Presentation Thinking™ #188. “Some Guy From the Crew” Part 2: Live events with Cameron Magee
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Nov 20, 2025 
Cameron Magee, owner of avad3, shares his wealth of experience in live-event production. He emphasizes the critical nature of site visits for production teams, highlighting how layout challenges can be solved with minor adjustments. Cameron also discusses the pros and cons of using in-house versus outside production. With insights on modern screen technology, he provides tips on captivating audiences through effective showmanship. Plus, he shares some wild behind-the-scenes stories and stresses the importance of involving production early for creative solutions!
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Factor Production Space Into Capacity
- Cut venue capacity estimates by about 20% to allow space for production and backstage needs.
- Bring a production person on site visits early to avoid costly last-minute fixes and wasted budget.
Engage Production Early
- Involve production 11 months to 2–3 years out when possible to help pick venues and avoid extra labor/jurisdiction costs.
- Don’t wait until ~90–100 days out to book production if you want optimized budgets and logistics.
Choose External Production For Big Days
- Prefer an experienced external production company for complex or high-stakes events rather than relying on in-house hotel crews.
- Recommend in-house only for simple, low-tech events where cost and scope align.