Sets & Staging

The design and dimensions of the set, screen and stage are governed by –

1. Style of the event
2. Room dimensions
3. Audience size
4. Activity required on stage i.e. presentations, entertainment etc

As a general rule, screen sizes are decided by the audience numbers, although seating style of the audience must also be considered. For instance, 200 people seated cabaret style will need a larger screen than if seated theatre style, as the last row of tables will be further away from the stage than the last row of chairs if the seats are laid out theatre style. Ideally, the screen to audience ratio works as follows for cabaret seating, with standard 4:3 ratio screens –

The available ceiling height of the conference room is also crucial. If we have an audience of 200 people in a room which is only 10’ high then the 10’ x 7.5’ screen as recommended above will be too large, the bottom of the screen being below the height of the audience heads when seated, therefore the information at the bottom of the slides will only be seen by the first 2 or 3 rows of the audience. Nowadays, options exist to resolve problems like this, such as relay plasma screens sited part way down the room, or using screens of a greater width with a 16:9 ratio or full widescreen sizes such as 22’ x 8’.