Title: video planning – Make WordPress.tv

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#  Tag Archives: video planning

 [  ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jerrysarcastic/) [jerrysarcastic](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jerrysarcastic/)
1:30 am _on_ August 20, 2015     
Tags: [outreach ( 4 )](https://make.wordpress.org/tv/tag/outreach/),
video planning   

# 󠀁[Video Outreach – Helping WordCamps to Help Us (and vice versa!)](https://make.wordpress.org/tv/2015/08/20/video-outreach-helping-wordcamps-to-help-us-and-vice-versa/)󠁿

In last week’s [team chat](https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/wptv/p1439486395001257),
I mentioned that up-to-date documentation is an important way to increase the quality
and quantity of WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences
covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress
community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the
year and share the joy. [Learn more](https://central.wordcamp.org/about/). submissions.
Let’s face it, video is hard, live events are hard, and most WordCamp organizers
are not an expert in either. This is an area we are well suited to help.

However, lack of documentation is only part of the problem. The larger issue is 
that most WordCamp organizers never see our docs in time, if at all. Add to this
that some things like lighting, sound, and setup can be venue-specific, so it’s 
difficult to write one doc that will help in all situations. Heck, most organizers
are not even aware there is a ModSquad out there to help them before, during, and
after the event.

On the other side, as a team we lose out on valuable feedback regarding what is 
working and what is not. What pain points do Camp organizers have around video planning
in general? Where can our docs be better? Is there anything we aren’t thinking of
that is a problem for WordCamps?

## Reaching out to WordCamps

To resolve those issues, and help take some of the strain off of WordCamp organizers,
we are going to be experimenting with an outreach program to contact WordCamps in
the early stages. Our very own [@johnparkinson](https://profiles.wordpress.org/johnparkinson/)
is going to wrangle this, with the goal of reaching out organizers, letting them
know we are here to help, pointing them to places where they can get more info about
video, and basically make sure that they don’t think they have to “go it alone” 
when filming their Camp.

Many thanks John!

## What does good outreach look like?

As I mentioned, this is something we are going to experiment with, and in our team
chat we talked about some of the details of what we might want to try. Here is what
we discussed, plus a few extras I though of while drafting this:

 * Contact the Camp-in-planning 1-2 months before the event
 * Identify who is coordinating video planning, and introduce them to our team and
   what we can help with
 * Make sure they are have arranged for video gear (from Foundation is possible)
   and connect them to existing documentation
 * Find out about their venue, and try to help with where to set up camera, connect
   to sound, and identify any possible lighting issues.
 * Help them to include video in their Contributor DayContributor Day Contributor
   Days are standalone days, frequently held before or after WordCamps but they 
   can also happen at any time. They are events where people get together to work
   on various areas of [https://make.wordpress.org/](https://make.wordpress.org/)
   There are many teams that people can participate in, each with a different focus.
   [https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/](https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/)(
   if applicable) and opening/closing remarks
 * Post-event – Help with uploading video for processing/publishing and gather constructive
   feedback about the process.

Any other thoughts? Things we are leaving out or want to try? If you have helped
plan a WordCamp, wrangle video planning, or in any way been involved in video for
a WordCamp, your thoughts are especially appreciated!

[#outreach](https://make.wordpress.org/tv/tag/outreach/), [#video-planning](https://make.wordpress.org/tv/tag/video-planning/)

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