What's been happening?
Are Hybrids here to stay?
7 October 2022
Hybrid events, which combine both in-person and virtual elements, became increasingly popular during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to enable attendees to participate in events safely from remote locations. While the widespread adoption of hybrid events was largely driven by the pandemic, it is likely that they will continue to be popular even as the pandemic subsides.
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There are several reasons why hybrid events are likely to stick around:
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1. Greater accessibility: Hybrid events allow people who might not be able to attend in-person events, such as those who live far away or have mobility issues, to participate.
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2. Cost savings: Hybrid events can be less expensive to produce than in-person events because they require less travel and fewer resources.
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3. Flexibility: Hybrid events offer flexibility in terms of attendance options, allowing people to choose whether they want to participate in-person or virtually.
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4. Increased audience reach: Hybrid events can attract a larger audience by allowing people who might not have been able to attend in-person to participate virtually.
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5. Environmental impact: Hybrid events can have a lower carbon footprint than in-person events, as they require less travel and resources.
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Overall, it seems likely that hybrid events will continue to be popular even after the pandemic, as they offer benefits that in-person events cannot provide. However, the exact extent to which they will be used will depend on factors such as the type of event, the preferences of attendees, and the costs involved in producing a hybrid event.
The Virtual Transition
21 June 2021
The Covid-19 pandemic significantly impacted various industries worldwide, and the live event industry was no exception. With social distancing measures in place, gathering in large crowds became a challenge, and many events were cancelled or postponed indefinitely. However, technology played a significant role in helping the live event industry transition to virtual events, allowing events to continue despite the pandemic's restrictions.
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Virtual events are events that take place online, where attendees can participate remotely from the comfort of their homes or offices. This approach became popular in recent years, and it gained even more traction once the pandemic began. The transformation of the live event industry to virtual events was essential in keeping events running, maintaining engagement with audiences, and generating revenue for event organisers.
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One significant advantage of virtual events is that they are more accessible to a broader audience. With virtual events, attendees can participate from anywhere in the world, eliminating the need to travel, accommodation costs, and other expenses associated with attending live events. This accessibility has enabled event organisers to reach a more diverse and global audience.
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Another significant benefit of virtual events is that they are more cost-effective. Event organizers do not have to incur expenses such as venue rental, catering, and transportation. They also have the opportunity to offer different pricing options for attendees, making virtual events more affordable and accessible for people from different financial backgrounds.
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Virtual events have also provided a platform for increased engagement between attendees and event organisers. Many virtual events offer interactive features such as live chats, Q&A sessions, polls, and virtual networking sessions. These features have enabled attendees to interact more directly with event organizers, speakers, and fellow attendees, making the virtual event experience more personalised.
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The virtual event industry also saw significant growth during the pandemic, with many companies specialising in virtual event platforms, software, and services. These companies played a critical role in helping event organisers transition to virtual events quickly and smoothly.
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The transformation of the live event industry to virtual events during the Covid pandemic was a game-changer. Virtual events enabled event organisers to continue hosting events, maintain engagement with audiences, and generate revenue despite the pandemic's challenges. As the world continues to recover from the pandemic, it will be interesting to see how the live event industry will evolve, and whether virtual events will remain a staple in the industry.
Citi Live
20 October
After months in the desolation of a Covid live event landscape, Prime AV ran our first large scale live event last week. Although the audience was limited to 100 due to the current Covid restrictions, the scale of the technical spec was huge and provided us with the challenge we had been waiting for. Have a look at the case study here.
Prime Live
17 August 2020
Supported by
Our business model needed a complete overhaul as live events shifted into the virtual world. The accessibility and simplicity of platforms like Zoom put virtual meetings at the fingertips of everyone. As the lockdown commenced, a huge percentage of the workforce began to work from home and these meeting platforms became invaluable. We all got used to the look and feel of a zoom meeting. We got used to seeing cats and kids in the background or our colleagues seemingly logged in from Hawaii or outer space. We needed to break that mould and provide a professional broadcast look for our customers. This was becoming the new normal, so we had to get it right.
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We had been involved with streaming live events for years. Streaming an event to a remote audience or streaming in a keynote presenter for a local audience was common practice for us. Running a fully virtual event, however, was a new challenge.
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Our research and development began straight away and it was divided into two elements. Content production & management, and secondly, content delivery. There are numerous content delivery platforms available, from YouTube and Facebook through to fully customisable virtual networking platforms. There is no one size fits all in this realm and the platforms cater to specific requirements. Close consultation is required to determine the best fit and although we offer suggestions and advice, we leave the content delivery decision to our customers.
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We focused heavily on content production and management. After weeks of trials and tribulations we transformed some of our warehouse space into a 3 camera studio and a control suite. With the assistance of the City of Sydney, Prime Live was born. We invested in new software and the hardware required to drive it so we can offer a professional base for virtual events. We have the ability to manage multiple events simultaneously from the one location.
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The “pop-up” nature of our studio means we can set it up in just about anywhere - we can bring it to you. The option of green screens and virtual sets, along with professional cameras, microphones and lighting provides for a broadcast quality result at minimal expense.
The Covid-19 Challenge
30 June 2020
Like many in the live events industry, the bottom fell out of our market in mid-March this year. Over a period of about 10 days we saw all future bookings for the year cancelled or indefinitely postponed. At that point in time there was no mention of JobKeeper or other Government assistance packages and there was no end in sight for what has been a devastating blow to businesses, small and large, all over the world.
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As a small business we had to make some quick decisions. We had an incredibly stable and committed team so it was a very tough call to make 40% of the positions redundant. The remainder of the team agreed to a reduction in hours as our regular work dried up.
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We dropped into work from home mode and the adventure began. We spent week’s trialling software to ensure we could offer the latest virtual event options to our customers. These trials occasionally required us to work from the warehouse but we usually ran them in isolation. We would “get together” on a zoon call every Friday afternoon to catch up over a beer or 3 and compare notes.
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Our techs have been upskilling constantly over the last few months and their ideas are regularly implemented in our productions. We are being as agile and adaptable as possible while working in a COVID Safe environment.
Our customers have been very supportive during this time. Many of them are working through their own re-structuring of ideas and methodologies and we have been able to assist with this process. We shared a steep learning curve in the transition to fully virtual events and have mutually benefited from numerous trials, mock events and system tests to push the boundaries. We do see a light at the end of the tunnel and we have our customers’ tenacity and flexibility to thank for that.
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The AV industry as a whole has come together over recent months with colleagues and competitors constantly in touch with each other to ensure things are ok and to bounce around ideas. What started out as tips and tricks for reducing costs as we were shutting down, evolved into sharing what works and what pitfalls to avoid in the virtual event world. The support has been fantastic in what could otherwise have been a very demoralising time.
While the world is facing unprecedented challenges, it is flexibility and adaptability that will see us through.
