Why You Should Record Your Next Conference

We have assisted with many conferences throughout the years, and one of the most valuable services we can provide for this type of event is video recording. There are many ways that a team can benefit from recording their conferences, but there are four in particular that we have found to be the most relevant across the board.

When a significant portion of the target audience is not able to attend a conference, organizers may choose to record the conference and feed it to a live stream channel. For corporate organizations, this allows teams that are spread out to benefit equally from the information being shared. For public events, this extends the reach of the event's message.

Many companies record key points of their conferences to be used later on for training new team members. This strategy reduces the need for investing in additional training materials, and over time, creates an archive of training assets that can be beneficial to team operations. This is probably the most common motivation for recording that we encounter.

It can be helpful to have recordings of your event so that you can look back, review what went well & what didn't, and make informed decisions for future events. This is especially useful for events with breakout sessions, as it can be hard to keep tabs on each presentation when there are several occurring at the same time.

Last but not least, one of our favorite uses for video recording is image magnification, or I-MAG. Image magnification means taking video feed of a speaker and putting it up on screen. It is a great way to break up a presentation with lots of slides, improve speaker visibility, and keep your audience engaged throughout the program.

Although it isn't necessary for every event, video recording can provide many benefits during and after your conference. We'd love to talk with you about the potential added value that video can bring to your event!

From Then to Now: TEDxCharlottesville

There are some events, conferences, & festivals in our portfolio that we are lucky enough to get to work on as they develop from year to year. One of our favorites is our local TEDxCharlottesville event! This is such an important event in our community and the speakers are always top-notch, so it's a welcome annual challenge to design an interesting stage set that serves this event's functions while helping to enhance the theme or underlying tone of the day's presentations.

 

2013

For TEDxCharlottesville's first year, we kept the staging rather minimalist & clean. This was our first go at projection mapping, so we went with some simple vertical rectangles to project content onto, and splashed colorful lighting onto the backdrop to create an engaging tableau.

 

2014

The next year, we took the projection mapping up a notch, using Wafer panels from Atomic Design to fill the stage and create a showstopping, high-impact backdrop. Jonah Tobias, a local animator & leader of the TEDxCharlottesville design committee, created beautiful projection content that complemented the tone of each talk.

 

2015

In its third year, we took a nod from the poster artwork, creating a more literal representation of the event's branding. We built custom set pieces from pipe and acrylic shapes, onto which we projected the speakers faces along with ambient content. We also used three projection screens to accommodate speaker content while keeping informational slides visible during each talk.

 

2016

In 2016, we switched it up and used our Absen LED panels instead of projection & screens. We placed one large LED wall with picture-in-picture graphics in the center of the stage, and used additional LED panels to construct realistic-looking "wooden" stage decor.

 

2017

Finally, this year we went back to basics with a single projection screen and two analog sculptural set pieces. The structure of the set pieces was an exact replication of this year's branding illustrations, and the pieces made a strong statement among an otherwise pared-down stage set.

We're honored to have assisted with this event since its inception, and our long-standing relationship & close connection to the show allow us to create innovative sets while maintaining a thread of stylistic continuity from year to year.

The "Run Of Show"

A "run of show" is a tool that we use for almost every event. It is a way of simplifying and distilling information that is essential to running a live show. At its core, a run of show is a document that lays out the timing, program, and content for each moment of an event. These documents help us to keep shows of all scales running smoothly. 

Big moments are important, but the small moments & transitions between them can make all the difference - and each second of screen time or audio is significant. This is why we have experienced content managers & show directors to lead our on-site teams, and these run of show documents help us to work together with a clear understanding of the event.

They also help us to collaborate with clients and clarify details of the schedule so that their team members are informed, prepared, and confident. 

To help you build a run of show for your event, we've put together a template that you can use as a jumping off point! In this Excel document, you'll find a blank template spreadsheet and some general instructions to help you get started, as well as an example spreadsheet to give you an idea of how it might be used or filled out.

If you have any questions, or if you need assistance creating a run of show for your upcoming event, please reach out and we'd be happy to assist you!