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Mark that brings up a good point and a difficult one since we are dealing with volunteers. Training is essential to all roles. Would we have someone demonstrate who have never done the piece. Why not have anyone on camera to get a 2 hour seminar. Not enough I know from all the years I have taken pictures and still so much to learn, but a beginning.
Hello, Gerald (Hi, Mark!!!), we did do camera training. We did not do powerpoint training, mainly because we don't know who is bringing what kind of equipment with what kind of adapter. The folks in the 203 rooms (I won't mention names) were all good, even with learning new hand-eye coordination. I know that the video lead expects the camera operator to have experience doing video; I believe all the video team members are regular club video operators. The symposium rig is actually easier to run than my club's camera rig. (Harder to set up, but a lot easier to shoot). One of the things we did both in Pittsburgh and Atlanta, is to have the same operator working with a demonstrator multiple times, to enhance teamwork. I caught a couple of minutes of one of Mark Sfirri's (probably after the light bulb change), and I thought Mark W did a great job in the few minutes I was in the back of the room.
That said, your input is well taken. In planning for 2017 (and 2018), we'll try to do more small-group training with more hands-on.
All: On-the-spot feedback will generate an effort to sort things out. In one of the rooms, the sound level was too high. Once we realized that, we pulled an A/V tech, who dialed the sound back. We had the opposite problem in another room. This is because the demonstrators use different voice volumes, and some just put the microphone far away from their mouth. We can't always fix things on the spot, but we need to know that there are items that need to be fixed.
Allan Z and Al H: When we finally sorted out the technology issues with Jason Breach's orbital arc boxes, we were using a HDMI switch which had only a second or so switching delay from the powerpoint to the camcorder for the HDTVs. I think it was an inexpensive powered HDMI switch.
In many ways, video is like mounting your workpiece. There are many methods (switch box, running all through PC, HDMI to VGA, VGA to HDMI, etc., vs worm screw, drive center, tenon-and-chuck, recess-and-chuck, faceplate, sacrificial foot, etc.). All of them can be made to work, but some are easier than others.
