Doug : While most colleagues are rightfully concerned about rain water that comes straight down, my concern goes considerably beyond that. High winds, blistering sun, a momentary downpour that creates rivers of water underfoot.
This topic was beat up not long ago and many business policies and procedures as well as contract obligations were presented; some logically, some emotionally.
My thinking is always from the stand point that
the show must go on. What needs to be done to insure that
the show must go on? Because only if
the show goes on am I going to be able to be comfortable in being paid in full, come
hell or
high water.
The next step logically is the protective needs to insure that
the show must go on, who delineates them, who provides them, and at what cost?
My business does perhaps 2 outdoor events a year maximum, and they are primarily wedding receptions under a tent during the summer. Regionally, summers here are stifling heat, high humidity, and frequent violent thunderstorms with heavy fast downpours.
Based on that, in order to protect me and my equipment to insure that
the show must go on, it was decided that the whole setup must be protected from overhead sun or rain, the sides must be protected from high heavy winds and sideways rain, and the underfoot area must be off the ground by 4" - 6" to eliminate the need to move anything anywhere during a brief but heavy torrential downpour that creates mini rivers underfoot. In other words, try to recreate an indoor protective environment...outdoors.
Business policy now says who is going to provide all this? Do I and what are the costs and ramifications? Do they [the client] and how are they told the details and ramifications?
Two shows a year? Nope. Not getting into the expense of buying, hauling, and setting up a 16' x 16' enclosure with sides. Nope. Not getting into the expense of buying, hauling, and setting up a 15' x 15' x 6" riser/platform. Nope. Not getting into the extra expense of insurance coverages for these items should something go wrong. Just the storage and setup/breakdown time elements alone don't make sense to me.
My business decision then boiled down to two choices. Go ahead and buy, store, transport, and hire help to setup/breakdown exactly what I need and pass that expense through (certainly won't do it for free!!!) or put it in my contract and have the client and their tent people (who already have tons of this stuff in inventory) provide it, most likely at a much cheaper cost to the client than what I would need to recoup.
My business decision was contract inclusion, to wit:
IX. For outdoor events, the HOST and his equipment must be fully protected from all weather related elements such as but not limited to wind, rain, snow, and sun from overhead, underneath, and all sides. For outdoor events, the CLIENT is required to provide the Host a platform, stage, or riser, the minimum dimensions being 12 feet deep, 16 feet wide, and 4 inches tall.
With this,
the show will go on, come hell or high water. If the client calls it off, it's on them. I don't ever want to be the one that says, "Sorry, it's over". Ever.
)
