In this presentation, I describe why we've decided to pre-record our talks for DevOps Enterprise Summit, and some of the top lessons learned for any speaker who needs to record their presentations. I cover microphones, standing up, elevating your camera, adjusting your lighting, picking a good background, and record! To learn more about the awesome DevOps Enterprise Summit programming here: https://itrevolution.com/london-virtual-what-to-expect/

1. DevOps Enterprise Summit
•DevOps Enterprise Summit is now a virtual
conference!
•Still a three-day event
• June 23-25, 2020
• Begins each day at 8:30am BST
•Same amazing program you expect — thanks to all of
you amazing speakers!

2. DevOps Enterprise Summit
• Our goal is to make each event the best one we’ve done
• I just reviewed the entirety of program, and I really think we
can fulfill our goal to have DevOps Enterprise Summit
London 2020 be our best conference yet
…despite it being virtual!
• I look forward to seeing you all there, and learning with you
and the rest of the DevOps Enterprise community!

3. ThisVideoWill…
•Share with you what we’ve learned running and
attending online events
•Describe why we want pre-recorded talks from all
speakers
•Provide directions for general session and breakout
session speakers
•Share tips on how to get the best recordings

4. StudyingVirtual Events
•I’ve been studying every
online virtual event,
attending as many as I can
• What elements make for
awesome online events?
• …and what makes for awful
events that I leave?

5. StudyingVirtual Events
• One element that really stood out was the
operational risk of live events
• Nothing is more frustrating than spending 10
minutes watching them try to get their audio
working
• Should talks be live or pre-recorded?
• I used to think live, because I thought it helps the
speaker achieve “peak performance”
• Those who have the most production experience
with music or video say, “You can do remote live
performances, but only if you really, really need
danger in your life”

6. Conducted ScreenTests
• In our programming committee
meeting, we had two speakers
present a five-minute talk, in two
ways:
• A pre-recorded presentations
• A live presentation
• Wanted to control the experiment,
isolating variables of the speaker and
the material

7. Speaker Experience
• “It took me four takes, because I always forgot something —
one time I forgot to hit Record.”
• “It’s really nice to have an audience, to give you visual
feedback during my talk.”
• “For me personally, prerecording is awkward. I always find a
new gear when I am live with an audience.”
• “No audience feedback is tough — webinar presentations
without an audience is death.”

8. Audience Experience
• “A good speaker, but energy level seemed low — maybe an
audience would help.”
• “It’s definitely smooth — video is great, but feels recorded.”
• “I’m engaged and learning — slides are effective, and I’m
getting the messages speaker is intending to convey”
• “I’m not sure I could tell whether this was a live or pre-
recorded talk.”
• “Audience present would help speaker connect with them”
• “Energy level in this presentation is definitely lower than I’ve
seen when on stage”

9. Audience Experience
•“Standing up definitely helps with energy level”
•“Speaker is not looking into camera, which
would be more effective — is looking at spot
below camera”
•“Speaker didn’t laugh at the expected times —
maybe a larger audience would help?”

10. Audience Experience
• “Wow, this keynote is amazing — I couldn’t tell whether it was
live or pre-recorded.”
• “He evoked emotions and storytelling that was extremely
compelling.”
• “Eye contact is so good — I wonder if they are using a
teleprompter at eye-level.”
• “Fantastic lighting.”

11. Our Conclusion
Pre-recorded presentations can be amazing!
“Online events are a cinematic experience,
where as live events are a theatrical
performance.”
— Chris Capossela, CMO, Microsoft

12. WeWill Pre-RecordTalks
• In our letter to all speakers, we announced our decision that will
pre-record all talks
• General session speakers: we will schedule a 90-minute session where we
will record you — all you need to do is click on the link, and we’ll handle the
rest
• Breakout session speakers: we will provide you directions on how to record
your own talk
• Amazing opportunity this enables: speakers can answer Q&A
during their session, which is something we’ve always wanted to do
• Next up: Share with you our learnings recording and watching
many talks, sharing tips on how you can get the best recording of
your AWESOME talk!

13. RecordingYourTalk
• General session: we’ll schedule 90 minutes with you, and
you’ll go through a recording process that is exactly like I’m
doing right now — we’ll help you get these sessions recorded!
• Breakout session: we’ll send you directions on how to use
Zoom to record your talk — you’ll record to the cloud, and then
send us the link

14. HowTo Give A GreatTalk!
• Have an awesome presentation — we selected your talks, so
you’re set on that front!
• Use an external microphone
• Stand up
• Elevate your camera
• Adjust your lighting  this is probably the most important
• Pick a good background
• Record!

15. Audio
• Microphone choices
• Use a professional microphone (e.g., Blue Yeti)
• Use your mobile phone headset
• Be careful of the microphone scraping across your clothing
— use tape if you need to
• Do not use your laptop microphone

16. Video: CameraToo Low
• Use an external web cam or camera if you
can
• Elevate the camera so that it is eye-level
Camera too low!
I am looking down at my laptop camera

17. Video: Stand Up
• Give your presentation standing up
There’s something about standing up that
allows you to project your voice better,
breathe more expansively

18. Video: Stand Up
• Give your presentation standing up
There’s something about standing up that
allows you to project your voice better,
breathe more expansively
Note the eye-contact problem
Looking at my computer, which is below
the camera

19. Video: Elevate Camera
Source: Martin Woodward: https://twitter.com/martinwoodward/status/1257989630072324101

20. Video: Elevate Camera
Source: Martin Woodward: https://twitter.com/martinwoodward/status/1257989630072324101
• Over the weeks, I’ve tried many things to
elevate camera — like Martin, you can do a lot
by elevating the laptop
• Use an external web cam or camera if you
can, which can go on a tripod

21. Video: Elevate Camera
• Use an external web cam or camera
if you can, which can go on a tripod

22. Lighting
• Having good lighting makes a huge
difference in video quality
• Do not use backlighting and try to
avoid overhead lighting
• Ideally use natural fill light to fill the
space and a light is hitting your face
but not blinding you
• Do not sit with your back to a window.

23. Lighting
• Having good lighting makes a huge
difference in video quality
• Do not use backlighting and try to
avoid overhead lighting
• Ideally use natural fill light to fill the
space and a light is hitting your face
but not blinding you
• Do not sit with your back to a window.
I enlisted the aid of a lighting tech — my
12 yo son!

24. Lighting
• Elgato Ring Light

25. Ideal Background
• Avoid sitting with your back
against a flat wall
• It’s better to have something
in the background, like a
bookshelf or a room
Too little depth

26. Ideal Background
• Avoid sitting with your back
against a flat wall
• It’s better to have something
in the background, like a
bookshelf or a room
Too little depth
Better depth in
background

27. Two Screens Helpful
• Whether you’re a general
session or breakout session, I
found two monitors incredibly
helpful
• If you want ”Presenter View” or
“Speaker Notes,” two monitors is
necessary
• One monitor you will
screenshare because this is
what attendees will see
• Your other monitor, you will use
for Presenter View
• Alternatively, I’ve tried using an
iPad for my notes
Primary:
Screenshare this

28. Two Screens Helpful
• Whether you’re a general
session or breakout session, I
found two monitors incredibly
helpful
• If you want ”Presenter View” or
“Speaker Notes,” two monitors is
necessary
• One monitor you will
screenshare because this is
what attendees will see
• Your other monitor, you will use
for Presenter View
• Alternatively, I’ve tried using an
iPad for my notes
Primary:
Screenshare this
Presenter view

29. Recording
•To assist with editing, start your video by
saying:
“3, 2, 1, [CLAP] — [WAIT 5 seconds]”
(This is to record what your background noise)
•Add a "Green" to your deck as the first slide
• Any solid color will do

30. DevOps Enterprise Summit

31. That Blue Screen
•Put a slide like that before
your title slide — that and the
audio cues (“3 – 2 — 1…”)
makes it easier for the video
post-production editor to edit
•Also, I learned that holding
your fingers up to the
camera as you count down
also helps!

32. Breakout Recording
• We’ll send you specific instructions on how to record on Zoom
• You will have to change some settings, to make sure we
capture the best audio and video
• You’ll record to Cloud: and then send us the link to the video
• May need to enable Privacy settings (see Patrick link)

33. Privacy Settings

34. Zoom: Audio Input

35. Zoom: Audio Input

36. Breakout Recording
• If you cannot or do not want to use Zoom:
• Use whatever recording program you want — output
requirements:
• MP4 file format
• 720p resolution (1280 x 720 resolution)
• Recommended programs — we’ll provide guidance docs
• MacOS: Screenflow
• Windows:
• Camera App: can record video & Audio
• XBox Game Bar : used to record game play
• Or use Streamyard, the online service we’re using right now to record

37. TL;DR: In Summary
• We need a pre-recording your talk
• Use an external microphone
• Stand up
• Elevate your camera
• Adjust your lighting
• Pick a good background
• Record!

38. DevOps Enterprise Summit
I look forward to seeing you all there, and
learning with you and the rest of the DevOps Enterprise
community!