The Live Events Dictionary / Production

Load-in is the arrival and unloading of a production’s equipment and supplies, often including setup. Load-out is the movement back out of the venue. Strike means taking the production apart; it usually overlaps load-out, but the words do not describe exactly the same job.

A useful plan covers both ends of the day before the truck arrives. “Load-in at 10” leaves important questions unanswered: Is that the vehicle arrival, the crew call, or the time the stage becomes available?

Three times to confirm separately

• Vehicle arrival: where the driver reports, whether staging is available and who clears access.

• Crew call: when the people doing the work must report, including any required briefing.

• Working access: when the loading route and performance space are actually available.

Use the venue’s instructions for loading routes, vehicle movements, induction and qualified personnel. Arts Centre Melbourne’s event-safety policy, for example, addresses inductions, vehicle entry, manual handling and fatigue. It is a useful illustration of why a schedule cannot replace a venue’s safety procedures.

A fictional club-show handoff

The van arrives at 10:00, local crew report at 10:15, and stage access begins at 10:30 after a rehearsal clears. The production contact confirms the loading entrance and keeps the cases in an agreed holding area. The day sheet shows all three times rather than promising an immediate unload.

At the other end of the day, the show ends at 22:00. That does not automatically mean a 22:00 vehicle departure. Audience clearance, equipment shutdown, strike, packing and loading still have to happen. Agree the sequence with the venue and put the departure estimate after those dependencies.

What belongs in the advance

• Loading address, entrance description, vehicle dimensions or restrictions and contact on arrival.

• Stairs, lifts, distances and approved equipment routes, confirmed with the venue.

• Which team supplies labor, moving equipment and supervision.

• Where empty cases and personal equipment will be kept during the show.

• Who authorizes strike and coordinates the transition from public operation to working space.

• Venue-clear deadline, labor limits and the person responsible for the final walk-through.

Close the loop before leaving

Use a count or packing list that follows the equipment, not memory alone. Record missing or damaged items, confirm borrowed gear has been returned, and check that the next destination’s essentials are accessible. A last-minute missing case is easier to investigate before everyone has left.

Never use a late departure as a reason to skip required safety checks or hurry specialist work. The right response is an agreed revised plan.

Next: day sheets, show advancing and changeovers.

Reference

Arts Centre Melbourne: Event Safety Operating Policy. Venue requirements vary; the example and checklist above are original planning aids.