Key takeaway
Ask any stage lighting design vendor whether they own the equipment, which exact models they will supply, who operates the show, what spares travel with the rig, how a power failure is handled mid-show and whether the quote is itemised. Specific, confident answers signal a company that has actually done it.
Key takeaways
- Owned inventory beats sub-renting
- Exact model numbers, not categories
- Meet the engineer, not only the salesperson
- Get spares and failure plans in writing
Questions worth asking
Equipment
- Do you own this equipment or sub-rent it for each job?
- What exactly will you supply for consoles?
- What exactly will you supply for plot software?
- What exactly will you supply for control protocols?
- When was it last serviced, and can I see it before the event?
People
- Who is the lighting designer on my event, and how many shows have they run this year?
- Who is the programmer on my event, and how many shows have they run this year?
- Who is the console operator on my event, and how many shows have they run this year?
- Who is the network and data technician on my event, and how many shows have they run this year?
- Who is the followspot operator on my event, and how many shows have they run this year?
- Who is the atmospherics technician on my event, and how many shows have they run this year?
Risk
- How do you handle this: the design looks beautiful to the eye and unusable on camera — faces in shadow, contrast too hard?
- How do you handle this: haze triggers the venue's smoke detection and clears the hall during the show?
- How do you handle this: programming time is lost because the rig is not focused until two hours before doors?
- How do you handle this: a console failure mid-show takes the entire rig to black?
- How do you handle this: the running order changes an hour before doors and the cue stack no longer matches?
- How do you handle this: decor and stage lighting disagree on colour and the stage looks dirty on screen?
Commercials
- Is the quote itemised by equipment, crew, transport and power?
- Is the figure before or after 18% GST?
- What is the advance, and what is the cancellation policy?
- What is explicitly not included?
What a good answer sounds like
A specialist answers with model numbers, named people and a specific failure plan without checking. A middleman answers in categories and brochures. Prime AV Solutions answers every question above in writing before you commit. Get an itemised quote from Prime AV Solutions within 24 hours — call +91 93093 80958 or WhatsApp our producers.
Published 23 May 2026 by the Prime AV Solutions production team.