Christina Andreola
There’s no doubt that the Coronavirus pandemic significantly accelerated our adaptation to technology. No longer able to gather in groups of more than ten (smaller in some areas!), we were forced to get creative with how we stayed connected with family, friends, and our communities. Unfortunately, major life events that commonly attracted hundreds of guests - weddings and funerals - were put on hold indefinitely. To gather as a community, we now had to get creative.
Families quickly adapted to learning how to log in to an online platform like Zoom Video on their computers, smartphones, and tablets. Although we weren’t able to gather in person, we had the ability to gather in a virtual location and remember our loved ones. Those in younger generations stepped up to share their tech knowledge with parents and grandparents, giving them an opportunity to participate no matter where they were.
Although distancing restrictions have eased in many parts of the world and gatherings have (mostly) returned back to large attendance numbers, including a virtual element is still a vital part of planning. Including a virtual community can be as simple as setting up a phone or a laptop that is connected to a Zoom stream or you can hire an audio-visual team to take care of all the details for you. Our team at New Narrative helps families that have all of the equipment on site and needs a virtual attendant. In select locations, we can also manage the in-person technical components as well as the on-site logistics.
When you have an in-person event with a virtual stream, this is commonly referred to as a hybrid event.
By incorporating a virtual option, you give guests the opportunity to choose how they would like to show up and participate. Family and friends living abroad or with mobility difficulties can now grab an iPad or a laptop computer and connect the event to their TV. Busy colleagues who are traveling or are in the middle of a shift can now duck out for a short period of time to pay their respects. A new parent with two small children can now open up their laptop and stay muted while the kids are being taken care of.
The short answer is, “Anyone!” and the long answer is that you can pick and choose who to share the invitation with. Some groups find it more appropriate to copy and paste the link on a public platform such as Facebook, Instagram, or on an obituary website. Other groups prefer to know exactly who has this information and may request guests to send an email or RSVP via a website to receive the link.
In some cases, including a virtual stream can attract more guests from your person’s community. Now your attendees can include guests who might not feel like they would come in person, but can pay their respects from afar. We find this is common with honourees who have very public-facing roles (teachers, international lawyers, public figures, dignitaries) or those who were involved with jobs that required them to meet a wide variety of people.
One of our most memorable hybrid events was for a gentleman who had a large online poker community and family members dispersed all around the world. We hosted 50 guests in person and streamed the event via Zoom to 100+ members from his online community. A cousin even streamed in while on vacation at Disneyland to pay his respects and share during the open microphone.
In short, yes! There is a difference. The easiest way to understand which option is right for you is to understand that there are two types of Hybrid events: One-Way and Two-Way
A one-way hybrid event is where virtual guests can watch and listen to the ceremony via a stream but cannot be seen or heard by in-person guests. The most common one-way streams are those hosted via Facebook live or Youtube
A two-way hybrid event is where the virtual guests can be seen and heard by in-person guests. This is perfect for family members who would like to give a speech or participate in the open share from the comfort of their own home. When coordinated well, a two-way Zoom can be an extraordinary way to involve your global community.
This will depend on your budget, the kind of stream you would like to set up, and what the venue has. We’ll provide a list of considerations below, but at the very least, here’s what we recommend:
- a camera to capture the video
- a laptop to connect to Zoom or youtube (or your platform of choice)
- speakers, if you would like to hear the virtual guests
- a projector and/or TV, if you are sharing a slideshow or seeing your Zoom guests
Our team at New Narrative has coordinated over 200 hybrid celebrations of life, funeral services, and memorials. We want to help you coordinate the most successful and seamless event possible.
We hope you are inspired to incorporate at least one of the elements into an upcoming virtual event or a celebration of life! Ultimately, your virtual guests will be so grateful to have the opportunity to participate, no matter how technical your setup is. Having the opportunity to be a witness to the event is just as important as the perfect technical experience, although we hope this will help you!
If you need our team at any point, we are only an email away - info@newnarrative.ca or 778 960 8782
At New Narrative the sole purpose of our events is helping ease the burden of planning a very personalized event in what can be a very un-creative and difficult period. With a unique approach for every family, we are here to help you with planning — however hands on or hands off you need us to be.