Need a Presentation? Use an Online Video

Do you need a presentation at your next genealogy society meeting? Here's a method that you may not have thought about. I used it successfully this past weekend.

At the Family History Expo held in Mesa, Arizona, November 14 and 15, Beau Sharbrough was scheduled to give a presentation entitled, "An Introduction to Footnote.com." Unfortunately, Beau got marooned in a blizzard near the Nebraska/Wyoming state line. He missed the Expo as he sat in a motel room for two days waiting for the blizzard to subside.

I was already in Mesa and was asked if I could step in and give Beau’s presentation in his place, which I did. Sort of. Actually, Beau gave it in absentia, but he didn't know that he was giving it.

More than a year ago, Roots Television recorded my interview of Beau Sharbrough in which he described Footnote.com in some detail. That video is available today at http://www.rootstelevision.com/players/player_conferences.php?bctid=979196317. I reviewed the video a few hours before the scheduled presentation to make sure it was appropriate and then decided to use it. His introduction on the video was perfect. He covered the same topics in the video as he needed to cover in the Mesa presentation.

At the appointed time, I started the presentation by playing the Roots Television video on my laptop computer and projecting it onto a large screen to an audience of about 100 people. For audio, I simply placed the presenter's microphone next to the laptop computer's speakers. There was no Internet connection in the room; I used a Verizon air card on my Mac laptop. At the end of the video, I followed with my own comments.

I was amazed at the results: it all worked perfectly! About 100 people in the room seemed to enjoy it, and feedback after the presentation was very positive.

The moral of the story: when you are stuck for a last-minute presentation, use Roots Television or one of the other online video services. You may already have a “canned presentation” by a genealogy expert, waiting to be used at your next meeting!

Comments

[Goldie]

How did you project the video from the laptop onto the large screen in the room? What equipment was necessary? Thanks.

[M. Diane Rogers]

OK, Dick, now I am wondering about the 'fine print'. Where does Roots TV say it is ok to show its shows in a public presentation?

[Fred]

If everyone started using the Roots TV videos would that hurt the speakers circuit? Far cheaper to use the videos that to pay someone to speak. Imagine if NERGC used Roots TV to fill in the syllabus and save all the speaker fees. $39 lunches could be had for say $15 with a baloney sandwich tossed in with free water! You might want to limit Roots TV to individual use and not for public performance unless approved by Roots TV and the interviewee.

[Shirley]

Dick, I was at the Mesa Expos and heard the presentation. What a great way to save the day in an emergency. Since the class was about FOOTNOTE, why not use a previously prepared video. What a privilege to have you at the Expos. You are one of my FAVORITES !!!!

[Dick Eastman]

---> Where does Roots TV say it is ok to show its shows in a public presentation?

If in doubt, contact Roots Television in advance and ask.

- Dick Eastman

[Dick Eastman]

---> How did you project the video from the laptop onto the large screen in the room? What equipment was necessary?

A standard computer LCD projector, the same one that I use to project PowerPoint slides.

[Dick Eastman]

It appears that Roots Television doesn't mind if you use their videos for presentations. In fact, they encourage it in an article on Megan's blog at http://rootstelevision.typepad.com/roots_world/2008/11/why-not-sse-rootstelevisioncom-for-your-presentations.html (Megan is one of the founders of Roots Television). She references my article above and then writes, "But I had never thought about others doing this and I have to say that I like the idea!"

- Dick Eastman

[Beau Sharbrough]

Very nice, Dick. Thanks for everything.

[Cherill Vencil]

Another great idea, thanks, Dick. About two years ago, I used Marie Daly's video on Irish Genealogy at the NEHGS website for a St. Patrick's Day presentation. The videos there are available to the public, no membership required. Our computer users group appreciated the information from an expert in the field.

[Jackie]

Dick,
Do you need either an air card or an internet connection to do this?

[theKiwi]

Yes, you have to stream the video from RootsTelevision.com to be able to show it.

I asked Megan about this yesterday in another venue and she responded that they're happy for it to be shown in public - like at Society meetings - but it needs to be in the RootsTelevision environment, and not by any means of downloading just the video stream to show outside of their website.

Roger

[Jackie]

I asked the wrong question. Obviously, one would need an internet connection to access Roots TV. I have often wondered how power point works. We use overheads at our meetings. Is there a good place to learn how to use the modern technology for presentations? Are air cards specific to the local phone company or universally usable? (You mention Verizon. We have Embarq in our area.)

[Dick Eastman]

---> I have often wondered how power point works. We use overheads at our meetings. Is there a good place to learn how to use the modern technology for presentations?

I would suggest first sitting in the audience when presenters use PowerPoint. That will show how things are often done. After that, there are numerous training videos and web sites. For instance, I just performed a Google search and found a dozen or so online tutrials. I haven't used any of them so I cannot make a recommendation, but I do know that such things exist.

---> Are air cards specific to the local phone company or universally usable?

You purchase them from the cellular companies as they work through the wireless networks (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, and similar companies in other countries). I purchased mine from Verizon and have used it all over the U.S. successfully. I also have used it briefly in Canada and in Mexico but was charged some high roaming fees when outside the U.S. It didn't work at all when I was in England as the networks use different technology there.

- Dick Eastman