Technical Meeting & Event Production
Instructor-Facilitated
Are you scratching your head over audiovisual proposals? You’re not alone. AV is the second-largest budget line after venue costs, yet many events professionals feel lost in a sea of technical jargon and pass the buck to the “tech team.”
CE Hours
Earn 9 continuing education units
Modules
6 modules of content
Format
Instructor-Facilitated
What You'll Learn
While technical production skills were once “nice to have,” today they’re crucial for event organizers. As event technology continues to evolve—and as AV expenses consume more of the overall budget—it’s no longer enough to hope your production partner gets it right. You need the knowledge and confidence to lead the conversation.
That’s exactly what the Technical Meeting & Event Production course refresh is designed to deliver. More than a content update, it’s a complete overhaul of how you’ll learn.
What’s New:
- A modular, building-block approach that builds confidence from foundational to advanced concepts.
- A consistent format across modules for smoother learning progression.
- Enhanced focus on RFPs, budgeting, and AV negotiations to increase your financial savvy and maximize value.
- A human-centric approach to help business events professionals collaborate better with the people behind the tech.
- Complex tech-speak broken down into planner-friendly language.
- A new AI and tech module to keep you ahead of the curve.
- A future-proofed design allowing for evergreen content to live alongside regular industry updates.
This course is ideal for: mid-career events professionals looking to build their technical event production skills to maximize the audience experience and deliver more value to their clients or organization.
Interested in an on-demand offering of this course? Check it out here.
Course Outline
Module 1
- The Role of AV in Modern Events
- AV as a System: Inputs > Processing > Outputs
- Display, Audio & Lighting: What You’re About to Learn
- Mapping the Event Space: AV in the Live Event Environment
- Common AV Mistakes – and How to Avoid them with a Mindset Shift
- Who Runs the Gear: People Make the Difference
- The Planner’s Role in Event Production
Module 2
- Audio Essentials: Why Audio Is Still Priority #1
- Audio Connectors & Inputs
- Mic Drop: Microphone Types and Tips
- Audio Processing: Mixers, EQ, Levels
- Audio Outputs: Speakers and Feeds
- Speaker Placement and Room Dynamics
- Audio Mistakes & Red Flags: What Planners Miss Most
- Meet the Crew: Audio Roles (A1, A2, FOH)
- Planner’s Audio Checklist
Module 3
- From Signal to Screen
- Inputs: Laptops, Cameras, Playback
- Video Switching & Routing
- Video Outputs: TV or Not TV, That is the Question
- Monitors: Flat-Screen, Types and Uses
- Projectors: Types, Placement, Throw & Projection Screens
- LED Walls: Pitch, Pixels, Nits and More
- Record & Tape: Capturing Video
- Content Formatting: Resolution, Aspect Ratios
- Common Video Mistakes & How to Avoid Them
- Meet the Crew: Video (TD, Playback Op)
- Planner’s Role in Screen Success
Module 4
- Light as Mood & Message
- Lighting Inputs: What Do You Want to See?
- Fixture Types: Pars, Lekos, LEDs
- Intelligent Lighting: Movement, Color, Impact
- Lighting Consoles: DMX, Faders, Dials and Universes
- Lighting Design Principles for Planners
- Power, Rigging, and Safety 101
- Don’t Get Left in the Dark: Common Lighting Pitfalls
- Meet the Crew: Lighting (LD, Console Op)
- Planner’s Role in Lighting Decisions
Module 5
- The Show Doesn’t Run Itself
- Site Visits: What to Watch For
- Load-In/Out Logistics
- Crew Schedules & Labor Expectations
- When Left Is Right: Stage Terminology for Planners
- Show Flow: Building a Run of Show
- Calling a Show: What Planners Should Know
- Speaker Prep: Onsite & Remote
- Coms & Cue Calls: Behind-the-Scenes Communication for Live Shows
- Red Flags in Logistics and Prep
- Meet the Crew: Production Roles (SM, Callers)
- Planner’s Pre-Show Checklist
Module 6
- AV is a Business Decision
- Writing Your RFP – Your Roadmap for AV Success
- In-House vs Third-Party vs Hybrid AV
- Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum: Common Fees Internet, Power, Patch Fees & Exclusivities
- Reading an AV Quote: Line by Line
- Budget Planning: Allocations & Priorities
- Negotiation Strategy: How to Push Back (Respectfully)
- Monetize Your AV: Turning Screens and Signals into Sponsorship
- Meet the Crew: The Sales & Ops Side
- Planner’s Budget Tracker Tool
Bonus Content: Innovation & Emerging Tech
- AI in Content Creation & Production Workflows
- Future Ready: The 5 Forces Shaping Event Technology in 2026 and Beyond
- Practical Tools & Platforms for Meeting & Event Production
How This Course Works
Facilitated cohorts are led by industry experts and delivered online over five to twelve weeks. You’ll move through weekly pre-recorded modules at your own pace and come together for optional office hours and a peer community forum to ask questions, practice concepts, and stay on track.
Pre-recorded Weekly Modules
Move through the course with on-demand video lessons and resources released in weekly modules. Each week builds on the last—so you can learn at your own pace, review key concepts as needed, and come to live sessions ready with questions.
Live Office Hours
Join optional office hour sessions to connect live with your instructor and peers, ask questions, workshop challenges, and get practical guidance on applying what you’re learning.
Peer-based Community Forum
Connect with fellow learners between sessions to ask questions, share real-world examples, and learn from each other’s experiences. The forum is also a great place to stay motivated, get unstuck quickly, and build relationships with other professionals in your cohort.
Course Access Window
You’ll have access to the course for four weeks after the final module is released, so you have time to review the material, ask follow-up questions, and finish strong. Need more time? Extended access is available for an additional fee—just reach out to our team to request an extension.
Counts Toward Your CMP
PCMA Institute is recognized by the Events Industry Council (EIC) as a Preferred Provider of continuing education. Completing this course qualifies for CMP continuing education credit, so every hour you invest moves your certification forward.
Learn From An Industry Expert
Brian Monahan
CMP & CMM, PCMA
Brian Monahan is an Event Technology Expert, Speaker, and Certified Professional Coach.
Brian is recognized as a hospitality thought leader because of his ingenuity, innovation, and ability to strategize and deliver impactful organizational outcomes. Since the second quarter of 2020, Brian has immersed himself in learning and executing resilient and reliable virtual experiences. His current dedication is to prepare the meeting and event profession for the future of events.
Brian’s work is a unique blend of passion for excellent customer service and creative event production, including exceptional business acumen. Brian documented this passion by releasing his first book, Customer Delight 365, A Daily Inspirational for Customer-Service Professionals, in early 2016.
Ready to Level Up?
We want to make sure you're getting the best price available to you. PCMA and CEMA members, as well as Institute subscribers, automatically receive a discount — no codes needed. Simply log in at checkout and your savings will be applied based on your account.
Core
- No membership or subscription required. Open to all learners.
$595
Select
- Exclusive pricing for active monthly PCMA Institute subscribers.
$535.50
Premier
- Exclusive pricing for PCMA/CEMA members and annual subscribers.
$476
Satisfaction Guarantee
The PCMA Institute stands behind all of its content. If you feel you didn’t learn what you expected to in this course, just let us know within 30 days of your last lesson and we’ll give you a full refund. Click here to view our refund policy and full terms & conditions.
