Streaming and Well-being: ETNZ Conference 2021

As a sector that has been collectively trying to minimise the impact of COVID-19 on the general public by innovating to find ways of making the show go on, it was sadly ironic that COVID-19 and the Alert Level 2 for Wellington would scupper the physical ETNZ conference. For many in the industry, and even the ETNZ Executive, it would be the first time in over twelve months that they could come together. We all know that wonderful though Zoom is, sometimes you just need to sit across a table from someone, and this was definitely one of those occasions.

Raising to yet another COVID-19 challenge, the ETNZ conference committee, with the help of Multi-Media Systems and Virlo in Wellington and CASTL in Auckland, pulled off an impressive virtual event. They went from streaming nine in-person workshops to delivering twenty-four virtual sessions over the course of the weekend following the news of the Level 2 Alert. Alongside the virtual sessions, an online ‘Lobby’ for networking, and conference hubs in Auckland (Q Theatre) and Christchurch (Burnside High School) provided opportunities for at least some people to meet up and chat informally.

Vicki Cooksley, President of ETNZ, opened the conference, announcing that the funding from the Ministry of Culture & Heritage that ETNZ had previously secured to reduce the costs of attending, would now enable the virtual conference to be delivered free of charge, news which was shared online the night before. With over one hundred attendees initially signed up for the physical event, there were over two hundred connections to the virtual. To support tradeshow exhibitors, a trade show scavenger hunt replaced the normal tradeshow passport challenge, encouraging participants to visit company websites.

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The Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, the Honourable Carmel Sepuloni popped in for ten minutes to pat the government on the back for the help they had provided to the sector. Notably, whether it was down to an aide or the Minister herself, her brief review of the sector was well-informed, and connections had obviously been made between industry leadership and the Ministry. As Vicki said in her follow up, hopefully these links can be built on. One positive to take from the Minister’s guest appearance was the prediction that a strong growth in employment in the cultural sector was expected through to 2026. How this tallies with the skills shortage touched on frequently throughout the conference remains to be seen, as many leave the industry due to the impact of COVID, potentially not to return.

The keynote address was led by Dr Donald Cooper and Jim Digby of the Event Safety Alliance, an American non-profit organisation focused on health and safety in the event production and creation sector. They raised the topic of well-being, an issue that was a constant throughout the two days of conference, and the need for artists and agents to be sympathetic to crews returning to work after a period of often sedentary, possibly isolated, and certainly stressful time off work.

Alongside well-being, streaming and recording were well represented in amongst the workshops. The implications of fusing show production with broadcasting were covered in an insightful panel presentation featuring Rebecca Tansley, independent film maker with a focus on the arts, Chris McKenzie from Kenderdine Entertainment Lighting and Simon Garrett from Big Picture. Asking front of house to remove seats, taking over the box for cameras and lighting, ensuring make up, costumes and scenery were up to scratch for 2K or 4K resolution were just a few of the issues touched on. As Rebecca put it, your production manager might be keeping the waka in the right direction, but throw a live stream or broadcast into the mix and it gets a bit more complicated to keep it on course. All agreed communication was critical, as early as possible.

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Nate Ormsby from Latitude Creative and currently working with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO), Jeff McKenzie from Jands Pty Ltd, and Vicki Cooksley with her ‘client’ hat on as a production manager led a panel on the practicalities of streaming. Nate gave a tour of his impressive set up for NZSO, Jeff talked through the ‘nuts and bolts’ of using Zoom, and Vicki raised some of the questions a client should ask a potential streaming service provider. Nate and Jeff also answered a question from the floor on what the demands of streaming meant for new venues and infrastructure. Well worth a view.

Sitting alongside the post-pandemic focus on mental health and streaming were the mainstays of a more traditional ETNZ conference including rigging maths for non-riggers, fall protection, painted vs LED backdrops and much more. The breadth of knowledge shared is an absolute credit to the ETNZ conference committee and to all those individuals who presented.

Although COVID-19 did put paid to the much needed face-to-face get together, a virtual conference does mean that the conference sessions may potentially become available for members in the near future, as Genevieve Poppe, ETNZ administrator explains, “We do hope to share them. When and if it becomes possible we will be letting members know how this will be managed and putting it up on our social media pages. So, if you haven’t signed up for a membership, please do so via our website and keep checking our Facebook page.”