TEDx Airlie returned to Wilmington this May with seventeen speakers, and I had the pleasure of leading the video team to record and edit the footage. I would like to thank co-organizers Danielle Saintard-Valiente and Brandon Korman for entrusting the event to me and my team. 

The experience was a new one for me, and one that I’m excited to offer for events and local groups. We live-switched and recorded three different camera angles on the fly so that the entire program was edited as it happened.  

The event was held at Cape Fear Community College Union Station Conference Center, and we covered each speaker with three angles – a wide shot that included the entire stage, the PowerPoint slides each speaker prepared, and the large TEDx logo. The second was a head-to-toe medium shot, and the third, a close-up that followed the speakers organically as they walked around the stage.  

I can’t overstate how much of a game-changer it is to eliminate the post-production editing process after shooting, which is generally a lengthy and expensive task.  

Live-switch recording essentially brings a television studio to an event. This kind of recording can have many applications with businesses here in Wilmington: corporate events, concerts, meetings, awards ceremonies, and really anything with multiple speeches. We can also offer live-streaming as an option for remote viewers.  

My team and I are all film professionals. We understand the importance of high-quality work, the right equipment, and how to create polished deliverables.  

It was fun capturing the expressions and mannerisms of speakers like Evonne Varady (who’s also on the latest WILMA cover for her podcast project), Airlie Garden’s Janine Powell, who talked about the Airlie Oak and its resilience, and also event co-organizer Danielle Saintard Valiente, who spoke about the stopping the racing clock and the life-changing power of the yellow light—among many other dynamic speakers.  

I loved having the chance to capture that dynamism across three different camera angles, and I’m looking forward to replicating the experience at more local events. Live-switch recording captures every angle in real time with polished, broadcast-style production. It also serves as invaluable footage you can continue to share through social media, marketing, and future promotions. Get in touch with me at chrisvarnercamera.com if you want to learn more about booking a live-switch recording—because every moment counts.