Requests to pivot events to a hybrid format have been coming in every day because of the Delta variant. If you’re considering doing the same, here are 5 things you should keep in mind:

• Opt for more than one video camera. Two or three cameras offer your online viewers a much more engaging program. With only one camera angle, your viewer is going to lose interest quickly. When’s the last time you’ve watched something on TV with the same camera angle the entire show?…

• The opportunity for ad placement, as well as the value of these adds, significantly increases when it comes to hybrid events. Your remote audience is staring at a small computer screen, instead of walking around in the venue. You can offer your sponsors more facetime through creative graphics placement such as an overlay, commercial, scrolling ticker tape, or even on the webpage the stream is being hosted on.

• We recommend sending camera feeds to the stream before the scheduled start time of the event. Let the viewers at home see what’s going on in the venue, and what attendees are doing. This helps build some excitement and makes them feel part of the action. Think about how producers kick-off The Tonight Show – it’s not just a straight shot of Jimmy Fallon sitting behind his desk.

• Hybrid events require some extra space in the venue for cameras, platforms, and their operators, streaming and graphics laptops, and the technicians managing the broadcast. Camera operators need to be able to easily move around, and the stream technicians will need a clear view of what’s going on in order to switch camera feeds and show graphics at the appropriate times.

• We strongly recommend a prior day load-in for hybrid events. This gives our technicians adequate time to test the venue’s internet, block off camera shots, and set-up the extra equipment required. It also gives you the opportunity to run through a technical rehearsal with presenters’ who may have never been on camera before, or presenters’ who are speaking virtually.

The Synergetic team is here to help in any capacity, just give us a call and we can help make your hybrid event a success. Call us at (215) 633-1200 or email us at info@sslproductions.com