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Information for Members

History Week Online

 

The History Council of New South Wales (HCNSW) is proud to provide our members with the following information to assist you with your Event Production for History Week 2021.

01. What is a Webinar?

A webinar is an online presentation or lecture that you watch over the internet from your own electronic devices such as your computer, mobile device or tablet. It is an engaging and interactive platform where you will be able to present live discussions or lectures. Its main function is to hear lectures or panellist/s and see imagery such as slides, videos and pictures.

02. Online Platforms

Since the COVID 19 restrictions came into place in NSW and across Australia, it is an opportunity for organisations and individuals to connect virtually to others. You can connect to your audiences through online platforms such as Zoom and MS Teams. Workshops, lectures and group sessions can be conducted online with increased engagement and audience numbers.

03. How do I use Zoom?

Zoom is an online video and audio platform for one-on-one, group or video conferencing. Zoom is easy to use and manage. All you need to do is create an account with Zoom (they have a variety of plans, from free to use to Business Plans). Here is a step-by-step guide on how to use and integrate Zoom into your programs and events.

Proven Success

Online Events

Webinars and meetings are useful tools as it allows attendees and participants to engage via direct chat or ask questions in the Q&A function. Webinars can be recorded and uploaded to social media platforms such as YouTube or a website. It will allow you to have increase exposure and higher attendee numbers for your event/s due to its accessibility, reach and user-friendly functions.

 

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Online Events during HW2020

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In-Person Events during HW2020

Where do you start?

Digital Resources and Modules

Firstly, it is not essential that you create an online event. If you are happy to create an event in a physical environment, following Government Health advice, please do so.

For those that do want to explore the ways in which events can be staged online, we have recorded an online information session that covers: differences in event production this year; opportunities posed for events in the cultural industries during the COVID-19 pandemic; examples of what can be done, including Zoom or similar online platforms; how you can do things differently; what we can do to support you to participate in History week; how we will promote your event.

Downloads

Documents from our information session

Zoom – General information and Webinar Protocols

Zoom Production Guidance Sheet prepared by HCNSW Staff

Event types for History Week [Online] 2021

Types of events you can run during History Week 2021

Definitions – Live Streaming, Recording, Platforms

Meanings behind functions and capabilities

Sample Event Rundown

How you can organise and structure your online event

Sample Participant Agreement for Event

How you can seek permission to publish recorded content on your social media platforms i.e. live session recordings

History Week 2020 Statistics

Statistics at a Glance from the 2020 History Week Report

Where do you start?

Zoom Webinars

For online events, you can either listen live at the scheduled time or watch the recording later. The link to the webinar is usually sent to all participants within 1 week, 24 hours and 1 hour before the webinar taking place.

Recording links are normally sent within 48 hours or up to 2 weeks post-live session, catering for any post-production requirements prior to upload on websites or YouTube Channels. Recording uploads can be promoted on social media and newsletters.

About 15 minutes before an online event starts you can run a ‘warm up’ or ‘practice session’ which is a great opportunity to check technical components and logistics such as speaker volume, share-screen capabilities with PPT slide decks, learn how to ‘put up your hand’ to ask a question and get yourself settled prior to commence the webinar.

Attendees to a webinar and located in the Waiting Room, once you enable the webinar to go live, the practice session will cease and allow the attendees to enter.

Make sure you have your sound turned on so you can hear the presentation, other speakers and attendees.

If you have trouble with your sound, check your settings have the correct hardware selected or check the troubleshooting pages of the online platform being used for that event.

When the online event begins, you’ll see whatever the presenter has on their own computer screen with opportunities to ask questions or monitor questions via the chat or Q&A Function for Zoom Webinars.

Credits above: Sam Hood Collection, State Library NSW

Contact us

If you are a member or a member organisation and would like further information or request our assistance, please contact us. For further information about History Week (past and present), please visit our History Week 2021 page.

I have sent you a link to my event when I registered, will people still be able to register in the normal manner?

If the registration link you have sent us is to an online platform (eg Zoom) or a booking site (eg Eventbrite), then the answer is “yes”.  We simply copy the link you have sent us into our Event Calendar, and you handle all of the bookings as usual.

How will my events be promoted by the HCNSW this year?

This year, due to the different nature of event production, we will not be creating a PDF program, but we WILL be:

  • Placing all events into our new online, interactive events calendar which is accessible via our Home Page as well as the History Week 2021 page,
  • The Events Calendar will also be linked to our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts, with automatic and manual postings being made about upcoming events to attract audiences to them,
  • Our Newsletter will also be published at least fortnightly, containing promotional materials about our events.
What sort of graphic artwork can I access this year to promote my event?
  • We have created several types of History Week digital resources for you to use, and you will find them on the History Week 2021 page
  • In addition, we are creating a History Week virtual background for you to use as a Zoom background if you so wish (please check the Zoom Protocols document on this page for further information about using a Virtual Background).  That artwork will be available shortly, so please come back to check the site.
Can we submit videos, podcasts or other digital recordings of events produced prior to History Week?
  • We are happy for you to submit videos, podcasts or other digital recordings of events produced prior to History Week (“prerecorded products”)
  • There is a limit of 3 prerecorded products per organisation
  • The time frame for these prerecorded products is that they must have been published after 1 January 2021, not prior to that time (they may have been recorded prior to that time, but not published)
How will my online event be seen by the audience?
  1. If you are using an online platform (eg Zoom/Skype) for your event, then you need to organise the registration via that platform yourself, then record it yourself
  2. The audience that registers for your event via your registration link will see it “Live” on the day.

IF YOU WANT TO A HISTORY COUNCIL AUDIENCE TO VIEW YOUR ONLINE EVENT:

  1. Create a video of your event (via Zoom, in the case of a meeting; via iPhone in the case of an exhibition)
  2. Export that video to an MP4 format (by saving it on your PC) and upload it to your own website – then send us the link, OR
  3. Send us the MP4 recording and we will upload it to our site.  This may take several days, so leave time for our staff to do this.
How will I deliver a copy of my product to the History Council?
  • Just before History Week, the HCNSW will send you a Dropbox link that you can use to upload your product to our files
  • Please make sure your product is clearly labelled with the name of your organisation/event & date in the file name
  • Email us if you have problems uploading to Dropbox
  • We will then upload your event product to our YouTube site as soon as we can.
Where will my online recording sit on the History Council site?
  • After we receive an MP4 recording from a member organisation, we will upload that onto our History Week YouTube site, and create a link to your event in the Event Calendar OR an event page on our site
  • We will send you the link to that YouTube recording for you to send out to your organization members and friends, or put on your own website if required
Can you live stream my event?
  • We would prefer that you pre-recorded your event and sent us a completed product that we will put on our site.
  • If you want it to “go live” on a certain date and you are prepared to manage all of the technical aspects of the live stream, then send us the link to the live stream and we will put it on our site.  We take no responsibility for your live stream quality.
Can you edit my event for me, or do any other post-production?
The short answer to this question is “no”.  We are a very small team and are not resourced to do any post-production on a recording.  If you would like to have that done, please source your own post-production facility and send us the final product.