Coronavirus concerns are quickly causing conference and events cancellations worldwide. There is, thankfully, an option that has finally become technologically mature and economically viable.

If you’re a fan of cable news, you’re likely familiar with the “round table” panel discussion featuring a moderator at one location and participants at others. Add in 2-way conferencing at each location, one or more cameras at each location and many different kinds of graphics and it’s not a video conference call – it’s an experience.

We can achieve this look, complete with the re-sizing and re-positioning of on-screen participant-filled boxes, lower-thirds and other standard on-screen elements – without any studio. And we can be anywhere in the world managing the “control room.”

We call this a virtual panel discussion. We can do this completely internet-based (no satellite needed) –with up to 8 remote participants. And, we can stream this live on YouTube, Facebook or your client’s website using traditional techniques, or connect to one of the online meeting platforms like GoToWebinar, Zoom and others.

We can control what each participant sees and hears and insure that each doesn’t hear him/herself in their ears; a technique called “mix-minus audio.”

We can also put the participants into a pre-show/post show virtual “green room” where they can speak to each other. We can speak individually with each participant during the show; removing him or her from the audio mix so that each can speak with us.

We can combine participants on-screen with their PowerPoint presentations and roll-in video clips, photos or other images too.

One key to success is testing with each participant to insure that lighting, sound and room are properly set-up on the remote end – and that each is familiar with the process and flow of the show.

Another key component is pre-planning each on-screen layout in advance, rehearsing and insuring simple push-button access for communication with each individual.

Given the emerging challenges of live, in-person events in the era of super storms and pandemics that threaten event cancellation, a virtual event can be quickly pulled together if needed to replace a live event – rather than cancel it.

Download PDF: EWS – Virtual Events & Panel Discussions