It’s inevitable that a board will take a break. It could be a short 5-minutes or a longer Closed Session but if you’re new to handling the video of a meeting it can be a little bit confusing.
The thing to remember is that your Live Stream audience is no different than someone physically sitting in Council Chambers. Does your board kick everyone out of the room, or are they the ones that leave? If it’s the latter, what do people sitting in Chambers do?
Below are several options to consider. There is no right or wrong way, it’s up to which option you prefer.
Option 1: Keep Recording
This is our recommended option for most customers. Whenever your board takes a break, simply keep recording. This provides you with one video file and you can always add a timestamp to allow VOD viewers to “jump” past the break. Will this create a long file? Sure but we’re built for it and it makes your job easier.
Now you may be wondering what you should show in your video while your board takes a break?
Show The Room
We’d recommend muting your microphones but you can just leave the cameras on the room. Is it boring? Probably, but this is exactly what someone sitting in Council Chambers would see.
Switch to Graphics
If you have graphics that you can switch to, you can let those watching the stream know what’s happening. This can be a CHAMP |Graphics, a computer you use for Zoom or even zoom in on a printed piece of paper. When the board comes back in session, switch from your graphics back to your cameras.
Turn Off Cameras
If you don’t have a CHAMP |Camera system, then the third option is to simply turn off your video system so that your CHAMP Encoder doesn’t receive any video. This is the most dramatic and is the least recommended because it is is the equivalent of kicking your viewers out of the room. Also, if someone tunes in late will they think the meeting never happened?
Option 2: Stop & Start Recording
If having a continual recording is not your preference, then the only other option is to stop your recording and stop your Live stream. The challenge with this option is that you will end up with two video files. Since you can only have one video file per Event you then have to decide how to handle it.
Create Two Events
Pretty simple: two files = two events. If you’re expecting a big break in your meeting, then this might be a good option for you. For example you could have an AM meeting and a PM meeting.
However, if a break is unexpected and you don’t wish to create two Agendas, this choice is definitely not great. So what’s the alternative?
Download and Stitch
When your meeting is complete, you can attach each recording recording and download them to your computer. Once downloaded you can use 3rd party software to stitch the two files together. You’ll need to choose the right software for you and the platform you use.
We’re Here To Help
Sometimes a break can come up unexpectedly. We get it and we’re happy to help, so please call us or drop us a line. We happy to talk through the details of your specific setup and provided assistance, as needed.