Key Tips & Takeaways
For a live broadcast:
- Make sure the venue has good wifi! (We tested ours a week ahead of time)
- Used Streamlabs OBS, a free broadcasting software that allowed me to switch between “scenes”
- Do a test run at home with all the cameras and your software to make sure it doesn’t crash your system.
- Keeping the chat bar lively was important.
- Great time for a fundraising pitch!
- 30% of our views came in the 48 hours AFTER the live broadcast, so families appreciated the option
Things we wish we’d done differently:
- Highlighted each Scout and their cars.
- Had a better “broadcast booth” setup with background, trophies and medals.
- Had a better plan for the awards ceremony.
- Been more consistent with announcing the winners of each heat
For a Pre-Recorded Pinewood Derby
Benefits to doing a pre-recorded event
- Can skip over technical / procedural delays, keeps the kids more engaged.
- Significantly reduces stress on the Race / Production Crew
- Race can happen when the crew has time available, no need to sync with the Pack meeting
- Don’t assume that everything about your track works as it did last time.
- Extra screws/bolts
- Timer electrical connections / gate mechanics
- Always test your full computer / technology setup.
- Verify computer to track connections / test.
- Are your cables long enough?
- Audio is really important, use Microphones for each speaker, ideally a directional or lapel mic.
- Lighting is important for good image quality, needs to be bright but without hot spots. (sun beams)
- Consider what the camera sees in the background.
- Plan enough time for setup, then double it.
- We used DerbyNet software for a few years now and I love it.
- Feed your crew!
- Keep in mind that this is FOR THE KIDS
- Pack used our catering / facility rental budget to distribute food to the families