FAQs
We’ve combined all the FAQs on the site to give you another way of finding the answers you need. Click the tab to go straight to the section you want.
Lighting FAQs
Every event can be improved with lighting! Even a presenter or performer in a daylight setting needs lighting, especially as daylight fluctuates. As little as a set of four uplighters in your corporate colours will transform a room.
Call our experts and they’ll give you all the advice you need, and produce a costed specification for your approval.
The lighting solution will depend on the size of the venue, the number of people attending, the type of event and your budget.
The Cause can supply everything you need in a complete lighting package, including cables, control desks, rigging and accessories. You don’t need to go anywhere else!
Yes. And the same goes for sound engineers.
Yes. We’re qualified to carry out PAT-testing at our workshops, at your company or at the venue itself. Obviously, all equipment supplied by The Cause is PAT-tested to comply with the current regulations.
A Portable Appliance Test (PAT) is an electrical safety test, required by law to be undertaken on all electrical equipment used in a public place. The Cause PAT-tests every item of equipment and keeps records which are available on request.
The Cause has £10,000,000 of public liability.
Call The Cause! Our hire department has a vast collection of the latest generation of LED lighting equipment, along with traditional ranges of Fresnel lights, PC lights, profile lights and floodlights.
We can provide everything from a single floodlight, a follow spot or moving light to a full intelligent lighting system for your next performance or event.
LED lighting is energy efficient, which keeps power consumption down and greatly reduces heat. The lighting units are lightweight and need less rigging support. Modern LED theatre lighting rivals conventional lighting. We’re constantly investing in the latest LED lighting technology.
Unfortunately not. But we can provide technical advice, so you can get the shots you need using lights which are the correct colour temperature and flicker-free when dimmed.
Unfortunately not. But we can provide technical advice, so you can get the shots you need using lights which are the correct colour temperature and flicker-free when dimmed.
We have mirror and glitter balls in many sizes. We recommend one of our experts visits the venue, particularly if you need a large mirror ball as they don’t fit through standard doors and may require extra rigging due to their weight.
We have every type of smoke, haze, fog and dry-ice machine. Contact us and we can discuss which is suitable for your event.
Gobos are placed in front of a light source to alter the shape of the light projected onto a surface. This allows you to display words, logos, shapes and patterns on a wall, floor, ceiling, or any large, flat space in your venue. Gobos can be either static or moving.
Sound FAQs
Most definitely ‘yes’. Our experts will work with you to understand your objectives for the event, before presenting a range of high-quality audio solutions which meet your goals and your budget. Plus, all our audio advice is guaranteed free of techno-speak!
This depends on the size of the venue, the number of people attending the event and type of event. Call us and we can work it all out for you.
If your event is outside or you have an awkwardly shaped room or one with pillars or a low ceiling, our experts can visit the venue and devise an audio system that works.
Yes. We can deliver audio equipment anywhere and set it up for you. Then after the event, we can de-rig everything and take it away.
These terms are blurring together. But, basically, a ‘PA system’ is for the spoken word and a ‘sound system’ delivers music and the spoken word or singing. Sound systems can be used for recorded or live music.
The Cause experts will help you choose. We have microphones for every situation, including lectern microphones, radio microphones, vocal microphones, head-worn microphones, boundary microphones and microphones for filming, recording instruments and live performances.
All the cables you need for your audio system are included. Unlike other companies, we’ve never charged for cables!
We have an excellent stock of professional backline equipment.
An active speaker has its own amplifier built into the cabinet, whereas a passive speaker draws its power from an external amp.
Yes. We’re qualified to carry out PAT-testing at our workshops, at your company or at the venue itself. Obviously, all equipment supplied by The Cause is PAT-tested to comply with the current regulations.
A Portable Appliance Test (PAT) is an electrical safety test, required by law to be undertaken on all electrical equipment used in a public place. The Cause PAT-tests every item of equipment and keeps records which are available on request.
We have £10,000,000 of public liability.
Yes. Just let us know what you want to connect.
Yes we can, but your venue must have a PRS license to play recorded music. We can create and edit music, music loops, samples and voice-overs. Royalty-Free music is also available for background music and stings.
What happens if I have a technical problem?
Yes. And the same goes for lighting engineers.
Sets & Staging FAQs
Let us know your event date as soon as possible because some dates are very popular. It also depends on the size of your event and your requirements. Remember, bespoke builds take time.
Please feel free to call us with any ideas you have, and we’ll make your dreams a reality.
The Cause can provide staging from stock in 1metre x 2metre sections, for internal or external use, with or without hard or soft facings. Alternatively, the staging can be custom-built to any shape or size. Stock staging can be combined with custom elements, such as curved sections, to provide bespoke staging.
Any height. Just let us know.
What will the stage be used for, what’s the area and what finish is required on the stage decks.
This will depend on the intended use of the stage and how many people would be on it at one time, as well as the available room, both when assembled and stored away.
Yes. But let us know the size and shape, well in advance.
Yes. The Cause can deliver sets and stages anywhere and install everything for you.
We can ‘dry’ hire the set or include the set-up fee in our quotation.
We can deliver, install, de-rig and collect. Just tell us where and when the sets and staging are needed, and we’ll arrange convenient access with the venue.
Yes, of course. Just let us know if you need hard or soft flats, along with the sizes, colours and materials.
No problem! We can build ANYTHING! Let us know the venue size and your available budget. It’s worth noting that larger items can be made in smaller sections which will fit through doorways and then be assembled on site.
We can print onto stretch fabric that’s then stretched around a framework, to any size. Alternatively, we can use a backcloth that can be lit with LED colour lighting, or act as a surface for projected images.
We can provide star cloth.
Yes, we can integrate ANYTHING into your set.
Stock flats are used as stage backdrops and screen surrounds. We can make them in any size, shape or colour. They can be covered in anything – felt, velvet, vinyl, AstroTurf or stretched graphics.
We have contacts with a wide range of theatrical props suppliers and, if you’re looking for something special, we can build it in our workshops.
Some of the crazy things we’ve custom-built for events:
- Large stars with chasing lights
- 6-foot high numbers with internal illumination
- Baths on wheels and plywood cars
- Rockets that fire real, orange smoke
- Fire-breathing dragons
- Circus mirrors and light-boxes
- Ursula Andress mannequins
- Rubber rifles
- Scooters and skateboards
So, in a few words – anything you desire!
No. Our £10,000,000 public liability insurance covers all pyrotechnic use. It’s also worth noting that many of our theatrical effects use safe techniques to give the impression of flames or fire.
No. Our £10,000,000 public liability insurance covers all pyrotechnic use. It’s also worth noting that many of our theatrical effects use safe techniques to give the impression of flames or fire.
Projection FAQs
The Cause stocks a wide range of projectors – with many different power options.
The projector you need depends on the size of the room, audience numbers, ambient light levels, the proportions of your media and the distance from your screen. We can do all these calculations for you and provide advice on whether to use rear or front projection.
This will depend on the geography of your venue and your audience size. We can project any image size.
If your presentation is supplied via multiple sources, you’ll need a video mixer to provide a smooth transition between inputs.
Yes, just tell us what you need, and our dedicated graphics team will do everything for you.
Our highly skilled team can fit the projector at the correct distance and install all the cables, unobtrusively.
We can supply adjustable TV stands and various sizes of ultra-high-definition TVs – delivered and installed with appropriate distribution and cables.
The Cause can provide any channel, at any time, at any location.
Yes. We’re qualified to carry out PAT-testing at our workshops, at your company or at the venue itself. Obviously, all equipment supplied by The Cause is PAT-tested to comply with the current regulations.
A Portable Appliance Test (PAT) is an electrical safety test, required by law to be undertaken on all electrical equipment used in a public place. The Cause PAT-tests every item of equipment and keeps records which are available on request.
The Cause has £10,000,000 of public liability.
Yes. And the same goes for sound engineers.
Philosophy FAQs
We make your job easier by bringing you years of experience and the latest technology making you look and sound the best, at the best possible price.
The Dictionary says;
“A person or thing that gives rise to an action, reasonable grounds for doing, thinking or feeling something. A principle, aim or movement that, because of deep commitment, one is prepared to defend or advocate.”
Well we think it sums us up pretty well.
Portable Appliance Test (PAT) is an electrical safety test, required by law to be undertaken on all electrical equipment to be used in a public place. The Cause P.A.T. Test every item of equipment and keep a record of such testing, a copy of which is available upon request.
Yes, we are qualified to carry out the testing at our place or yours.
We have £10,000,000 of public liability.
The Cause was created in 1982 in Bridlington on the Yorkshire East coast.
It was primarily a public address hire business, facilitating to the local bands of the time. The need for rehearsal space and recording facilities lead to a move to York, and an expansion to Sheffield. By 2004 The Cause was well established over the country providing our clients with the fuss free service they have come to rely on time after time.
GET IN TOUCH
Complete the form below or get in touch by calling Anthony on 07515 682 581 or email: anthony@thecause.co.uk. Let’s get creative!
T: 07515 682 581 E: anthony@thecause.co.uk
The Cause Light & Sound Ltd, John Dickie Street, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire KA1 2AP