Once you have decided that videoconferencing is the right tool for you, it is never too early to begin thinking about dates. As more and more people become aware of the advantages of videoconferencing, our calendars begin to fill up months in advance. You’ll need to book both studio and satellite time for your "live" event. In addition, you will need one or more days of pre-production, depending on the complexity of your show. And unless the facilities where participants plan on viewing the videoconference are already equipped with satellite dishes, or "downlinks," you will need to book local receive sites.

New York Network’s satellite network is commonly referred to as SUNYSAT. SUNYSAT downlinks are located at each of the 64 campuses of the State University of New York, including all community colleges. NYN has also identified over 100 additional sites that are capable of receiving the SUNYSAT signal in every region of the state.

It’s important that you sit down with our staff as early as possible to discuss possible receive locations. National distribution of your program via SUNYSAT is also possible.

Your videoconference will, most likely, contain several elements which will need to be created in advance of the "live" broadcast (program open and close, taped roll-ins, graphics, teleprompter script.) It is very important to schedule production time well in advance, and to consult with NYN staff about production needs. Television "magic" happens only when technical professionals and content experts work together as a coordinated team. Choosing and combining all the different elements that will make your production unique can be extremely rewarding - but it will take time, decisiveness, and the ability to work closely with a technical team. Find out what you need to do before you arrive at NYN for pre-production.

Content Development- You probably already know that how information is delivered can be just as important as what you need to say. This is especially true when you are working at a distance. Presentations should be designed to take advantage of the visual medium i.e., to be as illustrative as possible. When appropriate, site participants should be involved in local activities. Your program must begin and end exactly on schedule, so every element of your videoconference should be carefully timed. Keep the above in mind, but don’t be afraid to have fun!

Written Materials- In most cases you will want to present each registered participant with a

packet of videoconference materials containing any or all of the following:

• Program agenda
• Hard copy of graphics to be presented during the videoconference
• Relevant "extra" information – agency contacts, phone #’s and/or reading list for further information
• Paper for notes and/or phone-in questions
• Evaluation form

Packets should be created and a master copy mailed to site facilitators early enough to allow for local duplication.

Site Coordination- Early in the planning stage you’ll need to identify one or more persons who will function as local site facilitators at each receive site before, during, and after your videoconference. Before the event they will interface with local technical support, ensure that the videoconference room is adequate and comfortable, and familiarize themselves with topic material and program format.

• During the videoconference, local facilitators hand out written materials, coordinate on-site activities, and help ensure that call-in segments go smoothly.
• Following the videoconference they collect and forward evaluations, and provide follow-up for participants seeking more information.
• You may want to schedule a training session with facilitators prior to your live event. Good site facilitators are key to your videoconference success.

Participants- Once you’ve identified the goals and program content of your videoconference, you can begin developing a list of presenters with the expertise and skill to make an effective television presentation. Presenters with a national reputation, while desirable, are not always necessary for a successful session. Presenters who are knowledgeable and can be identified with the subject matter through a local and/or statewide constituency can be just as effective, and may be more readily available.

The most important thing is for you to find those experts who will complement each other in speaking to different aspects of your topic, while avoiding redundancy.

Moderator- With the rare exception of a single lecturer, all videoconferences require an experienced moderator to keep your show running smoothly. This key participant may be a member of your agency who has on-camera experience, or a hired professional. The moderator, as the program "host," sets the tone of the show, keeps things running on schedule, makes sure there are no awkward pauses, fields incoming questions, and ends the program on time.

Clothing- First-time participants should take note of the following clothing tips:

• dress comfortably, be certain to have a place to attach a microphone
• wear "warm" colors, pastels, earth tones that can be accented
• Don’t dress too warmly, the studio environment is a "hot" one
• don’t wear jewelry that "clinks"
• don’t wear, shiny, satiny, or highly reflective materials.
• don’t wear high contrast (black suit, white shirt)
• don’t wear busy designs (stripes, checks, floral prints)

Make Up- Having participants sit down with a make-up artist before going "on-air" is both a technical and aesthetic necessity.

• technical - to dull hot spots, baldness, shiny noses
• aesthetic- to add color, smooth complexion, cover 5:00 shadow

How you appear on camera will often dictate your effectiveness in the eyes of the audience. Having a good make-up artist on board is another key to videoconference success. On the set Some handy tips for first-time presenters:

• when presenting information - speak directly to the camera (the camera is your connection with the audience)    
• know time cues
• stay seated while wearing a microphone
• be aware that the microphone is always on
• don’t look at the TV monitor (you’ll be looking at yourself)
• Coughing, rustling papers and excess fidgeting will be picked up and heard on the air.

A short but thorough rehearsal is essential to success of your show. Schedule ample time to put participants at ease and "get the bugs out" before you go on the air.

Format-How you decide to deliver the information contained in your videoconference will be dictated by two considerations: what you need to convey and to whom you need to convey it. Can a portion of your program content be shown on tape? Can important points be outlined and rendered into graphics? Your choice of format will ultimately affect the pacing, interactivity and time management of your show.

Another format consideration applies directly to the studio.

Will you use:

• a single presenter using a lecture format (with or without a studio audience)
• a panel of experts engaged in a moderated discussion
• a studio "workshop" including "live" audience participation and demonstration
• a roll-in to provide a view from the field
• a combination of the above elements

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different formats.

Next: Production Elements