What is a Hybrid Event

A hybrid event is a seminar, workshop, public event that combines a "live" in-person event with a "virtual" online component.

Media Services supports different kinds of hybrid events maintaining a standard of support, which focuses on stability and simplicity of approach.

In a hybrid event presenters are in some combination of in person and remote, they need to be able to communicate with each other and with the audience.

Examples include: 

• Remote presenters participating in a panel with in person presenters; all presenters taking questions from the live audience. 
• Moderator and audience in person, displaying a virtual presenter on the screen and interacting with the presenter via Q&A from the venue.
• Small size audience at home and in person participates in a workshop  / seminar style-event

A hybrid event often has a split audience, partially present in person and partially joining remotely. 

Large Hybrid Event Open to the Public

If the hybrid event you organize is a public event, Media Services recommends the audience at home watches the event via live stream and interacts by means of YouTube chat or other chat tools.

In a large hybrid event open to the public, Zoom technology is reserved for the remote presenters and for accessibility services (Remote CART as default, remote ASL or language translation when needed). 

Small size Hybrid event - workshop / seminar-style 

If you are organizing a small size workshop or seminar-style hybrid event, you may want to plan for an interactive experience with the remote audience.

In that case Zoom technology can be used for remote presenters, live captions and audience alike. Media Services is available to consult on the best way to use Zoom (meeting versus webinar) for these purposes.  For a successful experience, it is important the choice of venue focuses on spaces that are Zoom-ready. 

Live streaming your hybrid event

When a segment of your audience is remote, they can watch the event from anywhere. A livestream audience may be given access to interact via chat tools and if, there is a moderator in the venue, that person may ask questions on behalf of the remote audience.

It is important you have permission from all presenters, in person and remote, to live stream an event. The Brown consent form needs to be used.

The in person audience needs to be notified if your event is being recorded and live streamed.

In certain instances presenters would agree to being recorded only, in another instances (rare), presenters may agree only to a livestream and not to a recording. 

Simulcasting your hybrid event

Audio and video of your hybrid event can be transmitted internally from one room to another via builtin technology between two spaces (ex. Sal 101 to Sal 001) or via livestream for the purpose of overflow  

Best spaces for your hybrid event:

Campus auditoriums are ideal for hybrid public events open to a large in person audience (in person audience of over 100). These spaces are equipped equipped with Zoom Rooms technology, which is ideal for connecting remote presenters and accessibility with Remote CART. Here is a list of the spaces:

• 85 Waterman Room 130 - capacity 130
• Barus & Holley Room 166 - capacity 186
• Barus & Holley Room 168 - capacity 140
• List Art Building Room 120 - capacity 120
• Macmillan Hall Room 117 (Starr Auditorium) - capacity 293
• Metcalf Research Building, Friedman Auditorium - capacity 206
• Salomon Center 101, De Ciccio Family Auditorium - capacity 594
• Salomon Center Room 001 - capacity 224
• Smith-Buonanno Room 106 - capacity 128
• Stephen Robert Hall, 280 Brook Street, Room 101 - capacity 115

Medium sized spaces (not to exceed 100 in person) also equipped with Zoom Rooms technology:

• 85 Waterman Room 015 - capacity 70
• CIT 165 (will be Zoom room in Spring 2022) - capacity 73
• Biomed 291 - capacity 82
• Biomed 202 - capacity 107 
• S. Frank Hall Room 220 (Marcuvitz Aud) - capacity 98
• Faunce Building, Petteruti Lounge - capacity 94

Campus spaces equipped with Zoom-ready technology:

During 2020-2021, the University equipped multiple classrooms as Zoom-ready (see Hybrid classrooms / Event spaces).  

In the specifics, 33 spaces are listed as (Dual camera). These spaces have:

• projection and speakers
• 2 wall mounted cameras:
  • 1 pointed to the lecture area / whiteboard
  • 1 pointed to the audience
•  Multiple wall-mounted microphones, which pick up any questions from the in-person audience

Zoom-ready (Dual camera) spaces are ideal for interactive small size hybrid events - workshop / seminar-style

Unsure what kind of event to organize?

Read our Suggestions for what kind of event to organize