We have been delving a little deeper into audio visual technology, through a number of interview sessions with our technical specialists. We wanted to know what questions or problems our technicians encounter in their daily work. If needed we are happy to add some theory to these answers, because sometimes it is necessary to have a little more background information to understand why a certain solution has been chosen.

We kick off the series with an interview with one of our audio technology specialists.

Topic: Audio Technology

Audio Part 3

At events, we see more attention being given to video, lighting and decoration. The most basic instrument available to us in terms of technology is sound, but this is often neglected. And yet good sound quality is essential to the success of an event. Even if you have a TEDx level speaker, if the presenter can’t be clearly heard by the audience in the back rows, the presentation is worthless. We asked our technicians what it takes to make a meeting or conference a success in terms of considering the influence of the room’s acoustics when it comes to speech transmission.

    1. How are speakers used in a room?

If we look at the set-up of speaker systems, we often see that several speakers are installed, either grouped or distributed along the length of the room. There are two reasons for this:
1.           Proportional distribution of sound throughout the room.
2.           Reducing the effects of sound delay.

Re 1. Proportional distribution:
For an optimal experience, we cover the entire room with a sound that is as even as possible. In doing so, we ensure that the intelligibility is of a high quality everywhere at a volume that is pleasant for all participants. If the sound is not optimally spread, this can lead to a lack of understanding of the speaker, which often results in listener fatigue and irritation. This applies in particular to listeners whose native language is not the spoken language.

Re 2. Reducing the effects of sound delay:
The time between the departure of the sound at the source and its arrival at the receiver is the delay time. With larger distances between source and receiver, the time between sending and receiving increases, which can lead to a situation in which rooms have to use several loudspeakers in order to get a covering sound. In this case, delay is applied, which is actually a (time) correction to compensate for the difference in distance without an audible side effect.

     2. Can you give an example of how delay is applied in a hall?

A hall is divided in 3 zones to cover the sound. At the front, near the stage is zone 1, the middle zone 2 and at the back of the hall zone 3. All 3 zones have a set of speakers to cover the whole room.
If no delay is applied, the sound from zone 1 leaks through to zone 2.  Because the distance from the reproducers /speakers to the receiver in zone 2 is longer than that of the speakers in zone 1, the sound arrives delayed. This is not only disturbing but also confusing for the receiver.
To ensure that the sound in all 3 zones arrives simultaneously, a delay of a few milliseconds is applied, just enough to not hear any disturbing ‘doubling’ of the sound.

     3. What is also often mentioned in connection with audio is the word frequency. What is it exactly?

If sound is seen as a wave, then a frequency is the time between the waves. The time between the waves determines the different pitches in sound, expressed in vibrations per second: Hertz.
One Hertz therefore corresponds to one vibration per second.  However, when sound engineers talk about frequencies, we usually refer to the extremes, a low sound, e.g. the hum of an engine/bass or high sounds such as (horror!) the dentist’s drill. Everything in between high and low is called the mid. Although the frequency range varies in minimum and maximum for each person, human speech falls almost entirely into the ‘mid’ spectrum.
Frequencies in a sound wave can easily be visualized by looking at the vibrations of the cone of a speaker. At low frequencies the cone will vibrate less often but make larger movements and at high frequencies the vibrations are faster and the movements smaller.

Do you have any specific questions about sound?
Just ask us and we will answer them in our next post. For advice you can always reach us by email or phone.

From time to time, we will interview an ACS employee. This way we trust to give you a better insight into our people. In this issue our Project Manager for Sustainability Vincenzo Fornoni is interviewed. In this interview he shares his vision of sustainability for ACS and the Meeting Industry.

Age: born in 1993

Job title: Project Manager Sustainability

Number of years working for ACS: since February 2022

     1. How did your interest in sustainability begin?

One of my earliest memories about this subject was a conversation I had with my father, when I was about six years old. I suggested to him, that we should just place a bunch of refrigerators together and open their doors to cool down the planet. That’s when I realized that climate change and global warming is a real threat and the way that we live is endangering our own habitat.

I felt duty bound at a fairly young age that if I am going to contribute anything in my life, in terms of a job, it should be doing something to solve this enormous problem. As I grew older, I learned how entrepreneurs and commercial industries pretty much shape the societies that we live in. So, I chose my bachelor’s study in organizational innovation and entrepreneurship, which is basically business administration 2.0. I wanted to become an active player and come up with an idea that supports my bigger ideology; to not jeopardize our quality of living through the amount of pollution we create.

     2. What relevant experience do you bring to ACS?

Not only do I bring a fresh pair of eyes to assess the challenges facing ACS and the Meeting Industry, but as a Sustainability Consultant, I have learned that sustainability is just another word for efficiency. By becoming more efficient, it is possible to create a huge positive impact. So I am currently evaluating ways to increase the efficiency of ACS’s transportation movements, and how we can do more by using less resources, as well as lowering our use of fossil resources. I also bring a huge amount of enthusiasm to my role. If you want change, you need to engage with people, and I believe enthusiasm is contagious and essential to getting a team on board to affect change.

     3. Why do you think it’s important for ACS and the meeting industry to work more sustainably?

I believe we all have a responsibility in addressing climate change and sustainability. Not just ACS, but the event industry as a whole. We must all step up and take responsibility in becoming more aware and more efficient, especially in terms of waste management and energy consumption

     4. Have you identified some ways to implement some quick wins?

We are currently reviewing a concept called “glocalization”, which means thinking globally, and acting locally. We’re looking at how to effectively make use of as many local resources as possible, both in terms of material and people. I believe this really is the way forward; to minimize the amount of transportation used; with people on planes, and moving truckloads of basic equipment. This is actually where the entire meeting industry can win, as this is by far one of the biggest aspects of its ecological footprint.

     5. Are there any aspects that can be rolled out both nationally and internationally?

The corona pandemic and subsequent lockdowns forced everyone in the meeting industry to think outside the box, and from this hybrid events have emerged, where at least some part, if not all, of the program became virtual. At first people were happy that they could finally cut so many travel hours and work from home. But then we saw that the in-person experiences were very much missed. So, it is clear the industry is not yet ready to go fully digital, but ACS offers many more forms of hybrid solutions which significantly reduce the need to travel.

We are also reviewing the use of transportation which runs on sustainable fuels; such as electric trucks. But at this point in time, this is only possible for national implementation, as sadly technological innovation cannot yet offer long-distance options from Amsterdam to locations outside the Netherlands.

     6. Do you plan to implement some sort of measurement within the organization?

I’m a strong believer in data driven decision making, and a baseline measurement is really important for any type of industry. Once our strategy to reduce our footprint is clearly defined, together with the cost benefit analysis of working with local suppliers, we can see what the trade-off is and use the pollution factor as an added dimension to our decision making process.

7.  How do you see suppliers and customers playing a role with regard to sustainability?

There is an accelerating trend that sees both suppliers and customers having increasingly high demands in terms of the services and products they use. The event industry is no different and is only just starting to embrace more sustainable solutions and services. This offers ACS the opportunity to lead the way in integrating sustainable solutions into their existing high-quality services.

8. What else can you share, so people can really get to know you?

I am passionate about making a positive impact on this planet of ours. The pandemic showed us how quickly ecosystems can recover if you just leave them alone, even for a couple of months. Which I believe is a message of hope – but there is no time to waste – we just need to take steps to create the change that we want to see in the world.

We have been delving a little deeper into audio visual technology, through a number of interview sessions with our technical specialists. We wanted to know what questions or problems our technicians encounter in their daily work. If needed we are happy to add some theory to these answers, because sometimes it is necessary to have a little more background information to understand why a certain solution has been chosen.

We kick off the series with an interview with one of our audio technology specialists.

Topic: Audio Technology

Audio Part 2

At events, we see more attention being given to video, lighting and decoration. The most basic instrument available to us in terms of technology is sound, but this is often neglected. And yet good sound quality is essential to the success of an event. Even if you have a TEDx level speaker, if the presenter can’t be clearly heard by the audience in the back rows, the presentation is worthless. We asked our technicians what it takes to make a meeting or conference a success in terms of considering the influence of the room’s acoustics when it comes to speech transmission.

    1. You are talking about reverberation. Most people are more familiar with the word echo. Is there a difference?

Yes, reverb and echo are not the same. The difference lies in the time it takes for the sound to reach the source. Reverberation returns to the source within 0.1 seconds; anything more than 0.1 seconds is called an echo.

     2. When talking about sound in rooms, the word acoustics is often used. What are acoustics?

Acoustics are the influence that a room has on the sound and reverberation of sound. When people say “this room has poor acoustics”, they mean that the characteristics of the room are not ideal for the use they have in mind. This can apply to a stadium, for example, but also to a church, a lecture hall or a room in a hotel where meetings are held. It should be noted that there is a big difference in acoustic performance depending on the use. A concert hall is perfectly suited to the reproduction of unamplified instruments, but without modifications it is not suited to rock concerts. Pop stages and discotheques, on the other hand, are designed for maximum sound absorption and are therefore not suitable for classical reproduction.

     3. How can you adjust the acoustics of a room?

Treating or manipulating/editing the acoustics of a room can be done in different ways:
– Physical: adjusting or re-configuring and manipulating the room e.g. by adding damping or reflective materials, lowering a ceiling or moving the position of stage and/or loudspeakers.
– Artificially, by means of equipment that can edit the sound. By using signal filters that are set in the sound mixing desk, adjustments are made at a frequency level. The frequency (wavelength of the sound) that has acoustically undesirable effects can be filtered out very precisely in order to achieve good reproduction.

     4. As an AV company, can you make physical adjustments to the client’s room?

This is possible, depending on the specific situation, solutions can be applied everywhere.
ACS is a specialist in building temporary congress halls in exhibition halls and therefore has a far-reaching influence on the physical properties of these spaces. The position of the stage, loudspeakers, hanging soundproof curtains, laying down carpet and placing upholstered fabrics, ensure that reflections can be reduced.

     5. How can you make sure that the voice is audible to everyone in a room?

The audio technician has several resources at his disposal with which he converts, amplifies and refines vocal sounds.
The most important tools are the mixing desk, the equalizer and the amplifier.
– After the microphone, the mixing desk is the first stage where the sound is processed. This is where the first amplification and refinement is made, specifically for each source (= the origin of the signal).
– Then, in the mixer, all sources are mixed into 1 signal, the master signal. This signal then passes through an equalizer that adjusts the signal specifically for this room.
– Finally, the signal passes through an amplifier, where the volume can be adjusted for each speaker (group).

Do you have any specific questions about sound?
Just ask us and we will answer them in our next post. For advice you can always reach us by email or phone.

We have been delving a little deeper into audio visual technology, through a number of interview sessions with our technical specialists. We wanted to know what questions or problems our technicians encounter in their daily work. If needed we are happy to add some theory to these answers, because sometimes it is necessary to have a little more background information to understand why a certain solution has been chosen.

We kick off the series with an interview with one of our audio technology specialists.

Topic: Audio Technology

Audio Part 1

At events, we see more attention being given to video, lighting and decoration. The most basic instrument available to us in terms of technology is sound, but this is often neglected. And yet good sound quality is essential to the success of an event. Even if you have a TEDx level speaker, if the presenter can’t be clearly heard by the audience in the back rows, the presentation is worthless. We asked our technicians what it takes to make a meeting or conference a success in terms of considering the influence of the room’s acoustics when it comes to speech transmission.

    1. Let’s start at the beginning: a technician does not talk about sound, but about audio. What does audio mean?

The word audio comes from Latin and literally means “I hear”.  In everyday language, audio is used for everything that concerns the conversion of sound into an electrical signal. This can be either in analogue or digital form. For example; the conversion of sound into an electrical signal is possible via a microphone that converts the sound wave into an electrical signal via a membrane. This signal is then processed through a sound mixing desk, amplifier and finally made audible by loudspeakers.

     2. How do you determine which audio equipment is needed at a location?

It is very important that we first look at the space where the event is taking place. If we don’t know the space yet, we always plan a site visit first. We look at the dimensions of the room and what materials have been used for the decoration and the furniture.  Of course, it is essential to know what is going to happen during the event, and this is the first question that needs to be asked. Will there be a musical performance, singing or just presentations? How many loudspeakers are involved, how many participants are expected? Will there be questions from the audience etc. Speech uses far fewer frequencies than a musical performance, for example. This is all important to plan what equipment we will need for the event.

     3. Why does an audio engineer often clap his hands when entering a room?

With this simple action, the technician gets an idea of what the reverberation of the room is like. When a sound wave comes into contact with smooth and hard objects, part of it is reflected. Part of the sound is absorbed particularly with soft materials such as curtains and carpets. The sound that remains “hangs” in the room as a reflection, and this is called reverberation. So by clapping their hands, the technician already gets a sense of how sound behaves in the room in question.

     4. Are there also more advanced ways to check how the sound behaves in a room?

To be able to give the customer the best possible advice, we always make an “audio shoot” for the larger halls where we will be working. Different programs are available to accurately calculate how to distribute the audio to the selected loudspeakers in the halls. As we know the objectives for a conference are different from those of a pop concert. The most important thing is that everyone in the room has (as much as possible) the same experience during the event, no matter where you are in the room. During the construction of an event, after the loudspeakers have been installed, an analyzer is used to check whether the objective has been achieved and, if necessary, to make adjustments. During the measurement, we also check whether the various loudspeakers are in time and can add a delay.

This is the first part about audio. There will be a sequel to this text soon.

Do you have any specific questions about sound?
Just ask us and we will answer them in our next post. For advice you can always reach us by email or phone.

In the week of April 6, the winners of the National Meeting Award (the independent award for the best meeting and event location in the Netherlands) were announced. Two of our partner locations won prizes in the “Large” category! The Carlton President Hotel (# 2) and Paushuize (# 3), both located in Utrecht, were successful in quality, hospitality and entrepreneurship. In connection with the tightened corona measures the presentation of course took place in a private online meeting.

ACS took the opportunity and spoke with Heirloom, responsible for the implementation of meetings in Paushuize, about how we, as an audiovisual supplier, best combine our technology with their monumental space.

The employees responsible for marketing within both organisations, Jurrien and Elize, were each given the opportunity to ask a number of questions to the other.

From time to time, we will interview an ACS employee. This way we hope to give you a better insight into who we are and who are our people. We ask them both work-related and personal questions. In this issue our Technical Coordinator Simon Stoel is interviewed.

Age: 25

Job title: Technical Coordinator

Number of years working for ACS: 5 years

     1. What did you do before you started working at ACS?

Before I started working for ACS, I successfully completed my study in AV and Event Technology at the Media College in Amsterdam. During that period I completed two internships at ACS, each six months long. Following those, I started working as a technician at ACS and in three years I have grown to my current position as Technical Coordinator.

     2. Which three qualities make you a good Technical Coordinator?

As a Technical Coordinator you work a lot with people and that is exactly what I like to do. In addition to this I am calm, helpful and can think on my feet. This comes in handy when I have to plan jobs beforehand and manage them on location. I know how to keep a cool head in the event of setbacks and I am able to anticipate last minute changes.

     3. What is the main reason you came to work for ACS?

During my studies I enjoyed my time as an intern at ACS. During this period I found out that ACS is a fun organisation with great colleagues and assignments within the conference and events market. The varied work of large and small jobs in combination of working with freelancers and permanent colleagues, really appealed to me. In addition, it was the colleagues themselves who recommended me to work at ACS, which is of course a great compliment for someone who had just completed his studies.

     4. What does an average working day look like for you?

Let’s be clear that my days during this COVID-19 situation look very different, but normally I spend 30% of my time in the office and 70% on location. In the office I am mainly participating in preparing the production. This involves making and monitoring different schedules, like looking at which equipment is suitable and what is available.

On location I am usually the manager of the crew. I ensure a clear division of tasks and that everyone preforms them. The rest of my work depends on the size of the assignment. For small assignments I am a working foreman and I help with the construction myself. For larger jobs, I need that time for contact with the customer and the location.

     5. Where do you get the most satisfaction at work?

When an event has been successful and the customer is happy. It gives extra satisfaction if your own ideas at the start of the process eventually become reality. Especially when the job is done with nice people and without any problems.

     6. What is the most challenging project you have faced at ACS so far? And how did you approach this?

Although every project is challenging, my most challenging job was at Hotel Okura Amsterdam two years ago. At that time I had just grown into the position of Technical Coordinator. It was one of my first assignments as a manager of the crew, while at the same time it was the biggest job of the National Branches in terms of turnover.

It was a customer who wanted everything to be clear and specified. Coordinating with people from different countries sometimes made this difficult. Also challenging was the fact that several changes of rooms and walls had to take place during the event. As a result, many standard setups were not possible to implement. This happened in the evening, which meant that there was a lot of changes in the technical personnel.

Fortunately everything went well and the customer was very satisfied. For that reason I often think back to this challenging and successful event.

     7. What is your best experience at ACS so far?

There are plenty of great memories to think back on when working within such a close team, but the best moments are after a job, when you go out for a bite to eat with colleagues and talk about things that are not related to work .

     8. Why would you recommend working at ACS?

ACS is an excellent learning opportunity. Because of the varied work, the courses that are offered and the possibilities to grow into positions with more responsibility, I learn every day. You will work in a very close team full of people who are always ready to help each other. Fun is a certainty.

     9. What makes you very happy outside working hours?

In my spare time I enjoy doing things together with friends and family. I enjoy ballroom dancing which I have been doing for more than ten years.

     10. What else do people really need to know about you?

I have been passionate about photography since childhood. Nowadays I do too little with it, but I really enjoy doing it. I still take my big camera with me when I travel. However, my interest in photography has ensured that I have come into contact with the AV world. During the open day of the Media College in Amsterdam, where I actually went to look for a Photography education, my interest in AV was awakened. Before that, I didn’t even know that there was a separate market and study for it. For example, no one in my family works in this industry. Funny how things can turn out.

From time to time, we will interview an ACS employee. This way we trust to give you a better insight into our people. We ask them both work-related and personal questions. This time it was our Floormanager Michiel Langedijk’s turn.

Age: 37

Job title: Floormanager

Number of years working for ACS: > 7 years

     1. What did you do before you started working at ACS?

Before this I worked as a self-employed person/freelancer in the event industry. In addition to providing technical services, I produced various video productions. I really liked the variety, one week I was at a festival and the other week I was editing in a room.

     2. Which three qualities make you a good Floormanager?

That is a difficult question to answer. I feel my colleagues and the freelancers are in better position to judge that. They can undoubtedly best indicate in which area I am still able to grow.

In general, I think a good Floormanager is someone that is a good leader in various aspects. They must be able to keep an overview of the project, provide the right information to the people within the team and be decisive when making decisions.

     3. What is the main reason you came to work for ACS?

It was a career opportunity for me working with professional colleagues, the high-end equipment that ACS has at its disposal and being able to grow in a healthy company. ACS has a large warehouse, and offers you the opportunity to develop your knowledge and skills during quiet periods. At the same time you have to (sometimes under pressure) deliver in practice. I think If you can accomplish both those aspects together with talented and passionate colleagues, you are in a privileged job.

     4. What does an average working day look like for you?

Again a difficult question, because my work consists for 50% of office work and 50% on location / production. In the office my main tasks are carrying out technical inspections and creating numerous schedules for personnel and production. With production planning you think about which discipline should take place and in which order. I think of logistical processes such as when the carpet must be placed, and when the chairs can be delivered. On location it mainly depends on the size of the production.

Finally, I am also active in the works council and I coach various colleagues with their personal development within the organisation. In short, no two days are the same and that really appeals to me in this position.

     5. Where do you get the most satisfaction at work?

The great thing about our work is that every production is a new challenge. We approach every assignment as a first chance. Even when we repeat a previous setup, there are always things that we can optimise. This way we keep ourselves sharp. This is what I feel that gives me the most satisfaction.

     6. What is the most challenging project you have faced at ACS so far? And how did you approach this?

Satisfaction, for me, is not always in the final product, but more often than in the process prior to it. After all, my work must ensure that everything runs smoothly. Nevertheless, with a tight and realistic production schedule, there are always unforeseen challenges lurking. So, as a floor manager, it is up to me to keep an overview, as well as to monitor the planning, all this while making time schedule adjustments.

An example where such a self-devised strategy went smoothly for me was at ECTRIMS 2019. Here, we had to set up a room for 4,000 people with 19 projectors in one and half days. The challenge was mainly in the limited construction time. Proper preparation was therefore crucial and together with colleagues from the pre-production planning, we were able to prepare the video schedule down to the last detail, allowing for less time to be spend on this onsite.

On-site we subdivided our crew into four teams and our decision was to let them work in shifts. All this resulted in a good production that was delivered on time. A great achievement for the entire team!

     7. What is your best memory of ACS so far?

Our work is sometimes hectic and stressful. There is nothing better than relaxing together after a job. This can go on late and be fun, nevertheless, of course only when the work schedule allows for it?

     8. Why would you recommend working at ACS?

In addition to working in an incredibly fun industry, the freedom and development opportunities within ACS are very attractive.

     9. What makes you very happy outside working hours?

Besides visiting friends and family, I like to play outside and kite-surf. That is the ultimate down time for me.

     10. What else do people really need to know about you?

That I suffered from stammering as a child. This even happens to me sometimes to this day, especially when I am very enthusiastic, nervous or a little tired.

From time to time, we will interview an ACS employee. This way we trust to give you a better picture of our people. We ask them both work-related and personal questions. Our Manager National Branches, Erik Takes, had the honour to kick off.

Age: 45

Job title: Manager National Branches

Number of years working for ACS: > 10 years

     1. What relevant (work) experience did you bring to ACS?

My background is quite diverse; after completing my secondary school, I successfully finished the Commercial Economics course at the HES Amsterdam. Parallel to this, I had the opportunity to follow training courses in England to be trained as a lighting designer. After the training I started working at the ABN AMRO Bank in commerce. In combination with that, I used days off to contribute to international audiovisual projects, with focus on lighting. After a few years I made the switch to ACS to turn my greatest hobby into my full-time job.

     2. Which three qualities make you a good manager?

I find it difficult and uncomfortable to comment on that… perhaps you should ask my colleagues. I know one thing for sure: you have to do this work with heart and soul and force yourself to be aware of all available techniques. We are granted assignments for very diverse clients with strongly varying wishes and requirements. In my opinion, it is essential that you can describe functional setups in a clear way, as well as being technically capable of having a conversation on indepth level.

     3. What is the main reason that you came to work for ACS?

Working at a full-scale service audiovisual company of a substantial size (84 FTE) which offers appealing customers suits me perfectly. There are no limits to the solutions that we can creatively conceive, design, develop and implement. The seamless connection with customer’s demand and the flawless realisation of productions, regardless of size and changing locations, is and remains a wonderful challenge.

     4. What does an average working day look like for you?

I start the day by waking our children and I usually bring my son to school, while my wife looks after our two daughters. From there, directly to the office.

I spend the first hour of the day dealing with current developments, requests and questions from colleagues. From the moment that the day is operational and any ad hoc requests are dealt with, there is time for other work. Then I start with making and reviewing quotes, necessary consultation at an individual and group level, agreements with existing and potential customers. Depending on the period in the year, cyclical tasks are also added such as determining investments, identifying new technical developments, performance and assessment interviews, updating sales plans, etc. The end of the regular working day is all about processing of during the day received non-urgent e-mail.

Two times a week, on average, I stay in the office in the evening to make time for zooming in on complex productions, working out reports and watching developments via LinkedIn. Then I return home to make sure that a new day brings with it a number of new puzzles that I would like to work on!

     5. What would you (still) like to achieve with you department?

What I would like to achieve is that the range of possible solutions for productions is not only known, but is also presented to our customers in an understandable way. Within ACS, we increasingly use visualizations based on the ideas discussed with the customer to support the quotation.

  6. What is the most challenging project that you have faced at ACS so far? And how did you approach this?

There are countless examples. I will describe two short ones that stand out for me for a variety of reasons:

     7. What is your best memory of ACS so far?

The best memory and daily practice is one that says something about our team mentality; the team is so close that even after completing their own work for the day, there is communication between colleagues regarding operations at other locations. As soon as help, support or additional equipment is needed in any way, everyone is ready day and night without exception. That drive, collegiality and loyalty is unique and fills me with great pride.

     8. Why would you recommend working at ACS?

If you want to work in an organisation with short lines of communication, like to delve into technical solutions, get energy from conversations with customers, are enthusiastic and realize that the products are packed in flight cases, however all the necessary knowledge and expertise is packed in the minds of colleagues, then you may just consider to contact me.

     9. What makes you very happy outside working hours?

Meeting friends, sailing, dining out, beach, sun and my family!

     10. What else do people really need to know about you?

I would have liked to become a commercial pilot and I think that, to compensate for the fact that I will never be allowed to fly a commercial plane, I decided to know as much as possible about it. By the way, a commercial aircraft is also the ultimate customised product, whereby several factors determine the final implementation and equipment! You cannot order a plane from a catalog and that, in my opinion, also applies to audiovisual techniques and setups!