Guidelines for speakers and convenors of WUN virtual research seminars
View examples of good practice videostreams
Video Conferencing
Here are a few key pointers we have picked as a result of running the virtual research seminars so far this year - please read this carefully as following these simple guidelines will massively enhance the utility of the live event and the video-recording that will be subsequently streamed.
Please note that videconference units work on the principle of voice-activated switching so unless you want the camera on you please can you ensure your microphone is off – especially if you are having technical problems – please consult this contacts list if you are having technical problems.
Presentations
- Presentations should be in a standard format, either MS PowerPoint or PDF
- PowerPoint Animations and imported or external movies are supported – but please don’t make them too long
- PowerPoint presentations should not use transformations in slides (e.g. where only point 1 is shown, then points 1 and 2, then 1,2 and 3 ) as this means that the audience does not know when to press for the next point.
- Macintosh users should ensure that all images in slides are jpg (JPEG) and not TIFF format. This is because the TIFF compression used by Apple is not on windows machines UNLESS windows QuickTime has been installed, and we are unable to guarantee this. If anyone needs a graphic converter for OS X, we recommend Thorsten Lemke's GraphicConverter available from http://www.lemkesoft.com/
Tips from previous speakers
- Keep animation on slides to a minimum - it makes it too hard for satellite sites to stay in sync
- Preferably arrange for someone other than the speaker to press the “forward slide” so that the presenter is reminded to say "Next slide please"
- Avoid using laser pointers as they are not visible to other sites
- Try to stand still and talk to the camera as much as possible – we know that speakers have a lot of experience giving lectures but video conference is a different medium so the usual rules do not apply.
Guidelines for speakers and local technical support
- Speakers should have a plain neutral background behind them (and ensure no-one is going to walk behind them)
- Speakers should be seated - not walking - and not (laser) pointing to a screen that only the local audience can see.
- It is recommended that a monitor showing the slides is next to the camera - so that the speaker is looking at his/her slides and the camera at the same time (almost!) and so appears to be looking at the audience.
- Speakers should aim to address the global audience ie "speak to the camera" rather than to simply focus on the local audience.
- The camera ideally needs to be showing a head and shoulders shot - with the head in the middle of the screen - 90% already do this.
Protocol during presentation
- In order to provide a “clean” start that will give a high quality archived recording - at the beginning of the presentation the speaker should be silent for 5 seconds then come in with (something like) "Hello I am ….. and the title of this seminar is xxxxxxxxxxx"
- Presenters are also requested to end the presentation with 5 second silence followed by
"That's the end of the presentation ......" then on to the Q and A or next presenter
- The "hello the title of this seminar is xxxxxxxxxxx" WILL be in the final version. The "that's the end of the presentation" WILL NOT be in the final version. This is to enable a proper cut at the beginning and end of the seminar
- Speakers still need to inform the audience when to move to the next slide - “Next slide please” seems quite popular:)
- In case of interruptions (electric drills next door, another site comes in and announces themselves) it is OK go back to the start of the current slide and start again we can edit it out (only if you want to, you may be in full flow and wish to carry on – it’s your choice – we can do some editing).
If you do restart the slide, it is best to state the obvious and say something like “I will start that slide again”. Then wait 5 seconds before continuing
- As a general rule, microphones should be switched off at all participating sites, except for the speaker’s. Microphones should be activated only during the Q&A session which should be conducted as a round robin, with each site being asked to contribute in turn by the Moderator. If too many microphones are active at any one time, sound will distort and echo.
Dealing with Multiple Speakers
If there are presenters at two sites who speak consecutively and one of them is in Bristol, technicians need a 5 minute gap in between them to reconfigure the equipment – when speakers are split at any 2 sites other than Bristol, no reconfiguration is required.
Q & A Sessions
Q & A sessions are generally not a part of the archive made available on the web after the event.