27 Mar Show or Tell: Weighing the Visual and the Aural in Multi-Media Events

Multi-media events consist of two elements: the visual and the aural. So, which is more important? Is it better to show or tell? This is like asking people if you had to lose either your sense of sight or sound which would you choose? Not an easy decision to make. In this post we will look at the audio and the visual side of multi-media events.

The Visual Aspect of Multi-Media Events

The visual aspect of a multi-media event typically consists of a flat screen, video wall or projector. These technologies provide images. What are the advantages of images over sound? Well, it is easier to focus on images. They have a permanency whereas sound is fleeting. They assist us in grasping and understanding what the message is. A single painting can say more than a book of a thousand pages. Images also have an immediacy about them which lends them dramatic power. If you want to make an impact it is always better to show than tell. The visual aspect of a multi-media event can also include stage, lectern and lighting. These things all play a part in getting the message across.

So, what of the aural aspect of multi-media events?

The Aural Aspect of Multi-Media Events

Well there are two things that belong to this province: music and imagination. Language is primarily oral: we learn to speak before we can read. A poem is better heard than read. Through words we imagine. If an image is presented to us directly then we don’t have to imagine it. We imagine only through words and the beauty of the imagination is that there are no limits. No bounds. Also, words are free. If you decide to tell rather than show you will save lot of money.

Music is Ideal for Setting the Right Mood for an Event

And there is music. Words can be visualized: there is a close relationship between words and images. But music can not be visually represented in such a precise, exact way. It is a world of its own and all it requires is a PA system. Music is ideal for setting the right mood for an event. It provides background and context. Without it an event would seem bare and dry. Music stimulates feelings more effectively than either words or images can and if you can make your audience feel, you have a better chance of holding their attention and getting your message across.

So, which is more important: the visual or the aural? Sight or sound?

Multi-Media Technology Has Advanced

The truth is they are about 50/50. A good multi-media event will make full use of both. There should be an interplay of image, word and music, like what we experience when we go to the cinema. Multi-media technology has advanced so much in recent years that putting on a genuine show is not only possible but expected and a genuine show means stimulating both eye and ear.

Multi-Media Event Specialists!

Here at Audiovisual.ie we can provide the kind of quality equipment that will help guarantee the success of your multi-media event. We know the technology so well and we’ve delivered for so many clients over the years that you can trust us to turn your presentation, conference or launch into a powerful, sophisticated show. Give us a call now on +353 1 4133 892 or contact us online for more info!