Yes.

That is the simple answer. If you can and it doesn’t eat into your budget too much, I would always advise recording both the video and audio.

NOTE: You need clearance and permission from EVERYONE on film. Backs of heads is fine but if you want shots of the audience get them to sign clearance forms.

GET THE SPEAKER’S PERMISSION

You might not get the speaker’s permission to film their talks. Often you will not get permission to share the talks without incurring a fee. However you can ask to film or record improvised Q and As. You can also ask if you can film them without Audio so you can include snapshots of footage to promote future events. For example I used to make little trailers for my Z List Dead List Live show: these I used to promote the next event and the podcast and gradually built my audience. Even a static camera in the corner of the room mixed with some photographs can be edited to make the event look exciting.

If your event is educational you can have it filmed professionally and you can sell the content to people who couldn’t make the event. This requires a bit of organising. You need permission of the speakers who may rightly want to increase their fee or have a cut in the sales. Contracts need to be signed to make sure you have distribution rights.

There are many webinar software packages to choose from which allow you to distribute paid for video and tutorials. So shop around and work out which is right for you and your customers. Ask them if they already have bought into a particular platform and consider using that. A very simple method would be people paying to be in a private group on facebook and uploading videos there though there are much more professional methods.

TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS

Professional Photography is also a bonus. Steve Cross runs amazing events internationally, in venues which range from pub basements to The Royal Society. He is a skilled professional photographer and takes incredible pictures which his speakers appreciate as gifts (he shares the unedited originals with us afterwards). We also help promote his nights, as often we write about our photos: where we were performing and who took the picture. Because the photos are so good, they get liked and shared and more people are aware of how amazing his events are.

USE THE FOOTAGE

Some speakers are keen to have their talks and presentations shared. If that is the case, make sure when you give them the footage that you have titles and or a a watermark. A small copy of your logo in the corner will not detract from the talk neither will a title at the beginning with their name and where they are speaking. If the video proves popular more people will be interested in attending future events as evidently you book interesting speakers.