Audiovisual or less commonly known as AV means possessing both a sound and visual (audio and a visual component) such as slide deck presentations, films, TV programs, church services, and live theater productions.
Audiovisual service providers frequently offer web streaming, video conferencing, and live broadcast services.
Computer-based audiovisual equipment is often used in education, such as projection equipment and interactive whiteboard technology.
Have you ever wondered what audiovisual is?
Do you ask yourself, how can I get into a field that provides audiovisual services to clients?
Have you ever wondered how you could incorporate audiovisual equipment into your work and life?
If so then continue reading.
What is audiovisual media?
Audio Visual Media can broadly be broken down into Audio, visual, and audio-visual.
Below are a few examples
Audio Media
Audio – recordings, in other words, cassette, mp3, and MP4 files as well as cd’s
Radio broadcasts transmission of radio programs that can be live or taped.
Visual Media
Bulletin boards are websites or web pages where users can post comments about a particular issue or topic and reply to other users’ postings.
Posters – a form of displaying important information using text and pictures
Audio Visual Media
Motion Picture Videos – This includes Videos of sound mixed with motion images
Films – Large sequences of animated scenes and sounds
Video games – A game played by electronically manipulating images produced by a computer program on a monitor or other display. video games often include sound effects to complement the graphics
Slideshows – A presentation supplemented by or based on a display of projected images or photographic slides.
Advantages of audiovisual materials
For illustrative purposes, let us use education as an example of how audio-visual technology can be advantageous.
- Audio-visual materials can be reused since they can be downloaded and can be easily available or can be accessible to the teacher when needed in teaching.
- They can also reduce the number of questions since these materials can be viewed over and over again so the questions of the students will be clarified.
- Provides diverse teaching techniques for learning so that learners can have a goal and choose the teaching styles that are easiest for them.
- You can simplify and clarify concepts and complex topics.
- Allows students to learn at their own pace.
The disadvantage of audiovisual materials
The disadvantages of using audiovisual materials in teaching.
- Good pronunciation is necessary as it is important to utter or say words clearly so that the viewers or the listeners can understand.
- Secondly, it can be difficult to understand for children.
- Good internet speed is required in order to have a good flow of learning.
- Proper equipment is needed in using audiovisual materials for us to get the most out of it.
Types of audiovisual Equipment
Audio Equipment
You need to know how analog consoles work and digital consoles.
You need to have a good understanding of wireless microphones and how to program their frequencies.
You need to understand wired microphones, podium microphones and condenser microphones.
An added advantage would be to have the ability to EQ a room, and EQ speakers in a way that you can have five lav mics turned on at once without feeding back.
Visual Equipment
When working in audiovisual, it is important to have a good understanding of laptops, both PC and Mac.
You must know how to change their output display settings.
You must know how PowerPoint and Keynote work, and how to make everything run seamlessly.
You will probably be working with some video switchers, but they’re pretty basic and they’re pretty bulletproof.
You also need to have a basic understanding of resolution.
It will help a lot if you have experience with projectors and setting up screens, including fold screens.
It also helps to know how lighting works, specifically how to DMX a light, how Lekos work, for stage wash, and how up lights are generally set up in a room.
What does the job of an audiovisual technician involve
Jobs and roles in the audiovisual field vary widely.
For instance, in the event production industry, you can end up doing corporate work in ballrooms and meeting rooms.
What competencies do you need before working in the audiovisual space?
Before even getting into the technical side of things, the things that will help you succeed most are
- Friendly attitude,
- Being clean-cut, and able to have good oral skills
- Have good written communication skills.
Often times you’re dealing with clients that have been looking forward to their event for over a year or even a few months.
Before they even walk into the door, that brings a lot of stress and pressure into the room when they come in.
It’s your job, as an Audiovisual technician, to make sure that all the technical things that the client doesn’t understand go smoothly and happen seamlessly, and above all else, you need to do it with a smile on your face, while bringing calm to the situation.
Being an AV tech (audiovisual technician) is not right for people who are easily flustered and have high-stress levels.
The people that are successful more often than not, are the people that are calm and go about their way methodically in a calm manner, without letting the stress and the demands of the clients influence your ability to troubleshoot technology.
How to be successful in audiovisual
We have spoken about soft skills such as your attitude and your ability to communicate with clients, and your ability to be clean and do things in a predictable way.
A big part of the job is having clean tape runs, clean cable runs, and being able to label things so that if you get called out halfway through your shift, somebody else can sit down and understand what you’re doing.
Getting Experience in audiovisual
You can be the best event tech in the world, but if you do things in a weird way that doesn’t allow somebody else to come and easily sit in the seat right after you, that will make the job difficult and you’ll probably get fewer shifts as a result.
It’s also super helpful if you have your driver’s license.
If you have a flexible schedule and you have experience driving a Sprinter van, or a three-ton or a five-ton in a downtown environment, you can certainly get more hours and experience.
Audio Visual in-house role
If you’re in an in-house role and say you work on-site at a hotel all the time, you can expect that your hours will be semi-regular.
Obviously when you’re starting you’ll probably get the worst shifts, such as the early mornings and the late nights, but as you move up you’ll probably end up in some sort of a predictable schedule since they have so many meetings on a regular schedule.
How much can you earn in audiovisual?
Starting level audio visual technician earnings begin at
$14.50 per hour or $30,160 per year.
Junior-level audio visual technician earnings begin at:
$18.41 per hour or $38,300 per year.
Mid-level audio visual technician earnings begin at:
$23.47 per hour or $48,820per year
Senior-level audio visual technician earnings begin at:
$30.42 per hour or $63,260 per year
Top-level audio-visual technician earnings begin at:
$43.36 per hour or $90,180 per year
Therefore If you’re just starting out you’ll probably be around that $15 to $18 an hour mark.
As you gain experience, depending on all the skills that you bring to the table, how well you get along with your team, and the overall contribution you can expect to be somewhere between $25 and $45 an hour.
There are a lot of variables that contribute to how much you will personally make, but generally speaking the easier you are to work with, and the more skills that you bring and the more flexibility you have, the more you’re going to get paid,
Industries that use Audiovisual
There are many industries that require audiovisual aids to be effective. I will discuss a few.
Manufacturing
In manufacturing, you can make use of instant messaging, file sharing, advanced call management, and video conferencing to make better decisions, making your plant more flexible and allowing you to boost scalability.
Finance
Audio Visual technology can help ensure that multinational teams are on the same page.
Real-Estate
Audio visual technology can help showcase listings to clients who are not even in the same city, thereby saving the estate agent time and money.
Education
By recording classes or lectures, students can access the material over and over, allowing them to comprehend quicker and hear things that they may have missed out on in class.
But audio-visual technology can be used and applied in a variety of circumstances.
I have personally used audiovisual at auto shows, medical conferences, and sometimes at exclusive private parties.
The Bottom Line
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The Bottom Line
Audiovisual is the combination of audio and video technologies used to facilitate communication, learning, and presentation.
Many industries make use of audiovisual technologies and aids, and therefore this means that you can provide these services to a number of different corporations.
Let us know what your thoughts are on Audiovisual and if you have any suggestions.
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