Getting your message across is the primary goal of those presenting educational material. That could range from a fund raising event to a full blown training seminar for business people. The two senses you need to engage are the eyes and the ears. That’s obvious, I know, but technically, how do you manage this via a live streamed presentation?
In Part 1, I discussed getting content to the Internet Videologist to be used in the stream. For the remote audience, having a camera trying to zoom in on the screen, yet still provide clarity of the items presented is a challenge. For those outside the room, the manner in which you get the slides to them is to use a module that inserts the images into the video stream, or is presented to the side of the video frame. This allows those outside the room to get the same level of input as those in person.
Here’s what’s important: The Videologist and the presenter have to be using the exact same set of slides (graphics/videos, too). If not, the remote audience will be short changed, as the streamer is left either deciding not to put up a mis-matched slide (in the case of it being changed), or not displaying it all, to save the embarrassment of the speaker. This can also happen when the presenter decides to rearrange the order of the slides, and not get the same edited version to the computer where it will be streamed from. Once more, the Videologist can be following along, putting up the next slide, only to see it’s not that slide. With the limited interface to the slide deck controls, they can’t really navigate to find the correct one(s) as time goes on, while still managing the other processes of live streaming. Outcome: It doesn’t provide the professional look and feel you were after.
Next: Lower thirds. If you’re not familiar with this term, the display you see across (most normally) the lower section of the screen with the person’s name, title and/or contact info, or book they wrote or website. It’s branded for either the person or the organization putting the show on.
Lower thirds provide an ability to convey supplementary information, without obscuring the personalities on screen. You need to determine the format, look and feel of the lower third for the event so the Internet Videologist can construct the graphics to fit the frame size and get any logos/graphics necessary for the template. Later, as the program is solidified, the presenter information needs to be gathered and validated (for instance, beyond spelling, their title) and then spell checked.
If the presenter is going to re-iterate the information listed on the lower third, for instance a contact phone number, or their email address, they need to be told which one it is, so as they speak it, that’s what it overlayed on the video frame. I have had people provide information a week in advance, then during the live stream, they say something different. If your intent is to engage both the eyes and the ears of the viewers for maximum retention of the data, then you’ve not only not met that goal, you’ve actually distracted them subconsciously, as they are mentally considering the written and verbal forms differ.
