Event Audiovisual Support

A young man stands among a seated audience in a lecture hall, holding a microphone and speaking. Behind him, a camera on a tripod records the event, and a projection room with visible equipment is seen through a glass window.
Feb. 13, 2025 — Danish architect Dorte Mandrup discussed projects in the context of landscape, touching on the invisible layers of memory, emotion, and identity that give a place meaning, during the annual Harvard GSD Kenzō Tange Lecture at Gund Hall.

This page provides an overview of the audiovisual services available for supporting events at the GSD and other relevant policies. If you are in the process of planning an event, please first refer to the workflows and guidance outlined in the pages below and for technical questions, contact Matt Smith.

Event Planning for Students

Event Planning for Faculty and Staff

Scope of Support and Pricing

AV support services are provided by GSD Media Services for all events that are planned by the GSD Communications Department as part of the Public Program Series. Other events may be eligible for AV support services but are subject to staff availability and other logistical considerations. Events that require onsite technical staff will require cost recovery for staff labor and the provision of equipment.

There will be a minimum charge of $100 per hour for any event that requires onsite technical staff. Rates are doubled on weekends and for weekday events after 5 hours. This includes time for set-up and break-down. There may be additional costs if additional staff or vendors are required to support your event. Currently we are only able to provide support for up 2 non-Public Programs events per work week at a standard rate or up to 4 events at a doubled rate. Additional charges may apply depending on event volume and staff availability.

Every event has different technical requirements and different considerations based on a wide variety of details. Please contact us and we will work with you to find the best solution possible. Please note: staff availability after 5 p.m. and on weekends will be limited.

We strongly encourage event organizers to plan far ahead for hybrid events with both local and remote participants. Events of this category are significantly more complex and require careful planning.

Available Services

GSD Media Services may provide the following AV support services for in-person events:

  • Presentation Media Management (PowerPoint, PDF, Keynote, video files, etc.)
  • Live Sound Mixing and Sound Reinforcement
    • Piper Auditorium: Podium microphone, up to 10 wireless handheld microphones, up to 5 over-ear wireless microphones
    • Stubbins (Gund 112): Podium microphone, up to 6 wireless handheld microphones, up to 2 wireless lavalier microphones
    • All other spaces in Gund: Up to 4 wireless handheld microphones, or 2 wireless handheld microphones and 2 wireless lavalier microphones
  • Lighting control (where available)
  • Recording and live-streaming
    • Up to 4 cameras
    • Image compositing (Picture in picture for slideshow media)
    • Live-streaming to the GSD’s Vimeo platform (Note: Event organizers will be responsible for managing any digital audience engagement tools)

Self-Service Options

Most audiovisual environments at the GSD are designed to be used in a self-service capacity. Instructions for use of the appropriate technology are posted in each room. In certain cases, recording and streaming equipment may be available for lending. If you would like to arrange a tutorial for any given environment or piece of equipment, please contact us in advance of your event.

Video Hosting, Copyright, and Content Retention Policy

Event video (both live-streamed and recorded) can be hosted on the GSD’s Vimeo platform at no cost, other than those that may be required for compliance with Harvard’s accessibility policy (see below). Please note that hosting does not guarantee the creation of an event page on the GSD website.

Any non-Harvard affiliates directly participating in a recorded or live-streamed event must sign a release form. The GSD maintains the copyright on all recordings in perpetuity and recordings may be archived at the discretion of the Loeb Library. In addition, any video hosted on Vimeo is subject to a retention policy, allowing content to remain hosted for a period of 5 years. After such time, stakeholders will be contacted and given 60 days to request a copy of a recording before it is removed from Vimeo.

AV Accessibility

Our team is committed to upholding (or exceeding) the University’s accessibility standards regarding live events and event recordings. Services are provided by our preferred vendor, 3Play Media. The following services are available:

  •  Post-captioning: Highly accurate captions for recordings. If your event recording (or any video) is hosted on a Harvard-owned platform (both internal and external) it must be captioned. The typical rate is $1.60 per minute.
  • Audio Description: Specialized service that creates a version of your event recording where visual elements are audibly described for the benefit of those with visual impairments. The Audio Description rate is $11 per minute.
  • Live-captioning: Captioning for live events. Services provided by human captioners. Can be incorporated as closed captioning in a live stream, displayed as scrolling text on a large screen, or given to audience members as a link to view on their own devices. Must be booked with at least 48 hours notice and is subject to cancelation fees. You will need to provide a run of show that lists the names of all event participants. The live-captioning rate is $2.50/minute.

If your event has any specific accessibility needs, please let us know and we will do everything we can to make the necessary accommodations. For more information on Harvard’s Digital Accessibility Policy please visit: https://accessibility.huit.harvard.edu/

RELATED Resources

For all inquiries, contact: