Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Graphics, Websites, Vocabulary, and Co-hosts

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:

For this week's Host Bulletin, we have some important advice you should keep in mind while hosting your shows.

Graphics

When you send graphics, make sure to keep them simple. Too much text and too many images can make slides cluttered and hard to read/see. It's best to put up words and phrases instead of full sentences.

Websites

When you refer to a website, please state the url. We upload episodes as podcasts, which have no video. If you are going to refer to a website, let us know through your show information form so we can put it onscreen for those watching the video.

Vocabulary

When using acronyms or terms of art -- "collective bargaining” and “COLA” (cost of living adjustment), for example -- take a moment to explain it clearly to the viewer. Defining vocabulary for the average viewer helps us to make sure we don't lose them due to confusion from excessive jargon.

Co-hosts

If you have a co-host, make sure to bring them into the discussion so they don't sit idly and look like a wallflower. You can ask your co-host to introduce the guest or have them ask questions so there's more of a dialogue and they're more involved in the conversation. You may also want to call on them at the end to summarize the discussion and thank the guest for appearing on the show.

Thanks so much for your cooperation on these things. If you have questions, please contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Framing, Content, and Cancellations

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:

For this week's Host Bulletin, we have some important advice and suggestions for your shows.

Framing

During the show, do not adjust the camera unless the camera falls somehow or you are instructed to adjust it by the engineer. The engineer is in charge of the framing and production values so please listen to them. If you make camera adjustments without the engineer's approval it will probably mess up the framing.

Intros

When you are beginning the show, have a concise introduction. If you are going to read it, put your notes as close as you can to the camera. Tell them it’s ThinkTech, give them the name of the series and the title of the episode, then briefly introduce your guests, the sooner the better. A long-winded introduction always loses viewers.  Our script suggestions for intros, breaks, and outtros are at https://thinktechhawaii.com/hosts-guests-2/script-suggestions/.

Content

Ask concise questions and if appropriate follow up on their answers. If there is more than one guest, address every question to a specific guest. You may need to interrupt when the guests repeat themselves or go off topic, then guide them back on track.  Successful hosts don’t just ask questions, they respond and add value to what guests are saying. This may shift the direction of the content, but with the host guiding it may lead to interesting, if unplanned, discussions.

Cancellations

If one of your guests or a co-host cannot make it to the show, let us know by all means (email at shows@thinktechhawaii.com, phone at 808-784-3426 and text message at 808-780-9254) as soon as possible so our staff does not waste time (a) preparing for a guest who isn’t going to show up and then (b) preparing again for a show without that guest.  If a guest, co-host or contributor drops out at the last minute or doesn’t join the meeting by showtime, the show must nevertheless go on without them.

Thanks so much for your cooperation on these things. If you have questions, please contact hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

Bulletin to ThinkTech Hosts - Important Dates and Phone Guide

Dear ThinkTech Hosts:

For this week's Host Bulletin, we have some important reminders and announcements.

Daylight Savings Time

Daylight Savings Time will end this Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. Hawaii time stays the same, but clocks for most other time zones will move an hour backward, so the time difference for them will be 1 hour less. Please keep this in mind when scheduling guests, and make sure they know the correct time they need to join the meeting.

Phones

Please be prepared to switch to your phone or tablet if we are having technical issues. Make sure you have a phone stand, books, and tape ready to make adjustments. Please practice turning your rotation lock off so you will appear in landscape view (horizontal) instead of portrait view (vertical). Let us know if you need any assistance.

Holiday Party

We will be hosting our 2021 Holiday Party and Annual Awards Program virtually. Click here for free registration, and see our invitation at the bottom for more information. We will be sending out invitations to the general public starting Monday, and we'll be posting about it in our Weekly Email Advisories. We look forward to seeing you all there!

Fund Drive

Our Fall 2021 Fund Drive: ThinkTech Gives Thanks has started! We've been writing about it in our advisories and sending out letters to members of our ThinkTech family such as yourselves. If you haven't donated yet or want to make another contribution, click here to Donate via PayPal. To send a donation by check, please send it to ThinkTech Hawaii, 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 603, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813. Thanks for your help and support. We are very appreciative.

Thanks so much for your cooperation. If you have questions, please contact Hayley at hayley@thinktechhawaii.com.

ThinkTechHawaii.com Join us at our ThinkTech Hawaii 2021 Virtual Holiday Party and Annual Awards Program Wednesday, December 8, 2021 5:00 o’clock pm Guest Speaker Charles “Chip” Fletcher, Ph.D. Well-known Climate Change Scientist at SOEST Chair, Honolulu Climate Change Commission Awards Program Community Service Winners Hosts of the Year Show of the Year Underwriter of the Year Click here for free registration Or copy and paste the link below https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kHe0KJ0WTZueom5u5xVzvA This event will be live streamed and recorded. Questions: Carol at cml@thinktechhawaii.com Mahalo to our generous holiday party sponsor ©2021 ThinkTech Hawaii 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 603 Honolulu, HI 96813