Labor and crew management
The right crew, called for the right hours, briefed before doors.
The crew call was a guess.
Labor is one of the biggest lines in a production budget, and the one most often built on a guess and fixed with overtime.
- Crew calls built from last year’s numbers, or a vendor’s?
- No-shows on load-in, and nobody with a backup list?
- Overtime and meal penalties that blew the labor line?
- Stagehands on site with nobody telling them the plan?
Why it hasn’t been fixed yet.
It’s rarely effort. Owners in this business work harder than anyone. It’s usually one of these.
Vendors running their own piece
Crew calls come from the vendor’s template
Labor companies and vendors call what they always call. Nobody checks it against this site, this build window and this gear.
Production as a second job
Nobody owns the floor
Each vendor runs its own people. Without one person running the floor, crews wait on each other and the hours pile up.
Production planned last
The labor plan is built after the schedule slips
When load-in times move and nobody rebuilds the calls, the crew stands around on the clock, or arrives short.
What I do
What the work includes
- Labor plan by call: load-in, build, show, changeover and strike
- Crew calls for stagehands, riggers, loaders, forklift operators, runners and department heads
- Local or union crew booked through the venue or labor company where it’s required
- Call sheets, check-in, meal breaks and turnaround planned to avoid penalties
- Safety briefing and department leads named before doors
- Hours tracked on site and signed off against the labor invoice
What changes
A crew that shows up, knows the plan and stays inside the labor budget.
Scoped to your event. On the first call we go through the date, the venue, the talent and the budget, and decide how much of the production you want me to run.
Proof
Shows I’ve sold and project managed.
Concerts, festivals, tours and brand activations from my time at production companies. They’re my experience, not clients of this business.
- County Line Music FestivalConcert or festival
- Deep Roots FestivalConcert or festival
- REVOLT WORLD 2024Concert or festival
- Robin Thicke TourConcert or festival
- Skillet ConcertConcert or festival
- Atlanta Wine & Jazz Festival 2023Concert or festival
- Pacific Feats Festival 2024Concert or festival
- Kentuckiana Pride FestivalConcert or festival
- Toyota Music Den 2024Fan event
- Credit One Credit Tip Off College TourFan event
- Atlanta United 2023 Block PartyFan event
- New York Fashion WeekLive show
Most production help sells you gear. I’ve worked every side of the show.
I’ve worked every side of a show, from the loading dock to the sales desk. That’s how I know where a production goes wrong, and why I work for you, not the vendors.
Devon RaceManaging Director, Event Production Partner
Outsiders: A spreadsheet sees a headcount.
I see who needs to be on the dock at 6 AM and who’s idle until noon, because I’ve worked those calls as a stagehand.
From the crew, as a stagehand
Outsiders: A labor company sees hours to fill.
I see the trucks, the gear and the order it comes off, from running the warehouse that loads them.
From the warehouse, as warehouse manager
Outsiders: A client sees a labor invoice.
I see the calls behind it, from managing crews on $500K+ shows as project manager.
From the show, as project manager
The production mistakes that cost events the most
I’ve watched each one happen from inside the company. You get the lesson without the bill.
Where I saw it: StagehandLoad-ins, audio, LED and staging
The mistakeApproving the stage before anyone has walked the site
What it costs
A rebuild on show day, with the crew on overtime
What to do instead
Check ground, power, access and the load-in window before the design is final
Where I saw it: Warehouse managerInventory, prep, trucks and returns
The mistakeTaking the lowest bid without checking what’s in it
What it costs
Cable, power and labor added back later at full price
What to do instead
Bid one scope and equipment list, and compare line by line
Where I saw it: Project manager$500K+ projects, crews and clients
The mistakeLeaving the artist advance until show week
What it costs
Backline bought in a rush, and a soundcheck that runs into doors
What to do instead
Advance every artist as soon as they’re confirmed
Where I saw it: Head of sales and marketingScaled companies from $750K to $3M+
The mistakePromising the client a look before it’s costed
What it costs
Your margin pays for the difference
What to do instead
Get a production budget before the pitch or the deal is signed
Relevant experience and expertise are the top criteria buyers use to evaluate potential service providers.
Took production houses local to regional to national. Built client relationships with Fortune 500 brands.
Common questions
Event crew and stagehand labor management
What promoters, agencies and brands ask about this before the first call.
How many stagehands does an event need?
It depends on the gear, the build window, the site and the venue’s rules, so I build it call by call from the production schedule rather than a rule of thumb. Load-in and strike usually need the most hands; the show call needs the fewest.
Devon
Where does the crew come from?
Local or union crew booked through the venue or a labor company where the event is. I plan the calls and manage the crew on site, which keeps the crew local and the rates clear.
Devon
Can you work in union venues?
Yes. Where a venue requires union labor, the crew is booked through the venue under its agreement, and I plan the calls, breaks and turnarounds around its rules.
Devon
How do you keep labor costs under control?
By calling the right number of people for each call, timing breaks and turnarounds so penalties don’t kick in, and signing off the hours on site so the invoice matches what was worked.
Devon
Keep reading
More of the production I run
- What I run for youStage design and implementationTurn the creative vision into a stage that can actually be built, on budget.Read more
- What I run for youVendor procurement and biddingBids you can compare line by line, from vendors who can deliver them.Read more
- What I run for youArtist liaison and rider procurementEvery rider advanced, sourced and confirmed before the artist arrives.Read more
Start with a conversation
Let’s talk about your next show.
- A 15-minute callBy video, about your company
- A short written planWithin three business days
- You decideNo packages, no pressure