The speaker gets the applause. The presenter gets the thank-you note. The venue gets the review.
But if your event went well – if the slides appeared on cue, the lighting shifted smoothly, the performer was in the right place at the right time, and the whole thing ran without visible drama – that’s down to the people the audience never sees.
Here’s who’s actually back there.
The showcaller
The showcaller is the person on the comms headset who calls every cue in real time. Lights, sound, video, presenter movement – all of it goes through them. They’re reading the room, tracking the running order, and making split-second decisions when things shift. A good showcaller is the reason nobody in the audience ever knows something nearly went wrong.
We’ve unpacked exactly what a showcaller does when things go wrong in this blog post if you want to find out more.
The content producer
The content producer is managing the media – the slides, the videos, the graphics – and making sure everything that’s supposed to appear on screen actually does, in the right order, at the right moment. They’re also often the person catching last-minute changes from speakers who’ve just decided to swap slides around twenty minutes before they go on. And they are the master of version control.
The floor manager
The floor manager is the physical link between production and the stage. They’re the one meeting presenters in the wings, briefing them on timing, making sure they’re ready to walk on. They’re also keeping an eye on everything that’s happening on the floor of the venue – moving people, passing messages, solving small problems before they become big ones.
The stage manager
The stage manager is running the backstage operation. Props, set pieces, furniture, technical resets between sessions – everything that needs to happen in the space between one segment ending and the next beginning. They’re coordinating with the crew and making sure the stage is always exactly where it needs to be.
The artist liaison
If you have performers – a band, a comedian, an awards presenter – there’s an artist liaison managing their world backstage. Getting them from the dressing room to the wings at the right moment, handling their requirements, keeping them calm, making sure they’re briefed on any changes. It’s a pastoral role as much as a logistical one.
The runner
The runner does everything else. Delivering scripts, fetching coffee, acting as the extra pair of hands that every show needs. Underrated? Absolutely. Indispensable? Also absolutely.
The reason it all works
None of these roles is glamorous in the traditional sense. They’re not on stage. They don’t get introduced. But when they’re all doing their jobs well, the event flows, the audience has a good experience, and the client goes home happy.
When one of them is missing – or replaced with “someone who can probably cover it” – that’s usually when things start to show the cracks.
If you want to understand more about how we build crews for corporate events, or you need specific roles filled for an upcoming show, get in touch.
Need the right crew, fast? Talk to Maverick about your crew – or call Jill on 07764 460008.
