Event livestream and recording deliverables
The event is over, and the committee asks for the recording that nobody wrote down how to receive.
The short answer
Specify the deliverables before the supplier quotes: what is streamed, what is recorded, what is edited, in what form, by when, and who owns and stores it.
Anything about consent, privacy, music or speaker rights goes to the competent party as a question. Do not assume it is covered by the supplier's price.
Separate the stream from the recording
A livestream is a live broadcast to remote viewers. A recording is a file kept afterwards. They can be produced together or by different suppliers, and each has its own list of deliverables.
Decide for each session whether it is streamed, recorded, both or neither. Rooms and sessions often differ.
Deliverables to specify
Use this table to turn a vague request into a list a supplier can price and you can check on delivery.
| Deliverable | Question for the supplier | Decision for you |
|---|---|---|
| Live stream | Which platform, which rooms, and who holds the account? | Who has access to the stream settings |
| Raw recording | Format, resolution and delivery method? | Whether raw files are needed or only edits |
| Edited session videos | How many edit rounds, and what is edited out? | Who approves, and by when |
| Highlights or short clips | Length and number? | Who chooses the clips |
| Slides in the video | Are slides captured from the playback system or the speaker's file? | Whether slide files are shared at all |
| Captions or transcripts | Are they offered, in which languages, and at what stage? | Whether to ask a specialist, and who reviews |
| Backup recording | Is there a second recording, and where is it stored? | Whether a backup is needed for key sessions |
| Storage and handover | How long does the supplier keep files and how are they delivered? | Where you store them and for how long |
Questions to send to the competent party
- Do speakers and delegates need to be told about filming, and who approves the wording? Ask the person responsible for privacy and personal data at your organisation.
- Do speaker agreements allow recording and later use of the video? Ask whoever holds the speaker agreements.
- Does any music or third-party content in the programme have rights cleared for streaming and later publishing? See walk-on music permissions.
- Who may publish the recording, and where?
Check delivery against the list
- Agree the delivery date and format in writing before the event.
- Test the stream with the remote presenter test set-up, if remote speakers are involved.
- On receiving files, check each against the list and note anything missing.
- Keep the supplier's original files in your own storage before you start editing or publishing.
Worked example · Fictional example
Two-day professional conference with a main hall and two breakouts
Fictional organisation and figures, for illustration only.
Persatuan Kejuruteraan Fiktif wants the main hall streamed live and all three rooms recorded.
The secretariat writes the list: main hall stream on the association's own channel account, raw files from all three rooms and edited videos for the five keynote sessions with one round of corrections. The legal adviser is asked whether delegates need to be told about filming and who approves the wording. The final delivery date is set before the speaker slides are due.
Use this yourself
Livestream and recording deliverables checklist
Copy this into the supplier brief and complete it before the quotation.
- Sessions streamed live (room, date, time):
- Sessions recorded (room, date, time):
- Platform and who holds the account:
- Raw files: format, resolution, delivery method, date:
- Edited videos: which sessions, edit rounds, approver, date:
- Highlights or short clips: number and length:
- Slides in the video: yes / no, source:
- Captions or transcripts: requested / to be confirmed with a specialist:
- Rights and consent questions sent to: name and date:
- Storage, retention and who may publish:
- Backup recording: yes / no:
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- One room, one stream and a supplier that handles the platform.
- The recording is for internal use and the speaker agreements already allow it.
- Someone on the team can check the delivered files.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Several rooms, several suppliers and a mixed stream and recording plan.
- Consent, rights or music questions need to be raised with several parties.
- You need one person to hold the specification and check the handover.
Want the deliverables written and checked?
A conference project lead can turn your stream and recording wishes into a deliverables list, send the rights and consent questions to the right party and check the handover against the list. Production, platforms and legal advice stay with the qualified suppliers and advisers.
Questions organisers ask
Is a livestream the same as a recording?
No. A livestream is broadcast live. A recording is a file kept afterwards. Specify each separately, even when one supplier does both.
Who owns the recording?
That depends on your agreements with the supplier and the speakers. Ask your legal adviser and write the answer into the brief.
Should we ask for raw files as well as edited videos?
If you may re-edit later, yes. Say so in the brief, and agree the format and storage.
Related resources
Content record: Draft. Written from the cited sources and checked by automated rules; not yet independently reviewed.