Jon Mesh is a freelance GFX operator and designer based in Frisco, Texas, with more than 20 years of experience in the live production industry.
For this issue of Crew to Comm, we caught up with Jon to talk about his approach to one of the busiest seats in the ballroom. From managing decks and keeping show callers informed to handling last-minute changes and building redundancy into every setup, Jon gave us a look at the workflow, habits and preparation that keep graphics moving when the show is live.
And as he puts it when that inevitable two-minute-before-show change arrives: “This is the job.”
For someone who hasn’t worked in corporate production, what does a GFX operator actually do during a show?
The graphics operator is responsible for running and editing the PowerPoint or Keynote presentations provided by the client. File management is a big part of the position. You need to be quick, organized and able to make changes when they come up.
What does your typical workflow look like from receiving the graphics package to doors opening?
When I receive the files, one of the first things I ask about is whether the company uses any dedicated branding fonts. I want to make sure those are installed on all of the computers we’ll be using.
From there, it’s really about organization. I go through the files, click through the presentations and make sure everything looks correct before we get into the show.
What graphics systems or software do you find yourself using most often?
PowerPoint is the industry standard, but a lot of guest speakers and outside presenters use Keynote. Every once in a while, you’ll also come across Google Slides or another piece of software that may be specific to a company or its branding.
You have to be prepared to work with whatever comes in.
How much of the job is prepared content versus making changes on-site during rehearsals?
That depends a lot on who hired you.
If you were hired directly by the client or meeting group, you may be more involved with making changes and editing content. If you were hired by the AV company primarily as an operator, most of the content may already be prepared and you’re handling the on-site changes as needed.
What are some of the most common last-minute graphics requests you get?
Changes to slides and speaker notes are probably the most common.
Speakers tend to make a lot of adjustments to their notes as they get more comfortable with what they’re going to say onstage. Those changes can continue right up until showtime.
What makes a graphics package easy to work with, and what immediately makes you nervous when you receive it?
Keeping video and audio out of PowerPoint whenever possible is always better. Having dedicated playback for those elements keeps the presentation from getting bogged down and usually makes for a cleaner show.
I start getting nervous when a presentation has a lot of embedded videos or very high-resolution images. That can create problems when you need the deck to run smoothly.
How do you organize everything so you can find what you need quickly during a show?
Everyone develops their own system, but I like having dedicated sources for different elements.
You might have one computer for primary graphics, another for backup graphics and another for notes or something like Slido. Whatever your setup is, having a clear file-management system is one of the keys to being successful in the position.
What is your process for checking names, titles, spelling and other information before something goes to screen?
The best process is to go through the information with the client.
That is really the best way to make sure everything is accurate before it ends up on screen.
How closely do you work with the show caller, TD/V1, playback operator and producer during a live show?
I work very closely with the show caller and the video playback operator.
A lot of times, a PowerPoint presentation will have hidden slides marking where a video needs to happen. I’ll communicate how many slides we have before the video cue or how close we are to the end of the deck.
Keeping the show caller informed about what is happening inside your presentation is important because it helps make sure all of the cues are called correctly.
What do you do when someone hands you a new graphic or PowerPoint slide two minutes before it needs to be on screen?
This is the job.
Last-minute additions and changes are why we’re there. That is when graphics operators need to shine. You have to stay calm, work quickly and still be accurate.
One good practice is networking your computers together so you can make the change on a backup machine and then transfer it to the primary system. It gives you another way to work without disrupting what is currently happening on-air.
What are some graphics mistakes that an audience may never notice but immediately make a GFX operator cringe?
One of the big ones is having separate PowerPoint and notes files.
Those files can get out of sync, and when they do, it can become frustrating for both the graphics operator and the speaker onstage.
How do you build redundancy into the graphics position?
A professional graphics operator should always have a backup for every source.
Things go wrong. Part of your job is being able to fix those problems as quickly as possible. Having backups for your sources means you are ready to move when something fails instead of trying to build a solution after the problem has already happened.
Is there a shortcut or workflow trick that has made you noticeably faster?
Knowing the keyboard shortcuts definitely helps. Something as simple as using F5 to start a PowerPoint presentation saves time.
I also use the slide sorter in Presenter View quite a bit. It makes it much easier to jump around quickly when you need to get to a different part of the deck.
What is the craziest last-minute graphics change you’ve had to pull off during a show?
Crazy last-minute changes are what this job is all about.
Anything that happens during a live show automatically has an extra level of pressure. Having to change numbers, swap content or switch someone’s script in the middle of the show can definitely create a little panic.
The important part is being ready for it.
What advice would you give someone who wants to start working as a GFX operator in corporate live events?
Make sure you are comfortable with both PowerPoint and Keynote.
Build some presentations on your own and practice with them. Learn the keyboard shortcuts and the features you are likely to use during a show so you aren’t trying to figure them out under pressure.
And if you have the opportunity, shadow an experienced graphics operator. There is a lot about this job that makes more sense once you see someone do it in a real show environment.
A lot of what makes a good graphics operator never gets noticed by the audience, which is usually the point. The right slide appears, the video rolls when it should, the speaker’s notes are correct and the presentation keeps moving.
Behind the scenes, that takes preparation, organization, communication and a backup plan for the backup plan.
And when somebody walks over two minutes before the next cue with a revised deck?
Stay calm. Be quick. Be accurate.
This is the job.
If you’re looking for an experienced gfx operator for your next event you can contact Jon at [email protected]
-CTC Staff
