Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of September 17, 2023

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:
Host Bulletin, Week of September 17, 2023

Lighting

Your light source should be in front of you so your face is evenly lit. Avoid lighting from behind you or directly above you - they cast shadows on your face.

Props/Objects

Have a plan ready if you want to show additional items. Avoid showing objects impromptu - Zoom will blur it (see below) so it may be cut out from the final video. Instead, take a photo of the item beforehand and submit it to us in accordance with the Graphics Guidelines.

Point-Counterpoint

Thank you to everyone who viewed Saturday's Point-Counterpoint program and submitted questions! If you missed it, you can watch it on Sept 23 at thinktechhawaii.com or on demand at https://youtu.be/cdOFEuJ-YiU. Part 2 will be live on Saturday, October 14 at 12 pm HST: https://youtu.be/r3UPnaBhMvA. It will be moderated by former governor John Waihe'e. Panelists Kristi Govella, Amanda Eliis, Harrison Kim and Suzanne Vares-Lum will cover Japan, Australia / New Zealand, Korea and the Pacific Islands.

Q. Host survey - Do you read our weekly Host Bulletins? If so, please reply “yes”. This will help us evaluate the usefulness of the bulletin.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of September 10, 2023

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:
Host Bulletin, Week of September 10, 2023

Live Forum this Saturday

Join us for Point-Counterpoint Hawai'i live this Saturday, September 16 from 12 noon to 1 pm HST! Developing Relationships in Indo-Pacific will be moderated by former governor John Waihe'e. The panelists for Part 1 will be Chris Cottrell, Karla Cruz, Jim Moriarty and Srini Sitaraman, and they will cover Southeast Asia, the Philippines, China / Taiwan and India. Please tune in on ThinkTechHawaii.com, YouTube, or Facebook and send your questions and comments to questions@thinktechhawaii.com. Part 2 will be on on Saturday, October 14.

Distinguished Guest Election/Survey

Voting is open! Thanks to everyone who made nominations.  Click here to cast your ballot for ThinkTech Distinguished Guest. Vote only once, but feel free to share the link.  Last month's winner was Tina Patterson, nominated by host Chuck Crumpton of "It's Time for Responsible Change". Please don’t forget to respond to our survey on the second page, which covers issues related to the above forum. Voting closes next Sunday, September 17th, and we'll announce the results in our email advisories on the 20th.

Lighting

Have a white light available to brighten up your face. Avoid lighting from behind you or directly above you - that will cast dark shadows on your face. You can use one of the attached images to make your monitor a ring light.  If you have a Mac, you can also download the iGlasses app, which is a great way to adjust, brighten and improve your video picture.  Of course, you can also get a real ring light on Best Buy or Amazon; we recommend https://www.amazon.com/yAyusi-Portable-Operated-Cordless-Conference/dp/B09V7CW3SR

Vocabulary

When using acronyms, terms of art, or important names -- "collective bargaining”, “HPU” (Hawaii Pacific University) and "Sidney Powell", for example -- take a moment to define and explain them to your viewers, or ask your guest to do so. The host should represent and address the curiosity of the average viewer, who may not be familiar with your subject. Make sure we don't lose or confuse them with jargon.

Promotion Tip

Select people in your network who would be especially interested in your latest show and write a short, personalized 1-on-1 email inviting them to watch on the episode link you provide. This is a successful strategy used by host Rusty Komori that contributes to the wide popularity of his shows.

Please regularly review past Host Bulletins and other resources - it leads to better shows. See our equipment suggestions at https://thinktechhawaii.com/equipment-suggestions-2/.

Questions, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of July 16, 2023

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:
Host Bulletin, Week of July 16, 2023

Last-minute Guests

Reminder: we really can’t include any last-minute guests in your shows. They create problems for our staff. Your list of guests and their information should be on your Show Information Form by 10:00 pm HST the night before so we have enough time to prepare for your episode.

Zoom Camera

Leave your camera and the Zoom program on at all times, and don’t move the camera unless the engineer asks you to do so.  If you disturb or turn off the camera or the Zoom program, we will have to cut out that part of the video.  If you need to get up, just leave your camera alone.

Sound Interruptions

During the show, be sure to turn off your cellphone and set your computer devices to Do Not Disturb in order to avoid notification sounds, which will be picked up on the Zoom audio. Here are some instructions on how to do that: https://blog.rescuetime.com/do-not-disturb/

Reading Text

Avoid reading lengthy resources (articles, data, statistics, biographies, etc.) on air. That will bore and turn off viewers.  Instead, quote the most important points (NMT three sentences) or summarize the resource. Slides with succinct bullet points about the resource can be helpful visual aids. If you have notes, put them in a word-processing document or notepad window on your screen as near as possible to the camera so you can look into the camera and maintain eye contact with the audience. In any event, never read more than 90 seconds.

 

Promotion Tip

Help us help you! Remember to tag and mention ThinkTech Hawaii in your social media posts so we can share them with our viewers and followers. Type the “@” symbol and then start typing our page's name:

Facebook - @ThinkTechHawaii
Instagram - @ThinkTechNews
LinkedIn - @ThinkTech-Hawaii

Please regularly review past Host Bulletins and other resources - it leads to better shows. See our equipment suggestions at https://thinktechhawaii.com/equipment-suggestions-2/.

Questions, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of July 9, 2023

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:
Host Bulletin, Week of July 9, 2023

Distinguished Guest Election/Survey

Voting opens today! Thanks to everyone who made nominations. Click here to cast your ballot for ThinkTech Distinguished Guest. Vote only once, but feel free to share the link.  Last month's winner was Gary Yabuta, nominated by host Jay Fidell. We also appreciate your response to our Current Events Survey. Voting closes Monday, July 17, and we'll announce the results in our email advisories on the 20th.

Editor Opening

We are looking to hire a part-time editor who knows or can learn DaVinci Resolve. If you know anyone who might be interested, please send them our ThinkTech Story on it, which is at https://storiesofthinktech.blogspot.com/2023/07/a-bullpen-of-editors-if-youve-been.html. You can contact us about this by emailing michael@thinktechhawaii.com. 

Camera Shaking

Place your device on a table or other flat, stable surface to prevent camera shaking -- not in your hand or on your lap. You can use a stand or a piece of tape to hold the device steady. Avoid moving, banging or leaning on the surface, as this is likely tol move or shake the camera as well.

Planning Shows

Did your guest cancel at the last minute? Contact us at shows@thinktechhawaii.com and we can give you suggestions for guests and potential topics.

Promotion Tip

Another way to find potential guests is through a dedicated email address. Create one for your show and include it in the Website to Display field on your Show Information Form so we can promote it in your episodes and our other platforms. See what host Peter Roseggdid in hawaiisvolunteerchampions@gmail.com for his new show, "Hawaii's Volunteer Champions".

Please regularly review past Host Bulletins and other resources - it leads to better shows. See our equipment suggestions at https://thinktechhawaii.com/equipment-suggestions-2/.

Questions, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of July 2, 2023

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:
Host Bulletin, Week of July 2, 2023

Our Bulletins

Please review our weekly Host Bulletins.  They will help you do better shows, and not looking at them often creates problems for our staff and your guests, and sometimes results in the cancellation of shows.  You can see them all at thinktechhosts.blogspot.com, and you can also review the guides we have posted on thinktechhawaii.com:

Appearance Guidelines https://thinktechhawaii.com/remote-shows/
Pre-Flight Checklist https://thinktechhawaii.com/getting-ready-for-the-show/
Graphics Guidelines https://thinktechhawaii.com/graphics-guidelines/
Script Suggestions https://thinktechhawaii.com/hosts-guests-2/script-suggestions/
Host Guide https://thinktechhawaii.com/hosts-guests-2/host-guide/

Distinguished Guest Nominations

Click here to nominate a guest from one of your June shows to be selected a Distinguished Guest! Only the first 10 nominations will be on the ballot. Nominations close on July 7th and voting will begin on the 10th. The results will be posted in our email advisories on the 20th. The winning candidate will be profiled in a short video for our livestreams and social media.  Last month's winner was Gary Yabuta, nominated by host Jay Fidell for his appearance on "Global Connections" in an episode that dealt with Drug Trafficking in Hawaii.

Equipment

Please check your video and audio quality in Zoom, and if either is questionable please consider investing in better equipment. Make sure your guests also have adequate equipment to look and sound good on your show. See our recommendations at https://thinktechhawaii.com/equipment-suggestions-2/.

Movement

Find a comfortable position and hold it though the show.  Don't lean back and forth or swivel in your chair - excessive movement creates video artifacts, causes framing issues and deteriorates your audio. Change to a more stable chair if necessary.

Promotion Tip

Include eye-catching graphics, quotes and clips featuring highlights from your episodes on your promotions. Share these on the email you send to your followers and on social media to grab attention and get people to view your shows.

Please regularly review past Host Bulletins and other resources - it leads to better shows.

Questions, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of June 4, 2023

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:

Host Bulletin, Week of June 4, 2023

Slides

Avoid using excessive text or graphics. The clutter can make slides illegible. They should be minimalistic and complement, not repeat, your spoken words.  This allows your audience to focus on the key messages. We strongly advise the 5x5 rule; NMT 5 bullet points per slide, with NMT 5 words each. Watch this episode with award-winning videographer Larry Jordan for more tips:  https://youtu.be/MU8LYOF-ft0.

Preparing Guests

Prepare your guests for the show by sending them the Appearance Guidelines and Graphics Guidelines when you first recruit them. Last-minute back-and-forth emails from uninformed guests is stressful for everyone, and we may have to reschedule the episode if their video or audio is not up to our production standards. Sending the guidelines to your guests before you complete your show information gives them more time to prepare themselves.

Writing Show Information

Run-on sentences can confuse readers and make it challenging for them to understand your writing. Use appropriate punctuation, conjunctions and sentence structure to break down long sentences. This improves the clarity, readability and impact of your writing.

Clean Lens

Dust, fingerprints and smudges on your camera lens  will produce blurry video. Take a moment and  clean your camera lens regularly for clear and professional video quality.

Promotion Tip

Reach new audiences through cross-promotion!  If ThinkTech Hosts from other shows are on your show, or if your episode is related to another show's theme, mention that other host and show. Promoting each other will predictably expand both of your audiences.

Please regularly review past Host Bulletins and other resources - it leads to better shows. See our equipment suggestions at https://thinktechhawaii.com/equipment-suggestions-2/.

Questions, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of May 28, 2023

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:

Host Bulletin, Week of May 28, 2023

Fund Drive

We still have a way to go for our Spring 2023 Fund Drive.  Of course, the drive keeps your shows and this platform running. Please donate to our drive through this link, the QR code below, or by mail to ThinkTech Hawaii, 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 603, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813. Share it with your guests, friends, family and colleagues. Every donation, big or small, helps.

Guest Bios

Of course, you want to introduce your guests when you start the show, but that introduction should be short, a couple of sentences.  If you recite a lengthy bio, you will lose your viewers.  You can mention bio information, when appropriate, during the show, dropping a point here and there to inform your viewers, but avoid a long recitation.

Talking Over

Although it’s important to moderate the discussion as a host, repeatedly talking over or interrupting can seem inconsiderate and hinder the conversation. You might tell them in advance to hold their comments down to a few minutes so you can move on to the next point of discussion.  If they nevertheless go on too long, or if you find that they are repeating their comments, try a soft interruption once or twice, and that should get them to stop.

Lighting

Make sure your camera is at eye level and that your light source is in front of you. Avoid lighting from behind you or directly above you - that will cast shadows on your face. If you wear glasses, look at your image in your Zoom window and if necessary adjust the light or your glasses to avoid a direct reflection on your glasses.

Promotion Tip

Ask viewers to subscribe to ThinkTech Hawaii's YouTube channel by clicking this link or the SUBSCRIBE button on https://www.youtube.com/thinktechhawaii. If they click the bell, YouTube will send them a link for each new ThinkTech program that has been uploaded. 

Please regularly review past Host Bulletins and other resources - it leads to better shows. See our equipment suggestions at https://thinktechhawaii.com/equipment-suggestions-2/.

Questions, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of May 14, 2023

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:

Host Bulletin, Week of May 14, 2023

Live Forum This Saturday

Join us for Point-Counterpoint live on Saturday, May 20th from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm. Challenges to Healthcare in Hawaii on ThinkTechHawaii.com, YouTube, Vimeo or Facebook  The forum will be moderated by former governor John Waihe'e. The panelists will be Hilton Raethel, CEO of Hawaii Healthcare Association; Scott Grosskreutz, a radiologist in Hilo; Esther Smith, a family practice doctor in Kona; and Vicky Cayetano, businesswoman, politician and informed citizen.  Please tune in and send your questions and comments to questions@thinktechhawaii.com.

Cancelling A Show

To address the problems we have been having with short notice cancellations, we are implementing a new policy regarding cancellations. Going forward, a host who has two unexcused absences within two months will become an ad hoc host, i.e., the regular time slot for your show will be assigned to other shows and you will have to do your show at other times that may come available. 

Cancellations will be considered excused if:

(a) you notify us at least one calendar week in advance to give us time to organize a suitable replacement;

(b) you provide an alternative show as a substitute; or

(c) you are experiencing an unexpected emergency.

To prevent unexcused absences, we suggest you prepare backup hosts and guests or, if necessary, prepare a solo show with slides or other graphics. 

Distinguished Guest Election/Survey

Voting is open! Thanks to everyone who made nominations. Click here to cast your ballot for ThinkTech Distinguished Guest. Vote only once, but feel free to share the link.  Last month's winner was Connie L. Hall, nominated by host Sharon Thomas Yarbrough of "Sister Power". Voting closes this Wednesday, May 17th, and we'll announce the results in our email advisories on the 20th.

Recording Indoors

You and your guests should do your shows from quiet indoor spaces. Outdoor spaces are noisy and unpredictable, and recording in a car is dangerous and way less than ideal. If you or a guest find you have no choice but to record from a car, stop safely on the side of the road so we can get acceptable production values. Thanks for your cooperation on this -- we had to shelve an episode that was recorded from a car this week.

Promotion Tip

Digital flyers can be helpful tools in promoting your show. See attached examples from fellow ThinkTech Hosts. You can create them for free on Canva, which is available on the Web, Android and iPhone.

Please regularly review past Host Bulletins and other resources - it leads to better shows. See our equipment suggestions at https://thinktechhawaii.com/equipment-suggestions-2/.

Questions, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of April 23, 2023

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:

Host Bulletin, Week of April 23, 2023

Best Device

You and your guests should connect from a desktop computer or laptop if at all possible. They have more functionality, stability, and better video and audio quality. Phones and tablets should be used as a last resort, but if you need them, 1) have a phone stand, books, and tape ready to make adjustments; 2)  learn how to navigate the Zoom settings, including rotation lock; and 3) connect headphones with a mic to your device.

Professionalism

To present yourself in the best light, please wear semi-professional clothing and choose a presentable location to record. Do not wear clothes that are white, striped, seersucker or have small patterns like checkers or dots. They create distracting video artifacts around your head and shoulders. Also wear clothing that distinguishes you from the background. Appropriate dress not only looks good on camera, but also creates a positive and professional image for you, your guests and your show.

Zoom Chat

Keep an eye on the Zoom chat box throughout the show so you can watch for notifications. The engineer may message you about show timing (e.g., "5 minutes to close") or issues that need to be fixed. Wrap up promptly when the engineer messages you to close the show--time has already run out, please refrain from asking final questions or making closing remarks. This will ensure that we stay on schedule and end the show on time.

Show Cancellations

If ever you or your guest can't make it to your show, please plan alternatives:

1. Keep an updated list of other hosts and/or guests to step in as last-minute backups.
2. If host is unavailable but guest is ready, and you can't find a backup host in time, with some notice we may be able to find a substitute host
3. If guest is unavailable, and you can't find a backup guest in time, host can do a solo show, preferably with slides or other graphics.
4. Pre-record a show on your own Zoom account. You need approval for this option, because it doubles or triples the staff time and expenses for the show. Let us know a week in advance.

If you do end up cancelling, let us know ASAP so we have time to recover and set up an alternative show.

Promotion Tip

Encourage your network--family, friends, coworkers, colleagues, and anyone else who would be interested--to like, comment, and share your video. This will not only boost engagement and expand your audience, but also improve the ranking of your video, increasing the chances that it will be discovered by even more people.

Please regularly review past Host Bulletins and other resources - it leads to better shows. See our equipment suggestions at https://thinktechhawaii.com/equipment-suggestions-2/.

Questions, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of April 2, 2023

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:

Host Bulletin, Week of April 2, 2023

Distinguished Guest Nominations

Click here to nominate a guest from one of your March shows to be selected a Distinguished Guest! Only the first 10 nominations will make the ballot. Nominations close on April 7 and voting will begin on the 10th. Distinguished Guest Election results will be posted in our email advisories on the 20th. The winning candidate will be profiled in a short video for our livestreams and social media.  Last month's winner was Lee Sichter, nominated by host Jay Fidell for his appearance on "Catching up on Kaka'ako".

Troubleshooting

Need help with your setup? Contact our studio manager Michael Pangilinan. He can meet with you 1-on-1 on Zoom to assist and provide guidance if you have any concerns about tech--your computer, Internet, Zoom, camera, microphone, etc. Email Michael at michael@thinktechhawaii.com to schedule a meeting, up to 40 minutes long.

Beverages

We'd like to keep our productions professional, so if you need to sip your beverage during the show, please wait until you're offscreen. The engineer's Zoom window shows you what's being recorded. If your face is not there, it means you’re offscreen and thus free to sip your beverage.

Reading Text

Avoid reading lengthy resources (articles, statistics, biographies, etc.) on air.  That will bore and turn off viewers. Instead, quote the most important points (NMT three sentences) or summarize the resource. Slides with bullet points about the resource can be helpful visual aids. In any event, never read more than 60 seconds.

Promotion Tip

Use our resources! ThinkTechHawaii.com is our most valuable resource and is full of information about our platforms and productions. You can send prospective guests a link to our Hosts page, Press Kit, ThinkTech Stats, About ThinkTech, and A Brief History of ThinkTech to let them know more about you and about ThinkTech.

Please regularly review past Host Bulletins and other resources - it leads to better shows. See our equipment suggestions at https://thinktechhawaii.com/equipment-suggestions-2/.

Questions, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of March 12, 2023

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:

Host Bulletin, Week of March 12, 2023

Staff Changes

Introducing Ash Obrero (right), our new studio engineer! He is a local musician and founder of Creative Natives Media Group. Our long-time senior engineer, Eric Kallander (left), will be moving to the mainland in April to work for CBS. We will miss him. Send him aloha at eak@thinktechhawaii.com.

Fund Drive

Our Spring 2023 Fund Drive, Discovering Our Future, will start in a couple months. We ask that you help by taping short promos in the next few weeks after your show. The engineer will guide you through the quick process. See the scripts at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EB5WZGeAaTRD49KZ5V7c55frXb_UPSKV8WAonpgsy7c/edit?usp=share_link

Eye Contact

Look directly at the camera throughout the show. Avoid looking at another screen, or down at your table or desk, or off to the side. Place the Zoom window on your screen as near as possible to your camera so you can maintain continuing eye contact with the audience. If you have notes, put them in a small word-processing or notepad window also as near as possible to your camera. You’ll look so much better that way.

Lighting

Have a white light available to brighten up your face. Avoid lighting from behind you or directly above you - that will cast dark shadows on your face. You can use one of the attached images to make your monitor a ring light.  If you have a Mac, you can also download the iGlasses app, which is a great way to adjust, brighten and improve your video picture.  Of course, you can also get a real ring light at Best Buy; prices are coming down all the time.

Promotion Tip

After your show, text and email the YouTube and Vimeo links to your network - family, friends, coworkers, colleagues, and anyone else who would be interested. Feel free to use our template for sharing show links: https://thinktechhosts.blogspot.com/p/email-template-for-sharing-links.html

Please regularly review past Host Bulletins and other resources - it leads to better shows. See our equipment suggestions at https://thinktechhawaii.com/equipment-suggestions-2/.

Questions, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of January 8, 2023

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:

Host Bulletin, Week of January 8, 2023

Welcome Back!

We hope the holiday break was really fulfilling and helped you relax, reflect, and plan for the new year. Now it's time to get back into our routine. If you have any questions about the date of your next episode, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

Updated Opening Suggestion

We've updated the script suggestions for openings to help with the transition to the new intro format. See below.

Welcome to [NAME OF SHOW] on ThinkTech Hawaii. I’m your host [NAME OF HOST]. Joining me today are our guests [NAMES AND AFFILIATIONS OF GUESTS]. Today, we’re going to talk about [BRIEF INTRODUCTORY REMARKS ON THE SUBJECT].

STINGER (short clip with music to get the viewers' attention for the show) 

Welcome to the show, [GUEST NAMES].

Audio Standards

Make sure you and your guests review our Appearance Guidelines before the date of the show. If your audio is below our production standards, we may cancel the episode. You can check your audio quality through the settings on Zoom. Better yet, you can test the video and audio of you and your guests by going on the free version of Zoom, recording a test show, and playing the recording back. See https://thinktechhosts.blogspot.com/search/label/Audio for more audio tips.

Ways to Brighten Your Face

You can use one of the attached images to make your monitor a ring light.  If you have a Mac, you can also download the iGlasses app, which is a great way to adjust, brighten and improve your video picture.  You can find it at https://www.ecamm.com/mac/iglasses/. Of course, you can also get a real ring light at Best Buy; prices are coming down all the time.

Promotion Tip

Encourage your friends, family and following to watch your episodes as they air! They can sign up for our ThinkTech Daily to see the broadcast schedule of your shows. The link to subscribe is https://madmimi.com/signups/ef99f3ec9ec247e28903ae6140371bd7/join

Please regularly review past Host Bulletins and other resources - it leads to better shows.

Questions, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of December 11, 2022

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:

Host Bulletin, Week of December 11, 2022

Distinguished Guest Election/Survey

Voting is open! Thanks to everyone who made nominations. Click here to cast your ballot for ThinkTech Distinguished Guest. Vote only once, but feel free to share the link. Last month's winner was Brandon Lorezco, nominated by host Chanda Park of "Money Talks". We also appreciate your response to our Current Events Survey. Voting closes Saturday, December 17, and we'll announce the results in our email advisories on the 20th.

Engaging Discussions

If you have more than one guest, make sure to call on each guest regularly during the show and give them roughly equal time to speak. Encourage them to engage with each other instead of going around the table with the same question - it creates more interesting discussions.

New Shows

We've gained new shows over the past couple of months! Welcome to Will Tanaka, Leonie Lam, and Steve Guttman. Will and Leonie host "Inside Hawaii Real Estate", an examination of real estate professional practice, real estate market, and the place real estate plays in our economy and future. Steve Guttman is host of "Guttman's Garage," a series with movie reviews. If you have ideas for more shows, let us know at shows@thinktechhawaii.com.

Camera Recommendation

Have you heard of the Elgato Facecam? It's a great webcam in the $100-200 price range, and in our opinion better than the Logitech webcams in that price range. The quality is much better and it’s worth the price. The software is also much better and lets you adjust your camera for the perfect shot. Jay Fidell recently replaced his Logitech Brio with the Elgato Facecam.

Promotion Tip

Popular guests make for more popular shows, so reach out and try to get them on your show. Well-known guests tend to have larger followings. You can use the ThinkTech image (see below) and the link to your YouTube Playlist in your email signature to impress those you want to recruit for your show.

Please regularly review past Host Bulletins and other resources - it leads to better shows.

Questions, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of November 27, 2022

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:

Host Bulletin, Week of November 27, 2022

Fund Drive

November 29 is Giving Tuesday, and it's a great opportunity to inspire generosity. We are in the final weeks of our Fall Fund Drive, and everyone's donations on this special day are more important than ever. If you haven't already, please donate through the button below, or send a check to ThinkTech Hawaii, 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 603, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813. We appreciate your help and support.

  DONATE  

Equipment

There's still time to upgrade your equipment! Cyber Monday is tomorrow, and there are many great deals. Our staff has given more recommendations for equipment on sale:

• Camera https://amzn.to/3J8BerZ
• Small Light https://amzn.to/3vWYJ3h
• Green screen https://amzn.to/3Vf9at1
• Green screen fabric https://amzn.to/3ODb2Js
• Green screen backdrop https://amzn.to/3VpuH1y

Episode Titles

A good episode title can greatly affect your views. Use words that are expressive, to the point, concise, and most of all, catchy and memorable. Include popular searchable words relating to your topic. Avoid long phrases and proofread, and then proofread again. Here are some examples from recent shows with over 1,000 views:

Is Coronavirus Just Another Hoax
Who is Shohei Otani
Military Accountability: You're Fired
The World is Plugging into Hydrogen
Why Ukraine Matters Taiwan Talks Today

Fidgeting

Please avoid fidgeting or touching your face or hair while you're onscreen during a show. It can be distracting and hard to watch. Also, look at yourself. The engineer's Zoom window shows you what's being recorded. If your face is not there, it means you’re offscreen.

Promotion Tip

Use our resources! ThinkTechHawaii.com is our most valuable resource and is full of information about our platforms and productions. You can send prospective guests a link to our Hosts page, Press Kit, ThinkTech Stats, About ThinkTech, and A Brief History of ThinkTech to let them know more about you and about ThinkTech.

Please regularly review past Host Bulletins and other resources - it leads to better shows.

Questions, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of November 20, 2022

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:
Host Bulletin, Week of November 20, 2022

Fund Drive

Thank you to everyone who has made donations, recorded promos, and otherwise promoted our Fall 2022 Fund Drive. We're at the midpoint, but we still have a way to go to reach our goal, and at this point we need to speed it up. If you haven't already, please donate through this link or send a check to ThinkTech Hawaii, 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 603, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813. Your financial support enables our platform, and each host's show to exist.

Thanksgiving Holiday

Reminder: Thanksgiving is this Thursday and it's a building holiday, so we will not record any shows that day. If you'd like to schedule your show for another day that week, email hayley@thinktechhawaii.com. The next holiday is our winter break, which is from Monday Dec. 19 through Thursday, Dec. 29.

Time to Look at Yourself

You need to look at yourself on Zoom, and if you’re blurred or fuzzy you need to consider some new hardware. A new laptop will certainly help, but a new USB camera will cost less. Black Friday is this week and there are great deals. Google Black Friday webcams and you’ll see. Picking one up cheap will make you look better and will make our staff happier, too. Here are our recommendations:

• Camera https://amzn.to/3J8BerZ
• Small Light https://amzn.to/3vWYJ3h

Cancellations

If you or your guest can't make it to the show, please plan alternatives:

1. Have other hosts and/or guests ready as backups.
2. If host is unavailable but guest is ready, with some notice we may be able to find a substitute host.
3. If guest is unavailable, host can do a solo show, preferably with slides or other graphics.
4. Pre-record a show on your own Zoom account. You need approval for this option, because it doubles or triples the staff time and expenses for the show. If you do end up canceling, let us know ASAP so we have time to recover and set up an alternative show.

Promotion Tip

 Help us help you! Help us help you! Remember to tag and mention ThinkTech Hawaii in your social media posts so we can share them with our viewers and followers. Type the “@” symbol and then start typing our page's name:

• Facebook - @ThinkTechHawaii
• Instagram - @ThinkTechNews
• LinkedIn - @ThinkTech-Hawaii

You can share our posts with your followers as well.

Please regularly review past Host Bulletins and other resources - it leads to better shows.

Questions, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

P.S. You're all invited to our Virtual Awards Ceremony on Dec. 8 at 6:00 pm, honoring Community Service and ThinkTech Hawaii award winners. Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TWm1nclyTkKARXa8bsafaw.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of November 13, 2022

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:

Host Bulletin, Week of November 13, 2022

Distinguished Guest Election/Survey

Voting is open! Thanks to everyone who made nominations. Click here to cast your ballot for ThinkTech Distinguished Guest. Vote only once, but feel free to share the link. Last month's winner was Cyber Bunny, nominated by host Wendy Loh of "Taking Your Health Back". We also appreciate your response to our Current Events Survey. Voting closes Thursday, November 17, and we'll announce the results in our email advisories on the 20th.

Last-minute Guests

Reminder: we cannot accept any last-minute guests to your shows. They create problems for our staff. Your full list of guests and their information should be on your Show Information Form by the 10:00 pm HST deadline. This ensures that our staff and your guests have enough time to prepare for the episode.

Zoom Chat

Keep your Zoom chat box open throughout the show so you can watch for notifications. The engineer may message you about show timing (e.g., "5 minutes to close") or issues that need to be fixed during the show or a break.

Zoom Backgrounds

Blurred backgrounds create a special depth-of-field effect, and they help viewers focus on you instead of what's in the room around you. Please use the blur function in Zoom. If you have a green screen, you can use one of the blurred backgrounds we have prepared (see https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12f2IAFFdYX-lS7JMoq5RIaaa5ZnMHg80?usp=share_link). You can also send us a picture of a background you like and we can blur it for you.

Promotion Tip

Have you shared the link to your last show? You can text and email the YouTube and Vimeo links to your network - family, friends, coworkers, colleagues, and anyone else who would be interested. Feel free to use our template for sharing show links: https://thinktechhosts.blogspot.com/p/email-template-for-sharing-links.html

Please regularly review past Host Bulletins and other resources - it leads to better shows.

Questions, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com. 

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of October 16, 2022

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:

Host Bulletin, Week of October 16, 2022

Remember to Register!

This year's All Host Zoom Meeting is this Friday, October 12 at 9:00 am HST. Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qf-mrqTwtE9R60n3yWFAQR8T6G7Yf7E0T to get your Zoom link. Our staff and some of our hosts are preparing presentations for this invaluable get-together. We'll send you the agenda before the meeting. This should be very helpful to everyone.  Please plan to attend.

Distinguished Guest Election/Survey

Voting is open! Thanks to everyone who made nominations. Click here to cast your ballot for ThinkTech Distinguished Guest. Vote only once, but feel free to share the link.  Last month's winner was J.K. Lin, nominated by host Mark Shklov of "Law Across the Sea". We also appreciate your response to our Current Events Survey. Voting closes tomorrow, October 17 and we'll announce the results in our email advisories on the 20th.

Camera Recommendations

We want you to look your best on your shows, and we have found that external USB cameras provide better video than the ones built into your computers.  Consider using Logitech (or similar) USB cameras given their price, video quality, portability and adjustability: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=logitech+usb+camera&crid=2MBT0NSSQKWLS&sprefix=logitech+usb+camer%2Caps%2C217&ref=nb_sb_noss_2. If you'd like to discuss any particular camera, please let me know.

Solo Shows

Solo shows should be the exception. Alternatives to consider:

1. Contact other hosts and/or shows@thinktechhawaii.com for guest recommendations.
2. Contact us at shows@thinktechhawaii.com to reschedule the show at a time more convenient for a possible guest.
3. Pre-record the show with a guest at a time that will be more convenient for a possible guest, using your own Zoom account. Tell us about this in advance, since it will involve additional staff time and expense.

If you do the show solo, use slides and other graphics to break it up and add visual interest. Please follow our Graphics Guidelines at thinktechhawaii.com/graphics-guidelines.

Promotion Tip

Need further help finding guests? One other way to connect with new guests is by posting your show to related Facebook and LinkedIn groups, and making connections there.

Please regularly review past Host Bulletins and other resources - it leads to better shows.

Questions, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of October 9, 2022

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:

Host Bulletin, Week of October 9, 2022

All Host Zoom Meeting 10/21/22, 9:00 am HST

 Save the date! Register for our All Host Zoom Meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qf-mrqTwtE9R60n3yWFAQR8T6G7Yf7E0T. This is your opportunity to get together and compare notes with long-time and newer hosts, as well as our staff. We look forward to seeing everyone there.

Graphics / No Screen Sharing

All graphics must be submitted by 10 pm HST the night before the show. Screen sharing those graphics on Zoom reduces the video quality, so please do not display graphics that way. Review our Graphics Guidelines before submitting your graphics. We cannot accept graphics without a permission form and proper labels. This is, of course, to avoid claims by copyright owners and problems with upload platforms.

Connecting By Phone

Be ready to get on your phone and call the Zoom telephone numbers (listed with the Zoom link we send you) if there are connectivity issues. Have a phone stand, books, and/or some tape ready to get your device into the proper position. Also, make sure to send us up-to-date cell numbers for your guests.  They will be critical if there are connectivity issues.

Camera Settings

Want easier control over your camera video? We recommend iGlasses for Mac: https://www.ecamm.com/mac/iglasses/. The free trial lasts seven days and the full program costs $19.95.

Promotion Tip

Express your pride as a ThinkTech Host! You work hard to make your shows great. Tell colleagues and people you meet that you're a talk show host on ThinkTech Hawaii, a nonprofit that has produced over 12,000 talk shows and short movies, and streams 30 new live talk shows every week. Send them to your shows and a link to your playlist when you can.

Please regularly review past Host Bulletins and other resources - it leads to better shows.

Questions, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of September 18, 2022

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:

Host Bulletin, Week of September 18, 2022

Legal Chicken, Legal Egg

Hosts, please register for our important webinar on Sept. 30! If you can’t attend, you will receive a link to the program after the event. "Burning National Issues: Legal Chicken, Legal Egg” analyzes and connects critical topics in a thought-provoking way.  Help us increase registration by sharing the links below with your networks and social media following. Thank you!

Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qIlgPBHrQMW_vKtOIGbUxg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=610556530530905
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cil4sH1NrKf/?igshid=YzA2ZDJiZGQ=
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6973046662134939649

Framing

Make sure you and your guests are centered and keep your head 3/4 the way up in the frame throughout the show. Find a comfortable position and hold it though the show.  Don't lean back and forth or swivel in your chair - this creates video artifacts, causes framing issues, and deteriorates your audio. Change chairs if necessary.

New Shows

Welcome our two new ThinkTech Hosts! Erica Muller is host of "Vacation Rentals are the Future", a study of vacation rentals, real estate activity, regulation and investment around the U.S. and overseas. Peter Rosegg hosts "The Two-Wheel Revolution", a look into opportunities, benefits and controversies of advances in two-wheel transportation. See their bios at https://thinktechhawaii.com/thinktech-hosts/.

Engineer Opening

We are looking to hire a part-time studio engineer. If you know anyone who might be interested, please send them our ad, which is at https://storiesofthinktech.blogspot.com/2022/09/is-recruiting-yes-were-looking-for-new.html. The new studio engineer will join our current team including Michael Pangilinan, our Station Manager who records and edits some of your shows, Eric Kallander our chief studio engineer and Hayley Ikeda, our Program Manager - you get a lot of emails from her. You can contact us about this by emailing shows@thinktechhawaii.com. 

Promotion Tip

Join local and national community groups to expand your network and thus your viewership and potential guests.  If your show is about surfing, for example, you can join and post to the world surfing community on Facebook. This tip comes from esports professional Adam Donarski, a guest on The Wide World of Esports: https://youtu.be/hGK-HtrGhq4

Please regularly review past Host Bulletins and other resources - it leads to better shows.

Questions, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Week of September 11, 2022

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:

Host Bulletin, Week of September 11, 2022

Distinguished Guest Election/Survey

Voting is open! Thanks to everyone who made nominations. Click here to cast your ballot for ThinkTech Distinguished Guest. Vote only once, but feel free to share the link.  Last month's winner was David Larson, nominated by host Chuck Crumpton of "It's Time for Responsible Change". We also appreciate your response to our Current Events Survey. Voting closes on September 17 and we'll announce the results in our email advisories on the 20th.

Legal Chicken, Legal Egg

Join us for a timely ThinkTech Hawaii webinar on Friday, September 30. "Burning National Issues: Legal Chicken, Legal Egg" will examine critical national issues: abortion, gun violence, climate change, voting rights, and the insurrection. Featuring panelists Kimi Ide-Foster, Chris Marvin, Richard Wallsgrove, Sylvia Albert, Jeffrey Portnoy and moderator Avi Soifer. Please spread the word and register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qIlgPBHrQMW_vKtOIGbUxg.

Flyer: https://bit.ly/Chicken-Egg-Flyer
Panel Bios: https://bit.ly/Chicken-Egg-Bios
Promo: https://youtu.be/bYc_-UWzNd4

Quiet Spaces

It may seem obvious, but it is dangerous to do a show in a car. Make sure you and your guests pre-select quiet, indoor spaces to record the show. Ask others around you to keep quiet and set all devices to Do Not Disturb. You may need to move to a more isolated space if there is too much noise.

Phones/Tablets

It's best to join Zoom from a computer/laptop instead of a phone or tablet. The former have more functionality, stability, and better video and audio quality. For more Appearance Guidelines: https://thinktechhawaii.com/remote-shows/

Promotion Tip

Before your show airs, promote your upcoming episode through email, phone and social media. We stream your shows on ThinkTechHawaii.com, YouTube.com/ThinkTechHawaii and Vimeo.com/ThinkTechHawaii. Encourage people to sign up for our email advisories at https://bit.ly/join-thinktech to view the shows of the day. They can also subscribe and click the bell on YouTube.com/ThinkTechHawaii so they receive a link whenever your show is published.

Please regularly review past Host Bulletins and other resources - it leads to better shows.

Questions, contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.