New York AV Installer | Shadow Box Design Management

Shadowbox Design Management, New York AV Integrator headquartered in Hicksville, New York, is a full-service AV systems integration and event production company providing systems integration, production design and live event production services to clients.

Today we catch up with Joseph Ondrek, VP at Shadowbox, and discuss how he started in the industry, his advice to those looking to get a start in AV, and his favorite songs for system testing.

Let’s dive in!

Tell us about your company

New York AV Installer | Shadow Box Design Management

[JO] Shadowbox Design Management has been around since 2004, we initially started solely as an event production company before transitioning into a full-service AV systems integration and event production company. My business partner and I both come from a theatrical background, and then I spent several years working at a book publisher. When we first began producing live events, we found that many of our clients, like universities and nonprofits, had other spaces that they needed AV help. So, we began designing and providing sound, lighting, video, and control systems for boardrooms and classrooms, which brought us to where we are today.

Over the years, we’ve built up our staff and relationships with different manufacturers. Now we provide everything that’s necessary for AV systems integration from projection screens, video walls, audio systems to lighting systems.

How did you get started in the industry?

New York AV Installer | Shadow Box Design Management

[JO] In college I was a broadcasting major, and while working at the college radio station, I was always interested in the technical aspects of broadcasting and audio production. Some of the other students said I should work backstage in the campus performing arts center where I was introduced to the world of live sound, lighting, and theatrical production. I always found it really rewarding putting together a show or event, and now I get the same sense of enjoyment from a boardroom or classroom project.

What's the most challenging project you’ve worked on?

New York AV Installer | Shadow Box Design Management

[JO] Many projects are challenging in their own way but one of the systems I’m extremely proud of is at Brooklyn Law School. We just completed a new student lounge that I’m really happy with. The room features a 3×3-tiled video wall that is set up so that it can either be run by their AV staff for presentations and events, or it can facilitate law students coming in and using the system to watch cable tv or to hook up their phone to play music for their own smaller events in there as well. It gives a lot of functionality to the room and improves their day-to-day experience.

What is the hardest part of your job? What can manufacturers do to make it easier?

New York AV Installer | Shadow Box Design Management

[JO] Well, I think it’s always challenging to use a third-party controller and integrate everything together. We have found a lot of solutions that work great for us, but those integrations can sometimes prove challenging when the documentation is not fully available to understand how these systems work together. Any documentation to standardize the interface between devices would go a long way to be able to provide more options for our clients. I can see why some companies resist that access because they have their own ecosystem and they want you to play in their sandbox, but there are other companies that are trying to open it up and make it more accessible. Those are the companies that we gravitate toward because they give us the functionality we need.

What are your go-to songs for system testing?

New York AV Installer | Shadow Box Design Management

[JO] There are a couple that I’ve been using. There’s a Regina Spektor song called Firewood that I use a lot. It has beautiful, clean vocals and the piano, and I like to use that song to get that clarity to come through. Last year, my wife and I took our teenage son to see the Chemical Brothers play in Queens at the Forest Hills stadium, and one of the songs that they have from their newest album, Got To Keep On, is something I use to test the punch of the sound system. After the system is tuned, playing that song nice and loud puts a smile on my face.

How do you measure success from job to job?

New York AV Installer | Shadow Box Design Management

[JO] If the client is satisfied with the result, that’s going to be the best metric that we can get. A happy client is a great resource for telling others about the work we do and growing the business.

Secondly, the return on investment for the installation, how efficiently were we able to execute the job? How quickly did we get it done?

Finally, the reliability of the install, with the goal of minimizing problems or calls down the line. So, it’s really those three aspects that keeps the company moving forward.

What's one piece of advice for others who aspire to be AV installers?

New York AV Installer | Shadow Box Design Management

[JO] It’s about understanding your clients more than anything else. Learn about the products and technology that are available and how they can address your client’s needs. Talk to people about what works and what didn’t.

We’d like to thank Joseph and everyone at Shadowbox Design Management for taking the time to speak with us and also for working with our CONNECTSERIES amplifiers in their recent installation project in the Brooklyn Law School, which you can read more about here.

If you have any questions about our CONNECTSERIES amps or would like to be featured in one of our Integrator Spotlight posts, feel free to fill out the form below or reach out to us on our social media channels.