Great production doesn’t come from luck, expensive gear, or last-minute heroics. It comes from consistent practice, solid fundamentals, and repeatable workflows. Whether you’re mixing audio, switching video, or programming lighting, these principles apply to real-world production environments.
Consistency and Practice
1. Consistent practice (I'm talking practice!) beats long practice.
Fifteen minutes at a console several times a week will yield better progress than a single marathon session. Familiarity comes from repetition.
2. Every practice session needs a goal.
Choose one focus—gain structure, camera framing, snapshot recalls, or lighting transitions—and work only on that.
3. Push your skills during rehearsal, not during the the event.
Rehearsal is for experimentation. Services and events are for execution.
4. Prepare beyond what the event requires.
Extra scenes, safety snapshots, backups and spare cables reduce stress and mistakes.
Technical Fundamentals That Matter
5. Master signal flow.
If you can trace signal from input to output without guessing, troubleshooting becomes fast and predictable.
6. When practicing audio, focus on gain structure.
Start at the source, set input gain correctly, mix near unity, and avoid fixing problems downstream or "in post".
7. When working on video, focus on formats and timing.
Most video issues come from resolution, frame rate, or sync mismatches—not cameras.
8. When practicing lighting, program with intent.
Every cue should serve visibility, mood, or emphasis—not just show off fixtures.
9. Use fewer tools better.
Clean signal paths and clear decisions outperform complex systems.
Evaluating What the Audience Actually Experiences
10. Mix with your ears, not just meters.
Meters show electrical levels, not what the room hears. Walk the room and listen.
11. Frame cameras for the output, not the multiview.
What looks fine on preview can look terrible on a livestream or LED wall.
12. Build lighting in layers.
Start with base light, add key moments, then accents. If everything is on all the time, nothing stands out.
Workflow and Reliability
13. Build workflows you can repeat under pressure.
If it only works when you’re calm and alone, it’s not ready for a live event.
14. Stay conservative during live execution.
Reliability beats creativity once your event starts. Now is not the time to practice or take chances.
15. Learn one new thing at a time.
Small, stable improvements prevent (user-caused) system instability.
16. Revisit systems and techniques you’ve used before.
You’ll spot growth—and catch things you missed earlier.
Growth, Mindset, and Long-Term Improvement
17. Watch how experienced techs troubleshoot.
The real skill isn’t knowing the answer—it’s knowing how to find it quickly.
18. Develop your own operating style.
Consistency matters more than copying someone else’s workflow.
19. Separate prep mindset from performance mindset.
Prep is analytical. Live execution should be calm and reactive.
20. Treat mistakes as system feedback.
Most errors point to training, workflow, or preparation gaps—not personal failure.
Gear, Systems, and Reality
21. There is no “finished” system.
Rooms change, teams rotate, and technology evolves.
22. Growth happens in stages.
Whether it's systems or leadership, each phase builds on the last.
23. Don’t blame the gear first.
Most issues come from configuration or training, not hardware.
24. Upgrade gear as a reward, not a shortcut.
New equipment improves workflow—but only when fundamentals are solid.
25. Time spent learning your system is never wasted.
Familiarity and confidence always show up when it matters most.
Final Thought
Great audio, video, and lighting come from doing the right things repeatedly and intentionally. Consistency, fundamentals, and preparation will always outperform shortcuts.
If you need help designing systems, training teams, or choosing gear that actually fits your space, that’s exactly what we do at GearTechs.