Page 127 - AC/E Digital Culture Annual Report 2016

viewed at least half of the short lms submitted to the competition).A very useful tool for promoting an event and making content available to audiences unable to attend in person is live streaming, or broadcasting live online. There are many a ordable ways of developing this type of communication, ranging from the Google Hangouts live streaming service to paid services that can broadcast with greater de nition and video quality.A fact that needs to be borne in mind is that in any live broadcast part of the image and sound quality is always lost, even with the best and most stable Internet connection (which is also important, whenever possible). This is partly because the broadcasting process can reduce quality, and also because the receptors’ (viewers’) connection may not be ideal. Therefore, it is advisable to provide the highest possible quality so that the audience on the other side of the screen receives it as clearly as possible.Ways of broadcasting range from a webcam toa professional camera connected to a computer, though it is recommendable to always use HD cameras and avoid webcams and those of low quality in general. Above all, avoid using cameras installed in laptops, tablets or mobile phones.Sound is also a particular concern when streaming any event, be it a concert or a conference. Many cameras have on-board microphones, but these often record a poor quality of sound or are simply too far from the camera to record it well. Therefore, the best solution is to connect an external microphone to the audio port (or install a few if you want to broadcast a live show) or use pre-recorded audio (for example, for a dance or performance).What is more, while broadcasting live you can also record at the same time for subsequent documentation. Many services, from Google Hangout to Periscope, allow this, though the resolution may turn out slightly lower.Another interesting, less technical aspect of the concept of live streaming is why festivals go infor it. Each festival can have its speci c reasons related to its strategies and mission, but themost usual ones are: to make the festival known (promotional), as attending in person can never take the place of broadcasting and does not pose a risk to ticket sales (we will see that some music festivals take this approach); or to broaden the festival’s mission and allow content to be freely disseminated, especially lectures and roundtables...These experiences have already caught on in a considerable number of cultural environments, especially for debates which are, by nature, open. But now, as we shall see, festivals are also latching onto its virtues.The SXSW festival has been streaming its conferences, roundtables and gigs live since 2009. For this purpose it has a speci c page on its website (SXSW Live)34 where the original videos are embedded along with interviews with directors, artists and creators conducted outside the festival since March 2015. It also o ers year-round programming of online content (SXSW On). Content is also shared on the festival’s YouTube channel. Some videos are viewed thousands of times, especially lm premieres.Another festival that makes use of live streaming is transmediale, which takes the same approach of subsequently sharing footage on its own YouTube channel as part of its content strategy.35AC/E DIGITAL CULTURE ANNUAL REPORT 2016127