Delivering installations and shows across the globe requires a huge effort in terms of mobilisation. Curiously, we don’t talk about it much, crew planning and logistics are simply part of the service. Yet when a project leaves our facility, getting the show on the road involves moving people, tools, and equipment efficiently and often at pace.
It’s not unusual for larger projects to have more than 80 crew on site. Mobilising a team of this size, often working round the clock in shifts, means careful coordination from the moment the job is confirmed. Hotels, flights, trains, hire cars and even crew buses are booked to match the ebb and flow of build and rehearsal schedules. Despite meticulous preparation, things don’t always go to plan. As an example, a bus of twenty crew that is delayed by just thirty minutes is equivalent to being one individual down on a shift. And often that deficit can be hard to claw back.
Visas and site accreditations add another layer of complexity. Security clearance can even be required on very high-profile sites. Each country has its own entry requirements, and all of the supporting documentation needs to be in place before boots hit the ground. Stage One’s Project Coordination team works diligently behind the scenes, navigating these rules and jumping through bureaucratic hoops so that teams can arrive in territory and just get on with the job.
Of course, it’s not just people that need moving; site kit and equipment must travel too. Tools, manufactured items, hire kit, technology and construction materials are packed, weighed, and described in detail on carnets and shipping manifests. Temporary import regulations mean every last item must be accounted for, with values and weights logged to avoid delays at customs. Our Operations Team is responsible for prepping and loading items ahead of the trucks rolling out. These guys are the unsung heroes and without them, nothing would leave our premises.
Once on site, crew welfare is paramount, particularly during intensive build periods in extreme conditions. Essentials like tea bags, sun cream, branded t-shirts, hydration salts and bucket hats are packed alongside technical hardware. These small comforts and necessities help the team stay focused, safe, and motivated on site. And of course, all of these things, from toolboxes to tea urns need to be prepped and packed. Careful management of these components continues even once they’ve landed on site. Indeed, larger projects will often have their own on-site stores and Storeman who is responsible for maintaining and issuing items whilst the job is in hand.
Perhaps our secret weapon on every deployment is a tool called ‘Constructor’. This is our own software solution that keeps track of load lists and determines which items are in which trucks and containers. Even determining the order in which containers arrive on site is critical to an efficient build sequencing. These details matter and often it’s only when they go wrong that we remember how much they matter.
The processes around on-site endeavours are second nature to Stage One. The behind-the-scenes planning is probably the least lauded, but arguably the most important. The ability to deploy large-scale crews and complex installations internationally is what makes Stage One a trusted delivery partner for some of the world’s most ambitious creative projects.
