Contractor's Channel

We knew that supporting the best freelance technicians in the live events industry meant getting it just right. And we did. The Mertzcrew App is officially live and available for download on iOS and Android!

When you’re crewing an upcoming project, your go-to AV techs may not always be available. That means contracting someone new and taking a chance on them without knowing their equipment experience, personality, and abilities.

Technician Profile Cards in Mertzcrew offer an overview of the technician along with other pertinent information to help you book exactly the right tech for your project needs. You can search by roles, certifications, skills, and view star ratings and notes to help you decide which qualified AV technicians are perfect for your next project. 

Any Live Event company that works in the state of California knows that AB5, a California labor law that was enacted in 2020, has impacted AV companies that work with skilled freelancers. In fact, it’s made it nearly impossible to work with independent AV technicians in California due to the strict rules placed on payroll compliance.

Every event you produce comes with the risk that something won’t go according to plan. Even if you plan meticulously, anything from a printing mistake to a power outage could cause a problem that could leave you holding the bag for something that went wrong. What can you do to protect yourself?

At Mertzcrew, we have worked hard to create a crew management solution that helps to mitigate risks and streamline event production. One issue that we can handle for you is AV freelancer liability, which is covered by production insurance. Since we understand how essential insurance is to a smooth production, here’s our guide to why production insurance is something you can’t afford to overlook.

Event production companies often contract AV freelancers to help them with specialized work before, during, and after events. One element of contracting freelancers that can be particularly time-consuming is tracking their workers’ compensation coverage, something that’s required to protect both the freelancers themselves and your company.

When an AV company contracts an AV Freelancer for a project, a question the scheduling team is often asked is "Do they have Workers Comp insurance?" and "Is it the right kind of Workers Comp insurance?" Both questions are extremely important and if they are not answered correctly, could place the AV company at considerable risk. Below are 3 key factors to consider when answering this question.

If you have an upcoming project in Las Vegas, be sure to complete the newly required OSHA 10-Hour or 30-Hour General Industry course.

Looking to get technically trained on current Pro AV gear? Come to one of Nationwide Video's Technician Training Courses.

These are syllabus-driven, hands on, interactive workshops taught by industry professionals. Technicians will confidently leave with new repeatable skill sets, and a deep knowledge of the equipment.

• Each of their expert trainers have from 15-25+ years of Pro AV field experience.
• Travel and expenses are the responsibility of the trainee.

For more details check out www.nationwidevideo.com/training, or to discuss a custom workshop, send an email to info@subrent.com or call 800-935-2323

If you are registered with Mertzcrew and you select a training program offered by Nationwide Video, you can enjoy 10% off of the cost of the courses!

Mertzcrew is proud to announce that we are partnering with Evolve Academy, a leader in Training & Education within the AV industry! This partnership is focused on helping freelance AV technicians develop their craft, provide a higher level of skilled service, and to increase the earning potential of technicians! As part of our partnership, Evolve Academy is offering a 10% discount on training classes to technicians that are registered with Mertzcrew.