CE21 LIVE PRODUCTION SERVICES
CLIENT PROVIDES/ARRANGES
PRE-EVENT GREENLIGHT CLARIFICATIONS
NO EVENT VENUE UNION ISSUES
The event venue should be verified to allow 3rd party videographers (CE21) to operate on-site.
This is more suspect in locations like San Francisco, Chicago, NYC but the simple question to the venue is "We are arranging to have a company provide a 3rd party videographer to record our presentations being held at your facility. Is this allowed and if so, any considerations - financial or otherwise?"
ACCESS TO EVENT ROOM 2 HOUR PRIOR TO START TIME
The videographer should have access to the event room 2 hours prior to the scheduled start time
This should be verified by the client through sales manager or contact person at the event venue, especially if the event start time is before 8am
ALL PRESENTATIONS COLLECTED IN SINGLE EVENT ROOM
All presentations to be streamed and/or recorded should be collected into a single event room
It is a win/win to collect all presentations into a single event room. This maximizes the amount of content the videographer can capture.
CE21 must know about any consideration of the following in advance of the project and in consideration of any event quotes:
Event room changes within a single event day
Event room changes between different days on a multi-day project
Event quote costs may be affected by switching between event rooms on multi-day projects.
CLIENT PROVIDES THROUGH EVENT VENUE
LOGISTICS
An event venue that is free of union conflicts
Arrange for all presentations to be collected into a single event room (consult CE21 on any room switches within the same event date)
Arrange for videographer access to the event room 2 hours prior to program start time
Arrange for a single Windows OS static presentation (typically front-of-room) laptop that has all required presentation software/presentations preloaded on it.
Supply a floor plan diagram to CE21 once becomes available
EVENT ROOM AUDIO
Arrange for all core event room audio needs for speaking parts that typically includes:
Wired or wireless microphones
Laptop audio (if there are definitely or potentially any audio / video clips in any presentations)
Audio Mixer
Powered amplifiers (room audio amplification)
Event Room Audio should NOT have:
A digital audio mixer, unless operated entirely by a 3rd party event tech (Encore e.g.) throughout the production.
Videographer audio feed should not have any noise gate / compression in the signal.
Event Room audio should not be via an integrated rack-mount audio setup, such as at a University classroom.
Integrated rack-mount audio may not even be in the event room
Integrated rack-mount audio output may be entirely inaccessible to videographer
Integrated rack-mount audio output typically will not allow for adjustment of audio levels, muting microphones etc.
EVENT ROOM INTERNET | LIVE WEBCAST
For Live Webcasts, it is highly recommended for the videographer production laptop to be on hardwire ethernet connection. This doesn't entirely exclude WiFi-only event venues or event rooms, just that a hardline/ethernet connection is highly recommended when/where available.
VIDEOGRAPHER TECH AREA
Arrange for event room wired Internet for the videographer's production laptop. Typical speed test/typical bandwidth results should be 10Mbps+ download and upload.
PRESENTATION LAPTOP (TYPICALLY FRONT-OF-ROOM)
Arrange for event room *premium WiFi Internet (wired Internet preferred if cost difference is negligible) Internet for the presentation laptop.
*There typically are premium WiFi Internet packages available that are separate from the potentially basic clogged attendee WiFi that are still quite reasonably priced ($30/day e.g.).
Videography Only Projects (Click to Expand)
For videography only projects (not live streaming to remote attendees), event room Internet is still required.
VIDEOGRAPHER TECH AREA
Arrange for event room *premium WiFi Internet (wired Internet preferred if cost difference between WiFi and hardline option is negligible) videographer's production laptop.
PRESENTATION LAPTOP AREA (TYPICALLY FRONT-OF-ROOM)
Arrange for event room *premium WiFi Internet Internet for the presentation laptop.
*There typically are premium WiFi Internet packages available that are separate from the potentially clogged basic attendee WiFi that are still quite reasonably priced ($30/day e.g.).
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Why is Venue Internet Required for Videography Only Projects?
Internet Connection #1 for the videographer's production laptop is needed even if the project is videography only (no remote audience) in order to:
Pull in the presentation laptop screen share into the videographer's encoder software as a critical backup process
Provide a means for CE21 to support videographer setup, and remote monitor the production, perform remote audio checks, assist, troubleshoot and more! Basically an extra layer of remote quality control.
Provide a redundant backup cloud recording of the production.
Internet Connection #2 for the front-of-room presentation laptop is needed even if the project is videography only in order to:
Push the presentation laptop screen share to the videographer's encoding software
EVENT ROOM PROJECTOR
The event room projector must have an HDMI input on it.
Projector's that only have VGA inputs will not work with videographer screen capture! These are super rare in the field but some facilities still use them!
VIDEOGRAPHER TECH AREA
RISER / TABLES
A 2' high videographer “tech area” riser (staging) 4'x 6' (preferred), otherwise 4' x 8' or 6'x8'
Place a 6’ classroom style table and a chair on top of the riser.
Please allow for at least 5' feet of empty space in front of the riser for tripod placement, foot traffic.
POWER
An extension cord running to the tech area/riser with a power strip.
INTERNET
If the client ordered hardwire Internet, run a Ethernet Cable from an active Ethernet port running to the tech area/riser.
VIDEOGRAPHER TECH AREA | 🎚️ EVENT ROOM AUDIO IS CE21 VIDEOGRAPHER OPERATED
Prior to the production, event tech will set up and test event room audio but then will be on call leaving adjusting event room audio / recording levels to the CE21 Videographer.
Place any applicable wireless microphone receivers on top of 6' classroom table on top of videographer riser.
Place an appropriate 8-24 channel analog audio mixer on top of 6' classroom table on top of videographer riser.
Route all inputs (microphones, laptop audio) into audio mixer
Route output to room amplification (wall patch, PA's e.g.)
There should be an available, problem free output on the audio mixer, typically an Aux Send that will be used by the Videographer,
If you cannot provide an ANALOG audio mixer, please notify Client/CE21 immediately!
VIDEOGRAPHER TECH AREA |🎚️ EVENT ROOM AUDIO IS DEDICATED AV STAFF OPERATED
During the production, 3rd party event tech will adjust the audio mixer levels for both the room and the feed going to the videographer
AV Staff / Audio engineer's location should be placed either immediately adjacent to Videographer tech area or nearby.
Route an XLR leading from event tech's audio mixer to the adjacent/nearby Videographer riser. (Aux Send output)
We strongly desire NO noise gates applied to the audio feed to the videographer. While a noise gate may be fine for the room audio complemented with ambient voice, it is very noticeable / abrupt in the aux send feed to the videographer.
If a noise gate cannot be entirely disabled, please keep noise gates far less aggressive than normal.
OPTIONAL - STAGE LIGHTING
The VAST majority of projects CE21 has done works with available event room lighting (chandeliers, overhead lighting, wall sconces etc) with no supplemental stage lighting. ..
...But nearly every project benefits from stage lighting as event rooms typically are dark as far as video cameras are concerned.
When event room lighting (even with room lights on max) doesn't have stage lighting, the following is typical:
The video camera is gained up to compensate for lack of adequate light for the camera. Camera gain results in introducing noise and softening of the video. Conversely, appropriate stage lighting of a presenter results in sharper, cleaner video
The video produced is a flatter image. Sort of a duller image that doesn't pop
See the images on the right for rough representation of a speaker on a stage without and with stage lighting hitting them.
That said - stage lighting costs money. This works well with speakers that are fairly static, presenting from the podium or exclusively the stage. If speaker's like to wander the entire room, stage lighting becomes ineffective. Some venues can't provide this service, some venues would have to contract through a 3rd party AV company.
CLIENT PROVIDES
A SINGLE WINDOWS OS PRESENTATION LAPTOP
Arrange for a single static laptop for all presentations (typically at the front of the room) that is not switched out with the change of presentations.
It is extremely important to not allow speakers to swap out their personal laptop for the single static presentation laptop without a valid and necessary reason.
Each swap out of the presentation laptop may require unavailable time to resolve technical issues that may negatively impact the stream/recording.
If it is not possible to have single static presentation laptop at the front of the room, please contact reid@ce21.com to discuss alternative production options.
Arrange for a single static laptop for all presentations (typically at the front of the room) that is not switched out when different speakers present.
Presentation Laptop should:
It is highly preferred to use a Windows OS (Windows 10/11) laptop as the single static laptop for all presentations.
For technical reasons, Mac OS laptops are NOT preferred as the single, static presentation laptop and should only be used when a Windows OS presentation laptop is not available through the association and/or venue.
Be of recent and adequate specifications. If the laptop can easily handle Zoom meetings and easily boots fully to the desktop (and ready for action) in under 5 minutes , the laptop will be fine. Basically a laptop purchased new within the last 6 years. If the laptop didn't come preinstalled with Windows 10 or 11, it's probably time to upgrade.
Be made available in the event room 60 minutes ahead of each event day's start time.
Have necessary presentation software (PowerPoint e.g.) installed on the presentation laptop along with all presentations loaded into a folder on the desktop that speaker's will access throughout the day. Have a thumb drive on hand for last minute PowerPoint transfers.
Be connected to premium WiFi Internet
Have a known working built-in HDMI port or external USB HDMI adapter
Have Google Chrome browser installed on the laptop.
