Why You May Need A Show Caller
Behind Every Seamless Live Event Is A Calm Show Caller
Behind every seamless live event is a calm, authoritative technical team keeping everything on track. From the opening music and light show, the ‘voice of God’ announcement as the host comes to the stage, ensuring that all the presenters can be seen and heard with their screen content shown at the correct time, through to the closing music that marks the end of the event, every member of the show crew will know what they need to do throughout the day.
For smaller events, two or three technicians are unlikely to have show cues happening at the same time. Larger events, with a team of technicians can easily run into double figures, the show cues can be very complex. For example, as the room lights are dimmed, this instigates the start of the pre-show music and light sequence, playback of the opening video, the activation of the dry ice and sparkler machines, the first of the ‘voice of God’ announcements and the cue for the opening presenter to make their way to the stage.
Then 3 seconds later the stage lights need to be faded up, the live camera needs to have picked up the presenter on stage, the sparkle machines turned off, the first slide shown on screen and the presenter’s microphone faded up. Having all these cues happen simultaneously cannot be left to luck and each technician is too busy looking after their own tasks to worry about their colleagues. This level of event needs a dedicated show caller.
Why You Sometimes Will Need A Show Caller
A show caller has a specific task, they don’t control any equipment. Their task is to call out instructions and cues to those who do control equipment. Typically a show caller’s desk will have a ring binder filled with pages of written cues amassed during off-site and onsite rehearsals, a desk light so they can read their cue sheet in the darkness of our backstage environment, a talkback headset so they can talk to the crew (as the technicians are often in separate parts of the room) and their drink of choice for the rare moment they can grab a sip.
Their job is to notify the show crew of what’s happening now and in a few seconds. By calling precise cues, they ensure that every transition happens smoothly, eliminating awkward pauses, missed cues, or technical confusion. This single point of control reduces the risk of errors, having a the clear vision of what needs to happen. Instead of second-guessing what comes next, technical operators can trust the caller to guide the flow of the show. This improves accuracy, confidence, and overall performance across the crew.
Why You May Need A Show Caller
From the client’s perspective, a show caller brings structure and reassurance. Timings are controlled, content stays on message, and last-minute changes can be managed quickly and calmly. When issues arise—as they do—the show caller keeps the event moving without the audience ever noticing.
Ultimately, a show caller transforms a collection of elements into a polished production, helping deliver a effortless and memorable event.
At Istead we partner with some of the most highly regarded live event show callers in the business, and they don’t just get high praise from our inhouse team. Our freelance talent we bring in for larger events recognise our show callers as the best in the business. The event is in their hands, they need to be amazing, and at Istead we make sure we have the best to ensure your event is a great success that the attendees talk about long after the event is over.
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