The process of setting up an event to conduct a live stream is something that isn’t a part of the process of event planners…yet. It’s still new territory right now as it hasn’t been a commonly used capability.
At the outset of the idea to hold an event is the moment you need to ask the question: Would this be valuable in a live streamed format? If the answer is yes, then you need to connect with an Internet Videologist right away and begin laying out the program with their input.
An overarching goal is to ensure the media presented in the room is also in a usable format for the streaming presentation. What does this mean? Any content such as PowerPoint slides, videos, and static graphics have to be provided to the Internet Videologist in advance of the actual event to ensure they are in the correct format, or be converted/resized to adapt to the video frame that will be shown.
Here’s the aside for the content generation that is a shift from how presenters are used to working: They can’t alter their slides/graphics, or the lineup of them after they have submitted them to the Internet Videologist. My standard is 3 working days prior to the event, which gives me time to make any necessary edits/conversions and then load them to the streaming system in a coherent format. If the presenter, as many do that morning as they have breakfast, tweak their slides and only give them to the laptop operator (or they are using their own – the same place they edited them), then the streaming staff is missing what they need to make that speaker look as professional as they are. If you really need to change something, do it deliberately and with the help and support of your Videologist, so every one looks great at the end of the session.
Sound: Solid rule to work with is never provide anything less that quality sound. In the process of doing this, the plan must include all audio comes and goes via a central system. This allows the in room, and the virtual audience with clear sound. It’s not that hard to accomplish, but event planners and audio visual equipment providers general only plan to mic the stage and play mood music. The tap that goes to the streaming system may not be difficult, but the planning needs to ensure the A/V people and the Internet Videologist get together in advance. It may be a short conversation and it’s all covered, but it may entail getting the right cabling or adapters, or figuring how to get the sound across the room without any more wires than necessary to complete the task.
One noted deficiency of the process I’ve regularly noted is a “presentation laptop” and projector are staged up front somewhere in order to project the slides and videos. Solving the problem of mimicking the PowerPoint slides isn’t a difficult task. What does go off the rails is when a video is played. Even without the streaming system consideration, the sound for the video is most often projected not via the main sound system for the venue, but with speakers attached to the laptop. This breaks the rule for sending out quality audio, as no one thinks to go and stand with a mic next to the system. The only benefactors, in large rooms in particular, are the people in from of the speakers, or the close area to them. It’s a disservice to the audience locally as well as remotely. How to solve this? Connect the laptop to the main room system, and then everyone gets the great sound experience.
