As a virtual event emcee and entertainer with more than a decade of experience, I have gotten very good at adapting my material and audience engagement tactics to fit my clients’ needs. Throw a worldwide pandemic into the mix, and it’s safe to say that my services are more versatile now than ever before! So, it’s only natural for me to also offer pre-recorded virtual entertainment.
If you’re looking to add entertainment and engagement elements to your virtual conference, but budget is an issue, consider having me pre-record a custom video message! I record at Show Creators Studios in Las Vegas, so the quality is top-notch—plus, we can utilize the 20-foot wall for your corporate branding.
Now that you’re wondering why you haven’t considered pre-recorded virtual entertainment before, let me break down the pros and cons from a virtual event emcee perspective. While pre-recorded virtual entertainment might be a fantastic option for those with smaller budgets, you might want to check out why a live virtual emcee and entertainer also packs an engagement-heavy punch.
Pros of Pre-Recorded Entertainment from a Virtual Emcee
With extensive experience as a professional emcee and corporate entertainer, you can say I’m pretty comfortable in front of a camera. When the entire world had to pivot to virtual entertainment due to COVID, segueing into a virtual emcee and entertainer role felt totally natural to me. Today, I’m happy to offer pre-recorded entertainment for clients with tighter budget constraints.
A pre-recorded custom video message from me, Jeff Civillico, is just that: Custom! Through Show Creators Studios, I can record 5, 10, or 15-minute long segments that are tailored to your conference or event. Rather than spend your entire budget on a live entertainment piece, you can allocate a smaller amount to a pre-recorded clip.
Here are some of the pros of pre-recording your virtual entertainment.
1. Flexible Customization
It’s a common misconception that ‘pre-recorded’ automatically means ‘outdated.’ Rest assured that pre-recorded entertainment from a virtual emcee isn’t an archived video, but rather a new, custom clip that’s personalized to fit the tone, topic, and tenacity of your event! From name-dropping company members to describing upcoming events, pre-recorded entertainment offers flexible customization that can ultimately feel totally live to viewers at home.
2. Big-Time Branding
Who said canned content couldn’t be a big-time branding opportunity? Not me! With pre-recorded virtual entertainment from Show Creators Studios, I can leverage an entire 20-foot video wall to highlight your company’s branding, including a brand logo or event logo. For example, this image is a still-frame from a 15-minute opening message I recorded for Blue Cross of North Carolina’s 2021 Virtual Tech Summit later this month. Cool, right?
3. Sponsorship Opportunity
Pre-recorded content is also an awesome opportunity to acknowledge sponsors organically. Imagine a company like Anthem or Ally sponsored your virtual conference. A virtual emcee can shout out the sponsor in a pre-recorded clip, thanking them for making the entertainment break possible. No more wondering how to slip those crucial ‘thank yous’ into your schedule!
4. Simplicity Over Everything
Lastly, pre-recorded content just simplifies things. If you’re planning a virtual event with speakers and attendees who are located in different time zones, pre-recorded virtual entertainment is one less moving part to schedule. You can simply have your virtual entertainment in the can to roll whenever you’re ready, no additional planning required.
Potential Cons of a Pre-Recorded Virtual Entertainment
At this point, you might be wondering why anyone would take the leap for a virtual emcee when they could just have pre-recorded virtual entertainment instead. Well, there are honestly quite a few reasons why pre-recorded content might not pack as big of a punch as live entertainment. Take a look at why you might want to opt for a live virtual emcee rather than a pre-recorded segment.
1. Minimal Engagement
When a virtual event emcee pre-records entertainment, there’s a limited opportunity for engagement. The talent cannot engage directly with attendees, making it a lot easier for guests to sit back and tune out of the event. With a live virtual emcee, talent can speak one-on-one with guests in the chat, answer questions, and drive engagement that can’t be replicated with canned material.
2. Lack of Facilitation
If you only tap in a virtual event emcee to pre-record content, you lose all of the other skills that a professional emcee brings to your event—especially facilitating the occasion from start to finish. A virtual emcee can be hands-on with all aspects of your event, including the run of show and behind-the-scenes software, to streamline a conference and take some of the stress off a producer’s shoulders.
3. Live Offers Similar Pros, with Less Cons
In a nutshell, a live virtual event emcee offers the above pros—including customization, branding, and sponsorship acknowledgment—without the cons of limited engagement and facilitation. A live corporate entertainer can utilize the same video wall and engagement tactics, but implement them in real-time for maximum bang for your buck.
Virtual Emcee Weighs In: To Pre-Record or Not to Pre-Record?
At the end of the day, entertainment is a huge piece of the puzzle for live events. When an event is produced digitally, attendees will still expect the entertainment piece virtually. So, to pre-record or not to pre-record your virtual entertainment? Realistically, when the budget is an issue, we can pre-record. If you know you want me as your entertainer, we can still make it work!
I compare this situation with the similar ‘to studio or not to studio’ question. If you have the budget to go all-in with the bells and whistles, opt for a live virtual emcee—it’s a great experience for your company, your guests, and for me! If you don’t have the budget, pre-recorded content serves the same purpose as a home studio: A medium to execute the same mission, just with a different vision.
Likewise, you may also want to pre-record virtual entertainment if you’re planning for a jam-packed content day but still want to pepper in fun engagement activation opportunities. For instance, I recently recorded a quick clip for the Blue Cross of North Carolina 2021 Virtual Tech Summit since they already had a facilitator and full content schedule, but simply wanted a bit of fun.
Lock in Your Desired Entertainment with a Virtual Emcee Today
With the world continuing to wobble between in-person, virtual, and hybrid events, it’s to be anticipated that you’ll still be expected to uphold the standard elements of a live event—like entertainment. However, you can also anticipate that your entertainment might look a bit different. This is where virtual entertainment comes in!
You can either book a virtual emcee like myself to stand at the helm of your event and provide guidance, entertainment, and hosting… or, you can opt for a pre-recorded virtual entertainment video to fulfill the need for laughs. If you’re unsure which option would work best for you, contact me today for rates and booking information! Together, we’ll create the best possible path forward.
