Introducing the Camera Crew for IG4

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This year marked the 4th time Merc Media sponsored Ignite Guelph, a speaking event similar to TEDTalks where each speaker has 5 minutes to speak about what their passionate about.

And so for this year the camera crew and scope of the video series expanded to a slightly larger-scale production. This meant more cameras and more crew.

Thanks to Joel Mieske and his photography skills, I can introduce you to the team that helped capture the evening for the video series.

Tyler Sloane and Tom Robitaille lent a hand by manning camera angles off-stage while I controlled three cameras (two on tripod, one GoPro remotely via my iPhone).

Thanks to them the videos have the benefit of more angles to cut together which in the long-run makes it easier to edit (more choices to choose from, better angles to use based on the action on stage) and will boost the production value of the video series (more angles used = bigger production). When you cut between 5 solid camera angles, it ultimately makes for a better viewing experience to your audience and shows the extra effort that went into capturing your event.

Check out some behind the scenes shots of the camera crew in action. And check out the links for Ignite Guelph to catch news of the next event when it comes out. Plus news of the video series to see what went down at IG4.

Ignite Guelph Official Site for event details

Ignite Guelph Facebook Page for news and announcements

Follow the excellent eye that is Joel Mieske on twitter

How to Edit Live Event Footage Quickly

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While finishing up editing the last of the Ignite Guelph videos from the fall, I decided to record a tutorial on how the sequence was set up. In this video I explain how I normally set up for multicam video edits and, more importantly, how I go through and decide where to place the cuts during the speaker's presentation.

Even for live events, the edit should feel organic and seamless so that the viewer can be allowed to become immersed in the speaker's words. This is especially the case for the Ignite talks, where the speaker has only 5 minutes to talk about something they are very passionate about.

If you're interested in seeing more Ignite videos, I highly suggest you look through them on the Ignite Guelph and Ignite Waterloo channels.

Igniting your event with a stylish bumper

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Enlighten us, but make it quick. That's the slogan for Ignite Guelph, an event that last year gave a total of 37 speakers a chance to take the stage and speak to a room full of folk who had come out to be enlightened. Just think TED Talks but each talk is only 5 minutes long.

As part of the team who makes the event happen, Merc was tasked with creating a bumper to use in online marketing materials and during the speakers' presentations as well. The result is what you see above. Simple, quick and gets the point across (much like the talks at the event).

It gets placed at the beginning of each promotional video and kicks off each night of talks at the main event.

The best thing? It's good for the environment. By that I mean it's reusable. It can be used to brand each video that goes up on the Ignite Guelph YouTube channel.

The next Ignite Guelph will be held March 11, 2014. Tickets will be available to purchase closer to the date. Check Merc's Twitter and Facebook feeds for details when they are released. It's a great night to listen to a variety of passionate people talk about topics that you would never normally have thought about.

All of the talks from each event are also shot and edited by Merc and will be available to view on the YouTube channel.