How PRG delivers some of the world’s most iconic events from music world tours to Broadway shows
Turning creative visions into production and technical reality, PRG is the world’s leading provider of services and solutions for the entertainment and live events sectors. Working across theater, TV, film, music, corporate events, and equipment rental, PRG has brought some of the world’s most iconic events to life, including Wireless festival, Olympic ceremonies, and corporate events like COP28 and an art celebration for Cartier.
To learn more about PRG, we’re joined by Chris Conti, Chief Innovation Officer, and Anne Johnston, Vice President of Marketing. “We’re a production rental company providing lighting, audio, video, scenery, automation, and camera equipment for everything from West End and Broadway shows like Hamilton to music tours, TV shows, and entertainment events like American Idol, Eurovision contests, and the Super Bowl halftime show,” Chris opens. “We operate a diverse portfolio and we’re an amalgamation of smaller companies that have been consolidated over the years. Some of these companies have their own specialist disciplines like scenery, lighting, or audio, but we’ve combined these capabilities to provide a one-stop shop around the globe.
“Our aim is to provide technical solutions that enable our customers to execute a show. Clients often approach us with their creative ideas and it’s our job to figure out a way to effectively execute it,” he continues. “That could be buying equipment from entertainment suppliers and modifying it to meet our requirements, or in some instances, we develop our own products by leveraging our global R&D capabilities. We often adapt commercial technology or industrial automation for entertainment applications. For example, our scenic automation system, called Stage Command®, uses commercial technology to execute iconic moments like the chandelier drop in The Phantom of the Opera.”
With an average of 240 shows happening each day across the globe, Chris and Anne boast unparalleled experience and we ask the pair for some of their favorite reflections. “We’ve worked on some impressive projects over the years, including last year’s opening ceremony for the F1 Grand Prix in Las Vegas, and currently we’re working with NVIDIA to support corporate conferences around the world,” Anne shares.
Global footprint
PRG not only operates a global supply chain, but the company also requires a global footprint to set up equipment and execute shows. “Some of our customers, especially those concert touring, will be in New York today, in London tomorrow, and Dubai the next day, and we must be able to support their show requirements in each location,” Anne explains. “We’re in a time-driven, goal-oriented industry; live shows and theater performances cannot be delayed because equipment hasn’t arrived, or the installation is finished. To ensure we meet all requirements, we map out the logistics and labor management early in the project, and our equipment is packaged in a way that not only protects assets but enables rapid deployment.
“That’s where our engineering and expertise comes in,” she states. “The equipment we’re purchasing isn’t necessarily designed to be packaged into trucks or sea containers, so we need in-house expertise to ensure we can transport gear in an efficient and effective manner. Many individuals in our team have touring experience and understand the artist’s needs as well as our internal operations.”
Chris adds: “We have more than a billion dollars’ worth of assets and equipment, all of which are designed to travel around the world. We’ve standardized our packaging so that everything can fit in sea containers, the lower deck of a 747, the upper deck of a 777, and every kind of truck. Everything is designed and engineered to be disassembled and reassembled quickly, which is crucial to enabling us to move such large complex shows efficiently. We have a global team of employees to assemble equipment, but we also have a base of freelancers to draw on where and when required.
“When it comes to logistics, asset tracking is a crucial element. Every item is barcoded, and our asset management system enables us to see equipment availability and location in real time. We work with global shippers to deal with customs and any other issues that arise when executing a multinational show.”
Innovative solutions
As an equipment rental company, sustainability is embedded in PRG’s operations. “Our equipment is constantly reused and repurposed,” Chris shares. “We spend a lot of time and effort maintaining the functionality and extending the life of our equipment, but we’re also implementing standard sustainability initiatives like switching to LED source lighting and laser source projectors, and prioritizing sea shipping over air freight where possible.”
Testament to PRG’s commitment to innovation, the company created 15’ diameter l LED globes for Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour. “We were approached by the band to build round globes for them to display video content throughout their shows,” Chris shares. “We had to design and engineer them in a way that allowed rapid deployment but also fit compactly into trucks. Our solution was to make them inflatable. Like most of our innovations, this was driven by an artist’s creative desire and the need to reduce setup time and transport costs.”
Anne adds: “We also manage unusual requests, and if a solution isn’t out there, we’re challenged to invent it. A few years ago, we worked with a music artist who wanted all the lighting fixtures to be silver, for instance. These fixtures are typically black, so we had to find a solution that was able to withstand heat and would be durable for the length of the tour. As the solution didn’t exist in the market, we worked with an external partner to apply a silver film to the black fixtures and create the aesthetic they were looking for.
“Considering our experience and knowledge of the industry, we’re skilled in understanding the client’s overall goal, even if sometimes it’s very ambitious. We create ideas that can deliver the same impact and excitement but with more manageable logistics and budgets.”
From concept to reality
From speaking with Chris and Anne, it’s clear that PRG remains committed to turning creative ideas into reality, even as the entertainment sector continues to evolve. With a global footprint and innovative capabilities, PRG seamlessly blends world-class engineering, technical excellence, and a robust logistics network.
“The entertainment industry is very historic and constantly evolving; we might not be running chariots around the Colosseum anymore, but instead we’re flying performers over an audience,” Chris concludes. “Despite global economic uncertainty, people will always want to be entertained, and although streaming has changed our dynamic, live shows and events offer a different level of entertainment.”