Canada’s Technology Hub Taps FanFX for Premiere Digital Conference

June 2021 — ventureLAB, a leading technology hub that supports tech entrepreneurs and small businesses, headquartered in Markham, Ontario in Canada, required innovative, efficient, and most importantly, seamless video production for their HardTech Conference. The HardTech Conference “is Canada’s premier hardware technology-focused conference, featuring prominent thought leaders in the tech ecosystem that are creating transformative experiences for those around the world.” The sold out two-day conference included three engaging panel discussions as well as a “Shark-Tank” inspired pitch competition. Eight companies presented their solutions-based products in hopes of winning nearly $100,000.00 in cash and in-kind prizes.

Top-quality visual content at a conference hosted by Canada’s most prominent technology hub was essential, especially in a virtual space due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In partnering with FanFX, ventureLAB equipped itself with an industry-leading collaborator. This year’s conference was the second virtual joint effort between ventureLAB and FanFX. The first event was held in December of 2020.

“At ventureLAB, we value great partners and FanFX is exceptional – they are professional, knowledgeable, and approachable. The FanFX team took a complex three-day event and created a seamless and enjoyable experience. Switching between live and pre-recorded content, our attendees were thrilled about the experience; so much so that our event satisfaction rate was ahead of target by 32%. Although we have only met in a virtual environment, FanFX felt like an extension of our team with a group of individuals that we could trust. Virtual attendees are expecting higher quality productions and FanFX knows how to create an elevated experience to make the maximum impact.”

– ventureLAB Events Manager, Kate Rowe 

No stranger to virtual shows and ventureLAB’s expectations, the FanFX team ingrained themselves with ventureLAB, joining weekly strategic planning meetings leading up to the event.

The FanFX team recorded the finalists’ pitch presentations in a remote HD recording setting. Permitting the best quality recording as well as consistency amongst each video. Digitally punctuating the content and ideas being pitched was of utmost importance. Leading up to the show, FanFX’s production team held a mock pitch competition for each finalist with stand-in judges. This gave the finalists the opportunity to get comfortable in the virtual platform as well as receive valuable feedback. The final pitch videos themselves featured a split-screen of the finalist and their slide content. With full confidence in production value and their mock presentations under their belts, finalists were show ready.  

Tech checks were the last vital part of show prep, and especially crucial for executing a show featuring a staggering total of 20 live feeds. FanFX’s thorough process and guidance had hosts, judges, panelists, and finalists prepped and ready to go live!

With an experienced team at the helm, FanFX’s procedures and systems seamlessly produced an engaging and rhythmic interface for attendees to remain immersed in the experience. The show itself was cut like a televised broadcast.  Smooth transitions between multiple scene options, aligning with the flow of dialogue, fully elevated the viewer’s experience. 

Pre-produced pitch-videos from each contestant were followed by a three-minute Q&A. While on the “hot-seat”- finalists answered questions from the judges before a private deliberation in which FanFX utilized ZOOM technology to digitally isolate the judges from contestants and viewers. During the judges deliberation, FanFX facilitated a live-panel discussion between contestants and viewers. Upon completion, a Grand Finale featuring music, sound effects, confetti inspired animations and customized camera skins were implemented while the winners were announced. 

Despite the many logistical challenges virtual events can seemingly create, FanFX has successfully completed over 300 such events since the cybernate space has become an implementation of necessity rather than convenience. The programs and approach taken by the FanFX team provide not only top-quality video event production but an invaluable peace of mind for event managers and showrunners. The dynamic implementations brought forth from partnering with FanFX, guarantees an immersive and memorable experience for audiences and stakeholders alike.