Origin Story: NEXTGEN, An Audio Visual Company With A Difference!

I recently sat down with our Managing Director, Guy McGregor to discuss the creation of Nextgen Audio Visual.

Years spent working as a stage lighting rigger and operator for Australian and international bands gave Guy McGregor the foundation to establish his own audio-visual hire company. Guy started in the Australian music industry in the early 1990s and toured with many national and international acts including some Australian music royalty.

Being on the road was exciting but quite exhausting. Meanwhile in the background corporate audio-visual hire companies were gaining real traction in the Melbourne events market. Guy decided to return home and use the many skills and knowledge.

“In 2001 I took a chance to leave behind the long hours of the traveling Australian music circuit to work for an event hire company as first a production co-ordinator, then accounts manager, division manager and finally a state manager,” Guy said. “I worked my way up the ladder with some of the biggest hire companies in Australia, positioning myself in front of some great business leaders. Some of the business lessons were easy, some were difficult but I draw on all these experiences and utilise them on a daily basis.”

In 2014 Guy established NEXTGEN AV to provide ‘an innovative approach to audio visual hire and event production.’

“We originally identified a shortage of experienced and creative technical event companies that could offer a fresh approach to audio visual,” Guy said. “At first, our management team consisted of a managing director, technical director, financial controller and accounts co-ordinator.

“We felt it important to have the right core skill sets in place at commencement. Our team today ranges from 15 to 40 technicians on a daily basis and while our head office is in Melbourne, we offer our event services nationwide as we have many clients who require an experienced team that understands the pitfalls of taking a show on the road.”

Upon startup, Nexgen AV initially offered the basic fundamentals of audio-visual hire and event production but as its event portfolio grew so did the investment of new audio-visual technology.
“The benefit of working with AV technology is it’s always improving. You need to keep up to date with the latest equipment trends or you’ll fall behind,” Guy said.

Investment of time and money included moving from analog to digital technology such as LED screens that have transformed the AV industry.

“Our LED video wall technology continues to impress. Combined with ever-improving digital media technology, laser projectors, integrated LED lighting and audio systems, events can now create visually stunning and breathtaking moments,” Guy said.

“LED video walls comprise modular square panels with embedded LED lights that connect together to create screens of various shapes and sizes. We first came across these walls in the 1990s when screen resolution was poor and LEDs were not bright. Over the years the technology has developed to crystal clear, bright images and conferences benefit greatly by utilising media servers and custom video content to enhance the LED wall as it also doubles as set design, unlocks creativity and delivers greater value.”

Nextgen can provide a complete event production and turnkey solution for conference audiovisual, product launches, exhibition audiovisual, brand activation, product launches, roadshows, and event dinners or partial audio-visual hire for smaller events.

Guy believes that focusing on what’s important to clients, by placing them first has allowed the business to grow and remain at the forefront of the industry.

Author: Matt Webb – Operations Manager Nextgen AV

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