I was brainstorming on the phone yesterday with someone about what it would look like to “blog” the Catalyst Conference.
Note: This does not mean only sitting in a chair making bullet point lists of what the speakers are saying.
Note: This does not mean only talking with the speakers back stage.
I NEED YOUR HELP! Think WAY outside of the box. What do you see happening as a blogging-behind-the-scenes-meeting-people AND incorporating this into the actual Catalyst event? Bringing Catalyst to the people who aren’t there…and bringing what isn’t at Catalyst to the people there.
No dumb ideas. Forget about money and logistics for now. Just throw out some crazy ideas!!
Comments
40 responses to “ok, REALLY think outside the BOX for me!”
Have the speakers “guest post” while they are there.
See what you get can video wise that will not be like “stealing” becuase bloggers didn’t pay to go. i.e. interviews or what not
that’s all I’ve got
Conference attenders from different points of view can blog on what’s happening at Catalyst on the same site.
You could have blogging attenders planted in breakout sessons and social times, too…because that’s what I find really great about conferences…talking with others who are processing the same info.
Now, to get those not attending involved…so that they don’t feel like they had to be there to get it…hmm…I’m not sure b/c isn’t that what you pay for? Hmmm…I guess they could comment or post on what they’re hearing from the blogging attenders…and maybe it could be shared at the conference on the big screen…I dunno.
And I like what Natalie said, too…
See if you can get Triumph the Insult Comic Dog to interview people backstage. I don’t think he has done anything of importance in awhile.
Hey Anne!
The behind the scenes interviews @ Rick Warren’s recent invite-only conference were very good and allowed users to ask questions.
A 24 hour green room cam would be cool.
A speaker view cam attached to the lapel of a few of the main speakers would be very cool…
Will think of some more later…
You know something. When you, Bobby, Terry and then a bunch of my friends went to SXSW, the greatest twitter day ever is when all of these people I knew were twittering during the Lacy/Zuckerberg interview.
I truly felt like I was actually there. Not only the content ho hum content of the interview but the emotions that the listening audience were feeling.
To sum up that interview:
“What kinda crap is this? Why is she going ga ga over Zuck?”
Awesome. Totally awesome.
What that would mean is that we would need a handful of twitters that will be at the conference that we, your community, could follow.
the two things I get the most value out of conferences are the content and the conversations.
massive amounts of content blogging/twits…what if every session, every breakout, every lab had someone post the main thought/challenge?
secondly, blogging the conversations that happen with leaders after sessions and breakouts. how are people going to implement what they’ve just been challenged with? i get just as much value from the coffee talk after sessions.
I like the behind-the-scenes ideas that allow a blogging audience to interact with the speaker before or after a session. Video based would be best.
You could also introduce “blog-only” content that the speakers/hosts can highlight and say “If you want this list of (whatever) go to the Catalyst blog.” It would help drive extra traffic to the blog and give people an extra outlet for additional resources.
Okay. No budget? Sweet. Here you go:
Live video that’s streamed through UStream/Mogulus/etc and also featured in between sessions in the main room. This isn’t just live interviews. This would be candid throughout the conference. Hallways. Breakouts. Bathrooms (eek).
This would essentially bring everything that’s happening around the conference to two locations simultaneously: online and in the main room.
This could feasibly be done with multiple cameras throughout all the facilities. Following speakers. In the sponsor’s booth area. So, someone could sit online or in the main room and experience multiple aspects of the conference at one time.
It looks awesome in my mind.
How about instead of focusing on the content creators (the speakers etc.) focus on the content receivers and how the talks, experience are impacting them, practical take-aways, etc.
A couple thoughts that overlap the ones above regarding speaking sessions:
– companion blogger for every speaker that is aware of the speaker’s plans so that they can add content like links to passages, other resources and things the speaker intended to cover but didn’t make mention of
– page for each speaker that incorporates live video, the above and links to tweets, blog posts and photos tagged with an official conference code or designation that updates in real time
– speaker assistant that pulls in the best of the above in at the end of the speaker’s time during a q and a session. “Joe C. mentions the book ___ which is a great resource but weak in that it…”
And for outside the sessions:
– pages that track the general themes with links to recorded video, the companion blogger notes and links to tweets, blog posts and photos tagged with an official conference code or designation that updates in real time
– discussion sessions for each of these themes meant solely to built on the content of these pages
– real-time monitors throughout conference with tweets, blog posts and other web-side info coming in from those not at the conference
You should blog while suspended from the ceiling on a bungee cord.
thinking along the same lines as Read Scott… skype stations all around
getting more crazy… have blimps with video screens flying over all the major cities
Randomly putting stickers on peoples registration tags with a time and place to show up and be interviewed or to write…and collecting emails or phone numbers from those who aren’t going to be there.
Text message blitzes…
Recruit photo, audio, video, and written word bloggers and set up a MU blog
Audio blog from your phone in real time using http://www.hipcast.com/
Basically, raw unedited quick thoughts.
A reality show format would be suh-weet.
Seriously…I’d love to know if these leaders pick their nose, what they order at McDonalds, how messy (or clean) they keep their hotel rooms.
Essentially a raw, unadulterated look in to the lives of people who shape (whether intentionally or not) so many others.
If that didn’t work, I’d say have lunch with em, and record the lunch, blank out your screen or put the camera in an inconspicuous spot. It’s scientifically proven (I think)that people are more “real” over food.
Of course that might be borderline illegal. We have some guys that do it with their guests on their radio morning show, then tell them afterwards, most of the guests are cool with it, some are not. I guess you’d have to tread wisely.
um…I’d say you should do some time lapse videos (cause those are just cool) and then do live blogging like engaget.com does for an Apple press conference.
Bring someone with you or pick someone from the street who has never been and has no idea what Catalyst is. Get a true outsiders perspective.
Or follow 5 people throughout the conference and do follow up “Intervention” style reports on the progress they have made at home a week, month and even year down the road.
it would also be cool if part of the conference, you could do a live video Q&A with some speakers at the conference and all of us who can’t go to the conference!
Two words: Monkey Cam
How about compare all the whiz-bang cool new growth super-mega marketing leadership strategy methods with the simple, organic, relational approach to discipleship taken by Christ described in the NT. Because that’s what I’ve been doing the past couple of years at Catalyst, and that’s what I’ll be doing again this year. I keep waiting for someone at Catalyst to take the New Testament seriously, but they way Barna was given a pretty poor response, I don’t hold my breath.
i agree with the idea of attenders and speakers submitting little twitter-like blurbs to a central page…their thoughts on what someone just said, whose buttcrack is showing, who has the cutest shoes….whatever they need to share… could be interesting.
and the reality show format idea is awesome too, but probably a little difficult to do live. but then again, you said money and logistics are an after thought here, so, anything’s possible.
multiple video segments that follow an on-site attendee from before a session (or group of sessions) through the end of the day; honest and on-the-spot feedback about their experience, and how the experience jives with or up-ends their view of God.
thanks for asking!
i love scott’s and israel’s idea.
if you can somehow capture the experience from a unique perspective and/or opinion.
1. Live interview conference attendees via Video-stream in-between sessions. I want to hear from those attending the conference what they are learning and how it is relevant to them and their situation.
2. Live highlights (think sportscasters & court side/field reporters) where in-between sessions those who are following via blog get a highlight of what just happened, and/or what is happening, and/or what is coming up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiN-pCSKoQI
3. I loved what Saddleback did with the post session speaker interviews where followers got to ask questions and hear from the pastors who were at the summit, however for this to be effective the video has to be clear, it was extremely choppy on Ustream with Saddleback.
4. On the issue of bringing what’s not to catalyst to those who are at catalyst, pre-arrange video questions (or typed) from leaders who cannot be at Catalyst to ask those who are attending…when those who are attending Catalyst are interviewed on video they can specifically address the specific questions given to them and how what they have learned could help the issue being presented to them. (However, some questions may not be applicable to the sessions)
5. Have a text-prayer booth. I know when I went to one of the Catalyst Conferences I was dealing with some tough stuff as a leader and it would have been nice to have someone travel the road with me. God helped me through two of the sessions while I was there. (I don’t know how this could be accomplished) but if people would be willing to give their cell phone number they could be paired with someone who is not at the conference or someone who is at the conference to pray for them throughout the week, as their partner prays for them, they can text them to remind them they are traveling with them during the week, this may be better through email, but some less tech-savy leaders my not have access to their email while at the conference. (This would be one of those crazy ideas!)
6. Have different contest via the blog throughout the week where the winner(s) get to have a live video chat/session with the main speakers who are at the conference, this could be accomplished through sites such as oovoo.com and would be something great for the winner(s). I mean who gets to talk to Anne Jackson or John Maxwell through video everyday? :)
That’s all I can think of right now, if I think of more I’ll come back and post them.
You should broadcast what you do live using a internet tv channel like justin.tv or something similar to it. We can see who you talk to, what it looks like behind the scenes, see you as you are blogging the stuff we will be reading. It’s a no holds barred, what you see is what we see.
people have attached webcams to hats and given us a first person view of their lives. that would be very cool to do at catalyst as a blogger.
i’ll be at catalyst and i’m really looking forward to reading your thoughts and everything you see and hear.
thanks again
andy ::
Try using http://Jott.com in covering the conference.
just pass out some tablet PCs that auto update to blog sites. as particpants take note, it can be colabrated and posted. we get the info similar to a whiteboard session. We can always catch main points, but it’d be neat to see someone’s interpretation of how they intertwine.
Have Lanny blog while he is on stage. That would be fun :)
have a bar graph that rises in proportion to the profit margin of catalyst each second
I enjoyed reading these ideas. I don’t have anything fresh… but I’d just echo that the PD Summit was well done as well as other conferences of recent days where mediums like uStream.tv was utlitized. Conference Channel.org has the right idea when you are thinking most efficient coverage… but they could work on being a little more tight in their run and polish things a bit.
Additionally, I liked the idea about following a couple of newbys around to capture their full experience.
this isn’t really an “at the event” crazy idea but… i’d love to see some sort of “leading up to Catalyst” — video, notes, etc of Catalyst planning sessions, Brad Lomenick’s creative board, some of the ideas that they dreamed up but did not use… you know, the meat behind the making of the event and how they make it such an expereince.
okay back to actual event…
1. could be neat if you hosted various LIVE Chat’s where people/non-attendees (or attendees too via laptops) can interact with a speaker (you moderate)
2. have the “Anne Cam” where you live feed the entire event from your perspective as you blog. like mynakedpastor.com
3. do a “what now” type wrap-up or follow up where you interview various people at the event to find out what they are going to do now with what they have heard. how will they return to their churches and impliment, turning information into application.
4. blog upside down, suspended from ropes above the main stage. yeah, do it. you know you want to.
i care less about having the speakers guest post than i do about having random Joe (or Jane) Attender who is experiencing the conference guest post. the speakers know what to say and will be eloquent and wonderful — but Joe Attender, maybe via interview-style will have a completely different perspective of what is going on – than even you would. no one famous or well-known. just average Joe Attender.
its my opinion that you’re “blogging Catalyst” because you’re ultimately trying to “sell it” for next year. for the average church, $250-300 a person is a lot of money to spend (when many churches who could benefit from such an experience don’t even have the budget). show us what makes Catalyst a good move in terms of stewardship. what do you get for the $$$?
and just be honest. if you think it sucks, say so.
CR-actually, the purpose being blogging catalyst isn’t to sell it next year, at all! we are trying to figure out the best way to enhance the content of this year to those who are in attendance, and to those who can’t be.
Truth is Catalyst has to be experienced. I’ve been every year but 2.
while we were in Lifeworks 2.0, @shameonyoko did a live video feed, that other people logged in to, even me although I was aready there. it had chat capability and for the life of me I dont remember what it was called. But during the speaking John & I both were chatting with those that logged in. It wasn’t anything incredibly detailed or substantial, but I could see it creating a really interactive event for those logged in. I think the best approach would be to have at least 2 people per ‘Catalyst video set’ to help manage the interaction. So much typing can go by so fast, it would take 2 or 3 to ensure it’s all captured. ie. multiple people fielding questions, answering questions, interjecting comments into the Catalyst speaker. Just a few thoughts!
I believe I have the answer to all your problems… Works with your twitter but also RSS, email alerts, etc. You can even call it and leave a message (or interview, worship song recording from a live event, videos etc.
I am attempting to do something similar this coming week at conference. We’ll see how it goes.
Here it is in their own words.
Drop.io + Twitter = Tweet.io
Tweet.io is a way to feed content added to a drop.io ‘drop’ instantly into your twitter feed. You simply ‘subscribe’ your twitter account to updates from your drop.io drop by entering your twitter username and password… add items to your drop via any ?input?, we convert it for you, we twitter a direct link for you. (any media –> drop.io –> twitter)
So, add anything to your drop – pictures, video, audio, documents, files, notes, links – via almost any drop.io input – web, widget, email/mms, voicemail, fax – the items will instantly be placed in your twitter feeds with direct links. Your twitter ‘followers’ can in one click experience any media type on the fly… So, you can directly leave voicemail right into twitter or even fax all your followers.
http://static.drop.io/howto/twitter/index.html
1. if it takes a village to raise a child, it should take a team to live blog an event. more than one person/place at a time and then give the web attenders of the conference choose how they want to engage. some ideas… traditional IMAG would be one channel, green room before/after could be another, interviews/stories from other attenders of the conference, extended chat sessions to further discuss topics and ideas presented.
2. exclusive is cool. line up some speakers/interviews that would only be available to those participating online.
3. test the tech… whatever distribution channel is selected make sure that the website can handle the traffic, that the audio will work and that it will make sense.
4. include some new faces if possible (i’m available by the way!). seriously, the rockstar bloggers like yourself need to help the community of rockstar blogger grow by getting some fresh faces and ideas in the mix.
5. have fun… the best thing is if it is engaging and fun.
//blair
Why not do something along the lines of the CNN youtube debates? Q&A between presenters and attendees or non-attendees in a lighter, more entertaining format. You could tape responses and show the best at the conference…
I’d have to second the Mogulus (streaming & archived video; chat) idea, if you can manage getting the assets/cams/interviews in place. It’s really impressive. It does require some setup time beforehand, though.
I definitely agree with the “team blog” idea (blair).
I want to combine some of the ideas above.
Choose several different attenders, first-timer, youth minister, lead minister, staff, small group minister, mission minister, etc. and have some sort of drawing or contest or random choosing at the airport and give them, yes, GIVE them a new IPhone. But, to keep it after the conference they must commit to twitter during the entire conference and blog at least once a day at length about their experiences. Also, do the same for some of the speakers, a few from the labs and few of the main speakers and give them the same guidelines.
That way we get the feel of the attendees (and people could read the twitter those that they identified with) as well as the twitter of what it is like to be behind the scenes with the “players”.
I love the idea of getting an instant twitter to capture someone’s raw emotions at a single point in time and then reading what they are thinking later on in the day after things have soaked in while doing the blog.
I also love the idea of some folks getting new IPhones too…with strings, but getting new tech gear would rev anybody up to help provide the non-attending world some insight.
Just my thoughts.
Maybe it’s because it’s that season, but I’m thinking Olympics. Leading up to the main event they tell you the back story with video segments and pictures. What is it that brought that athlete (leader) to the place they are, what or who influenced their journey, what hallmarks have happened along the way. Then the event happens as it happens, with some commentary and wrap-up of the significance of the outcome.
There are lots of things around the Olympics theme I can think of – interviews with attendees, etc. The Olympics are an amazing multimedia experience for those who aren’t in attendance.
I also like Scott’s suggestion of following a few people from before, during and after to find out what impact the conference had on them.