Maneuvering the Differences and Similarities Between AV Projects

 

The professional AV industry ranges far and wide, from film, television, and concert tours, to corporate events, weddings, and hotel AV. That’s a lot of different roles in different situations with one common goal: a great audience experience. To stay ahead of the curve, AV professionals have to learn how to work with all facets of people so that they feel empowered to do their best work, said independent creative designer Robert Hickman. He is a designer and producer for lighting, video, graphic/web/print design, and audio production, as well as today’s guest on the Pro AV Podcast.

During his 10 years in the industry, Hickman has worn a lot of different hats, including working as the stage manager for Christian music group The Newsboys, with Matthew West and Reach Records Artists as their touring designer, theater event manager, account manager, and even security guard for concerts.

“I’ve been that guy sitting all night, guarding a door from intruders and protecting the one or two people that are going to be walking through that door,” Hickman said with a chuckle. He’s worked his way up and has since branched out to form his own company.

Working for clients like Elite Multimedia, Hickman said clients and artists are part of the creative challenge that he loves in his work.

“Being able to work with an artist who really cares about the look and feel really pushes your boundaries to say ‘OK, maybe we can do that,'” Hickman said. “My goals, after all, are to compliment their vision and provide visual strength to help deliver their message.”

On the podcast, he breaks down how to find opportunities in the unexpected of the AV industry, what the common challenge for every project is, and why focusing on the people will deliver a more quality design and installation.

For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication. A new episode of the Pro AV Show drops every Thursday.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @ProAVMKSL
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Radar
Physical Retail’s Next Infrastructure Layer: Item-Level Intelligence with Radar
June 4, 2026

Physical retail is under pressure to become as measurable and responsive as e-commerce. While retailers have spent years optimizing digital channels with real-time data, store teams have often had to make decisions with incomplete inventory visibility and delayed operational signals. That gap matters because stores still account for 80% of U.S. retail sales, making…

Read More
Healthcare in Pakistan
From Institutional Excellence to Population-Level Access: How Pakistan Can Bridge Its Healthcare Divide
June 1, 2026

Healthcare systems are under pressure almost everywhere, but the strain is especially visible in lower-resource settings where demand is rising faster than infrastructure. In Pakistan, that pressure is playing out across a system that has to serve more than 250 million people with limited public investment. Public health spending remains below 1% of GDP,…

Read More
Engineering
Scaling Experiential Learning in the Curriculum: How Iron Range Engineering Transformed Engineering Education
June 1, 2026

Engineering has transformed nearly every part of modern life, from the phones in our pockets to the systems powering global industry. But the way engineers are educated has often moved far more slowly than the profession itself. Employers are asking for graduates who can navigate ambiguity, communicate across teams, and contribute meaningfully from the…

Read More
vascular surgeon
When Geography Meets Purpose: How One Move Reshaped a Vascular Surgeon’s Career
May 28, 2026

Medicine isn’t what it used to be—not for the people practicing it. Independent physicians are becoming the exception, not the norm, as more doctors move into hospital systems, corporate groups, and academic networks. At the same time, the pipeline of specialists isn’t keeping pace with growing patient needs, particularly in complex fields like vascular…

Read More