HOW TO EXECUTE A SUCCESSFUL LIVE STREAM IN 4 SIMPLE STEPS
Wizard Studios has always existed to produce world class events and experiences that leave an indelible impression on its audiences. With COVID-19 keeping the majority of us indoors, many of us in the event industry are considering how we can connect to our audiences through a computer screen. Thank goodness for live-streaming! If you’re hoping to produce an event that leaves that same indelible impression with your audience from the comfort of their homes, we’re happy to share with you what we believe makes a truly stellar live-stream event a major success!
Step 1: Pre-Production
Just because an event is live-streamed should not make you think it requires anything less than your very best. To create the best live-streaming event possible, you need to treat it with the full respect and consideration of any other event in real-time. This involves creating and adhering to a production timeline, storyboard, stage set design, concept renderings, location scouting, content management, content creation, and script writing.
Run of Show
On top of this, strongly consider creating a run of show, with time for managing the presenter and the overall rehearsal to make sure everything is exactly as you want it. This phase is so crucial to a successful live-streaming event because, unlike live events, audiences will be able to tune into this event long after it has passed. So even though you may have recorded it in front of a live audience, your reach will extend to all the viewers watching the webcast online. That being said, everything you’ve created will be set in stone, so you want to make sure what you’re showcasing is in alignment with your organization and the reputation it wants to have. A strong run of show (and overall pre-production plan) will ensure that success.
Step 2: Production
So, you’ve done all the hard work to create the plans for, what you believe to be, an amazing live-streaming event. In a successful production phase, things start to come together in a big way.
Set fabrication with production and set lighting will help set the stage, and quality live broadcasting equipment is crucial. Focus on equipment that will allow video switching and multi-camera shading, so that the entire event is not filmed from one stationary camera. Live audio mixing, closed captioning, and ISO recording will not only make it a cleaner live video but also offer you a lot more freedom in post-production.
The Right Personnel
Lastly, you need the right personnel to help with technical direction, stage management, Q&A management, and live polling. If all of these elements are in place well before the live streaming begins, your at-home audience will be able to focus solely on the content and not get distracted by mishaps. A good personnel team will bring out your event’s best.
Step 3: Post-Production
You had your event and you crossed your events that everything went according to plan! Now what?
A stellar live-stream is polished in post-production so your organization is presenting its very best. In this phase, you should be focusing on video editing, session transcription, audio editing and mix down. If you’ve thoroughly followed the Steps 1 and 2, post-production will consist of combing through an array of successful moments. If you don’t adhere to Steps 1 and 2, you may find that post-production is a stressful re-telling of a hectic event, and nobody wants that!
Step 4: Reflection
If you’ve followed these steps, congrats! You’ve done all you can to execute a dynamic, well-prepared and well-executed event that will be online for all to see and appreciate. As you move forward, there are things you can do to ensure it went as well as you hoped it did. This step should include studying audience and attendance data, and the completion and review of post-event surveys. This will offer you hard numbers to think about for future live-streaming events.
As with any special event, it makes all the difference to enlist the help of an event professional. Contact Wizard Studios to get started on your spectacular event today!