The “hybrid” in hybrid event refers to combining elements of virtual meetings with traditional, in-person events. This crossover can take a variety of forms, from bringing in-person content to an online audience, to deep interaction between live and virtual speakers and attendees.

The simplest hybrid events generally focus on livestreaming in-person content to an online audience. Online attendees can chat with each other and staff.

Most hybrid events take interaction at least a step further, such as:

• Connecting in-person and online attendees with unified chat, questions and polls
• Customizing the livestream when in-person footage would be boring (eg: during breaks)
• Offering some dedicated online-only content such as breakout and networking sessions that give attendees an opportunity to connect with each other like they would in person.

Some advanced hybrid event ideas include:

• Interactive panel discussions between presenters live on stage and remote from around the world. Here, online speakers can be projected behind the stage, or even represented by their own LED screen on stage.
• Custom and dynamic virtual facilitation that encourages active participation on gallery view with reaction cards, unmuting to share in groups and breakouts, etc.
• Repurposing for “Virtual Later.” Custom virtual event at a later date with custom video editing. Dedicated host can be live to maximize engagement or on-demand for a more polished and worry-free experience
• Video wall of virtual attendees to help bring the audience to life in the venue

These days, hybrid should always be a consideration, at a minimum, with the exception of small, local events.

Hybrid can really shine in a variety of situations:

• A far-flung audience that would be too difficult or cost-prohibitive to pull to one place.
• Presenters from around the world with schedules too busy for lengthy travel or who face travel restrictions.
• When sharing messages with national or global impact.
• You’re already aiming to incorporate online technology in your event.
• You simply want to broaden your message to the widest possible audience.

Workspaces and meeting environments are continuously being redefined, with some organizations even maximizing the human potential of a globally remote workforce. But we’re also excited to get back to gathering together face-to-face again! Simply offering a livestream of your event to those participants who can’t attend in person can be a huge step forward, but nothing compares to fully integrating both your live and virtual audiences.

While your choices regarding which event elements to make virtual will likely be different in every situation, adding those virtual elements to in-person events broadens the reach of your message, minimizes the costs to attendees, adds flexibility to presenter attendance, and better engages your audience with technology integration at a lower per-attendee price point than traditional events.

There are a surprising number of answers to this question, and at We & Goliath, we can help you master ALL of them, including:

• Social media feeds
• Embedded viewing pages on your website with integrated chat and freeform, branded networking
• Our own elevated production platform – which started as a live event tool, capable of sorting attendees, sessions, and sponsors by virtual/in-person/both.

Yes! While we pride ourselves on customizing our offerings to your particular event, we do offer jumping-off points to keep everything streamlined. Our most common hybrid services include:

• A fully-produced, 3-camera, livestream with unlimited replays embedded in a custom-designed webpage.
• Remote presentation packages for bringing virtual hosts onto your in-person stage.
• Next-level pre-recorded video content with custom titling packages.
• Powerful hybrid event platforms for single and multi-session events with Messaging, Polls, Q&A, and even networking tools that connect both your in-person and virtual participants in real-time.

For small, single-session events, we offer these Single & Multi-Camera Packages:

• Single Cam Hybrid – Broadcast camera and operator in a fixed location
• Three Cam Hybrid – Unobtrusive 4K cameras with a single operator performing smooth pan/tilt/zoom operations
• Three Cam Hybrid – Three operators with premium broadcast cameras allowing artistic angles

For events with multiple concurrent sessions, we suggest starting with one camera and operator per breakout room.

Here are a few:

1. Coaching for dynamic virtual facilitation that encourages active participation on gallery view with reaction cards, unmuting to share in groups and breakouts, etc.
2. Mixing live & virtual speakers on stage. Each online speaker gets a vertical tv on stage, or traditional projection screens show all speakers
3. Repurposing for “Virtual Later.” Custom virtual event at a later date with custom video editing. Dedicated host can be live to maximize engagement or on-demand for a more polished and worry-free experience
4. Video wall of virtual attendees to help bring the audience to life in the venue

• Active online guidance – dedicated online host leading your remote audience
• Passive online guidance – custom livestream for online users with transition slides about break times and virtual alternatives for breakouts and networking
• No online guidance – in-person MC needs to speak to both audiences

Pre-Production & Logistics

Following the scope of work approval, your dedicated producer will coordinate, communicate, and orchestrate all details and approvals with your team leading up to your shoot date, from storyboards to locations, to the crew, talent, and production equipment.

We will schedule a remote Technical Walkthrough for each main stage session, going through the session Run-of-Shows to create key sheets for (planning multimedia, such as slides, titling, etc). If we’re creating graphics like slides or lower-thirds, you will also be given a chance to preview all titles to double-check them for accuracy and spelling.

Production

Call sheets and a production brief will be provided prior to shooting, so all team members are clear on where they need to be, and when they need to be there. Your producer will be by your side to answer any questions or handle any surprises. Additionally, your production will be protected under comprehensive insurance, which covers locations, crew, and up to $1M of rental equipment.

Live Broadcasting or Post–Production

In the case of a Hybrid event, we will not only project the video feed to screens for the in-person audience but also broadcast it to your virtual event platform, where We & Goliath’s virtual production team can assist with online interactivity, such as Q&A, messaging, polls, slides, etc.

For in-person events or on-demand video, your producer will move your project into and through post-production seamlessly, communicating any on-set notes to our post-production team of editors, vfx or motion-graphic artists, colorist, and audio teams that your specific production is scoped for.