I recently attended a hybrid event as an in-room participant and whilst on the whole it was very smooth I did have some observations of how it could have more polish but also a number of things that were done well and were great reminders for any events I facilitate. The first four are the improvements but of course require additional equipment and time to set up.

  • Have two display/projector screens so that the in-room audience can see the Zoom gallery as well as the screen presentation, it’ll be more inclusive. I kinda forgot they were there and that it was indeed supposed to be a hybrid event.
  • A confidence monitor so that the “talent” or speakers can see themselves to know if they’re in the right place for the camera (and thus the online participants can see them) – flip out camera screens aren’t enough.
  • Ideally a second “confidence monitor” so that the speaker can see the online audience and keep a degree of eye contact – this reminds the speaker that the online folk are there and makes it easier if there is a conversation with an online participant. If not a second monitor then the first one should be switchable between “mirror mode” and online view.
  • Sufficient in-room participant microphones (a roaming hand-held AND several “background” mics) to enable the online folk to hear questions/input from the room.

The following WERE in place but just observations as a “reminder note to self” and info for anyone else considering running a hybrid event.

  • Keep any camera(s) at the front low enough so that they do not become an obstacle to the in-room participants.
  • Use smaller “subtle” lighting, again so as not to be an obstacle but at the same time provide enough light for the benefit on the online participants via the better camera image.
  • Someone monitoring the online chat & view to pick up any technical problems.

All of these things make it a much more inclusive event for both in-room and online and brings me around to my final point. Now this is NOT a criticism of the event in any shape or form. It ran well, it ran smoothly but the host was trying to do the tech and the presentation at the same time. Now he did a fabulous job of running the day and doing what he does very well and also of setting up and managing the tech, but when things weren’t “quite right” at the start, when there was a bit of a tech role that he needed to switch into, he was getting understandably flustered sorting that whilst wanting to get on with what he was REALLY there for. There’s a lot of technology and a lot of equipment and a lot of things to juggle and get right and it’s bloody hard work!

That’s where a service like my “Outside Broadcast” Livestreaming ProductionCube® comes in. My strapline for that is;

“We’ve got the Tech. Focus on your gig”.

And there’s a reason for that. Would I have provided that service for them? There and then, no. Why? Because I couldn’t do that AND focus on the content, which is why I was there!