Webcasting & Live Streaming

Everything you need to know about hosting a Virtual Event!

What is Webcasting?

A combination of the words “web” and “broadcast”

The process of video broadcasting a media presentation live over the internet. This technology operates in real-time and allows for active conversations among and between the web-caster and their viewers.

- Webcasts can be audio, video and presentation content, or a mix of all three.

- Webcasts can either be distributed live or on demand depending on the clients needs.

What are the Key Benefits of Broadcasting?

EXTEND THE REACH OF YOUR AUDIENCE

Webcasts are location flexible, meaning your attendees can stream your event wherever they are! This ease of access gives them a better chance of attending!

DETAILED MULTI-DIMENSIONAL

RECORD

An on-demand version of the webcast is available immediately after a live broadcast. This record not only serves as great internal reference material, it also increases exposure by allowing missed attendees to see it.

ACTIVE AUDIENCE INVOLVEMENT

Webcasts aren't one-way conversations, webcasts offer; ‘ask a question’, live chat, polls and surveys. It is also easy to share webcasts via social media or to integrate them with a live Twitter feed.

BRAND AWARENESS

Webcasts allow your audiences to have a visual image of your brand and a single point of contact to build your customer-brand relationship. Branding templates allow clients to choose images, fonts, styles, customized registration forms and email notifications.

How does webcasting work?

All webcasts, whether massive prerecorded events or small, live discussions, make use of the same basic 5 steps:

1

CAPTURE

The images and the sound for the event are captured using the proper conferencing equipment. Clients can use their own equipment or professional equipment. Whether you are using a single screen display or integrating a split screen with a PowerPoint presentation and live camera, having the necessary equipment is crucial.

2

OUTPUT

The output from the capturing equipment gets fed into a computer using a conferencing interface (via computer) and allows the broadcast to happen.

3

ENCODING

The video and audio is encoded into a live stream that can then be served to a webcast player. The computer has a specific software on it that turns the input into a format that works with live streaming.

4

TRANSMISSION

The encoded video and audio is sent over the Internet to a streaming server. Some clients have their own private server for this, or a professionally made microsite player or embed player that can sit on their website, or event landing page so people can watch.

5

BROADCAST

The stream gets picked up by the server and is broadcast in real time to anyone viewing it on the web site. You can choose how that’s done and where the webcast is watched. You can have multiple streams on a webcast, so you can serve it to a service like Facebook Live as well as to your website, or YouTube, allowing you to reach different, specific, audiences.

Webcasting/ Live-Streaming

WE APPROACH EVERY WEBCAST/LIVE-STREAM AS A LIVE EVENT PRODUCTION

We provide everything you need to broadcast your event live!

CREATIVE SERVICES

We work with you every step of the way! During the planning process, we take a collaborative approach to achieve the finished look you desire. We look at every aspect, from assessing the internet connection at your venue, to designing the Webskin, microsite, and promotional templates.

WIFI & BANDWIDTH

To live video stream, you’ll need to be connected to the internet, wired or through Wi-Fi. We can provide and set up the ideal network bandwidth for WI-FI and Mobile Hotspots so that your feed is clear and uninterrupted. We also understand that security can be important for live-streams, and we ensure that your company streams are secure. If you’d like, we can password protect your streams, embed them within your company intranet, or make them only available within your network.

AUDIO

It’s necessary for the audience to experience clear audio for a fully immersible experience. The message you’re delivering at your event is the purpose, and we want to make sure it’s the only thing your audience hears. The single biggest point we emphasize for audio during webcasting is- if anyone is going to talk on a webcast they need to have a microphone!

VIDEO & MULTI- CAMERA COVERAGE

Typically our events are full multi-camera productions with multiple angles: wide shots “establish” a setting and help the viewer orient themselves, medium shots are ideal for interactions, and the tight shots allow for one person to take center stage. Streaming with multiple cameras is simply more interesting, more engaging, and a better way to communicate a story.

LIGHTING DESIGN

Lighting makes a difference, and contributes significantly to how your webcast will look. Lighting with intention ensures that your guests focus their attention where you want and that the unnecessary elements remain unseen.