ON POINT ARTICLES
EDGE-UCATION
VIRTUAL EVENTS’ REHEARSALS: A TALE OF WOE
IAPCO Member: Convin S.A., Greece Author: Alkis Polyrakis, Technical Director It is the first day of the Virtual Congress, and there are less
The first thing that the faculty members need to understand
than five minutes left on the clock until the Keynote Session
is that, unlike physical events where you and your colleagues
goes live. Hundreds of people are logged in to the platform
are always next to them to assist when needed, virtual
and are eagerly waiting for the Opening Speech. Everything is
conferences require a minimum of actions from them.
ready – apart from one tiny detail: the Keynote Speaker, the
Although those are few and fairly simple, they do need to
world-renowned expert professor - for whom a large chunk
hear them earlier than on the actual day. Previous experience
of the budget would have been set aside for his travel and
in webinars and e-conferences is helpful, but there is no
accommodation expenses had this been a physical event -
guarantee that the procedure with which they are familiar
is still nowhere to be found. He has not been answering his
is identical to the one of the upcoming congress. There are
phone or e-mails, and you are starting to panic. When you
currently several different platforms for virtual events, so they
finally reach him, he nonchalantly asks what the link is. You
must familiarise themselves with the actual one if they do not
forward one of the many invitations that you have been
want to feel lost when it is time for them to present or chair
sending to him during the past weeks and, after a bit of an
a session.
effort, he shows up on your screen, with a minute to go. You heave a sigh of relief as the session chair welcomes him and
You must make sure that their equipment is up to the task,
you give your associates the green light: We are now live.
and that they are aware of all the tips and tricks one must
The speaker smiles, looks at the camera and says to the entire audience: “Where do I click?” If the imaginary sound of an e-room full of people collectively wondering why the Congress Organisers are not doing their job sounds familiar to you, chances are that you have been on the receiving end of a similar story to the one above. A story that began with the speaker saying, “Rehearsal? I do not need a rehearsal. I do this all the time”.
keep in mind in order to preserve bandwidth. Will they be using one screen or two? A wired internet connection? Will they have a source or light in front of them as opposed to their back? Are there any videos with sounds in their presentation? Can they use the tools at their disposal to address the questions of the audience or contact the technicians should they need something? These are all questions that need to be addressed, and a rehearsal is the only way to do that. Virtual conference bloopers are an embarrassing YouTube trend. Let us all steer clear of them by convincing our clients to rehearse.
I am positive that I do not need to convince the readers of this article of the importance of rehearsals. It is, however, often necessary to convince clients, and therefore it may be good to remember the principal argument. | May 2021 17
