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Avoid Crisis Mode with a Strong Bench of Freelancers In the world of live events, things move fast. Dates shift, client expectations balloon overnight, and the gear list isn’t the only thing that needs updating. But there’s one piece of the puzzle that separates smooth productions from full-blown fire drills: a solid freelance bench.
Waiting until you’re already short-staffed or a crisis scrambling during load-in is not a strategy. It’s a gamble. And when the stakes are high—like a multi-day conference with 12 breakouts running simultaneously or a brand launch with and there’s no room for error—a deep roster of pros is the difference between panic and preparedness.
Why Your Bench Matters Think of your freelance bench the same wayas your sports team’s think about their backup players: when your starters are booked, your vetted bench talent that’s already been vetted, is ready briefed, and is ready to play and perform. This reduces downtime, protects your client relationships, and ensures the show goes on, no matter what.
When You Wait Too Long We’ve all seen it: a client pushes precon until the week before show day, and suddenly they’re scrambling to find a graphics op, stage manager, and a V1. Not only does this create stress, it often results in rushed onboarding, mismatched skill sets, and higher costs.
Late hiring typically comes with:
- Fewer qualified options (everyone good is booked)
- Increased rates for last-minute talent
- Time lost to onboarding or troubleshooting on-site
The Cost of Not Planning It’s not just about rates. When a role is filled under pressure, mistakes happen. And in live events, small mistakes can have big consequences. Gaps in communication, technical missteps, or missed responsibilities can disrupt the flow of a show and damage your brand’s credibility with both clients and attendees.
How to Build Your Bench the Smart Way
- Start with Core Roles: Identify your most critical positions—show callers, graphics ops, producers, TDs, etc.
- Work with a Partner Who Gets It: Teams like Tempo specialize in pre-vetting talent and managing logistics so you’re not starting from scratch each time.
- Create a Rolling RFC (Request for Contractor): Even if you don’t have every detail, flag upcoming roles early. This helps reserve top talent before they’re booked elsewhere.
- Keep a Feedback Loop: After each show, note who crushed it and who wasn’t a fit. Build your bench intentionally, not reactively.
- Consider Location: Build your bench around frequent(?) markets to reduce travel costs and increase reliability.
Bonus: It Shows Professionalism When you have your team sorted before the chaos hits, your client sees it. It builds trust, shows leadership, and demonstrates that you’re thinking strategically—not just tactically.
Bottom Line A strong freelance bench isn’t a luxury. It’s a critical tool for reducing risk, maintaining quality, and running high-level productions without breaking a sweat. The earlier you start building it, the better the outcomes—for you and your clients.
Let’s build better teams—one gig, one grad, and one great mentor at a time.