Calix Connexions 2020
Making a Virtual Event a Real Success
How do you move a flagship user conference from Las Vegas to 100% online? By unleashing a torrent of activity, focused on reimagining the B2B virtual event experience. Surprise. Delight. Inspire. Engage. This was our goal. So how would we do it in this Zoom-fatigue era? And no, the option of replicating a webinar wasn’t even on the table. Our four-year relationship with Calix leadership has resulted in the mutual trust, enabling the rapid decision making and parallel workflow required to pull off a best-in-class, one-of-a-kind experience.
We started with a focus on constructing a virtual experience that would be worthy of an organization positioned and equipped to lead the bridging of the digital divide. Our strategy? Production and UX teams embarking on a 9-month journey. A custom-built technology stack. More than 40 video shoots. And, finally, multiple live streams in motion simultaneously over the course of two weeks. Consider the stakes raised.
Brad Paisley.
Seth Godin.
1,000 rural broadband providers. And Us.
To guarantee a 4K quality viewing experience, the team partnered with Sherpa Digital Media. Who already partners with market leaders such as Apple, Disney, and Blackrock, and recently collaborated with Decision Counsel on several projects. The team utilized Sherpa’s SaaS video platform that concurrently manages on demand, live, and real-time breakout session streams. Additionally, we designed the experience to offer real-time interactivity windows for sharing comments, enabling attendees to connect individually and empowering Calix to reinforce their connection to customers and reveal the power of its products across the two-week event.
From the Big Screen to the Green Screen.
The power of ConneXions’ traditional 80ft screen in Las Vegas had to be completely reimagined through the lens of a website video viewport. To accomplish this, we created in-home studios by assembling and deploying green screen kits throughout North America. Multidisciplinary, remote production crews including directors, DP’s and audio engineers worked tirelessly to help speakers set up their own lighting, the green screens, microphones and cameras complete with teleprompter software and eye tracking – all built in.
With an army of editors on standby to receive footage, we worked around the clock, uploading footage to the cloud. Getting to work, we sorted through every take, adjusting each speaker’s presentation with detailed keying and composite techniques. The result was speakers connecting with visitors from real environments within which there was room for vivid graphics and rich animation.
