Video Basics for Live Production

Video Basics for Live Events

A Core Guide from the Event Production Fundamentals Series

Video is one of the most powerful storytelling tools in live event production. From keynote presentations and IMAG (image magnification) to immersive LED walls and projection mapping, video systems shape how audiences experience content, absorb information, and connect with a brand. Understanding the fundamentals of live event video is essential for planners, producers, and creative teams aiming to deliver polished, reliable, and visually compelling events.

This guide covers the core components of video production for live events, including displays, signal flow, content creation, and advanced applications such as non-standard resolutions and projection mapping.

The Role of Video in Live Event Production

At its most basic level, live event video serves three primary purposes:

• Visibility: Ensuring all attendees can clearly see presenters, presenters’ content, and key moments

• Brand Reinforcement: Extending visual identity through motion graphics, scenic video, and creative layouts

• Engagement: Using motion, scale, and visual storytelling to enhance audience focus and retention

Modern corporate events increasingly rely on video not just as a utility, but as a design element integrated into the overall event environment.

Core Video Display Technologies

LED Walls and Direct-View LED Displays

LED walls have become the dominant display technology for live events due to their brightness, scalability, and modularity.

Key advantages include:

• High brightness suitable for large ballrooms and outdoor environments

• Seamless scalability to virtually any size or aspect ratio

• Ability to create custom shapes, columns, ribbons, and scenic elements

LED is particularly effective for events that demand strong visual impact, camera-friendly surfaces, or unconventional layouts.

Projection Systems

Projection remains a valuable solution for many event environments, particularly when:

• Budget efficiency is a priority

• Large, wide-format images are required

• Architectural surfaces or scenic elements are involved

Projection systems are commonly used for:

• Large-format screens in ballrooms and theaters

• Extra-wide blended projection surfaces

• Projection mapping applications

Video Signal Flow and System Components

A successful video system relies on a well-designed signal chain that ensures reliability, synchronization, and image quality.

Core components include:

• Video Sources: Presentation laptops, media servers, cameras, playback systems

• Switchers: Hardware or software platforms that manage multiple sources and outputs

• Scalers and Processors: Devices that convert resolutions and map content to displays

• Distribution: Fiber, SDI, HDMI, or IP-based transport depending on distance and complexity

Thoughtful system design is critical, especially when feeding multiple displays with different resolutions and aspect ratios.

Content Creation for Live Events

Standard vs. Non-Standard Resolutions

Unlike traditional screens, live event displays rarely conform to standard 16:9 resolutions.

Common non-standard formats include:

• Ultra-wide LED walls (e.g., 3:1 or wider)

• Tall portrait-oriented LED columns

• Irregular scenic video surfaces

• Extra-wide projection canvases

Creating content for these formats requires intentional planning. Repurposing standard presentation slides often leads to stretched graphics, unused screen space, or compromised readability.

Best Practices for Non-Standard LED and Projection Content

• Design content at native pixel resolution whenever possible

• Use layered compositions that allow flexible scaling and cropping

• Separate key message areas from background motion elements

• Coordinate early between creative teams and the AV provider

Well-executed content design transforms LED walls and projection surfaces from simple displays into immersive storytelling tools.

Creative LED Wall Applications

LED walls are no longer limited to a single upstage rectangle. Increasingly, they are used as architectural and scenic elements that shape the environment.

Examples include:

• LED ribbons wrapping around stages

• Vertical LED towers flanking presenters

• Curved or segmented LED canvases

• Integrated scenic elements with independent content zones

These configurations demand advanced video processing and careful content mapping, reinforcing the importance of collaboration between creative, technical, and production teams.

Image Magnification (IMAG) and Camera Integration

For larger events, IMAG is essential for maintaining audience connection with presenters.

Key considerations include:

• Camera placement and lens selection

• Latency management to maintain lip-sync

• Color matching between cameras and LED or projection surfaces

IMAG systems must be designed in coordination with lighting and staging to ensure presenters are well-lit and visually consistent across all displays.

Projection Mapping for Live Events

Projection mapping is an advanced video technique that uses precisely aligned projectors to display content onto non-flat or architectural surfaces.

What Projection Mapping Is Used For

• Branded scenic elements

• Architectural facades

• Stage sets and dimensional objects

• Experiential brand activations

Unlike traditional projection, projection mapping requires:

• Detailed surface measurements

• Specialized media servers

• Pre-visualization and testing

When executed correctly, projection mapping creates high-impact visual experiences that feel integrated into the environment rather than placed on top of it.

The Importance of Pre-Production and Visualization

As video systems become more complex, pre-production becomes non-negotiable.

Effective planning includes:

• Display and resolution mapping

• Signal flow documentation

• Content testing on representative canvases

• 3D visualization and pre-viz of video layouts

This upfront work reduces on-site risk, improves creative alignment, and ensures video content performs as intended on show day.

Why Video Fundamentals Matter

A strong understanding of live event video fundamentals empowers planners and creative teams to:

• Make informed technology decisions

• Avoid common content and resolution pitfalls

• Maximize the creative potential of LED and projection systems

• Deliver visually cohesive, professional events

Video is no longer an isolated technical element—it is a core pillar of modern event design.

Bringing It All Together

From standard screens to immersive LED environments and projection-mapped experiences, video is central to how audiences experience live events. When technology, content, and creative intent are aligned through proper planning and technical expertise, video becomes a powerful driver of engagement and impact.

As part of the Event Production Fundamentals series, this guide is designed to help event professionals understand not just what video tools are available, but how and why they are used—setting the foundation for more confident planning and more successful productions.