page.

        * Whiteboard and marker pens - we need a clean whiteboard, plus thick, dark marker pens (either black or blue) and an effective eraser. From the audience's perspective, the whiteboard, pens and eraser should be positioned on the Left Hand Side of the stage.

        * Table on stage - a small table, about 1m x 1m in size, should be set on the extreme left hand side of the stage. Its purpose is to support our theatrical props, jug and glasses of water. The table should be covered with a dark cloth so that it does not attract audience attention.

        * Water - please supply 2 jugs of room-temperature water (not iced water) and 2 glasses on the stage table.

        * Lectern with microphone - we don't use a lectern at all during our performance and it often interferes with audience members' line-of-sight. Please remove if possible, or else re-position it to the extreme Right Hand Side of the stage (from the audience's perspective).

        * Microphone - for best quality sound we use our own microphone and you must see our Audio Requirements page.

        * Sight and Sound Check - I arrive at the venue one hour before that day's opening (ie if your Conference begins at 8.30am, I'll be there at 7.30am, regardless of what time I'm speaking). It gives me the opportunity to check the room setup and to conduct our Sight and Sound check. Please ensure your Audio Visual team are ready at the same time.

        * Lighting - our challenge is to find a happy medium between sufficient lighting on the presenter without flooding the projection screen with light, washing out the projected images. The key word here is "contrast". Sometimes we will ask your AV Team to remove, cover or switch off lighting towards the screen (particularly if it is fluorescent lighting or too close to the screen).

        * Room temperature - audience members should feel comfortable when seated, neither too hot nor too cold. We ask the air conditioning is set at about 21 degrees Celsius, with the fans switched on.

        * Quiet surroundings - the room should provide a quiet environment, partitioned from mid- or high-levels of extraneous sound.

Please forward this Room setup page and checklist to your Events Manager or Co-ordinator for the event, asking them to contact us re room setup with any issues. Doing so means we'll all look good - and your team will enjoy the event - on the day.