Stage Hand, Roadie or Technician: What Is the Difference?

Event job titles overlap, and people use them differently. Knowing who does what helps you ask for the right crew and avoid paying for skills you do not need.

By Stage Hands UK · Practical guide

Stage hand

A stage hand supports the physical side of a show: unloading, building staging, moving set and kit, and clearing down. It is general production labour under direction.

Roadie

The word roadie is informal. It usually means someone who travels with a band or tour and looks after the equipment. On a local event, you will normally want stage hands or crew rather than a roadie.

Technician

Technicians have specific skills: lighting, sound, video or staging. They operate and fault-find equipment. Stage hands help them but do not usually run the systems.

Rigger

Riggers work with truss, hoists and structures, often at height. It is specialist and safety-critical, so check experience and certificates for the work.

Runner and production assistant

Runners carry messages, collect items and keep things moving. Production assistants support the production manager with schedules, paperwork and people.

Crew chief

A crew chief leads a team of crew on site. They take the plan from production and make sure the team delivers it safely and on time. We provide crew chiefs on larger bookings.

How to ask for the right people

Describe the tasks rather than only the title. For example, "unload two trucks and build a 10 metre stage by 2pm" is clearer than "four stage hands".

Why the right title saves money

Booking a technician for a job that needs stage hands wastes budget. Booking stage hands for a job that needs a technician puts the show at risk. Splitting the work into tasks makes it clear which people you need and how many of each.

Mixed teams

Most productions use a mix: a crew chief, several stage hands, a couple of runners and specialist technicians or riggers where needed. Each group has a clear role and a clear point of contact.

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