The VirtualStudio.TV Blog

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  What to Wear at a Green Screen Video Shoot

  10th May 2012 by Rachel Willis Be the first to comment

  People visiting our green screen studio in Cambridge to make their videos often ask me what to wear before they arrive. It is a very good question to ask because there are a few clothing items and choices that do not mix very well with videos created using a green screen studio.
  
  When someone stands in front of our green screen we magically (it’s not really magic!) take out all of the green from the image, and replace it with one of our virtual studios. The reason the screen is green (or sometimes blue) is simply because it’s not a colour found in the pigment of our skin. As a result when you remove this colour you will always be left with a person in the shot which is a good start to making a video. If you do wear anything green, part of you will become invisible which isn’t such a good look!

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  Owning & Marketing a Small Business is bloody hard work!

  1st May 2012 by Rachel Willis Be the first to comment

  Owning your own business is bloody hard work, but starting a business and taking it through its first two years is REALLY bloody hard! Those who say it isn’t are liars!!!
  
  I was recently asked what my one piece of advice would be to someone starting a business and I was stumped. Not because I don’t have any, but because it’s hard to condense all of the learnings into just one piece of advice. In the end I said ‘cash flow’. To me cash flow is king, without cash you don’t have a business, you have a hobby (incidentally that’s what the forth business turned out to be!).
  
  So while I’ve been thinking about what I should blog about this month, this seems like a good way to start. This is the first in a series of blogs I intent to write which focuses on what I’ve learnt about starting and owning a business.
  
  I’m going to start with cash flow, because as I’ve said, it is King!

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  How to improve audience engagement & increase participation during a Virtual Event

  21st February 2012 by Rachel Willis 1 comments

  I’ve worked in the live events industry for 12 years now and have produced hundreds of events all over the world. My key focus when producing an event is always the audience. What should the audience think, feel and do as a result of seeing the event? What are the key messages and what is the take away – what actions should the audience take after attending the event?
  
  There are loads of ‘Virtual Event’ offerings on the market. Some offer a good audience experience, but generally I think many of these products haven’t been created with the audience in mind. Now, I know many of them have multiple bells and whistles that allow viewers to do all manner of things, but ultimately shouldn’t a Virtual Event be similar to a real event?

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  Details of the Technical Support required to host a successful Virtual Event

  8th February 2012 by Rachel Willis 20 comments

  If you’ve ever tried to organise a Virtual Event, online business conference or webinar then you’ll know that the first hurdle you have to overcome is a technical one.
  
  When we were creating our Video Streaming and Virtual Event offering we did a lot of market research on other products and services that are available. While there are some excellent companies out there offering Virtual Event production and streaming services, the majority offer a very confusing mix of products and services that are very difficult to understand and make sense of. At least, that’s what some customers are led to believe anyway…

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  At what level of the career ladder do some people find it acceptable to treat people like s***?

  26th October 2011 by Rachel Willis 5 comments

  I’ve seen a man in his 40’s brought to tears by his boss, watched many Business Mangers shaking with panic and even witnessed an MD of a multinational company throw a plate full of food across a roomful of people in a feat of anger.
  
  Unfortunately, I have found myself witnessing these scenes while working on Live Events and Conferences over the last 10 years or so and have often wondered at what level of the career ladder do some people find it acceptable to treat people like s***?

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  The Perfect Business Handshake: How to Shake Hands Well & Why It’s So Important

  7th October 2011 by Rachel Willis 232 comments

  In my first role as an Account Executive I was taught one great skill by the MD at the time; the art of a good handshake.
  
  I was asked to be part of a pitch team (I was asked to carry the bags actually, but you have to start somewhere!) As part of the team I would have to shake hands with the potential new client that we were pitching to. With the panic of dropping the bags and sitting on the edge of proceedings like a mute lemon, I thought the hand shake was the least of my worries – wrong!

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  Writing a script for a Presentation: Why it is so important

  7th September 2011 by Rachel Willis 19 comments

  I think the most important thing to say right from the outset is that you should not dismiss using a script in the first place. I know there is some debate about the pros and cons of scripting speeches, but the fact is that the best speeches that have ever been made were almost certainly influenced by a script writing process. The world’s most famous orators made their speeches brilliant not because they didn’t use a script, but because they learnt it in advance!
  
  Writing a script isn’t easy and those who say it is are lying! Some say that it’s better to speak off the cuff because this way you’ll appear more ‘natural’. It’s true that a badly delivered presentation where someone’s reading directly from a piece of paper with their head held down is excruciating from an audience perspective, however, this is the fault of the speaker and not the script. If you decide to use a script, the important thing is to learn it!

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  Q&A Sessions: 10 Tips on how to plan and host

  5th September 2011 by Rachel Willis 1 comments

  Speakers we work with often ask our advice on being a participant in a Q&A session. We also regularly spend time with people planning to host Q&A sessions on stage, as part of our Virtual Events or live via video conferencing services. In my experience planning a good Q&A session is easier said than done. Here are my 10 tips on how to plan and host successful Q&A sessions:
  
  1. Rehearse: Yes, you can rehearse a Q&A session. You’ll need a friend or a colleague to help you and it’s their job to ask you as many questions as possible. This will enable you to practice the art of receiving and answering questions. For example thanking the person for a great question and then referring to their name in your answer.

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  Business Presentations & Conference Speaking: 13 Tips on how to plan & prepare

  24th August 2011 by Rachel Willis 14 comments

  ‘I assumed it would all be OK’; the immortal words written on the headstone of every failed presentation.
  
  When it comes to presenting in front of an audience the major rule I would encourage you to follow is to never assume anything, always check everything!
  
  You are not just the Presenter. You’re the Producer and the Logistics Manager; sometimes you’re even the Technician as well! Like it or not, it’s up to you as the presenter to find out about all the relevant details. And the great thing is that it’s totally acceptable to be all of these people and ask as many questions and you like, it’s real A Team behaviour. (Read my blog post on "How to deal with difficult people in business" to understand the different between an A Team and B Team player!)
  
  I’ve listed below the 13 Tips you should consider using the next time you ever be lucky enough to be asked to present in front of an audience.

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  How to improve audience engagement : 5 Tips

  18th August 2011 by Rachel Willis 7 comments

  You might think you’ve delivered a world class presentation, but if the audience doesn’t agree, you’re doomed. No matter how good you think you are, it’s the audience who will decide whether you’re a success or not, so it’s a good idea to find out more about them as soon as possible.
  
  The good news is that it’s pretty easy to deliver a presentation to your audience; you just have to keep them in mind – all of the time. Constantly think ‘what do I want the audience to think, feel and do as a result of watching this presentation? Write down the answers to this question on a piece of paper. Everything you include in your presentation should be in line with these answers.
  
  Here are some more tips that should help you to connect with your audience:

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