The "They Know the Space" Sales Pitch

Sales coordinators may suggest the in-house vendor is "more comfortable because they know the space"… but just because they are in-house doesn't mean they have some exceptional wisdom on how to layout your room or execute your custom event. In fact, experienced production teams know every ballroom in every venue is nearly the same.

In-house AV companies tend to incentivize clients with discounted exclusive services like power and rigging, but the inflated costs for AV and labor typically far exceed this value. Many times, a fresh perspective, our 3D-diagramming, and experience with all types of spaces will add more to your project than the folks who generallyprefer to do the same thing every time.

Total Show Management

Consider the value of total show management companies like Cybis, as we are primary experts in everything from show graphics, to scriptwriting, to choreography. In-house AV companies may be able to dabble in these services but cannot deliver the same fully integrated experience.

When you're looking at complex productions that need multiple disciplines working together seamlessly, specialized production companies bring teams who focus on creative event production full-time.

Costs

Did you know that in-house AV companies are required to pay the hotel as much as 40-50% of their revenue? That means your price will be higher to make up the difference.

Then you need to have someone operate the equipment… in-house AV companies employ many full-time techs who get an hourly rate to do a variety of jobs every day. You may end up with an Audio Engineer, one of the most critical roles for your general session, who is overworked and underpaid.

Alternatively, a third-party AV company will bring out exceptionally qualified technicians to come in and provide 100% more value to your production. In-house AV companies have to recoup these costs of keeping a full-time crew employed all year long, while third-parties are able to offer the true experts by only spending on the day they are serving you!

In-house AV companies may be ideal for very small needs such as a microphone and laptop rental - where it may not be economical for a third-party to send a technician out - but as soon as you start adding more to the production, the in-house company starts adding much more to the overall cost.

Service

More expensive and harder to reach, the in-house manager or representative may not be in their office any time you run into a problem or have an additional request. With a third-party AV company like Cybis, you'll have the 24/7 cell phone number of the Producer. We provide 24/7 commitment to the success of your event and 24/7 availability to support you.

In-house AV companies may offer the benefit of a salesperson that you can meet and greet in person, but all too often that individual is not even available during your actual event. Your Cybis producer or account executive is happy to meet with you at any location nationwide!

Equipment Availability

In-house AV companies work with the equipment they have on-site or in their local inventory. Third-party production companies maintain extensive inventories and have supplier relationships nationwide, which can provide more options for specialized equipment needs.

If your event requires specific LED wall configurations, custom lighting packages, or specialized audio setups, third-party companies often have immediate access to a broader range of gear. We can also bring in cutting-edge technology that might not be cost-effective for a hotel to purchase for occasional use.

Creative Problem Solving

When something goes wrong during an event - and it happens - third-party production companies excel at creative problem solving. We've seen every possible scenario across hundreds of different venues and event types. That breadth of experience means we can quickly adapt when the unexpected happens.

In-house teams know their specific venue well, but third-party teams know how to solve problems that come up anywhere. We bring backup plans, alternative approaches, and the experience of having worked through similar challenges over the decades.

Consider Cybis

If you have a live event coming up, please contact us right away so we can start the conversation. I want to help deliver the absolute best production possible and help you make the right decisions for your audience, space, and budget!

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The Early Bird Gets the Best Rates (and So Much More!)

The first client to confirm an event date will receive the best rates - it's the difference between equipment potentially sitting on a shelf idle or being used for your spectacular show. But what does "early" actually mean? For the best rates and maximum flexibility, we're talking 6-12 months in advance, with some clients booking major events a full year out or more.

It's not unusual for production companies to offer many free or greatly discounted upgrades when they know the gear is available that far ahead. The further out you book, the more options we have to make your event incredible.

Planning early also yields a smoother pre-production process with less stress on the event organizer.  There are often many details to cover to ensure the most successful show.  From my experience, Cybis often starts with new clients a few months out, but after the event finishes, we all agree how much nicer it will be to start planning the next year’s production further in advance.

Why Booking Early Is a Win-Win

Production companies operate much like airlines - we'd rather fill our schedule at great rates than leave gaps that mean idle equipment and staff. This is why being flexible with dates or booking well in advance can result in significant upgrades at no additional cost to you.

Here's what happens when you book early:

Free Equipment Upgrades: In fact, so many of our contracts say things like "8 moving lights," but for early contracts, we'll bring out twice as many just because we can! I'd rather see your show be the best it can be than have our gear collect dust.

The Best Technical Crews: Early booking secures you the most experienced technical crews as well. The most skilled professionals typically get scheduled first on the calendar, and their expertise can make a remarkable difference in the quality and execution of your production.

Those Fancy Extras: Many production companies would rather make a better impression by "throwing in" another dozen cool lights, upgrading to brighter projection, or even bringing out some special stage design elements from the shop for the client who has booked early. Those fancy extras that might cost thousands? They might just appear at your event for free if you've locked in your date while the calendar is open.

When You Wait, You Pay More

When clients commit 6+ months in advance, it's easier to offer these incentives - and you and your audience win! Rates tend to be higher when equipment is already booked or scarce during peak event dates, and booking just 2-3 months out often means you've missed the window for the best deals. This pricing reality reflects the limited availability of quality gear during peak seasons.

The benefits extend beyond just equipment savings. Most clients don't realize that production companies would rather make deals happen than leave equipment sitting idle - but we need that lead time to make it work.

Our Off-Season Is Your Opportunity

Cybis has many events booked through 2026, but we've recently become very transparent about our "off-season." In particular, during the summer and fall months, we are especially aggressive about adding events to our calendar. This helps us plan ahead, invest in new equipment, and lock in the best talent long in advance.

Let's Start the Conversation!

If you have an event coming up, please contact us right away so we can start the conversation. I want to help deliver the absolute best production possible, and if the dates are wide open, you'll definitely receive the best bang for the buck!

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When I tell people I design the “vibe” of a show, I usually get a half-smile. But the vibe ain’t fluff - it’s the emotional architecture of any event. It can inspire anyone in the audience to lean in, laugh, reflect, or walk away inspired.

I was just a kid obsessed with music when I joined Cybis through DECA as a high school intern. I asked a million questions that few had time to answer, but I stayed curious. My passion turned into a DJ career that’s evolved into my current role as an audio director. Now I try to use every cue to help shape every live experience I work on.

Music Isn’t Background - It’s Blueprint

A few weeks before every show, I get a full script. They’re usually loaded with themes, timing, keynotes, transitions - everything. I comb through the details while listening to music (I’m always listening to music!), cross-referencing the show flow with my ever-growing collection of saved tracks. If you’re ever in a hotel lobby with me and I suddenly Shazam something - this is why. I’m still that kid obsessed with music.

Every event is a story; my job is to set it to a killer score. When the doors open, every track has to have intent - walk-in playlists, speaker intros, award stingers, sentimental underscoring. Music is emotion, and I try to curate it into something that jives with the director’s vision.

Sometimes I’m mixing live with a DJ console and adapting on the fly. Other times I’m off-site, prepping an “audio package” for another operator: a detailed script of music cues timed to the second. Either way, my goal is the same - make sure the audience feels exactly what the producer intends.

But why? Because when the audio’s off, the audience will feel disconnected. They might not know why, but they’ll feel it.

Building Big Moments, Backstage and Beyond

Cybis’ culture of creative collaboration has let me grow in ways I couldn’t have predicted. Over the last five years, I’ve taken on more technical director roles - things like managing diagrams, gear setup, logistics. It's project management, sure. But it’s also how I’ve learned to keep calm under pressure and solve problems before they cascade through the whole production.

One of the coolest things here is how cross-trained we are. I can lean on the lighting guy to teach me about LED walls, or step in to help troubleshoot a mic issue without stepping on toes. Everyone’s invested in making the production work. Nobody gets territorial.

We jokingly call it a “family-style” setup, but it’s the real deal. You learn by being in the room with other passionate and skilled people. That environment shaped me, and it's why I've stayed for 20 years.

From Intern to Inspiration

Of all the events I’ve worked on, the HOSA InternationalLeadership Conference is the one that sticks with me most. Thousands of future surgeons and healthcare leaders fill the room, fired up about changing the world. I walk out of those events feeling hopeful, just as much about the future of the world as about the show.

And that’s what matters to me. I grew up without a lot of inspiring voices around me. But at events like what Cybis produces, I see how a show can reach people at the exact moment they need it, especially when it’s done right.

The way I see it, events are more than flashy visuals and clever soundtracks (as cool as the glitz can be). They’re also ripples. They expand. I could be backstage queuing up the next song, but if someone in that audience leaves thinking differently, dreaming bigger, or believing in themselves for the first time. Mission complete.

The Power of Presence

So, what makes live events so effective? It’s the energy in the room. The crowd, the crew, yeah. But a single moment felt a thousand unique ways all at once? Zoom and Teams don’t have the bandwidth. A Cybis-run event does.

Audio might not be the whole show, but it amplifies what’s already there. And when everything clicks - the lighting, the pacing, the message, the music - it becomes something unforgettable. A vibe that hits. A story that sticks.

That’s why I do this work. Yup, it’s for the dope tracks. But it’s also to help build moments that matter for the people in the audience. And maybe even for the kid I used to be.

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My experience in radio, television, and live performances has given me a love for storytelling. When I joined Cybis in 2007 after meeting Jeff at a career fair, I quickly grew to appreciate how live events are a fantastic opportunity to leave a lasting impact – inspire people to do something great. At Cybis, I’ve evolved into a multifaceted production specialist—a sort of “Swiss Army knife”—responsible for everything from script writing and stage management to directing and on-site logistics.

Establishing the Vision

As I see it, the core of our approach at Cybis is a deep understanding of every client’s vision. That takes some serious dedication to relationship building. Over the years, working with recurring clients has allowed us to develop a kind of “secret language.” With just a few quick words (which likely wouldn’t make sense to anyone else) we can grasp their complete vision. It’s a phenomenal rapport that streamlines communication and frees our clients from micromanaging every detail. They get to focus on their core message.

Designing the Blueprint: Script Writing as the Heartbeat

For me, the script is a type of heartbeat that guides the entire production. It sets the rhythm for every element of the event. Think of it as a playbook that covers everything you need – not just the teleprompter. When I write, I’m always thinking of:

• Audio & Lighting: Transitions can be intensely dramatic for an audience.
• Visuals & Graphics: Slick and impactful visuals can help deliver messaging in a way the audience won’t forget.
• Movement on the Stage: Positioning and movement are a huge part of storytelling on any stage, and they can amplify any message when done right.

As a practical example, if there’s a motivational quote, I’ll plan an accompanying visual display that fits the tone the client wants and gets an even bigger emotional response from the audience. In short, I love to make every moment count.

The Swiss Army Knife Approach: Versatility in Action

“Adaptability” defines my career at Cybis, and it’s a great mini-example of what Cybis is about. Early on, I handled every task I could—from MC-ing and voiceovers to setting up and projectors to even show calling and running graphics…and so on and so on! With a background in various forms of live entertainment, I quickly learned to fill in wherever the need arose. This flexibility became my calling card, and it’s one of the best things Cybis offers:

• Lasting Relationships: Clients get a consistent team who knows them inside and out once they start working with us.
• Adaptable Team Members: We’re always ready to jump in and integrate every aspect of the production seamlessly. Nothing beats an event that runs like a well-oiled machine.

Having a set of tools at your disposal is great. But having a bunch of Swiss Army knives who can all do whatever’s needed means that Cybis’ productions are as reliable as they are impactful.

Bringing It All to Life: Stage Management & On-Site Execution

No matter how detailed the script, it all needs to comes to life on stage. We can take on the roles of conductor and coach because we’re so familiar with what our clients need, and everything focuses on audience experience. To make it the best it can be:

• We Time Cues Perfectly: Precision with lights, music, or even gestures from the people on stage. Developing ideas in the lead-up is great. Seeing them executed like a symphony is awe-inspiring.
• Presenters and Performers Shine: It’s funny how, if you treat someone like a rockstar, they often perform like a rockstar. That’s what we aim for. We bring everything they need so they can take the stage with confidence…and audiences eat it up.

Every decision we make on-site is geared toward an immersive, multisensory experience for the audience. In a way, our client’s audience is the real client! If you hit them with something impactful, it's incredible how long they remember and are shaped by it.

Inspiring Lives Through Unforgettable Events

At the end of the day, my work boils down to a simple belief: every event should inspire people. Yes, the audience, but also the people who work on it. Corporate seminars, leadership events, or entertainment-infused fundraisers - our goal is to create moments the audience carries with them. When someone leaves a Cybis event, I want them to be motivated and energized. Our production can transform a simple gathering into a story-driven, heavy-hitting experience. And I’m proud to be part of an entire team that shares the same vision.

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At Cybis, we have several key values that serve as the baseline for the way we treat our clients. Regardless of the unique circumstances we cater to for each event, we’re constantly committed to what matters to us most. I believe these matter to our clients most, too!

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1. EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

Our clients are our lifeline; we are intensely loyal to them and exceeding their expectations. Impressing and serving our clients well keeps them coming back year after year to partner with our team… A job well done is one thing, but a Cybis production that makes an impact keeps audiences talking and maintains the kind of reputation we want to have as a live event production company.

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2. YOU’LL LOVE OUR FIRST DRAFT

When our clients hire Cybis, we want to be sure they know why: we strive to be the experts. Rounds of feedback can be annoying, frustrating, and particular – and it’s difficult to imagine a final product from a work-in-progress draft. We save our clients the headache and work behind the scenes with their vision in mind to create a true “first draft”—a fully packaged piece that you’ll love at first glance.

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3. YOUR AUDIENCE IS OUR CLIENT

We put our attention where it matters most to our clients, and that is often the success of an event through the eyes of the audience. We strive for excellence in exceeding the audience’s expectations, which in turn always makes our clients the most happy.

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4. WE’LL OWN THE SHOW

We pride ourselves on our ability to manage and successfully execute every aspect of production so our clients don’t have to. Partnering with Cybis means sitting back and letting us handle the nuances. From directing the show, coaching VIP, writing and revising scripts, manipulating motion graphics, and putting together a stellar team, we know all of the best ways to ensure an exciting event!

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5. WE PROVIDE ANSWERS BEFORE YOU ASK QUESTIONS

Because we are thinking about the show in its entirety, we are able to discover challenges early and before they are even close to affecting the show. There is no need to ask about any aspect of the live shows when we are thinking of everything and have you covered.

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6. WE DELIVER SOLUTIONS YOU CAN JUST SAY “YES” TO

When it’s time to collaborate, we understand you’ve trusted us to know best. So instead of coming to you with problems, we’ve already considered them and have developed solutions. Leave the obstacles to us so you can focus elsewhere.

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7. YOU WILL STOP GOING TO OUT TO BID

Bidding is a headache of the past when partnering with Cybis. We are constantly reinventing aspects of our shows to keep things fresh. We continue to invest in the newest gear, work with exceptional talent who bring new experience and different perspectives, and work with partners with their ears to the ground on the evolving desires of our audiences.

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8. WE PARTNER FOR LIFE

Our commitment is to earn your business indefinitely. Team Cybis and I treat our clients the way I want to be treated. It’s more important to us that our clients feel taken care of, are confident about the progress of the production, and have no doubts about partnering with us in the future when their event is over. There is no use in nickel and diming or worrying about the small line item details when what we appreciate most is the lifetime value of a single client; this is evident from our average client tenure of between 10-20 years!

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We look forward to our continued growth as a company, as well as the growth and successes of our clients. The reward of successful events and satisfying productions is what gets me Your audience's experience is our top priority at Cybis. We focus on delivering excellence that delights attendees and keeps our clients satisfied.out of bed in the morning, and has for 30 years. Cheers to many more!

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As Senior Event Producer at Cybis, I've seen firsthand how comprehensive event management transforms ambitious visions into flawless productions. When clients first come to us, they're often used to juggling countless details and vendors on their own. 

I like to say "you know your show, we know production.” We take pride in handling every aspect of event production, allowing our clients to focus on their content and messaging while we bring their vision to life.

Total show management means exactly that – complete support for all needs related to a live event. From the moment we begin working with a client, we're thinking through hundreds of details they may never have considered. How does the stage design reflect the event's theme? What's the plan for every minute of setup and rehearsal time? What's displayed on screen in transition moments and where are the gaps in content? 

Understanding Your Vision

As the single point of contact for our clients, my first priority is understanding their event vision completely. What are they trying to accomplish? What do they want their audience to take away? Whether it's an educational conference, corporate meeting, or themed celebration, we start by diving deep into their goals and aspirations.

Building the Framework

From there, we begin constructing the event framework. This involves determining crucial elements like:

• Audience size and venue requirements
• Technical needs for audio, lighting, and staging
• Content delivery methods (presentations, panels, interactive sessions)
• Visual design elements and branding integration
• Schedule planning and flow management

Assembling the Perfect Team

Once we understand the scope, I begin building the ideal team. This isn't just about finding available professionals – it's about matching the right expertise to each aspect of an event. This removes the responsibility from the client and allows us to use our large network of professionals to execute the event flawlessly.

Managing the Details

The real work of total show management happens in the details. We coordinate:

• Venue logistics and layout planning
• Equipment specifications and setup schedules
• Content development and visual design
• Rehearsal scheduling and management
• Team travel and accommodation
• Security and safety protocols
• Vendor negotiations and coordination
• and so much more!

Communication Flow

Throughout the process, we maintain clear communication channels. While I handle dozens of conversations with team members, vendors, and specialists, our clients only need to focus on their core decisions. We've developed efficient systems to:

• Schedule regular check-ins based on client preference
• Provide updates on key milestones
• Address questions and concerns promptly
• Share relevant documentation and plans
• Coordinate between all parties involved

Pre-Production Excellence

The pre-production phase is crucial for event success. We focus on:

• Developing comprehensive production schedules
• Creating detailed technical plans
• Designing custom stage layouts
• Preparing backup contingencies
• Testing equipment and systems
• Coordinating rehearsal schedules

On-Site Execution

When event day arrives, our preparation shows. Every team member knows their role, understands the vision, and has the resources they need to excel. We handle:

• Setup and testing procedures
• Technical rehearsals and run-throughs
• Last-minute adjustments
• Real-time problem solving
• Schedule management
• Team coordination

What sets us apart is not just our attention to detail, but our ability to handle everything proactively. 

Need custom motion graphics? We'll create them. 

Looking for the perfect stage layout? We'll design it. 

Uncertain about technical requirements? We'll handle them. 

Even if you don’t know the questions to ask or event elements to think about, we take care of all the details, identify potential challenges, and provide solutions.

We also leverage our years of industry experience to advocate for our clients. From negotiating with vendors to recommending proven solutions, we ensure our clients benefit from our extensive network and knowledge of industry standards.

The best part? Clients can be as involved or hands-off as they prefer. Some want weekly check-ins and detailed updates; others trust us to handle everything and simply show up to a perfectly executed event. Either way, we ensure their vision remains at the heart of every decision we make.

At Cybis, we believe that exceptional events require more than just technical expertise – they need a team that thinks through every detail so our clients don't have to. That's what total show management is all about.

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At Cybis Productions we pride ourselves in strong and effective communication and collaboration.

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Through a growing suite of cloud docs, our production team ensures everyone has access to the latest thorough details, so we can efficiently pursue the same goal on-site - your show's success! For decades, our team has raved about the way Cybis organizes and advances event info to all players.

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I used to assume this was standard across the industry, but, wow, far from it! I've learned about how many projects employ team members who show up without the slightest awareness of the organization, the show, the mission, etc. For Cybis, that's just the beginning – and all designed to ensure we are collaborating with the audience experience on top of mind.

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Our team takes ownership and pride in their work as leaders of their role. They are collaborators in co-creating events for clients. For everybody to be on the same page and working towards the same goal, you've got to have all the information available.

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To make this happen, we zealously prepare these key documents:

• Production Guide – Our home base doc for VIP contacts, travel, team roster, dress code, vendors, department roles, and even personality profiles of our production leads.
• Production Schedule – Half hour-by-half hour, we provide our team info on what to expect on-site, including travel, setup, tech rehearsals, VIP rehearsals, and of course meal breaks!
• Floorplans – Every foot matters when preparing a floorplan with precise locations for staging, lighting, control center and seating.  
• Wiring Diagrams – Broken out by department, we’ve planned the lighting, video, audio, and power plans.  Less guesswork on-site means faster setups and more rehearsals!
• Packing Lists – Ensuring all our team knows what to expect to get off our truck.

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Of course this doesn’t stop with just our team, sharing real-time information with our clients is also key. 

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• VIP Guest Tracking – when we’re managing many special guests and presenters, we track status of rehearsals and receipt of PowerPoint files
• The Script – The cloud script & agenda guarantees our clients and production team are referencing the same, latest & greatest, version.  No emailing Word docs!

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In the last few months, we’ve been really intent on providing a lot of details in advance, and we’re still pressing forward to improve that and share more with all parties. 

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Our team appreciates that we’re providing the wealth of resources they need to perform at their best. They’ve called this out a lot, especially when welcoming new folks to our team, we often hear “Wow, you guys are really thorough,” and they love it.

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Another key piece to our success is that we’re always trying to improve. After every event, we gather the team to reflect on what went really well and document how we can improve. 

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We celebrate our wins, tackle challenges head-on, and brainstorm creative solutions together. Some of our best production innovations have come from these post-show conversations, and it's amazing to see how one team member's suggestion can transform into a new best practice that elevates all our future events.

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Talking about "Gathering"...

With our team working from across the globe, one of my favorite ways Cybis collaborates is our remote Virtual Headquarters in Gather. 

Our core team gets a virtual desk they customize and make their own, and anyone can pop in when they're online to get instant answers from other team members. I'm obsessed with this because it's made our communications a lot more streamlined and it's been a lot of fun to "gather" everyone in one place for our team pre- and post-event reviews!

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When our team has everything they need at their fingertips, they work stronger, faster, and more unified - delivering the exceptional shows Cybis is known for.

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When it comes to creating an unforgettable event, the right audiovisual (AV) equipment is essential. At Cybis Productions, we provide exceptional Orlando AV rental services to ensure your event runs smoothly and makes a lasting impression. Whether you’re planning a corporate gathering, awards ceremony, or live performance, our state-of-the-art AV solutions are designed to elevate every aspect of your event.

Tailored AV Equipment for Your Unique Event

Every event has unique needs, which is why we offer customized Orlando audio-visual rental solutions. From sound systems that deliver crystal-clear audio to visual displays that captivate your audience, our AV equipment can be tailored to match the size, theme, and purpose of your event. Our goal is to create a seamless experience that aligns with your vision.

Reliable Technology for a Flawless Experience

Reliability is key when it comes to AV equipment. With our AV equipment rental services, you can count on the latest, most reliable technology. We use high-quality major manufacturer equipment that ensures everything works as it should — no interruptions, no distractions — so you can focus on delivering a great event without worrying about technical issues.

Expert Technical Support Throughout the Process

Along with providing advanced AV equipment, we offer expert technical support throughout your event. Our experienced technicians handle setup, operation, and teardown, ensuring every aspect of your AV needs is covered. This means you can sit back and enjoy the event, knowing everything is in capable hands.

Comprehensive Event Production Services

At Cybis Productions, we do more than just rent AV equipment. We provide full-service event production that includes everything from script writing and set design to live event management. Our Orlando AV team is committed to making your event stress-free, from start to finish.

Let Us Handle Your AV Needs

Ready to take your event to the next level? Contact Cybis Productions for all your Orlando AV rental needs. With our comprehensive AV solutions and technical expertise, we’ll ensure your event is unforgettable and runs without a hitch.

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 Learn More About Our AV Services

When it comes to planning a successful event, high-quality audiovisual elements can make all the difference. Hiring a professional audiovisual production company in Orlando like Cybis Productions ensures that your event will run smoothly, captivate your audience, and leave a lasting impression. Let’s explore the benefits of partnering with experts in Orlando event production.

Expertise in Live Event Production

A professional Orlando live event production company brings years of experience and technical know-how to the table. From sound systems to lighting design and video production, we understand how to create a seamless, immersive experience. Our team handles everything from equipment setup to real-time adjustments during the event, so you can focus on your guests and content.

State-of-the-Art Equipment

Cutting-edge technology plays a crucial role in delivering a flawless event. By working with an experienced production company, you gain access to high-end audiovisual equipment that enhances the overall experience. Whether it's a corporate presentation or a dynamic awards show, we ensure that every detail—sound clarity, visual displays, lighting—is perfectly synchronized to captivate your audience.

Seamless Event Management

Event production involves juggling multiple elements, and any small issue can impact the entire event. With our full-scale event production services, we manage everything behind the scenes to ensure your event flows smoothly. From pre-event planning to post-show breakdown, we take care of all the logistics so you can enjoy the show without stress.

Tailored Solutions for Your Event

Every event is unique, and our team provides customized production services that align with your specific needs. Whether it's creating compelling motion graphics or coordinating a live stream, we ensure that your vision is brought to life.

Ready to Learn More?

Want to dive deeper into the world of event production? Visit our Ask the Producer page, where our CEO shares insights into the industry and answers your most pressing questions.

Ask the Producer!

Welcome to Cybis Productions, where we transform your event dreams into reality. With decades of experience and a passion for delivering show-stopping experiences, our dedicated team of experts handles every aspect of event production, from initial planning to flawless execution. Contact us today to get started!

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Expert Leadership and Coordination

The backbone of any successful event is strong leadership. This vital role involves coordinating the team, managing equipment and vendors, and serving as a point of communication.

Technical Excellence

A flawless presentation relies heavily on the technical team behind the scenes. Our technical director spearheads all technical elements, from audio placements to lighting arrangements.

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Dynamic Event Roles

• Executive Producer: Oversees the project and serves as the liaison between the client and production team.
• Technical Director: Manages all technical aspects including audio, lighting, and video.
• Video Director: Calls the cues for a synchronized show, ensuring smooth transitions.
• Assistant Director: Aids the Video Director during live performances, assisting with video switching and graphics playback.
• Center Screen Director: Controls motion graphics and text that appear on screens during the event.
• Camera Operators: Operate dynamic cameras to capture all angles of the show.
• Audio Engineer: Ensures the live sound system provides maximum fidelity.
• Audio Director: Mixes music and audio to create a cohesive sound experience.
• Lighting Director: Programs and executes lighting to enhance the stage design.
• Production Assistant: Provides support across all aspects of the event, from setup to technical needs.
• Live Announcer: Introduces award sessions and announces winners, creating excitement and engagement.
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A Commitment to Collaboration

Successful events are a result of collaboration and teamwork. Our Production Assistants play a vital role in supporting various components of the event and facilitating communication among team members and with our clients.

At Cybis Productions, we understand every event offers a unique opportunity to connect, inspire, and engage your audience. Ready to bring your vision to life? Contact us now to start the conversation and see what’s possible for your next show!

In a world where memorable experiences are the key to successful corporate events, the ability to create once-in-a-lifetime moments has become more important than ever. Cybis Productions is at the forefront of the event production industry, offering a wide range of services designed to elevate corporate events and leave a lasting impression on attendees. From cutting-edge event technology to creative design solutions and total show management expertise, we are committed to helping our clients create unforgettable event experiences.

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Explore Our Event Technology

Our commitment to staying ahead of the curve in event technology allows us to offer our clients an unparalleled experience. Whether you're looking to incorporate projection mapping, interactive audiovisual displays, or live streaming capabilities into your event, our team is equipped to bring your vision to life in a way that captivates and engages your audience long after the event ends.

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Collaborate With Our Creative Team

At Cybis Productions, we understand the power of creativity in crafting memorable events. Our team of skilled designers, producers, and creative minds are dedicated to working closely with our clients to conceptualize and execute event themes that resonate with attendees and leave a lasting impact. We leverage dynamic elements like motion graphics, which bring your message to life with visually compelling animations, and sizzle reels that build excitement and anticipation. High-energy show openers set the stage for an unforgettable experience. Whether you have a clear vision in mind or need assistance in creating one, our team is here to help you tell your story.

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Set the Stage With Our Scenic Designs

A well-designed event space sets the tone for the entire experience, and our scene and stage design services are tailored to do just that. Whether you're hosting a formal gala, a product launch, or a large-scale conference, our team will work with you to create a visually stunning environment that not only reflects your brand identity but also enhances the overall atmosphere of your event.

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Trust in Our Total Show Management

The success of any corporate event lies in the seamless orchestration of a thousand different elements, and that's where our total show management services shine. From pre-event planning and logistics to on-site coordination and post-event evaluation, our experienced team is committed to ensuring that every aspect of your event runs smoothly and flawlessly, allowing you to focus on engaging with your audience and achieving your event objectives.

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Among the many elements we manage, our scriptwriting services are designed to create engaging narratives that seamlessly incorporate multimedia elements, ensuring your message is delivered effectively. Additionally, our stage management team meticulously coordinates every aspect of the live event, from timing and cues to managing technical crews and performers, ensuring a flawless execution. These are just a few of the comprehensive services that make up our Total Show Management, all designed to deliver a memorable and impactful event.

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Cybis Productions is your trusted partner in creating unforgettable corporate events that leave a lasting impact on attendees. From state-of-the-art event technology to creative design solutions, total show management, and immersive stage designs, we have the tools and expertise to execute your event flawlessly. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you create a corporate event that your guests will remember forever!

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Our scripting approach easily outshines the old-school free-flowing Word doc with endless page numbers. Cybis scripts are notoriously organized by block name and number. A “block” is essentially one segment owned by one speaker. Numbered blocks and titles summarizing content allow our team to break the script down into bite-sized, easily identifiable pieces. Each block has its own sound, lighting look, set of graphics, choreography notes, and spoken word, to support the presenter on-stage. Blocks can be reorganized without disrupting the music or graphics cues they are associated with. This strategy makes it significantly more efficient for our production team to follow along, focus on transitions, and plan for what’s coming up next.

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A Cybis script designates columns for audio cues, lighting cues, and graphics cues; all aligned with the perfect moments in the spoken-word portion of the script. Now we can execute these cues synchronously with the presentations on the stage.

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What makes Cybis events stand out is our simultaneous execution of elements all at once to make a moment. The speaker on-stage announces a big win, music crescendos, gorgeous graphics animate on-screen, streamers blast out from the stage, lighting effects punctuate the atmosphere, and the crowd goes wild! How does all of that happen at the same time? Not luck… it is the result of a highly refined script with detailed notes in-line with every moment of the show…. executed with precision.

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We are very proud of our script format and although I’d love to call it proprietary, we know many of our clients embrace it for their other smaller presentations throughout the year. Imitation is the best form of flattery.   : )

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In addition to bringing an expert team and the latest gear, allow Cybis to introduce our innovative scripting strategy to your next show!

We and our team of event professionals rely on various established protocols from creating a comprehensive event schedule and leveraging management software in the pre-production phase to on-site rehearsals and strategic teamwork, enhancing operational efficiency, and ensuring memorable experiences for our audiences.

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Pre-Production and Advance Prep: This phase involves activities such as scripting, diagramming, equipment setup, and logistics planning. Thorough pre-production ensures that all necessary arrangements are in place, including staging, lighting, sound systems, and video displays. Attention to detail during this phase helps mitigate potential issues and guarantees a seamless event experience.

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Cybis Show Overview: This comprehensive checklist / event schedule serves as a blueprint for our success. It outlines critical milestones, tasks, and deadlines, ensuring that every aspect of the event is accounted for. After years of producing events, we have developed this document to include everything necessary for every event—from communicating with venues and clients to designing graphics and banners—so there just aren’t things we suddenly remember to do at the last minute.

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Task Management Software: By centralizing task lists, communication, deadlines, and deliverables, our team can maintain real-time visibility into project progress, ensuring that all necessary tasks are completed on time. Utilizing this kind of software allows us to streamline event planning and execution, and has enabled efficient task delegation, tracking, and collaboration among team members.

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Team Management Software: Team Cybis makes our events happen. They play a vital role in everything from gear selection and setting up, to show execution and stage teardown. Establishing clear communication channels, setting expectations, and providing comprehensive documentation are essential for getting our team on the same page.

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SOPs and Documentation: Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and documentation provide a framework for consistency and best practices in everything we do at Cybis. SOPs outline step-by-step guidelines for various event-related and company processes, including travel booking, documentation management, on-site role requirements, and post-event evaluation. Documenting workflows, checklists, and contingency plans ensures that our event teams can replicate successful strategies and continuously improve future events.

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On-Site Rehearsals: Whether it’s a corporate conference or non-profit student event, conducting thorough rehearsals allows our team and all special guests to familiarize themselves with the event flow and address any technical or logistical challenges ahead of time. Anyone who appears on a Cybis stage requires a rehearsal—regardless of whether they are a professional speaker or not!—because there are always last minute questions or hiccups about where they should walk on stage or how a presenter should hook up their computer. Getting this advance time and communication with on-stage talent allows us to minimize “doing it live!”

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The results of our careful planning, thorough rehearsals, meticulous pre-production, efficient task management, and adherence to SOPs and documentation has helped our team maximize our potential for creating remarkable event experiences. Cybis continues to exceed attendee expectations and secure clients who trust us year after year. Not only are we professionals in the event space, but our decades of experience have lead us to develop these systems in order to execute stellar events every time!

Event Schedule
When evaluating event spaces, factor in time to prepare on-site for a successful event. In particular, ensure there is sufficient time reserved for setup. Many events will require at least 1 advance day, dedicated to building the stage and setting up all gear in the room. In addition, consider time for all of your presenter and entertainment rehearsals. The most successful live productions allow exclusive rehearsal time for everybody who will go on stage.

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In-House AV
Some venues require use of their in-house AV company or in-house vendors for certain services. These expenses can make or break your event budget! Some companies charge thousands—even 10s of thousands—for gear another production company may be able to provide at another venue for a better price. Venues charge very different rates for power, internet, and especially rigging, so be sure to check those details before signing a contract. For best results, engage your production company in advance of signing the contract for the venue space to ensure these costs are evaluated. Many venues will discount their exclusive services, but your negotiation power ends the moment you contract the space!

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Event Specifications
When thinking about the technical success of your event, consider ceiling height, columns, acoustics (e.g. carpet, metal ceiling), and space for seating AND stage/rear projection, VIP holding areas, and your AV control center(s). Most venues present maximum capacities without any consideration for stage risers and production. Are you planning on rigging a lot of hardware for your stage design? Inquire about the availability of rigging for the space you’re considering.

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Audience Experience
Consider the elements of your event and the type of experience you’re looking for. If you’re planning for networking during your event, be sure the venue you’re choosing has an area with wide open space for people to gather. If you’re planning to have a lot of attendees in a ballroom or exhibit hall, consider the room capacity and shape you’ll need to accommodate. And be creative! Hotels, convention centers, stadiums, and arenas all offer different types of experiences, but why not host your next dinner gala in an airport hangar?

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All of the above should put you a step ahead in your search for an event space. My biggest piece of advice: partner with a company with expertise in the industry, like Cybis. Our clients benefit from our knowledge of events from inception to completion. We are here for you if you need consultation in your event planning process, will answer any questions during pre-production, and will support you on-site through a successful event production. Orlando chooses Cybis and so should you!

…we continue to make major investments in the latest audio/visual equipment. And we provide the maximum benefit to our clients by serving as PRODUCER and AV RENTAL company.

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Earlier this month, we sent two truckloads full of Cybis gear to Visit Orlando’s Year-End Celebration. And I strongly believe this AV gear was simply our large toolbag handled by our experienced professional show operators.

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If you’re choosing a production company simply by their toolbag, it’s time to rethink!

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Okay I confess, like even the largest global event companies, Cybis does occasionally cross-rent some gear. Sometimes this is influenced by georgraphy, peak event season, or trade agreements with other AV suppliers. And again, what matters is most is who is at the helm!

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Compared to a regular AV rental company, Cybis is proud to be a show production company that owns gear. We’re committed to our clients’ needs and the success of their event, and we have the equipment that allows us to execute it in the best way possible. Because we care about putting on a great show, we focus on owning the high-quality equipment to facilitate doing so. Our team wants the best gear to work with and our clients want the best gear to support their production.

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In fact, in 2022, we have invested more into our expanding inventory than any previous year in Cybis’ history!

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And for our colleagues in the industry… Yes, Cybis offers dry-rentals in Orlando! Let’s partner!

Since founding Cybis in 1995, I’ve had the privilege of seeing it completely change shape over the years. Going from a team of college friends hanging in my living room, to an office of full-timers, to now 100% freelancers around the world, I’ve found a successful business model that works in the industry we serve. Working with all freelancers isn’t always easy, but our superior team of professionals is committed to excellence. Everyone on Team Cybis shows up to our events ready to create a stellar experience for our audiences. This commitment is a huge indicator of success for me along with their attitudes on-site and what their experience is during the show. Putting on a great show that the audience loves and the team feels proud to create is what I ultimately believe is a successful production.

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In addition to this, our CLIENTS are what determine our success. We strive to provide superior service in all aspects of production—whether it’s before, during, or after an event. Earning trust and leveraging client relationships is one of the most important things I spend my days doing. Making sure clients feel confident in our work, trust us to work with them to achieve their goals, and are thrilled by the end result is what success looks like to me. If a client doesn’t come up to me after an event beaming about how we exceeded their expectations, then I know our team must do better. That’s my standard.

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Success also comes in the form of stability and growth for the company, and the opportunities that are open to us looking forward. When we are scaling the number of clients we serve, the amount of equipment we own in order to serve them BETTER, and are challenging ourselves to take risks and do new things for our events, THAT is another measure of success for me.

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It is my goal to see Cybis grow as a company, flourish as a team, and excel as a partner to our clients. Clients come back year after year because they have found success in US.

The name CYBIS originated from an exquisite ballroom in Ft. Lauderdale in the 70’s, called “The Cybis Room.” People visited The Cybis Room, with its multi-million dollar display of art and antiques, from all over the world. So do you think it’s a coincidence that, today, Team CYBIS spends so much time producing exquisite shows in ballrooms?

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I added “COMMUNICATIONS” as a broad grasp at what I enjoyed – inspiring people through design/technology.

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But this is a new day, we have evolved, and it’s time to better communicate what CYBIS really does. And let’s face it, I’m tired of folks thinking we sell phone services. We’re dropping “Communications” and need your help! Shall we become Cybis Productions, Cybis Live Events, Cybis Audio/Visual, or Cybis ________?
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Please help us with this 1-MINUTE SURVEY.

Thank you!

Master the art of event planning by starting early and setting high standards. Discover tips to minimize stress and create a successful, enjoyable event for all.If you’re like me, you’ve indulged in “ event stress” once… maybe you craved the rush! Putting out fires, being personally vital to an event’s success, and then celebrating when it was over… and knowing it could not have happened without you! Then, fast forward to your 3rd or 30th event and you realize there has to be a better way!

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If your next event is in 6 months, the best solution is to start now! By overpreparing and beginning the process early, you’ll find ways that you can enjoy the event along with your attendees. I can mostly attest to the live general session productions, but believe the same practices apply to all aspects of an event/conference. And the best part is that when you overly prepare, early; you’ll also be reducing stress for your support staff and, ahem, your AV production company! The result: everyone will be excited about your next event and you’ll benefit from an experienced team.

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Here are some quick tips and reminders. With events coming back strong, I share them humbly as reminders to myself, too! 🙂

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1. Create a timeline for major milestones. Break down the important tasks into and spread them out over days or weeks, especially the ones that seem to cause the biggest headaches right before or during an event. Place your deadlines on your personal calendar (google calendar is my preference!)
2. Set high expectations and be ready to roll. At Cybis, we shoot for the stars, to exceed our clients’ expectations in every aspect of the event. Then, when something doesn’t work out exactly as envisioned, our team is the only one who knows and I can relax. When the bar is set high, the client / audience will still be ecstatic!
3. Bring in the man/womanpower! If you don’t have sufficient staff, it’s time to recruit some friends and family to assist you on-site. PRO TIP: If you still need extra bodies, consider local labor or friendly event companies who can provide experienced support staff for nominal costs. Even Craigslist can help you bring on some very talented people who are just looking for new opportunities.
4. Plan one solid day to yourself right before your event. Enjoy this moment to clear your mind. PRO TIP: Even if that goal was too lofty, if you plan this way, you’ll appreciate this “bonus day” to tie up any loose ends and still walk into the conference recharged and ready to rock!
5. Reward yourself and your team. Plan at least one day off, to completely disconnect, after your event. Everyone will be more relaxed on-site knowing a well-deserved break is around the corner.
6. Thank your team. You’ll want them back next time and a handwritten note or token gift card goes a long way to show appreciation. PRO TIP: Write these weeks in advance because you’re going to want your time off afterwards!
7. ENGAGE AN EXPERIENCED AND TRUSTED PRODUCTION TEAM. Cybis’ clients appreciate that the show will go on! We own our world of general sessions and strive to minimize your stress at all stages of pre-production and on-site. We know you have a million other things to handle and are proud to help you NOT worry about your shows! : )

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It’s so fun to produce and host events! And I’m so excited we get to be together again. By working with intention in the months leading up to each event, Cybis is poised to bring peace of mind to your live event productions. Please contact us today for your 2022 events!

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Cheers to stress-free events

While it’s not our normal market, the live event industry has largely gone virtual and caused many companies to adapt and follow suit. Our team has banded together for an approach to virtual live events that we are very proud of.

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There are many options for virtual events – what is right for you and your organization should depend on your budget and the type of experience you want to offer your audience.

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Pre-recorded, live-streamed events:
First, we provide technical specifications, host Zoom practice sessions, and conduct “rehearsals” with talent and speakers. Then, Cybis will receive videos, announcements, and elements submitted by leaders of your organization and edit them together to create a virtual session experience. We add motion graphics and engaging music soundtracks under presenters and in-between segments to keep the energy alive. Once the session is fully edited to your satisfaction, we can set up the recording to stream live on the date and time of your choice!

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Click here to read about the full process!

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Pre-recorded, pre-produced, live-streamed events:
We will travel to a venue of your choice, or help in your search for one, and build a completely custom set to shoot your event. Our team of video directors, lighting technicians, audio engineers, and production assistants will create an entirely pre-produced event for you, pre-recorded and edited to perfection. Then we will stream the event live on the date and time of your choice!

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Live, produced virtual events:
Our team will provide our full package of production elements as described above; with optional stage management, script development, and a full suite of custom motion graphics. After a hearty amount of rehearsals, our team will execute an exciting, truly live broadcast to your online audience!

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While we can’t wait to get back to doing live events with audiences in the hundreds to the tens of thousands, we are excited to serve our virtual clients in the coming months for these special times. If you are looking to make your live event virtual, please contact me right away so we can start the conversation. I want to help deliver the absolute best production possible and help you make the right decisions for your audience and organization!

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Having the best sound system for your event is essential to captivate and engage the audience. Everyone in a large room should feel connected whether they are in the front row or the nosebleed seats. With the proper audio equipment, arrangement, and an ace Audio Engineer, you can reach every person with high fidelity.

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This year, Cybis is proud to debut the newest addition to our inventory – RCF line array speakers. These powerful, yet compact, speakers are designed for the greatest voice clarity and aural experience for 100 to 10,000 people.

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Our scalable audio package provides crystal clear, high-quality sound so your presenters can be heard from every inch of the room. Our gear is also exceptional for music because it’s driven by our 32-channel Yamaha digital mixer, which handles all audio processing and routing. It provides superior sound that we can direct to our various RCF Line Array Speakers and Subwoofer options. These speakers can be hung from the ceiling when rigging is available or stacked upon one another on the floor or stage risers. Our line arrays are designed with built-in amplifiers, so we don’t have to worry about extra bulky power equipment that takes up unnecessary floor space and expensive setup time.

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With these features, our audio equipment can be completely catered to the needs of your event – they are compact, convenient and completely versatile. And don’t forget the A1 (Audio Engineer) – the right man (or woman) behind the audio console is the final key ingredient to ensuring the system is properly EQ’d, delay signals are properly timed, and feedback is effectively eliminated.

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Since we’ve rolled out our new audio system, we’ve heard from so many of our clients and attendees. They are complimenting the superior sound we have brought to their events. This is exciting news as our commitment to audio represents Cybis’ largest technology investment in the company’s history! Give us a call today to learn about all of our audio options. We want to deliver the absolute best production possible. Cybis promises to give you sound advice to make your events sound great!

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As we declare on www.ThinkBack.com: “A ThinkBack^TM video is an exceptional way to commemorate a past event or promote a future one. We’ll send an experienced Cybis videographer out to capture your inspiring general sessions, powerful award ceremonies, engaging meetings, captivating shows, and grand presentations.” By capturing unique moments along with the raw, authentic emotions of the occasion, you will continue to experience the thrill of your event every time you take a look back.

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We have produced ThinkBack^TM videos for everything from White House summits, countless student leadership conferences, corporate events, fashion shows, non-profit organizations, MAC, and even the Playboy Mansion. Videos are typically 1-5 minutes long. Sometimes they are just music and footage… Sometimes they contain sound bites from presentations, speeches, and/or excited attendees. Our team can run totally autonomously based on your brief objectives of the video; or you can direct us into specific activities or interviewing specific individuals. And we are especially proud of our synchronization licenses to pair clients’ ThinkBack^TM videos with popular, mainstream radio music; usually an extraordinarily difficult feat.

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While the main purpose tends to be to present the ThinkBack^TM video on-site at the closing session to current attendees, there is a huge recurring value in using the same video to market the next event months later to future attendees. Not only are you able to re-live it, but you are also able to share your inspiring experience with the world, which helps extend your reach to an audience beyond your event.

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Are you ready to see what ThinkBack^TM can do for your event? All of this is possible when you plan in advance! Contact us right away so we can start the conversation. We want to help deliver the absolute best production possible and help you make the right decisions from start to finish. Visit thinkback.com to live and re-live the experience!

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Maybe your event needs a boost – a little caffeine pick-me-up – in order to best communicate your message, inspire guests, or celebrate success. It’s time to deliver a show that is swelling with energy, tightly choreographed, features a handcrafted soundtrack, and portrays how serious you are about the outcome.

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I will share a few secrets that I hope you can employ at your next live event:

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Least Common Denominator – This is a factor I’ve promoted since our very first BIG show in 2002. Imagine the person who has the least interest and reason to be in attendance. Maybe ze is the most cynical or the most unlikely person to impress. I focus my efforts on impressing this person through the spoken word and immersive production experience. If you can reach this person, you may find that you have reached the other hundreds or thousands in attendance.

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Timing is Everything – Everybody’s lives are jam-packed and there are few things worse than feeling like your time is being wasted. Absolutely, in speech, insert the pregnant pause or the dramatic question to the audience to further your message. Otherwise, keep the show moving! Do’s and Don’ts: Do start your event on time. Don’t allow it to go longer than it needs. Do have presenters queued and waiting for their intro. Don’t ever leave an empty stage. Do monitor the time during the show (I take on this job during Cybis shows) and do adjust the program; shorten parts; etc. if you’re at risk of going long. Do end earlier than published times; never later. And Do have the production team with their fingers on the trigger for every song, lighting cue, and graphic roll, because that synchronization is felt/embraced by the audience; 1 second late is late.

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Rehearse – I would like to make this the first, second, and third item on the list because live one-off events are seldom effectively rehearsed; and it makes the difference between silver and gold. First, ensure your organization has the appropriate dedicated stage director or at least a presenter-liaison to host special guests. Insist that every presenter attend a rehearsal prior to the doors opening. And my rule of thumb – rehearse, in real-time, every single action/cue/transition that will happen during the show. A fumbled music/lights/video sequence takes away from so many of the efforts that go into planning for your big event. Whether you’re an event manager, producer or show director, I commend anyone who says “that was close to perfect, but let’s do it 2 more times to be sure we’ve all got it!”

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Crave the Special Moments – We acknowledge that many shows contain long biographical spiels, acceptance speeches, and historical testimonies. But don’t let that bring you down. Look for every appropriate instance in the program to crescendo the music, utilize special effect lighting, and provide motion graphics on screens that parallel what your guests are used to seeing on prime time television. When we identify and execute a dozen of these extra special moments in a program, I’m happy and I think the audience is satisfied, too! The energy and action in your show should peak and valley. Be conscious of the order of presentations in your agenda in order to best keep the audience on the edge of their seat and wanting more.

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Lights, Camera, Soundtrack – I’d be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to just mention the power of programmable moving light fixtures, well-choreographed camera movements, and delivering the right music for the mood. These are not all easy to convey in one article so I’ll focus on soundtrack. My best advice is to stay trendy. We frequently mix instrumental beds of the newest popular songs in order to capture a special part of our audience’s senses. Staying current with music and crafting an aural soundtrack for your live event helps to promote the relevance and timeliness of your message.

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The key to all of this is planning. Recognize the beginning of a show as an opportunity to start getting the audience excited even if no one is on stage. Know who is speaking, when they will be speaking, and what they are speaking about. Ask about important points that might be enhanced with audio, lighting, or camera shots. Know where the person will be presenting and plan to have cameras/lights focused on those points. Consider having multiple cameras for different angles and cutaway shots. Make sure anyone on stage knows where to enter and exit; professional choreography will highlight excellent preparation!

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Creativity in audience engagement is an art form that takes practice, but the right team with the right equipment and leadership will be able to execute a captivating experience. If you have a live event coming up, and you’d like to enlist Team Cybis to help keep YOUR audience engaged, please contact me right away so we can start the conversation. I want to help deliver the absolute best production possible and help you make the right decisions for your audience, space, and budget!

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It’s one thing to experience an amazing live event in the audience; but being part of the production, working back stage, planning/coordinating, and building the set from the ground up gives you an entirely different appreciation of what live event production is all about. And if having fun while earning good money sounds intriguing to you, first find out in which part of the event you’d like to be involved.

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If you’re a student, there are often opportunities in campus production teams to figure out if you thrive in pre-production, the live event itself, or post-production. When I was in college (go Knights!), I heard about their “Video Productions Committee” and stopped in to a meeting. I was soon invited to check out a hypnotist show where the students would be running camera, switching videos, etc. I lucked out when one of the camera operators didn’t show up and I was thrust into the seat. It was so exciting and swiftly intensified my passion for live events! If there aren’t student-led committees on your campus, find out which companies service your school’s productions — and read on!

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Outside of school, there are many A/V and event companies in every major city that will offer internships and on-site experience opportunities. These companies are usually just a phone call away (like Cybis!) and will likely welcome you to “stop by” an event to see how things work. Your best next move: roll up your sleeves and offer to push cases, lug around cables, fetch coffee, test microphones, etc. Earning rapport with the team and demonstrating your value in a volunteer-position will almost definitely earn yourself an invitation back. If you’re willing to do some of the grunt work and most importantly USE these opportunities to observe the departments that interest you most and ask lots of questions, you’ll find yourself better suited than any outsiders when that company is looking to expand. If you’re worried about getting the company’s attention in the first place, try posting on their social media site! Be sure to provide a link to your online resume so folks can see your background and interests. Also be persistent — if you try hard to get noticed, then at least as far as I’m concerned, you’re more likely to try hard to be great!

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Another strategy? Put yourself out there on production crew websites (like productionhub.com). Again, if you’re happy to intern or volunteer to work for free while getting your feet wet, the opportunities will be endless. (Side story: when I first started Cybis 25 years ago, I earned my first clients by offering computer help for FREE… after a while, I was eventually able to start charging. Side-side story: it’s also the basis for my favorite quote on the bottom of www.thinkcybis.com!) Be patient though — the companies you’re supporting know that in this industry, you only get ONE chance to get it right. “You’re only as good as your last performance.” Expect it to take time to fairly demonstrate you are determined, diligent, and 100% dependable.

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The live event world is a super-fun industry to work alongside fun people, travel, and be a part of something that people experience with all of their senses!

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At Cybis, we pride ourselves in being able to provide our clients world-class service, and that ability comes from having an exceptional team. If you’re interested, we are always looking for new talented people to add to our roster. Getting in touch with us is easy — click “Impress Us” on www.thinkcybis.com; that’s always up-to-date with the roles we seek, and which ones are “hot”! If you love your work, and it’s shows – contact us!

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Cybis supports its clients in all aspects of event production. We are your single point of contact in the planning phase when it comes to coordinating with venues, understanding your needs, finding and supplying the equipment, and communicating with vendors and specialists about your project.

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We are there for you in the core of the production: setting up the room, providing the tech, providing the labor, running the show, and providing the MAGIC. In fact, we hear the same thing repeated from every new client, “this is the first time I was just able to enjoy the show, network with attendees, not stress, and have total confidence in the presentations.” It’s one of the top reasons Cybis retains clients indefinitely; customers can never imagine going back to the old way of stressing out!!! This is what makes Cybis “Total Show Management” stand out from our friendly competition — you have questions; CYBIS provides solutions!

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In the post-production phase, Cybis succeeds in providing video recaps of the event, custom USB archives with footage of the show, and taking care of any remaining items related to achieving your vision for the project.

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Our team is committed to providing full-service support; we don’t have any salespeople, period. When you work with Team Cybis, you’re working directly with the Producer and our core team with our 24/7 cell phones. We are all fully engrossed in the project from start to finish!

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If you have a live event coming up, please contact us right away so we can start the conversation. I want to help deliver the absolute best production possible and you’ll be surprised how fun and easy it can be after the first call! So don’t quit your day job; call me!

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The first client to confirm an event date will receive the best rates; it’s the difference between equipment potentially sitting on a shelf idle or being used for your spectacular show. It’s not unusual for production companies to offer many free or greatly discounted upgrades when they know the gear is available. In fact, so many of our contracts say things like “8 moving lights” but for early contracts, we’ll bring out twice as many just because we can! I’d rather see your show be the best it can be than have our gear collect dust. Many production companies would rather make a better impression by “throwing in” another dozen cool lights, upgrading to brighter projection, or even bringing out some special stage design elements from the shop for the client who has booked early. When clients commit in advance, it’s easier to offer these incentives – and you and your audience win!! Rates tend to be hire when equipment is already booked or scarce during event dates.

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Cybis has many events booked through 2024 but we’ve recently become very transparent about our “off-season.” In particular, between July 2019 and January 2020, we are especially aggressive about adding events to our calendar. This helps us plan ahead, invest in new equipment, and lock in the best talent long in advance.

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If you have an event coming up, please contact us right away so we can start the conversation. I want to help deliver the absolute best production possible and if the dates are wide open, you’ll definitely receive the best bang for the buck!!

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Originally Published in Orlando Business Journal

By Jake Lamb

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Cybis Communications debuted in 1995 with founder and CEO Jeff Douglass, 34, roller-skating around his neighborhood passing out fliers for his computer repair and training business.

The business slowly transitioned over time, moving from a computer training business to a show production company. Douglass went all in on the event production side in 2002 when he got the opportunity to produce the Florida Future Business Leaders of America conference, the very same show that piqued his interest in show production just six years earlier.

For years, he was Cybis' only employee, but now the business has nine full-time and 30-plus part-time workers.

Here's what Douglass had to say:

What is the most prestigious show Cybis has produced? 

We did nine events for the White House from 2006-2008. My favorite was the White House Summit on International Development a few years back.

‍Who were the summit events for?

Helping America's Youth, which was five events hosted by First Lady Laura Bush in various cities; Preserve America Summit in New Orleans hosted by First Lady Laura Bush; White House Summit on Malaria hosted by President George W. Bush; and White House Summit on International Development hosted by President Bush.

Did you ever get to meet the president?

I met First Lady Laura Bush on a couple of occasions. It's not like we sat down and chatted, but it was an honor to shake hands. I even got to visit the White House where a Cybis-produced presentation was shown to the president and First Lady. It was an incredible honor to sit 50 feet from the president in the White House while one of our video presentations was shown.

How did you get the White House Summit jobs? 

Cybis submitted a proposal to Tri Leadership Resources LLC, who served as the general contractor. Cybis delivered all the creative media and event productions, and in Leadership Resources offered the event strategy and logistics management. Having worked with Tri Leadership for years prior to the White House events, we already had demonstrated our design, show production, technical, attention to detail and overall service level. As Tri Leadership was pursuing the projects with the White House, we were a natural extension of their services. And to quote someone, "I find that the harder I work, the more luck I have." It's not just about knowing people. When you have demonstrated to others that you are passionate, committed and will do whatever it takes, they want to be part of your success.

What had to be negotiated? 

Price is always a critical factor. Cybis provides exceptional value and we were clear in our commitment to deliver more than the bare minimum. It's not always about the money - serving a high-profile client like the White House lends credibility to our company, and we were particularly eager to pull out all the stops.

How long did it take to come up with the plan for creative media and event productions? 

Time was surely not a luxury. We usually were engaged one to three months prior to a major event, which lent itself to a matter of clays to put together a plan. Because the projects were so high-level, decision-making wasn't usually instantaneous and it was necessary for us to move forward with some elements "in good faith." For example, we might proceed with designing full-print pieces and videos while we awaited final logo approval.

What did that entail? 

Coming up with a plan for a White House event is not wholly unlike a plan for any other event. Our previous audiences were mostly high school students, but we had established a presidential-worthy standard in that market. Supporting a White House event seems more important on one hand because it's the president or First Lady, but we strive to treat all of our clients like they're the president.

What is your most interesting story about producing a show for the White House? 

It was interesting being kicked out of the room you're about to do a show in, just 10 minutes before the show is set to start. Also, to find out that the hour prior to show time, we couldn't be in the show room because they had to do canine sweeps. It happened a few times at a few of the summit events. It was a great sense of a lack of control. I'm used to being with my team, getting psyched up, going through graphics one last time, going through cue sheets and scripts - and to be kicked out of there was a really weird experience.

How do you prepare for that? 

It was something we got used to. We knew we had to just go back in, and really in about 30 seconds before everyone else is welcomed, because the schedules are tight; we go in, start the music and we're in show mode. You learn to roll with it. It's the most fun part of the industry.

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• CLOSER LOOK

CYBIS COMMUNICATIONS

Description: Creative communications company that handles everything from show production to company branding

Top executive: Jeff Douglass, CEO and owner

Founded:1995

2013 revenue: $1.8 million

Contact: (407) 365-6963; www.thinkcybis.com,

Twitter: @ThinkCybis

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Published in Central Florida Future.

Jake Lamb
Contributing Writer

Cybis owner encourages business leaders.

UCF alumnus Jeff Douglass began Cybis Communications, a computer training and repair business, 18 years ago.

Douglass has developed Cybis into a full-blown communications company, encouraging rising entrepreneurs to take risks.

"Cybis was originally me, myself and I doing computer training and repairs. This was 18 years ago," Douglass said, "I was going to people's houses and getting them onto the Internet, installing memory upgrades and that was the beginning of Cybis."

Douglass was inspired by a stage show production he attended in high school while he was a member of the Florida Future Business Leaders of America.

The show's design, audio and visuals overwhelmed Douglass with motivation and energy. He left saying that is what he wanted to do.

“I started doing a little bit of graphic design, a little bit of video editing... Instead of going to the movies, I'd spend money on getting computer upgrades and Adobe Premiere," Douglass said.

The decision for Douglass to make this company his life path was difficult, but Douglass knew it was something he wanted to do.

"I wanted to be able to work every day doing something I loved," Douglass said. "If you don't like it, you're not going to be able to commit to it; you're not going to end up wanting to follow through with it. To go into business, you've just got to be passionate about it."

UCF alumnus Clayton Carter has been with Douglass and Cybis for 13 years.

"It's really been kind of a roller coaster. We started off, just he and I, in an apartment," Carter said. "I worked at a desk right next to his washer and dryer in his apartment. It was just he and I doing business cards, brochures and websites.

'"Somehow, flash forward 13 years and we're here downtown with a staff of designers, work stations, studio space and warehouse space. lb go from just the apartment to this is really surreal in a way."

In 2002, Cybis finally signed its first contract to put on a large production for FBLA —the same production that motivated Douglass 18 years prior to pursue this business.

"That was our first real live show," Douglass said. "We managed and did everything from the audio, lighting, projection, cameras to script writing, stage choreography, show opener video and the graphics for the awards ceremony."

Jody Jones, the Florida FBLA state adviser, said when FL-FBLA first contracted with Cybis, they had been using two different groups for some time.

"When [Douglass] came to us and wanted to propose a contract, there was a lot of hesitation at first because they were young," Jones said. "We all decided at that point that he was a product of FBLA, and if FBLA was not going to buy into their product, who would?"

The FL-FBLA gave them a shot and were extremely pleased.

The FL-FBLA felt that Cybis did as well as the companies they had been using, and those companies had been operating for many years.

"Since then they have blown us away," Jones said. "They were good then, they are phenomenal now,"

Jones said Cybis has always been a true partner with FLFBLA and there has never once been a moment that they did not feel it was all about FL-FBLA.

"They have also made us feel like we were the priority and that what we wanted and needed is what they needed to do to make the event successful," Jones said. "Their technology is state of the art but their customer service is just phenomenal."

"I wanted to be able to work every day doing something I loved..." JEFF DOUGLASS
Cybis Communications

Stepping into a field that was already dominated by companies with years of experience takes doing something unique that your competition can't do or can't do as well.

"It's really important early on to establish what it is that's going to set you apart," Carter said. "You've really got to narrow down something that nobody else has, but you're going to offer and make that the difference that brings people to your door."

One of the things that Cybis did to separate itself from other production companies is writing its scripts for the shows, in a very unique way.

"We're writing the scripts months in advance. We really want to get a buy in from the [clients] speaking on stage," Douglass said. "For all of our events, if we're writing scripts, we want to understand who's speaking, what are their beliefs, what are their thoughts and then we kind of transform that into something that's going to sound really good on stage.

"But it's their input rather than, 'Here's a script you have to go up there and read it.' We want people to read a script because they can say it with conviction because it's essentially their ideas."

Cybis' hard work paid off during 2008 when the company landed an opportunity that would put it on the map.

"We are super proud of our nine events that we did with the White House. We did two with the president [Bush] and seven with the first lady [Laura Bush]. That brought credibility to our company, as to what we could do," Douglass said.

Cybis' initial partnership with another company called TeamTri was successful and landed them multiple opportunities with producing events at the White House.

"[The White House] did one event, and we worked with a company called 'Fri Leadership Resources at the time," Douglass said. "They handled the conference logistics; we brought just a different level of creativity, experience — we wanted to create just a different experience.

"The event was so successful that [the White House] ended up hosting five more across the country although we can't say we take all the credit for that." 

When it comes to Douglass' opinion on how to successfully start a business the way he did, his advice is straightforward. 

"Plan to roll up your sleeves, get in there and just commit to it," Douglass said. "It's a huge risk because a lot of people want to get a job, and that's fantastic, but if you have a want or a desire to start your own business or pursue an entrepreneurial path you've got to be able to take the risk and go all in.

"You don't want a safety net. Remove the safety net, that's the only way you're going to walk across the tight rope."

Carter's advice on entrepreneurship is simple: "Hire people who are better than you. Surround yourself with people that do what you want to do, better than you."

Originally Published by Orlando Sentinel

By Adrian G. Uribarri
Sentinel Staff Writer

Ten years ago, a teenaged Jeff Douglass stepped into his first conference for Florida’s Future Business Leaders of America. Amid 3,000 people, giant video screens and blaring loudspeakers at an Orlando-area hotel, he said to himself, “I would love to do this show.”

Douglass got that chance, starting a business that would produce Florida’s FBLA conference three consecutive years.

This weekend, Douglass’ Cybis Communications Corp. takes a step up, producing the group’s annual National Leadership Conference at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotels. Following Friday’s opening ceremony

Continue reading at the Orlando Sentinel

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A Conversation with the Founder of Cybis - A Live Event Production Company

Jeff: I'm always trying to explain to people, what does Cybis do? I try to explain it to friends and family all the time. What do we do? And I say a lot of words—light, sound, cameras. And they don't really get it. They kind of think maybe we're doing a pep rally or something. And then they watch the show, and better if they come out in person to see the show, and they are blown away. This is an experience. You feel the energy in the room, and you can feel the energy from everybody who's there participating in the audience. It's night and day, and you really have to see it and experience it in person to understand it.

I've explained for years to certain people, including my own daughter, trying to explain what I do. And then it was exciting to bring her to her first Cybis production show. And then she's like, wow, that was cool.

Anastasia: Does she want to also go into productions after that?

Jeff: No, she's young, but I'm hoping she's getting more interest. And now she's looking for, how can I make some money? What can I do to work with Cybis? So I'm thinking, well, let's start with some graphic design. Get in. And she's been on site wrapping cables, and she's been helpful before. We'll see.

Anastasia: You got started pretty young, too. 30 years ago.

Jeff: It's 2025 now. So in 1995, I attended my first Future Business Leaders of America conference in Florida, and I was blown away. I love telling this story because it's exactly how Cybis really got started in the whole industry, and it's how we started with the education groups. I attended this conference with about 2,500 people. And I'll never forget walking in the room and feeling that energy. I didn't know what to expect, and I was so excited.

I will never forget standing probably toward the back of the room. I was new. I was a freshman in high school, and I thought to myself, I want to produce this. And it still gives me chills right now to know that it was seven years later that I produced that exact same show. And we've been producing that show for 23 years for Florida FBLA.

But I'll never forget standing in the room experiencing this as just a freshman in high school and thinking, I want to produce this. I am overwhelmed. And the coolest thing was, I saw how much this was inspiring other students, other people. It wasn't just strictly entertainment. It wasn't just a pep rally in your college or your high school auditorium or gymnasium. This was an experience with a purpose to inspire people. And it really worked. And I was so captured by the energy and the same thing that we deliver now is what I was inspired by before.

Now, I like to say we deliver on a much higher level than what I saw 30 years ago. But what I was inspired by before, it got me interested in the industry. And Cybis was sort of born that year. I was still learning how to edit videos and Photoshop and dabbling in After Effects. So we were nowhere near actually producing that quality, that type of show back in 1995, but it was the very beginning of Cybis.

Anastasia: That's pretty amazing that you've held on to that passion and that spark throughout all of these years and you still want to create even a better show the following year.

Jeff: Every year's gotta be better. And the cool thing that I really sleep well at night knowing is that we're not just putting gear out in a ballroom. Cybis does the full show production—we're developing scripts and we're coaching the leaders on stage and we're crafting soundtracks and creating inspirational videos. We are fulfilling a mission to inspire people, whether that's their school success or their career success, whatever it is that they're pursuing. We're inspiring them to achieve at a higher level. And to do that through the power of creative media and live event productions is super fulfilling for me. It's just awesome. Can't beat it.

Anastasia: What makes a live production like that different than even what you said, a pep rally or just someone going onto stage without all of the other production aspects?

Jeff: It's the feeling that when you walk in the room, you're part of something big. Something that's highly organized, high quality, the same you'd see on TV. And you realize that you're part of something big that makes you want to be on stage, you want to win an award because you want to be a part of this and you want to go back the next year. It's just such a different level than most people get to experience.

You experience that in person. You can feel it. You can feel the bass, you can see the lights, and you can hear a message. And you put that all together with people that you appreciate and respect—you have that shared experience as well. I think that's a big part of it that takes you somewhere that you want to be a part of it again. You want to experience that again and again. You want to reach higher in your own professional goals.

I can't tell you why exactly it works that way. I just know it does. It works for me and I know it does because that's the feedback we get. That's why we were brought out to do what we do for our organizations and companies that we serve. I wish I knew the science behind it, but I know it works and I'm happy to be a part of it.

Anastasia: I mean, I could put up a light, I could play some music. What does that actually look like? Is it one camera, two cameras? Does it move across? Like, what does that even look like? Can you paint me a picture as if I was never there and might not be able to go there?

Jeff: I will never be able to paint that picture. You have to go there. The fact that we create moments that are synchronized with the message, whatever is being spoken on stage—it could be a tribute to somebody who's done some great accomplishments. And we're matching that, the tempo and the mood with the lighting and the soundtrack. It could be celebrating a new up-and-comer. And that may be a different, high energy level. But the fact that we're matching the lighting, the sound, even the camera movement with the message—that's what's really cool, I think, about Cybis.

We're not an AV company that's coming in and putting a bunch of people behind consoles and cameras. We all work together multiple times throughout the year and for many years, and we are writing the script and we're coaching on stage. So we all have a similar common mission that's so distinct from other production companies because we're all focused on what's that experience going to be for the audience. And everybody who's in a technical position is there to match the presentation on stage. And that, I think, really sets us apart.

You could come from other AV production companies, other events, the event world, and you could have a very full resume. But you might not get it. You might not get what sets Cybis apart. Because we're not just looking for a camera operator. We want a camera operator who's going to be there and be like, "I have an idea. When they're talking about XYZ, let's make this move with the jib and then pan over to the graphic that's over there and then cut to that."

We're having those conversations and sometimes it seems so silly, like, why are we spending this time talking about a four-second moment? But then you see it played out during the show and you get goosebumps. That worked. And it's because of the passionate team of Cybis that we can create those moments. Some of it's improvised on site.

I'm so happy that we didn't just have a camera operator. We had somebody on our team who gets the mission and has their own personal goals. I keep talking about Cybis's goal and how we started it, about inspiring people to succeed. But I would say that pretty much everybody on our team shares that goal. They want to have an impact on their audience and not just be somebody who's pushing buttons. They want to know that they have impact.

I wish I had more time to pass the feedback on to everybody on the team. Last week we had the keynote speaker, an internationally renowned keynote speaker, who said to somebody backstage after her presentation, "I want to shake Jeff's hand." And I knew of her, I watched her. She had a phenomenal presentation, very moving. And I thought, okay, that's cool, I'll go backstage and shake her hand. And she was saying, this was the most professional and high quality production team. She could see herself on the screen. The camera movement was fantastic, she sounded great, the lights matched. If she had a high energy moment, we're doing things with lighting. She's like, "I just want to shake your hand."

And I said, I've just been sitting there watching and I literally said, I'm going to shake your hand on behalf of my team because the team is what made it possible. And that gave me chills to do it because I'm very proud of the team that I have, the team that I have formed. And that's, I guess, the piece I can take credit for—that I have brought this team together to do phenomenal things.

I'm not a team person. I'm a very independent person. And I thought, the greatest challenge would be to pursue something that I could not do by myself. And when you think about what it takes to produce a Cybis event, we have creative and graphics, we have audio engineers who are doing the engineering for the sound, we have video engineers, we have coaches who have all those personal skills. And I could go on for so long, not to mention the technical, the drafters, diagrams, and so many different disciplines that came together for last week's show.

That's cool, because it could never have been done by any single person. And I thought that was the greatest challenge 25 years ago—what can I do that will really challenge me? And it is working as a team, and I think we're crushing it.

Anastasia: Just any production, I think—I come from the cinematic world, and I feel like live productions are even more difficult because you need to hit those cues.

Jeff: We get one chance to do it right, and thank goodness, because I only want one chance. I love live events. One thing I love about live events is that we rehearse endlessly, and then we get one chance. We do it right, and then we're done. That's cool.

I used to be, 30 years ago, doing websites. They're never done. Got out of that world. Live events? One chance. And we rehearse. And sometimes we have to twist arms like, "No, if you're speaking on stage, if you're walking, we need you to come out for rehearsal." And sometimes we get some pushback on that. "Well, I mean, I speak all the time." That's cool. But we want to know how you're going to transition from who's introducing you. We want to know that when you finish your spiel that you're not walking right when somebody's coming to shake your hand from the left.

Those little details—the audience isn't going to say after the show, "That was really tightly choreographed. They all knew where they're going to go," but when things are wrong, they notice that. And you got to rehearse multiple times to get those moments right.

Anastasia: Absolutely. What other events do you do, other than student events? Because you mentioned galas—what else is there?

Jeff: We're doing leadership conferences for corporations. We have served government groups, including the White House, over the years. Corporate meetings, motivational shows and awards galas, award ceremonies, summits, leadership summits, and any kind of programming that merits—and I think most programming merits—the addition of high production value with all the synergy that we bring.

So all indoors. We like our air conditioning. But, I shouldn't say that. We've done one outdoor event—super, super cool on the lawn of the Washington Monument—and it was our only outdoor event, and I would do that again.

But any kind of programming—we're very focused on events that have a mission. So we're not really in the concert business. We're very focused on a group that is trying to, maybe at the corporate level, bring their employees together for their annual motivational program or educational sessions. Maybe it's a group that's celebrating the accomplishments of the year and just has to have that awards gala. Fundraising events. We've definitely supported fundraising events.

Anastasia: What is DIFFA?

Jeff: DIFFA is an organization in Dallas that's raising funds for AIDS support and awareness. And they have a really beautiful soiree every year that's definitely entertaining, and it brings people together with the goal of raising funds for the nonprofit. But they see the connection between entertaining, providing a value to their guests and raising those funds.

So we deliver a super unique show, especially in the Cybis portfolio, that incorporates just extravagant set design and projection mapping and lasers. And then there are these extraordinary outfits—this fashion world, which I can't speak to. It's really fun to partner with a group that has this other expertise. So they bring the best expertise in creative direction and fashion design, and then we match that with the production value. And then together we get something that people want to go back to.

We've served DIFFA in their House of DIFFA event now for a second year. Last year, they said they thought it was the best ever. This year they thought it was the best ever. So we're talking about 2026 and how do we top it?

Anastasia: Awesome. And I know DIFFA. So they brought their own concepts partially, right? They had their own concepts and you helped and you met them. Now Visit Orlando has several events a year, not just one event a year. So how do you make it different each time? Is that really important or is it really just about how can we make this the best production instead of different?

Jeff: I don't want to become stale. And I definitely don't want any of our clients to say, "You know what, we wanted to try something different. We just need a change." So we try to stay ahead of that by gauging and delivering something on our own. I think the fun thing about the clients, all of our clients who trust us to deliver our shows, is that we're not trying to deliver the minimum that they'll accept. We're here for the long term. So we want to impress the audience, inspire the audience and catch them off guard and do something different every year so that they never say, "Oh, it's time to try something different than Cybis." But we beat them to it. We're going to deliver something different.

Anastasia: Yeah, absolutely. And I mean, if people go to the event two or three times, they're like, "Ah, I've already been there, I'm not going to go again. I already know it all."

Jeff: And we can beat them on that because we're delivering a different set design, different scripting, different novelty moments that will still have them on the edge of their seat and they'll want to go back.

Anastasia: How much of a part did you play in creating the idea and the vision? Or did the client come to you with one sentence, "This is what we want to do," or did they come to you with the entire vision and you just executed it?

Jeff: It's important for us to understand the goals of the organization that we're serving. So it was a few months prior to the event that we reached out and said, "What do you know about the industry and what's your mission as an organization?" So we collected feedback from their CEO, from the top. "How do you see the industry? What are the talking points? What are the bullet points? What's the future? And what kind of message are you going to be sharing all year long between conferences?"

And so that was pretty much it. We took that and ran with it, but we needed that—that was huge. It's no fun trying to create something from a vacuum. But we get a few points and then we'll do our research and the developers very fairly autonomously develop something that's going to impact the audience.

So we're also very proud of that—trying to be very low maintenance to our clients. I know that the organizations we serve have so many things that they do for the conferences that have nothing to do with the general session or award ceremony. Whether it's workshops and all the judges and trainers and social outings, all these different activities that keep any organization, any event planners super busy.

So we try to be the most low maintenance part of their conference by having the knowledge, earning their trust and running with it. And so when it comes to a show opener, getting their input for what the messaging is and then being able to deliver something that they like—our goal is always to deliver something that they're going to love on their first draft. And I would say we did that last week.

I'm always very impressed by our clients who organize a 14,000-person conference or a 1,000-person conference. I mean the logistics, the travel, the room, the hotel, the venue, all these things. And I'm like, "Oh my gosh, thank goodness. We only have to worry about what's in this one ballroom." But we take care of it and they don't have to worry about that. The show is going to go on.

We like to make sure that our clients are there, but there are rare occasions—sometimes our clients are so busy managing the rest of the conference that they can't even attend the general session that we're producing for thousands of their attendees. And I ask them what they thought about afterwards. They're like, "Well, I was so busy doing this and planning for tomorrow, I didn't have a chance to go. It was on the webcast in the background. I didn't have a chance to go."

And I was like, "Okay, well that's cool." And I asked them the next day, "Do you get any feedback about the show?" And then they're raving about it like, "Yes." And that's all that matters to them. They're so busy planning the conference, but they do want to make sure that it was a good program for their audience. And so the next day when I check in, they say, "Yes, we heard great feedback from so many people." And I was like, "Okay. Well, I wish you could have seen it in person, but I guess we met our goal."

Anastasia: So their goal is to just bring everybody into the ballroom and then you take care of it all from there.

Jeff: I'd say we can do everything within the walls of the ballroom except two things. We don't do catering and we don't do centerpieces. I've been saying that since the beginning. But when it comes to everything that's production-wise, we've got it all covered. And we'll take the lead when we start working with a new client.

Especially, they're not thinking about details in some ways. What's an example? Sometimes they're not even thinking about egress and the escape routes for emergencies and things like that. But they don't have to worry about that because we're experienced and we're interfacing with the fire marshal and the venue. We're covering all those details. So as long as they bring the food and the centerpieces for a gala, we've got everything else covered.

Anastasia: So a client comes to you and they say, "I want XYZ. I have 10,000 people attending and I need you to produce this event." What are your packages? What's included?

Jeff: Well, we're always trying to find out what they're used to and what did they do in previous years and what do they want different. Because sometimes I find out that they're happy with what they had. And I'm thinking, "You're probably not going to be that excited about Cybis."

So it depends. We count on the event planner, the event organizer to realize that need. They need to raise the standard. So when we come in touch with an event organizer that it's like, "Yeah, we know we can do something better, we know we can do something different. And we think that we've maybe tapped out what our current vendors can deliver for us." That's—now that, now I'm interested. Now I'm thinking, "Okay, let's dive in a little deeper. What are you feeling that we could do better on for the shows?"

And then we don't have a standard package per se. Because our forte is delivering across all the disciplines—the technical, the creative, the scripting, the stage choreography, set design. Our goal is to share the value of us offering all those together so we're customizing for every one of our organizations, every one of our clients and events.

Sometimes we get involved in a production for the very first time, and we are just there to provide AV. And then we're asked afterwards, "What would you do differently?" And I'd say very quickly, "Oh, my gosh. Thank you for that question. I would love to refine the script, tighten up the show. Let's focus on how do we match the graphics to what's being spoken on stage? How do we do it in a way that doesn't feel like a boring PowerPoint? What do we do to bring everything together and pique the interest of the audience?"

We want them, as much as possible, on the edge of their seat. We want them wanting more of it, not looking at their watch and saying, "When is this over?" And when we're able to serve in all the different departments together under one virtual roof, developing the show together and executing as a team together, the results are—it's night and day. The audience feels it, and they'll never be able to tell you why.

The show was great. And that's okay. I mean, I have watched movies and somebody else asked me about the soundtrack, and I say, "I didn't even think about it." Which means it was really, really great in a way. There are people who are in the production industry who can watch our show and be like, "The cameras were on point, the music was on point, the lighting matched everything. The choreography was awesome." And that's cool. When we get that feedback from people who are in the industry, it's great.

But most people in the audience aren't going to be able to name why they enjoyed the show. They just know that they had a feeling that they want to come back. They loved it. And hopefully it moved them. Hopefully they were inspired. They're not going to be inspired by lighting alone. They're not going to be inspired by a song alone. But you bring it all together with the message on stage and it subconsciously works to move people, to motivate them.

Anastasia: What about the stage design tiers? I remember you had mentioned it a while ago. Is that—do you do different tiers per category or with anything creative?

Jeff: We want to know what their theme is, and occasionally we come up with a theme, but normally that's already provided to us. They tell us where we're going, what's the venue, and they tell us the theme. So those are two things that we need to know.

And then with a theme we can create all the visuals, so it can be a brand design, some marketing materials, whether it's printed or online to promote an event. And then we're expanding on that to the motion graphics that we're going to show on the screens at the show. And then the set design. How do we make the set design relevant to a theme is always a big part. So we're customizing it every time.

And when we talk about stage design tiers, generally tier zero is we're doing uplights on drape. Very, very boring. And that's often where people start. But then we start showing, we have an inventory of set design pieces and we have the ability to fabricate new pieces. So we start showing some options and what we can do for sometimes very nominally more.

We know that set design is so important to the production that sometimes we'll just do that at cost. Sometimes I lose a few bucks, really. It's such a distinction between our shows and others. And it's what every photo is after the event. You can't go from a Cybis stage design to—you can't go back necessarily. So it's like buying milk for $2 when Publix just lost 50 cents on that. Sometimes I'll lose money on a set design because I know it's going to keep you around.

When we talk about stage design tiers, it does come down to dollars. How much are we able to add to it? Whether it's LED, whether it's projection, whether it's additional motion lights, custom fabrication or stock pieces, and their vision for the show.

Anastasia: So if a client does want to invest into design tiers, like a higher design tier, what would you tell them in terms of—they're kind of on the fence. They're like, "I'm not really sure if it's worth it."

Jeff: Don't they say that you judge a person by the first seven seconds? I mean, you walk in the room, you're now judging the organization, the company, the experience in the first seven seconds. What's the first thing that happens when you walk in the room? You're gonna look at the stage. You're gonna have that forever.

A lot of people—not to deviate subjects here—a lot of people say they don't remember the three, four or five day conference, but they remember the general sessions. They remember the set, they can have details about what they saw on stage. So I think it's important to step up the stage design when you can, because that visual, that memory—it's always going to relate to their experience at the conference with that organization. So it's always been a valuable investment.

Budgets are tight. And sometimes we look at, this is the gear, this is the team. Where can we cut back? And I get this a lot. "Where can we cut back?" And I say, "Well, the one thing that's sort of a gray area is set design." And I say, "We're on a tier two or three, but we don't have to do these things. We don't have to have projection on stage." We don't have other elements.

And it's so funny getting those conversations because, I hear budgets were tight. But then we start talking about reducing the set design. They're like, "Oh, no, no, we gotta have a great set design." But those are clients who've worked with us for years. They've seen what we do. So it's different maybe with a new client who hasn't seen the difference. But nobody wants to cut back on set design. If anything, they want to add to it.

Anastasia: So how early is Cybis coming into the process? Do you work with clients when they're like, "Oh, something fell through, now I have to find someone else," or do they reach out a year or two ahead? What is it usually? And then how do you work with the different situations and what is preferable?

Jeff: Well, I love that most of the clients we serve have provided us our schedules up until 2027, '28, '29, 2030. Literally that's on the books already. So that's preferable. That's awesome. We are now planning for—we're actually committing our team and resources and starting creative design on shows. I'm looking at the calendar here for shows that are eight months from now. There's not a whole lot we would do unless it were promotional work before eight or nine months in advance of an event. So that's ideal, I would say.

We got a call from the folks producing a White House event—this was a few years back—but they came up with this event concept for the president. And I got the call on Thanksgiving weekend, and the event was two and a half weeks later. We branded it, came up with the creative design, set design, brought out a team, the gear in three weeks. And of course you pull out all the stops when it's the White House and the President was on stage. So we can do it fast, but it's a little trickier. It's not—I don't want to do that every week.

But I would say it's great to be planning a year in advance. So often we realize with a new client, if we're getting the call three or four months in advance, it's like, "That was great. But what could we have done if we started earlier?" Maybe have time to refine some of the creative or the scripting, just a smoother process and everybody can breathe a little bit.

So if we're providing concepts and we need feedback within three days, that's stressful for everybody. So being able to space things out over the course of six, nine months—it's going to deliver a better product and everybody's going to be stress free. Usually, especially with a new project, new client that comes last minute or later than average, we learn from that.

We just finished the event last month and my intention—it's an annual event—we're going to start next month. So 10 months in advance. We're going to start it. Breathing room for everybody. Especially, a lot of these organizations and corporations have teams, they have levels. Everybody needs to provide their feedback on drafts. So to have that breathing room just makes it a positive experience.

We're in the showmanship world, so we want to put on a great show for the audience. But also we want a great experience for our clients working through the process. We want to not stress them out. So if we can help guide them a little bit—there are times that, especially again, I think new clients, they come on and they kind of wing it. And we are more likely to say, "Let's create a calendar from the get-go. This is what we're committing to for providing a first draft. We're going to need your feedback though, within a week or so and then we're going to commit to providing that."

So we're drafting out that calendar that gets us all the way till show day so that we don't have to regret, "Oh, we should have started earlier." It's silly little things like that that make a big difference in event planning and production planning. So having those milestones—we always learned that we can do an event in three weeks. We proved it. Nine months is fantastic.

Anastasia: So what would you say to someone considering Cybis for an event like this in the future? What would you tell them if you just met them?

Jeff: I would first ask if they're in any of the cities where we're producing shows that they can come check out our work. Because again, I believe that you have to see it and feel it to understand the difference. And then of course, I want to know what they're doing currently, what their challenges are.

And I would share—what distinguishes Cybis from other AV companies or other production companies is that we're doing it all together as a team and it's less stress on them. We're creating an easier path to a successful program because they can rely on a one-stop shop for all their show needs. They don't have to think, "Well, the scriptwriter says we now need three wireless mics. So now I got to call another vendor and change the wireless mic specs. And oh, we just found out we need a podium. So I got to call a scenic guy and add a podium." No, we're talking on our side. We're doing those things.

So when I can say to them their life is going to be easier, their ears perk up. And we've proved that in the past. That's why our clients come back to us year after year. In between you and me, a lot of them don't even go out to bid because they just don't want it any other way. They know, they trust us.

I like to share that with maybe a new prospect—hey, our clients sometimes don't even consider there being another option that's comparable to the service that we're delivering. And so I try to share that and convince them in a fair way that, look, there's a reason that we have been serving these organizations for 20+ years and they're not considering anybody else. And I want to say I want to do that for you.

I don't want to serve you this year. When I start talking to a new client, I'm already thinking, "Well, you're doing this show every few months or every year. I don't want a one-off." We're going to figure this out. We're going to make sure that we're delivering the top-notch show and we're going to do it indefinitely. And that's, I think, also of great interest to them. They know that Cybis, myself, our team has a vested interest in their long-term success. We're looking out for their goals both in terms of production value, their audience experience and their budgets. We're looking out for how can we serve them indefinitely.

Anastasia: Thank you very much for this interview.

Jeff: Thank you, Anastasia.

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