Recording and a/v logistics

[sheila miguez]

Carl's a bit busy due to scipy, pyohio, and pulling together a
djangocon bid, so I figure it may be helpful if I list some helpful
things he hasn't had time to (unless he was able to talk about them in
person during pyohio?)

Here are some thoughts I put together for things that will help, and
of course Carl has final say in whether these are helpful (because I
actually don't help run shows due to my day job, I merely have a
bird's eye view)

Non exaustive list of things to have:

frequent(?) "stand up" meetings (irc, phone, something) (frequency
varies the closer to the event we are)

talk and schedule data maintained in database (can see if current
pycon site works for you for handling talk proposals)

api to provide well-formed schedule data based on the current live
data (current pycon site has this. if you roll-your-own please
consider this a feature request/requirement)

contact information for a/the facilities manager of the event
location so that he can
arrange freight delivery and pick up (he ships crates
sometimes, though for this it may just be a road trip?)
gain access to the facilities (need enough(?) time to setup,
tear down, do recording checks)
obtain room layout diagrams, power, wiring
have a secure on-site location to store equipment during the
event (24hr access?)

contact information for the person/group responsible for providing
audio so that he can
arrange to patch in to the system (this never works out perfectly)
alternatively, let Carl provide av services, he's usually
cheaper than using the venue services (assuming they are ok with it?)

a liaison to the conference planning committee who has authority to
plan room layout (be able to arrange location of equipment)
contact speakers with questions on talk requirements (e.g. do
they need to have a sound feed recorded from their laptop, etc.)
contact speakers so that Carl can give them tips (e.g. it
doesn't matter if people in the room can hear you, please use the mic
anyway so that people who watch the videos can hear you)



--
sheila

[Taavi Burns]

On Thu, Aug 9, 2012 at 10:19 AM, sheila miguez <she...@pobox.com> wrote:
> frequent(?) "stand up" meetings (irc, phone, something) (frequency
> varies the closer to the event we are)

Yup, I expect that. :)

> talk and schedule data maintained in database (can see if current
> pycon site works for you for handling talk proposals)

I've been poking at Symposion, but I don't expect the devs that we
have to have the bandwidth to re-skin new infrastructure.

> api to provide well-formed schedule data based on the current live
> data (current pycon site has this. if you roll-your-own please
> consider this a feature request/requirement)

I'm sure we can provide a JSON file with the schedule information once
we have that. The tentative outline has 2 keynotes, 32 talks (in 2
tracks), and a lightning talk section. Is there a particular data
format that works best (iCal?), or just something like a JSON list of
presentations:
[ {"presenter_name": "Taavi Burns", "title": "A Presentation Title",
"start": "2012-11-09 15:00:00", "end": "2012-11-09 15:30:00"}]
(where times are of course UTC)

> contact information for a/the facilities manager of the event
> location so that he can
> arrange freight delivery and pick up (he ships crates
> sometimes, though for this it may just be a road trip?)

I don't have that myself, but one of the other organizers should get
this to you ASAP.

> gain access to the facilities (need enough(?) time to setup,
> tear down, do recording checks)

We have the building starting on Friday evening, and talks don't start
until Saturday morning.

> obtain room layout diagrams, power, wiring

David Wolever has sketches with dimensions and power locations.

> have a secure on-site location to store equipment during the
> event (24hr access?)

I hope the venue can provide this. :)

> contact information for the person/group responsible for providing
> audio so that he can
> arrange to patch in to the system (this never works out perfectly)
> alternatively, let Carl provide av services, he's usually
> cheaper than using the venue services (assuming they are ok with it?)

Carl and I have been emailing with Peter who has volunteered to help
with audio. Peter's working on getting quotes for local rental of the
required equipment so we can compare costs.

> a liaison to the conference planning committee who has authority to
> plan room layout (be able to arrange location of equipment)

I think that'll fall to me. (other organizers, feel free to speak up here)

> contact speakers with questions on talk requirements (e.g. do
> they need to have a sound feed recorded from their laptop, etc.)

Yes, we'll want to do that. I've opened a ticket to remind myself:
https://github.com/pyconca/pyconca2012/issues/20

> contact speakers so that Carl can give them tips (e.g. it
> doesn't matter if people in the room can hear you, please use the mic
> anyway so that people who watch the videos can hear you)

I'd like to send confirmed speakers a cheat sheet which will include
things like that, as well as instructions for disabling screensavers
(bitten me badly before). PyCon US had printouts; I still have mine
from 2012 and intend to make use of it.

Thanks!

--
taa
/*eof*/

[sheila miguez]

On Thu, Aug 9, 2012 at 1:30 PM, Taavi Burns <taavi...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Thu, Aug 9, 2012 at 10:19 AM, sheila miguez <she...@pobox.com> wrote:

[snip]

>> talk and schedule data maintained in database (can see if current
>> pycon site works for you for handling talk proposals)
>
> I've been poking at Symposion, but I don't expect the devs that we
> have to have the bandwidth to re-skin new infrastructure.

Our friend Cezar has been working on getting it in a working and
easy-to-deploy state for some other things, and if things go smoothly
I'm thinking we'll offer to stand it up for you, on the other hand,
I'm not sure we have any front end devs and designers to skin it so
you may be better off not accepting the help, for it will be well
meaning yet very boring.

>> api to provide well-formed schedule data based on the current live
>> data (current pycon site has this. if you roll-your-own please
>> consider this a feature request/requirement)
>
> I'm sure we can provide a JSON file with the schedule information once
> we have that. The tentative outline has 2 keynotes, 32 talks (in 2
> tracks), and a lightning talk section. Is there a particular data
> format that works best (iCal?), or just something like a JSON list of
> presentations:
> [ {"presenter_name": "Taavi Burns", "title": "A Presentation Title",
> "start": "2012-11-09 15:00:00", "end": "2012-11-09 15:30:00"}]
> (where times are of course UTC)

More like a json list.

"""
fields:
name - title of talk
room - "room1" if there is only one room.
start - datetime in some parseable format
duration -- int minutes or "hh:mm:ss"
end - datetime in some parseable format
authors - list of people's names.
contact - list of email(s) of presenters.
released - permission to release.
license - CC license
description - used as the description of the video (paragraphs are fine)
conf_key - PK in source database - unique, used to update this item
conf_url - URL of talk page
tags - comma separated list - search terms, including sub topics
briefly discussed in your talk.
"""

More details in the big comment block at the top.

https://github.com/CarlFK/veyepar/blob/master/dj/scripts/addeps.py

>> obtain room layout diagrams, power, wiring
>
> David Wolever has sketches with dimensions and power locations.

ooo cool (do you guys have enough power drops for all of the
attendees? one year we drove to Fry's and bought power strips for all
the rooms: <https://secure.flickr.com/photos/sheila/2329500766/in/set-72157604101516746/>)

> Carl and I have been emailing with Peter who has volunteered to help
> with audio. Peter's working on getting quotes for local rental of the
> required equipment so we can compare costs.

Oh my goodness he just told me there is an av list. sorry to be
bugging the main list.

>> contact speakers so that Carl can give them tips (e.g. it
>> doesn't matter if people in the room can hear you, please use the mic
>> anyway so that people who watch the videos can hear you)
>
> I'd like to send confirmed speakers a cheat sheet which will include
> things like that, as well as instructions for disabling screensavers
> (bitten me badly before). PyCon US had printouts; I still have mine
> from 2012 and intend to make use of it.

Another thing is "repeat the question". Carl wants to make signs for
that one so the person doing sound can hold it up. And if you have
session chairs, they could hold up the sign as well. If the room is
small enough also maybe someone could deploy an air vortex cannon.


--
sheila

[Taavi Burns]

On Thu, Aug 9, 2012 at 3:11 PM, sheila miguez <she...@pobox.com> wrote:
> On Thu, Aug 9, 2012 at 1:30 PM, Taavi Burns <taavi...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Our friend Cezar has been working on getting it in a working and
> easy-to-deploy state for some other things, and if things go smoothly
> I'm thinking we'll offer to stand it up for you, on the other hand,
> I'm not sure we have any front end devs and designers to skin it so
> you may be better off not accepting the help, for it will be well
> meaning yet very boring.

Yeah, I'm just not sure, and I haven't been involved in the conference
app at all. I have basically 0 experience with Django and 0 experience
with Pyramid to boot (and there are Django templates and Mako
templates…). :(

> More like a json list.
>
> """
> fields:

…

> """
>
> More details in the big comment block at the top.
>
> https://github.com/CarlFK/veyepar/blob/master/dj/scripts/addeps.py

I'm sure this can be done. Even if I have to do it myself (and I'd
instead write a script to do it for me). :)

>>> obtain room layout diagrams, power, wiring
>>
>> David Wolever has sketches with dimensions and power locations.
>
> ooo cool (do you guys have enough power drops for all of the
> attendees? one year we drove to Fry's and bought power strips for all
> the rooms: <https://secure.flickr.com/photos/sheila/2329500766/in/set-72157604101516746/>)

Not sure. I'll bug David to upload the diagrams somewhere. :)

> Oh my goodness he just told me there is an av list. sorry to be
> bugging the main list.

No worries!

> Another thing is "repeat the question". Carl wants to make signs for
> that one so the person doing sound can hold it up. And if you have
> session chairs, they could hold up the sign as well. If the room is
> small enough also maybe someone could deploy an air vortex cannon.

We're planning to have a wired audience mic for questions (like at
PyCon US). So much win!

--
taa
/*eof*/

[David Wolever]

On 2012-08-09, at 4:13 PM, Taavi Burns wrote:

>>
>> ooo cool (do you guys have enough power drops for all of the
>> attendees? one year we drove to Fry's and bought power strips for all
>> the rooms: <https://secure.flickr.com/photos/sheila/2329500766/in/set-72157604101516746/>)
>
> Not sure. I'll bug David to upload the diagrams somewhere. :)

Kay: will you be able to get the room diagrams online this weekend? (I realize that you've just built the talk submission thing… So I'd understand if it'll take you a little while to get these… :P)

[K Z]

Absolutely, I tried out Google Draw the other day, and I will share the drawing as soon as I get the initial sketch done.

-Kay

[Kay Z]

Hi guys,

I just created the floor plans using homestyler here: 

http://www.homestyler.com/designprofile/cc888c3e-7732-4e2d-a4df-3ec1ab4e78b6, you can choose to view the first floor or the second floor. Click on "open design" to see the original file.

Attached are the snapshots of the first floor and the second floor, with the filenames indicating which floor level each picture refers to. 

A few things may nice to have here: 

1. location of power sockets

2. tables/chair layouts? 

I will probably add them over the weekends.

Let me know if there's any questions or suggestions :) 

Kay

On 2012-08-09, at 4:19 PM, David Wolever <wol...@pycon.ca> wrote:

[sheila miguez]

On Thu, Aug 9, 2012 at 1:30 PM, Taavi Burns <taavi...@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Thu, Aug 9, 2012 at 10:19 AM, sheila miguez <she...@pobox.com> wrote:

[snips]

>> contact speakers so that Carl can give them tips (e.g. it
>> doesn't matter if people in the room can hear you, please use the mic
>> anyway so that people who watch the videos can hear you)
>
> I'd like to send confirmed speakers a cheat sheet which will include
> things like that, as well as instructions for disabling screensavers
> (bitten me badly before). PyCon US had printouts; I still have mine
> from 2012 and intend to make use of it.

Oh! I don't have it. Maybe this would be a good issue to track, and
you could attach the document? I would like to be able to contribute
suggestions.



--
sheila

[codersquid]

You are wonderful! Thank you for posting these.

In addition to your list, I will ask Carl how big of a footprint he needs for the a/v table(s) as well as camera tripods and mics so you can include them in the sketches for people planning layout of rooms for talks. When is my deadline for providing this information? (hopefully I can get it from him next time I see him or maybe on irc, but I don't want it to drop off my radar so if I don't reply by this weekend, ask me and I will give a deadline.

On Friday, August 10, 2012 2:22:50 AM UTC-5, Kay Zhu wrote:

Hi guys,

I just created the floor plans using homestyler here: 

http://www.homestyler.com/designprofile/cc888c3e-7732-4e2d-a4df-3ec1ab4e78b6, you can choose to view the first floor or the second floor. Click on "open design" to see the original file.

Attached are the snapshots of the first floor and the second floor, with the filenames indicating which floor level each picture refers to. 

A few things may nice to have here: 

1. location of power sockets

2. tables/chair layouts? 

I will probably add them over the weekends.

Let me know if there's any questions or suggestions :) 

[snips]