Behind the Scenes: Video Production with neon
The mission of TED is to spread ideas, not only locally, but also nationally and internationally. The way this mission is achieved is by sharing all TED and TEDx talks online for anyone to access. That means our team must not only create a stellar experience for the live audience, but also capture that same feeling for the infinite online audience.
We met with the amazingly creative Jonathan Harnsongkram of neon to discuss his process for preparing for TEDxBatonRouge. As the video producer for the talk videos, Jonathan is tasked with curating the online audience’s experience. Check out highlights from our conversation below.
When translating the live talks to a virtual, national audience, what are factors you consider?
Our main goal is to have the viewer or listener feel as though they’re in the auditorium with the best seat in the house. We want to make sure the person watching feels like they are part of the live experience.
Does the theme, think again, change your perspective on how you prepare for filming?
The theme "think again" is a reminder to always make sure I have my bases covered and to not overlook anything.
Walk me through what happens before, during and after the talks in video production?
The first thing we do is strategically plan out all four camera placements, as well as microphone placements for all the speakers. All cameras will be fed to backstage monitors so we can make sure all the camera angles will edit well together in post-production. All camera operators will be using headsets, so the director watching the monitors can request camera adjustments and notify the team of important events during recording.
We will have as many rehearsals as possible with the speakers to make sure the lighting is optimal for each person. During that time, the video team will make sure all equipment is working as it should and that we address any potential snags before the live event.
When the big day comes, the video team arrives several hours before showtime, and we do a dry run through the program to make sure we’re all on the same page. When it's time for the live show, the video crew is well prepared, and we communicate throughout the show to ensure we’re all working together as a team.
Once the show is over, we begin the editing process, which can take several weeks. The first step is to sync up the footage from all four cameras and audio sources. Once that’s done, we start editing the footage. We then adjust and match colors across all footage, level out the audio, and add in applicable speaker slides and graphics. The final step is to send the finished products off for approval.
What’s your favorite part of this experience?
My favorite part of the experience is feeling like I’m contributing to making Baton Rouge a better place to live, and feeling as though we are showing that Baton Rouge has some exceptional thinkers worth noting.
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