What to require from the client, when performing LED dance show?

We always try to please clients. And there’s no other way than doing a perfect job. But it’s also important, the client fulfils your requirements for LED dance performance.

In my last post we talked about what not to forget before you hit the road. It’s definitely important to bring all required equipment with you. But there are other things you should care about – and usually you need help of your client. We could call it “client checklist”.

First of all it’s important to provide all your show requirements to your client. It’s better to do it in advance – but in my experience, the clients usually forget to fulfil some of the requirements. But most of them are quite easy to handle prior to the event. There are all requirements we use for LED dance performance.

We recommend to use stage about 8x4m. We did shows on smaller stage, but it’s not so great. It just looks better, if the dancers are spread a bit.

3m or more. It’s not good, if the dancers hit their head.

Always black. No exceptions. In a worst case, let client buy a huge black piece of carpet and let 3 guys come to stage’s background before the show starts (yes, we did that).

This is the point, where most of the Tron Dance performances fail. It’s crucial to provide total dark. We did shows in some shopping centers, where it’s not possible. But the show looks 100% better, if there’s total dark in the room. Usually the client forgets to turn off some TV screens or forgets to dim the windows. You’re there to remind him to do it!

We don’t use them usually. But if I would have to choose, I would recommend lasers or strong strobe lights. If you turn them on in some part of the show, it might improve the show a lot. But again – too much light is not good.

Good quality audio with strong bass is very important. The shows just look better, if your ears are pleased. And it’s causing more freezing in the back, if the bass is really strong.

If I would have to pick one point which is the most important of all, it would be this one. Simply it’s because you test all other points at rehearsal. We always do rehearsal. I know, sometimes it’s not possible (e.g. public shopping centers). There we just take part of the suit, one suit receiver and our Main Ethernet controller and we test at least the Wi-Fi signal quality.

We usually use matt carpet on the stage. The light is not reflected that much and the dancers don’t slip.

Especially if you do show for TV, it’s usually required to synchronize to external time code. Using LED Strip Studio software you can synchronize to Midi MTC time code. There are also special USB devices and soundcards, which allow you to convert e.g. LTC or SMPTE to Midi MTC.

We also use Midi MTC to synchronize to lasers or video. And we always ask client, if this is required. Usually he gives you contact on some audio/video/laser guy and you agree about the synchronization protocol.

These are all the points we require before the performance. If you are responsible for the LED dance show, you always have to care about how the final show will look like. And it’s your responsibility to force the client to fulfil the requirements. I know it’s not always so easy to be hard on client, because he pays us. But in my opinion no client is better than unhappy/dissatisfied client.

And I know it’s sometimes difficult for client to fulfil all points. But this list protects you against client’s bad mood after not-so-successful performance caused by environment. It’s also kind of a “I told you so” protection for you against the client.

In the next post I’ll try to talk about the most stressing topic – few seconds before the show.