What Is an ICLE On-Demand Seminar?
An On-Demand Seminar is a recorded presentation providing insight and advice on legal trends, trusted guidance on law practice issues, and explanation of new laws and their practice implications. ICLE’s On-Demand Seminars may include a moderated discussion with two contributors, a series of one-on-one interviews with contributors, or a demonstration of a hearing or client meeting. Because there is no live audience, we use a number of tactics to help engage and orient the viewers and motivate them to keep watching. The seminars are usually no more than one hour long with four to six segments that are each about 10 minutes long.
Time Commitment
You will work closely with an ICLE staff lawyer to plan the overall theme of the seminar and each segment. You should expect to participate in two or three conference calls with the other contributors and the ICLE staff lawyer to develop a rough script for the recording. Additional time may be necessary for you to draft written materials and other preparation as necessary. On recording day, we will spend 40-60 minutes reviewing the script in our “green room” before heading into the studio. Once there, we take about 20 minutes setting up the lighting and sound. Actual recording may take up to two hours, allowing for retakes or minor revisions to the script.
If you are acting as the moderator in the studio, you should expect to spend more time than the other contributors. Specifically, you will play a leadership role in developing the script for the presentation and for guiding the contributors through the recorded discussion.
In the Studio
Introduction of contributors. Our testing shows how easily the viewer gets distracted after the video begins. So the seminar starts with the moderator or interviewer introducing him- or herself and the other contributors:
My name is [MODERATOR NAME]. I practice at [FIRM NAME] in [CITY]. I’d like to welcome [CONTRIBUTOR 1] from [FIRM NAME] in [CITY].
Discussion with a moderator. The moderator will ask a question, and the discussion should then be back and forth, with you and the other contributor sharing thoughts, personal anecdotes, and practical tips. During planning, a list of questions for each segment and contributor will be noted in the script.
Where to look. There are several cameras running concurrently to capture different angles. The studio staff will make sure you know when and where to look. You should look at the camera only when being introduced. For the duration of the seminar, you should look at the moderator when speaking, even though the moderator may be looking down at notes for the next question.
Wrap up. The moderator signals the end of each segment with “Thank you.” In order to allow for edits, you should remain looking at the moderator for a five to seven second pause until you hear “cut.”
Practice and retakes. We will record a couple of test runs to help work out kinks and get everyone comfortable with how they look and sound. Because there is no live audience, we can do a retake of a question or comment if you make a mistake or stumble with a question or response. The studio staff will help manage this so the video can be edited into a seamless finished product.
Timekeeping. The moderator will be able to see a timer counting down from 10 minutes to help with controlling the timing of the segment. The timer will turn yellow with three minutes left, and red at the end of ten minutes. The moderator will end the segment at the most logical place.
What to wear. Professional dress is required. Please wear a jacket so we can attach a microphone. Dark blue and black work best. Busy prints and flashy jewelry can be distracting, so stick to classic attire. We may apply powder to you in the studio to help guard against shine brought out by the lighting.