5 Terms & Phrases We Didn’t Use In The Events Industry Last Year
08/03/2021
It’s been one hell of a year for the events industry. As well as being stuck at home trying to perfect sourdough bread, we’ve also had to relook at how we produce events and build from the ground up. Broadcast units, camera crews, directors and streaming are now under our remit, as we’re seen as broadcasters and producers as opposed to just event managers.
Yes, we’ve all learned a lot from this step towards the TV “Bizz”, including a whole new language. So to keep everyone up-to-date, we’ve broken down 5 terms and phrases we didn’t know existed last year…
In the TV industry, a lower third is a graphic overlay placed in the title safe lower area of the screen, though not necessarily the entire lower third of it, as the name suggests. In its simplest form, a lower third can just be text overlaying the video.
These have become an essential element of all virtual events. They add a level to the production value whilst spotlighting key information such as speaker titles, hashtags or instructional information. Basically, they make it more legit and engaging.
Animation Wipe
A wipe is a type of film transition where one shot replaces another by travelling from one side of the frame to another. For virtual events wipes are a great way to move from one speaker to the next. In live virtual they allow for speakers to enter and leave the stage without being in the shot. In pre-record they top and tail sections seamlessly and give definitive start and finish points. Top tip: Having audio over the visual can be a great way to wake up your viewers if they have drifted off!
Unity Intercom
Unity Intercom is a next generation network-based full-duplex intercom system that is incredibly simple to use. In Broadcast it has been an effective communication tool between camera operators, control room and studio floor. In the virtual events world it has now become an invaluable tool for keeping our production teams in real time contact in multiple studios across the globe. It allows us to ensure speakers and guests are correctly queued and ready to go live when transitioning between studios.
Hot Head Camera
A hot head camera is not a camera with a bit of a temper. It’s actually a camera that can be controlled remotely. They’ve been vital since the pandemic days, as they mean one less person in the room.
This technology has meant presenters and operators have felt comfortable enough to be in controlled environments, giving much higher production value than self shot, at home videos.
Platform
Ok we all knew the word “platform” and used a few of them before last March. But, 2020/2021 has brought a whole new level of usage. It’s replaced the word “venue” essentially. And like venues, there’s no one fits all. We’ve looked. One thing is for definite though, you need to embrace the PLATFORM!
So there you have it, all the terms and language you’ll need to know in the new age of virtual events. Looking back over this full year of learning lingo and new roles, the toughest task was probably mastering that tricky sourdough starter.
The Virtual Events Podcast
For more ongoing trends and insights, check out Verve’s new podcast: The Virtual Events Podcast. Our team chat about all things virtual. Each episode has tips, hints, what’s new, what works best, hope you enjoy it.
The podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts : https://audioboom.com/channels/5045240
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