The Backstage Problem That Started MagnetMate

Every product starts somewhere. MagnetMate started with a three-day conference at Centrepiece at Melbourne Park and a problem that wouldn't go away.

I was show calling the event. High presenter count across three days, and a high percentage of outfits that had no business carrying a lapel pack. One-piece dresses, pant suits, silk blouses, nothing with a belt loop or a pocket in sight. Every time a presenter walked in wearing something unsuitable, the crew improvised. Gaffer tape. Safety pins. Asking the presenter to hold the pack in their hand. None of those are workflows. They're hopes.

By the end of the first day I was done improvising. There had to be a better way.

The conversation that started it

I was talking it through with Luca, an event producer at Sightline, a Sydney corporate event production company. It wasn't a formal meeting or a product brief. Just a conversation between two people who understood the problem. A germ of an idea started forming.

Over the next week or so that idea took shape. The problem was specific: how do you attach a wireless lapel pack to an outfit that has no belt and no pockets, reliably, quickly, and without unnecessary contact with the talent? The answer, it turned out, was magnets.

Building the first prototype

I didn't have a production facility or an engineering background. What I had was a problem I needed to solve and a workshop.

The first few attempts were made from sheet metal and magnets I bought from eBay. They were rough, but they proved the concept worked. Over the next four weeks I kept refining the design, working out the right magnet strength, the right clip geometry, the right dimensions to fit standard wireless transmitters.

After about four weeks I had something worth taking further. I took the design to a local engineering shop in Melbourne and worked with them to produce the first proper working models. That process took around three months.

The first real test

The first time MagnetMate was used on a real show was at a MECCA event. It worked perfectly. The pack stayed where the crew put it, the presenter never knew there was a problem, and the crew didn't have to improvise.

That was the moment I knew the product was real.

Where it is now

Since that first show at Centrepiece, MagnetMate has grown into a full product range covering lapel mic pack mounting, comms pack mounting, IFB receiver mounting, and lapel mic capsule placement. All designed and manufactured in Melbourne by Decal Pty Ltd.

MCEC and ICC Sydney both run ten sets of BodyGrip as standard venue kit. Austage Events have theirs in their radio kits and at Fed Square. Monitor City takes theirs on the road for international touring shows. Norwest, Weave, and a growing list of AV companies and venues across Australia have their kits custom engraved with their own branding.

Since the store opened, over 450 units have been shipped across the full product range. The BodyGrip remains the flagship with in excess of 200 units sold, and the FlexCapsule has found a strong following with over 100 units shipped. The BodyMax, CommsPro HD, CommsPro, and LockCapsule make up the rest of the range, with the CommsPro HD in particular gaining traction in outdoor broadcast environments.

It started with one frustrating day at Centrepiece and a conversation that went somewhere.

FAQ

Who founded MagnetMate?

MagnetMate was founded by Brett Cooper, a Show Caller and Technical Director with over 30 years of experience in live events. The product grew out of a real backstage problem encountered while show calling a conference at Centrepiece at Melbourne Park in Melbourne.

Why was MagnetMate created?

MagnetMate was created to solve the problem of attaching wireless lapel packs to outfits with no belt or pockets. The standard solutions available to AV crews, gaffer tape, safety pins, and belt pouches, were unreliable and unprofessional. MagnetMate uses rare-earth magnets to mount the pack directly to clothing without any of those workarounds.

Where is MagnetMate made?

All MagnetMate products are designed and manufactured in Melbourne, Australia, by Decal Pty Ltd.

Who uses MagnetMate?

MagnetMate is used by AV technicians, show callers, stage managers, broadcast crew, and event production companies across Australia and internationally. MCEC and ICC Sydney both run MagnetMate BodyGrip as standard venue kit.

How long did it take to develop the first MagnetMate product?

The first prototype was built from sheet metal and eBay magnets over approximately four weeks. The first proper working models were produced at a local Melbourne engineering shop around three months later. The product was first used on a real show at a MECCA event, where it worked perfectly.

What products does MagnetMate make?

MagnetMate makes eight products covering wireless lapel mic pack mounting (BodyGrip, BodyMax), lapel mic capsule mounting (FlexCapsule, LockCapsule), wireless comms pack mounting (CommsPro, CommsPro HD), and IFB receiver mounting (RepMount, AdaptMount). All products are available at magnetmate.au.

MagnetMate is an Australian-made product line designed for AV professionals, event crews, and theatre production teams. All products are manufactured in Melbourne by Decal Pty Ltd.