The way we attend events has changed drastically over the last year. Large-scale conferences have moved solely online and in-person meetings have settled into virtual. Many of these changes are here to stay and our team is prepared to handle it all. Many of our clients have decided to go virtual in place of their in-person events to comply with health recommendations. In 2020, our team partnered with the Emerge Center to create a live-streamed event for their annual fundraising event, Emerge Fest.
It’s important to know where virtual events and in-person events differ, in terms of production. Here are three key components to preparing for live events
Rehearsal
It’s important to rehearse both technically and with talent. A technical rehearsal means setting up all equipment and completing the run-of-show with all production team members. When the team at the Emerge Foundation approached us, they were prepared with a complete run of show and ideas for how they wanted their event to go. It was so detailed that we still point to their run-of-show as a reference for incoming clients. Live events live very little room for error, which means everything has to work as perfectly as possible. A talent rehearsal allows all cast members to work out any kinks and make adjustments. It’s better to know what works before the cameras start rolling. This level of preparedness covered other areas of production, including with graphic design.
Pre-made Media
Typically, graphics are designed as part of post-production, but live-streamed events require things to be different. For live events, graphics are designed before the events and created to fit into the show’s timeline. When our team worked with Emerge for their live fundraising event, we designed lower 3rds, a 15-minute countdown, and text on the screen. In terms of media, we filmed four videos, including a 60th-anniversary video. This media was timed into the live stream and managed by a specific team member, specialized for live events.
Special Team Members and Equipment
One very necessary part of live-streamed events are including a Technical Director (TD) as part of the team. Their role is to run the switchboard, plan prepared videos and determine their timing, and switch between cameras when the stream is live. The TD also monitors the TriCaster, a portable appliance that allows a person (or team!) to broadcast, or, in our case, live stream an event. Emerge Fest was live-streamed through social media and viewers were able to watch from their homes and donate to a great cause.
These necessary tools work with the entire production team to create a live event that our client can be proud of. If your company is developing a virtual event, we can help! We’ve produced live events for clients across different industries, from healthcare to education. Let us handle your next big event.
Contact Us
