San Diego stands among a few others as one of the world’s top cities for science and technology. Companies such as Scripps Health, Qualcomm, Nokia and Kyocera are headquartered in San Diego, meaning there is a constant need for corporate videography services. But one video service in particular is becoming the leader in this space: live streaming.
Video technology moves fast; only a few years ago the concept of live streaming did not exist outside of the news industry – within corporate walls, live streaming could only be seen perhaps on closed-circuit television. Fast-forward to today and advancements in internet bandwidth have made it possible to live stream events across the globe. This demand is driven by the corporate audience’s expectations to watch events such as shareholder meetings, product launches, quarterly and annual reports – in real-time, from remote offices or the viewer’s home. Long gone are the days of these types of meetings being held behind closed doors, only viewable to a larger audience in the form of meeting minutes.
But most video production companies in San Diego and still using the old model. They shoot a corporate event, they disappear back to their studio for several days for a time-consuming editing process, and only then does the customer see the final product – long after the buzz of the event has passed. This might be good for archiving, but not for the shareholders, employees or others who want information in real-time.
Live streaming and webcast companies have come in and broke the mold. With multiple cameras, dynamic controls, real-time editing, corporate events look more like a live television show than yesterday’s stale footage. One company in particular is leading the way in the San Diego live streaming and webcast scene, Hildreth Media Group.
The Hildreth Media Group has services some of the biggest brands on the planet, such as Oprah Winfrey, Under Armour and the NFL. “Our clients demand a seamless live streaming experience without error,” says Royce Hildreth, “they want a production company who can handle the entire process start to finish.”
Unfortunately, some old-school production companies who have waited too long to adopt live streaming technology might find they are already shut out of the opportunity. Live streaming and webcast technology is changing rapidly, both in software and technology. Jumping into the game now requires a capital investment and learning curve most older production companies will find insurmountable. Live streaming companies such as the aforementioned Hildreth Media Group have a distinct advantage as having come out of the live television industry – basically having live streaming already in its DNA. Other companies won’t fare so well in this new environment.
Where does the consumer’s live streaming expectations come from? The internet. Live streaming has been available for many years on platforms such as Facebook and YouTube. If they can live stream to their Facebook followers, why can’t a videographer live stream their corporate event? What the consumer is not aware of, nor do they need to be, is just how complex streaming a multi-camera, dynamic, live event is – involving a crew, equipment, experience and technology. Perhaps the most difficult part of live streaming is that there can be no mistakes, unlike the world of recording to film or digital format, there is no editing out of mistakes – the live streaming production crew must execute a flawless experience, every time. But once again, when the consumer hires the right video production company, they need not bother themselves with these details as its up to the professionals to deliver.
As the San Diego technology and business scene continues to grow, so will its need for live streaming services. Local video production companies will soon be faced with evolving into a live-streaming model as a matter of survival – not an easy change for a company who may have been doing traditional videography for the last 20 years. It’s time to evolve as a matter of survival for San Diego videography scene. In just a few short years from now, you can expect recorded video to be nothing more than a byproduct of a live streamed event. Not only in San Diego’s live streaming and webcast industry, but cities around the world.