EP17 – Happy Rigging with Brent Armstrong

What this episode covers

We’re live on show site in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil during this episode of the production channel, as hosts Clem Harrod and Stephen Bowles speak with Brent Armstrong, owner of Alpine Rigging. A self-described “reformed mountain climber,” Brent spent over a decade of his life devoted to climbing before diving into the live event industry as a rigger. Years spent climbing mountains and studying climbing patterns allowed him to better understand connecting points in the ballroom and how heavy equipment can be suspended safely from a ceiling. Of course, the heights never bothered him either. When Brent met his wife, his life began to “equalize” as he puts it, and he fell into the Las Vegas rigging scene. Brent quickly realized that to be successful in the entertainment industry, one must be more than just skilled at the technical aspects, one must also excel at the “people game.” “It’s about dealing with five varied kinds of people that have different authority levels and making it all gel, and that’s the trick to this.” Brent also noticed it was better to have a solution or different way of doing something than to quickly and outright say no. “You have to have a solution, right? You have to have a work-around, if you want to be successful and you want to move up in the game. You can’t just be the ‘no’ guy.” Brent’s positive attitude and helpfulpresence has helped make him a recommended rigger for those in the industry. For a guy who was once living out of his car, focused on what mountain to climb next, the Owner of Alpine Rigging has learned to climb the mountain of the live event industry. Tune-in as Brent shares about the pre-production process, the value of communication, and offering solutions rather than the stereotypical “rigger no.”