THE NATION FESTIVAL
The Nation is a print and online magazine that believes in the power of independent journalism to foster a more democratic and equitable world. In 2020, they sought to host their first-ever Nation Festival as an online event, pivoting their in-person annual gathering due to the global pandemic while continuing to engage global audiences, foster interactivity and meet fundraising goals. The Nation turned to Really Useful Media to produce the festival not only because of our expertise in virtual event production, but also because of our long-standing relationship filming their Student Journalism Conferences since 2016.
LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR SUCCESS
In the lead-up to the festival, Really Useful Media played a pivotal role in ensuring the event's success. We consulted on platform and technical feature selection to help the event team meet audience interactivity goals. We also remotely produced key pre-recorded segments and developed broadcast-quality graphics and other production solutions to deliver four days of thoughtfully designed and engaging video content
STREAMLINING SPEAKER MANAGEMENT
With over 40 live speakers from across the globe, including prominent figures like Senator Bernie Sanders, Prime Minister of Iceland Katrín Jakobsdóttir, and Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza, managing the festival’s fast-paced schedule required a sophisticated technical solution that was low-lift for the on-camera talent. Our virtual green room was essential for coordinating such a high-profile lineup, allowing our stage manager to prepare speakers before their sessions and enabling the client team to meet with their guests in real-time. Additionally, we provided a live program feed in the green room, recreating the experience of an in-person backstage environment and ensuring seamless transitions throughout the event.
“The Nation Festival really exceeded our expectations and your team were a big part of that. We heard lots of praise about the production quality and a number of people told me it was the most seamless virtual event they’ve ever attended. The speakers and the audience were all very happy.”
—Peter Rothberg, Associate Publisher, The Nation
CREW CREDITS
Producers: Dan Winckler, Joshua Simon
Virtual Stage Manager: Paul Gale
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