Speaking from the Podium

Should you speak from the podium or wander with a wireless lapel microphone?

Many presentation experts tell presenters to get away from the podium because it's too restricting and the presenter will be more casual with the audience by being on the floor rather than the stage (among other reasons). Those same presentation experts don't seem to understand about how open microphones work with different sound systems.

First off, when it comes to sound system configurations and room designs, there are many possible combinations and wireless lavalier mics don't work well with all combinations. Some systems are in the ceiling, some at the front left and right of the room, some in the middle of the stage, etc. Some rooms are dead-sounding, some lively and bright, some have low ceilings and some have flutter echoes (those repetitive echoes between hard, parallel surfaces - clap your hands in any room to find them).

Second, when it comes to presenters and public speakers, there are many different loudness levels, clarity and dynamic properties of the human voice. So, if a person doesn't speak loud enough or very clearly, wireless lapel microphones won't do much good. A presenter needs to be loud and clear, especially with wireless lapel microphones, because the microphone is under their chin and not directly in front of them.

A good podium microphone has the advantage of being directly in front of a speaker's mouth as well as being perfectly stationary, in an optimal, fixed position, away from loudspeakers; any roaming microphones will present problems if they are too close to a loudspeaker.

Let's look at the advantages of being behind a podium versus being on the floor in front of the audience:

Presenting from behind the podium

- you can hide your notes

- you can have a computer screen right in front of you

- the microphone is right in front of you

- there are no batteries to ever worry about

- a podium light can illuminate your face so you are visible from the back of the room

- you are a foot or so higher than the audience, so everybody can see you

- you can take your shoes off (okay, I threw that in just for a laugh!)

Presenting from the floor, in front of the stage

- wireless lapel mics may feed back when too close to a speaker

- you are not lit properly, sometimes (in larger rooms)

- if you don't project and enunciate, people at the back won't hear you well

- if you move your head to the side, you will be further away from the mic (because podium mics are right in front of you, you will never forget they are there; not so with lapel mics)

- if the batteries on the body pack die, well...

- if you make a point by hitting your chest, you will hit the mic

- your wardrobe or jewelry can hit the mic intermittently

- if you put it on your lapel, it is off centre, and therefore you are more likely to be 'off mic'

- if you forget you have it on, you might be in the bathroom with a live mic!!

 Anyway, hope this helps shed some light on the benefits of speaking from behind the podium. There is nothing wrong with speaking from behind the podium. If you must be wireless, a hand held microphone is a great option, because you are pretty much forced to keep it directly in front of you. Cheers!!

- Buck Moore

(Live Event AV Specialist with direct experience from over 4,000 events)

Invisible AV - How to Hide an AV Set Up and Save Money at Your Next Event

Invisible AV set-ups, where the AV person and main loudspeakers are hidden from view behind the screen, ensure quick reactions by the AV technician to any problems which may arise as well as having the appearance that the show is running by itself.

Two major concerns among fellow technicians include a lack of proper monitoring out front and loudspeakers not on stands, above the ears of the audience - two issues which shall be addressed here.

The following picture illustrates some of the benefits of hiding the audiovisual technology behind the screen (in this case a rear-projection screen) - no cables taped to the floor and no speakers on stands. Showing too much technology tends to look less streamlined, which is why some AV companies and operators insist upon setting up a 'skirted area' at the back of the room so they don't stand out too much, but they are still very much out there.

Going with a rear-projection set-up such as the this won't work in all rooms, however, and must be planned out carefully so that a given projector can fill the screen from behind. The screen shown is a 6 X 8 foot Dalite Fastfold. To fill the screen, there needed to be about 16 feet behind it using a projector with a 1.1:1 zoom ratio, which means the projector lens can make the image 10% larger than the smallest image setting. For rooms with less area behind the screens, a zoom ratio of 1.6:1 would be needed, so that only 12 feet would be needed behind the screen.

The primary loudspeaker was positioned behind the skirt* of the screen and aimed out toward the seated audience, while a second loudspeaker was above the rear half of the audience, aimed down and hidden behind the golden handrail, which is just out of frame to the right. The ideal set-up would have included an audio delay to keep the 'fill' speaker from being noticeable, but turning it lower in volume than the main speaker also works well.

* the skirting for the screen frame should be thin enough to avoid cutting out the higher audio frequencies that are needed for audio intelligibility 

The invisible AV set-up has some distinct advantages over the traditional back-of-room AV set-up, including:

1) There are fewer cables to route to the back of the room - this should save some money** because there is less to set up and there will be no unsightly cables taped to the floor that people can trip over. 

** individual AV companies differ in this respect, so ask a lot of questions

2) The AV technician can respond immediately*** if technical problems should arise - this saves time and keeps things running smoother as the technician doesn't have to run to the front of the room to fix the problem (this is especially important where there are no proper aisles planned when setting up tables).

*** not all AV staff will help with EVERY aspect of the technical side of things - for example, some technicians will not do much about trouble with multimedia playback that doesn't go as planned

3) The projector doesn't take up room in front of the screen - if you decide that rear-projection is right for the room and event, you will not have to worry about somebody bumping into the projector table (or cart), nobody can trip over the cabling and there will be more room for an extra table or two for the audience.

To sum up, the invisible AV set-up is a streamlined way of running the technical side of an event that can save you money on set-up and strike, look as though it is running by itself and has the benefit of less cabling exposed. Even if you must use front-projection because of the room size, you can still minimize exposed cabling and still have the AV technician close by.

Monitoring the event is quite easy as the AV technician can do an occasional walk-around to ensure proper audio levels and, in the case of two-screen set-ups, can angle the screens 'in' to be able to monitor what's being projected from behind a screen (see picture below). The invisible AV set-up is ideal for meetings of up to 200 people where the meeting planner needs excellent results within a modest budget.

Here is one more example of a two screen, front projection set-up at an event for 180 people in New York City:

 

I had a clear view of the presenters and the screen content 

with perfect control of the multimedia playback.

- Buck Moore can be reached at www.b4ushowit.com or email: buck@buckmoore.net

Save Money on AV Services: Live Video Coverage

Buck at a live event in Toronto

Video coverage for live events is a great way to keep a record of what happened because, if it goes well (which it should if you plan right), you'll be glad you had it recorded. That being said, if you're going to do it, don't leave too much to chance!

1) Give a schedule to the video team - email or send a schedule to let the video team evaluate the time they have to set up, especially between presentations, if there are a full day's worth. If the itinerary isn't carved in stone, perhaps it can be discussed before the final version gets sent out. Better planning up front may mean a bit more money initially, but much less in post production. This is especially important if there are 'breakout' sessions happening simultaneously with very little time to set up gear from room to room.

2) Hire the video team for a site visit - they may include the visit because it is in their best interest or they may charge a little extra, but a site visit will go a long way and minimize any surprises. Believe me, I've encountered many! People don't often think much about cable-routing or noisy corridors because they do not know what questions to ask. Ask the right questions, get the right answers and save yourself from both on-site and post-production nightmares!

3) Ensure all presenters and public speakers know it is going to be recorded - some speakers are represented by bureaus and may not want to be recorded. They should know about the available microphones and the limitations of the technology. For example, a speaker who refuses a lapel mic (it happens) may drift away from a podium and not be heard well on the recording. Ask the speakers if they are 'standers' or 'roamers' because the microphones must be selected and planned beforehand (wireless lapel microphones require their own article!!)

At another event, covering audio and video in Uxbridge

4) Have all materials available to the video team before editing - nothing is more time-consuming and costly than not having materials available, exactly the way you want them to appear, available at the time of the edit. One question about titling* can hold up the production for a day or more! Late-arriving PowerPoint presentations must be edited for screen and converted to still images for the edit and if they are prepared beforehand, it will save a lot of time for the editor (and look great on video). * Choose the font you want before editing!

5) Allow enough time for a proper edit - there are way too many details involved in an edit of an event to rush it. Rush jobs are 'rough jobs'. Allow enough time for rough edits (to evaluate), correspondence and proper titling. This will help the project flow along nicely and avoid any frustrating snags for the editors.

Tip - a proper video team will have audio recorders as back-up just in case something happens to the video. The cost is minimal and should be a part of the whole package - a small price to pay for seamless audio! (see below)

Did you know - videographers often use 'cutaways' when shooting video? A cutaway is a visual change from the main action to another action, such as an audience reaction shot or wide shot of the whole room - to establish the size of the crowd. This ensures proper coverage and good material in post production. Also, if something were to interrupt the video, the audio would be seamless and not interrupt the message.

Have a great event!!

- Buck Moore

Five Tips for Better Presentations

Instead of writing a whole bunch, I am posting this video with five quick presentation tips. It is a part of my 'Better Presentations' package which will be available soon for either download or ordering a hard copy. To sum up the tips:

1) Choose a font that can be read from a distance. This usually means a big, bold font that can be read from the back of the room and even in brighter rooms. Stay away from fancy fonts, especially, when they are small.....people cannot read them from the back.

2) Choose a background color that does not interfere with the font & works in bright rooms.

3) Use as few words as possible. The slides themselves can serve as 'spark words' that can set you off on a topic. The less people have to read, the more they can listen to your message.

4) Practice as much as possible. People want you to do well, but you don't have to be the perfect presenter, you just need to be able to get the message across and be as smooth as possible. Practice speaking in your car, in a quiet room where you can't be disturbed and even consider recording your speech on a voice recorder, then listen back to it as often as possible.

5) Practice 'microphone technique'. Actually learn how to use a microphone. Sound silly? Well, a lot of people don't know how to use one properly. It's not hard, takes some time and it's easy to master the very few principles involved.

There is much more in the full package available soon. I'll cover such things as audio & video playback from a computer, presentation technology, video recording, how to make a video demo, advanced lecture tips, back up plans, DVD compatibility and a whole lot more. Enjoy the video and stay tuned for Moore!

- Buck Moore

Audiovisual Field Testing: Projection.

Report on AV Technology: What Works Well in the World of Multimedia Presentations (and What Could Work Better!).

CONTENT ASSESSMENT - PRESENTATION TECHNOLOGY - LIVE EVENT MULTIMEDIA

In my travels as a presentation AV and multimedia playback specialist, I continually face AV challenges and offer solutions during live events. During the last twenty years, I've been performing live, presenting material in front of groups and running the technical side of live performances, public speaking, multimedia playback and I know what works and what doesn't work.

Over these years, I've worked on many film and video projects as writer, director, camera person, actor and editor, and that experience has made me very interested in helping people assess their live presentation content. Whether it's a business presentation, live performance or film screening, I am very interested in what the end user experiences. In AV planning and content assessment, I am not a critic, I am the ultimate end user and I tell it like it is.

I'd like to start this AV field report with my technology choice for projectors:

Canon LV-7255 (and others in the LV series): This is my projector of choice. I've used several LV projectors and I like them all, especially the newer ones. The brightness is great for presentations of up to 150 - 200 people (with stereo screens on Dalite FastFold 7.5' x 10', front projection screens). I use longer VGA cable runs of 25 - 50 feet, so I use a Kramer D.A.(distribution amp) for the stereo display, but I have even run these projectors through a daisy-chain (one connected to the other) and a 50 foot VGA cable with no D.A. and I get great results every time.

I've really put these projectors through the paces and two of the reasons I rely on them are because of the manual zoom and the manual focus. It would be nice to have a horizontal keystone control, but the vertical control, especially auto-keystone, works very quickly and well.

Like many projectors I've used, when computer inputs are hot-swapped, you may end up with horizontal sync issues that result in the side of a presentation being cut off, but that is easily correctable with the 'auto PC' button on the top of the unit. I know it would be best not to hot-swap and have all computers hooked up to a seamless switcher and ready to go, with all resolutions set to the default 1024x768, but I am talking about the real world, where things are set up and swapped at a moments notice. Therefore, I need a projector which does not give me grief on the road.

Stay tuned for more!