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An Interview with Diogo Scutti

The Environment is Driven by Passion; Two Decades in AV

What inspired you to pursue a career in the audiovisual world?

My ambition to pursue a career in audio came from a passion for music and a deep understanding of how it can really transform our lives on so many levels. Music is capable of changing our mood, bringing people together and can be healing – I truly believe it is capable of that. In the AV industry it is much the same, and for me it brings an additional responsibility – one of delivering the absolute best we can in terms of how the listener can hear or communicate with others through the AV systems we design.

Who has had the biggest influence on your creative and professional development?

Well, during my career I have been surrounded by many amazing professionals whose have helped me to develop my skills; teachers, FOH engineers, producers and sound designers. If I could pick two, I would say Mr. Bob McCarthy as the person who gave me most of my theoretical audio background and technical understanding. Also, Mr. Eddie Thomas whose I worked with during the past three years – he had improved my understanding of PAVA projects and regulations to a level I could never reach without his kind generosity and willingness to share his knowledge.

Which are some of the projects you are proudest to have been a part of and why?

For me, to be honest, with every project there is a kind of challenge embedded within it which makes it especially memorable, but I would say helping the team in the Tottenham Stadium was particularly special. The challenge to meet the club’s expectations in many aspects of the project pushed the team to another level in terms of knowledge and best practice.

Ascot Racecourse was also pretty significant as I headed up both the design and the tech team to install a brand-new audio experience earlier this year.

*I have also been fortunate to have been involved in many types of live production projects in music, touring, sports events and even Broadway shows as both a Sound System designer and FOH Engineer. Some of these include the Rio 2016 Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the Brazilian World Cup, the Red Bull Air Race and several music tours. I love great music and some of the personal highlights for me are the tours that I worked on with Seal, Paramore and Ben Harper in South America. *

On top of this, I have been involved in systems integration with responsibility for some of the most complex audio systems in the world; in stadia, entertainment areas, theatres, exhibition centres and hospitality venues. English sports and music fans will know the O2 Arena, the Aston Villa stadium and the Ashton Gate stadium. Travelling the world, I have also worked in other iconic stadium locations in Brazil, Chile and Argentina.

What is your motivation for rejoining Audiologic and why is this such a good fit for you?

Well, we always had a really good relationship that continued after I left the company in 2017. Whenever someone has asked me what my experience was like there, I have always said it was a very friendly and collaborative environment, one where we could all easily get in touch with the directors to help make quick and confident decisions in the best interests of our customers. I now look forward to adding to the team’s collective expertise and utilising my specialist knowledge in audio and video protocols and digital networking to help Audiologic continue to thrive.

How do you see Audiologic continuing to evolve?

The leadership calibre and vision of the management team have created a passion for excellence throughout the business. This, combined with the fact that the company is growing so fast and is very well-grounded and prepared for the market challenges ahead, encouraged me to take the exciting decision to come back to the team.

What do you specialise in and which projects excite you most?

During recent years in the industry, we have constantly faced many challenges in terms of signal transmission. In trying to resolve this situation, I have focussed on developing my skills in audio and video protocol, and digital networking

What’s new and what are the hot topics in AV?

Well, I would not say ‘new’, but one I consider to be the most important at the moment is based around digital signal transportation and networking, and being able to meet stringent budget and design expectations. I know Audiologic are capable of driving ahead new technologies to offer the right product and service to a high standard for the customer that is ‘one step ahead’.

How do you feel that Covid-19 has changed the industry, and how might this affect the way you work?

Despite the terrible fact that this situation is affecting so many people in so very different ways, I believe we have a good opportunity to grow the market – combining our strengths with that of our clients. The AV interface will continue to grow to be an essential requirement for company meetings and conferences as, in my opinion, the security distancing measures could be in place for a long period.

Educational establishments will also need to ensure their AV systems are updated to allow them to find different ways to reach out to students, and we have all the tools available to help them achieve that.

Finally, what are your immediate plans for the new role – and the longer-term?

For now, my initial thoughts are to reconnect with the technical team and focus on where I can be the most helpful. I will continue working hard to help move Audiologic to where it deserves to be. As new opportunities arise, I am well-placed to make an important contribution as a key member of the team to help deliver the great service and technical support so highly valued by our customers.