This project marked the very first event for testing a new switcher at the Sunnyvale Studio. Before the pandemic, we typically recorded speakers only at the studio and inserted graphic elements in post-production. This workflow was time-consuming because each slide needed to be synced to the script. With the new switcher, we could record three ISO’s (speaker, slide, picture-in-picture) as well as the program feed simultaneously. We basically had a rough cut by the time a speaker walked out. While it was not easy for a speaker to have everything ready at the time of a recording, this workflow cut down editorial time tremendously. The speakers (especially VP-level) who had to record at home previously also appreciated studio recording so that they do not have to worry about the technical side.
Except for one speaker based in Taiwan, we recorded all speakers in three days. Smart Home (known for NEST product line) is a relatively new product area for Google. The stakeholders were super organized with all the deadlines and were happy with the studio-quality videos. 100% pre-recorded program was premiered on YouTube without a hitch.
