How Be Inspired Films Shoots Conferences the TED Way

Streaming Media by Troy Dreier

The TED conferences have helped spread provocative and useful ideas around the globe, including ideas about how to shoot conferences.

Anyone who’s tried to record video of a conference knows it isn’t easy. Lighting that looks good in the room looks awful on screen, the stage is often too low or nonexistent, and there are lots of pauses in the conversation that give viewers a chance to tune out.

Recordings of TED talks, however, are TV quality. They’re more than watchable -- they’re great. The lighting, sound, editing, and, of course, the ideas make them the high water mark in conference video.

As TED talks spread around the world, so do TED’s video requirements. TEDx is essentially the franchising of TED, a way for different groups to hold their own TED events. That “x” means the event is independently organized, not something produced by the main TED organization. While a TEDx event is independent, the organizers still have to follow the TED guidelines to use the name. Among those guidelines: TEDx organizers are asked to visit a U.S. TED conference first to see how those conferences put together. After that, the organizer becomes licensed and can stage a TEDx event in the region or city his or her license covers.

A TEDx organizer’s first step is choosing a theme for the event. The organizer also needs to raise the funds to stage the event, as TED HQ doesn’t provide funding. Sponsors are essential. read more....