VOC-Engel & Schichttypen

You should be experienced in live or stream audio mixing. You should have good hearing, know how to handle EQs, etc. It is also advantageous if you have experiences in mixing with a target loudness. You should be familiar with audio mixing consoles. (“Yes, I know all these buttons”).

The shifts will take place in CCL, Room 12 not in the lecture hall, since you are mixing only the stream audio.

A/V Angels are responsible for the whole A/V Operation in a hall. You and your fellow angels operate the audio mixing desk lighting console, cameras and the video mixer. You support speakers by connecting their hardware the infrastructure in the hall and adjust the microphones.

The audio part is about mixing the different sources and taking care of monitoring and adjusting audio levels for the stream. To have some audio sources, you also manage the micrphones in the hall. The goal of this job is to ensure that the audio levels are consistent and the resulting mix down is pleasant to the ears.

If you are responsible for the operation of the video mixer, you switch the video feed between different sources. This mixed video feed is used for both the live-stream and the recordings which are made available later. You decide which picture, respectively source, is most interesting/important at each moment.

Doing Video without cameras would result in a slide only stream, so someone has to ensure records the person who is giving the talk instead of the audience. If it's impossible to operate the camera during the whole talk, usually a fixed shot is fine too.

During a talk, there should be more than one A/V Angel so you can split up the various parts of this job between you and your fellow angels.

Those people are the 2nd level support in the lecture rooms. They are familiar with the equipment that is used during the event and able to fix (nearly) all the issues.

Usually, the members of this group are fixed long before the event. If you are familiar with broadcast equipment or the industry (regarding audio, video or lighting) and want to help, please get in touch with us.

Video-Camera-Angels operate the fixed cameras in the lecture halls.

Usually, one video angel films the speaker from head to hands, while a second video angel films a total, including both the speaker and the screen. Camera angels will communicate with the Video-Mixer-Angel via intercom, who might instruct them to shoot in certain ways. The Mixer-Angel will also point out any mistakes or bad camera-settings.

Constraints:

• Don't sign up for any back-to-back shifts, except in case of two short talks.
• You shouldn't (please don't) sign up for more than four Video-Camera-Angel shifts per day.
• Never film the audience

These Audio Angels provide support to the Audio Mixer Angel and for the entire audio chain. They ensure the chain runs smoothly, that audio-related problems are being taken care of and also do QC on all stream audio.

For this role we are looking for people who have experience working with medium to large sized broadcast-style audio setups or are familiar with large scale live audio setups.

Microphone Angels mainly make sure that people speak into the microphones properly during Q&A. Participants in the room might be able to hear a question without amplification, but the people watching the live stream and recordings can't. Make sure the questions get recorded! At times that can mean bringing a microphone to a chair.

This group is dedicated to all camera and mixing angels, who want to improve their own performance by reflecting the work of colleagues from an audience perspective.

As a Stream Observing Angel you examine streams for issues and keep track of sequences appearing hard to consume or violating our rule set. Therefore it is necessary to have a good insight in our rule set.

Your list of both, positive and negative remarks provides constructive feedback to the individual colleagues acting in the hall and also contribute it to the quality review during the daily meeting for the whole team. This process hopefully helps us to provide a recording suitable for the speakers and a appropriate stream for all the hackers in the galaxy who couldn't sit in the hall.

You can see your self as one of the the stream's major contributor, who instantly reports severe issues like “there is no signal” to the VOC Helpdesk.

For video mixing and camera angels, it is strongly recommended to take some stream observer shifts early as this is the individual part of your training and helps us to continuously review our routines. Feel free to discuss any questions and insights with the stream observing angel next to you.

This angel type is restricted to active Video Mixing or Camera Angels, because it's part of our self evaluation and not meant as external monitoring.

If you have any input for us, please attend our daily meetings or - in urgent cases - contact the VOC Helpdesk at 1600

Video-Mixer-Angels switch the video feed between different sources. This mixed video feed is used for both the live-stream and the recordings which are made available later. You decide which picture, respectively source, is most interesting/important at each moment.

The available sources are the cameras in the audience, as well as the display of the presenter's laptop (usually the slides). Sometimes, there also are close-up cameras on stage. Slides containing text should be shown long enough to allow both slow and fast readers to read them. As a rule of thumb, reading through the slides yourself twice usually ensures this.

You work proactively with camera angels through the intercom, helping them to improve their image source before switch-over. We will have some challenging talks, where decision making and intercommunication might be assisted by external “image composition director” joining the intercom channel.

Please take a break after doing those tasks, we don't like back-to-back shifts.

We will meet every day to distribute the shifts for the following day.

This group of people is responsible for the smooth operation of the VOC infrastructure itself, e.g. cutting and releasing the talks, poking the streams, manage speaker inquiries and much more. Basically they resolve all those issues, that nobody notices ;)

If you are interested in helping us (maybe even during the various events during the year), feel free to meet us at our assembly.

In case of inquiries, please call us at 1600.

The lecture hall coordination angels make sure that everything in the hall runs smoothly. They consists of an A/V Technican from the VOC who is responsible for the A/V Operations within the hall, a Herald from the SHOC who introduces the speaker and performs the moderation, a Stagemanager from the SHOC who is responsible for the coordination of angels, timetables, crowd control and an Audio Engineer Angel who is responsible for the audio in the streams. The Hall Angels at the doors are coordinated by a Hall Angel Coordinator.

If you have any questions regarding your shift within a lecture hall do not hesitate to contact the stagemanager for general or the a/v technican for a/v related question.

During the Talks there is an Experienced Audio Engineer Angel in the ACR to coordinate the Audio Mixing Angels during a 4 hour shift and provide 2nd level support for the angels there.

If there is an issue in the lecture hall, the A/V Technican or the VOC Helpdesk will contact you for problem resultion

The lecture hall operation angels ensure that the talk is record, streamed and questions from the web are transmitted into the hall. They operate the cameras (Camera Angels), they operate the video mixer (Video Mixing Angels), the stream audio mixing console (Audio Mixer Angels). Also they watch the web for questions and remarks for the talk (Signal Angels). Also they monitor the streams for possible improvements regarding the self evaluation of the A/V angels (Stream Observing Angels)).

Please keep in mind, that the audio mixing shifts take place in CCL, Hall 12 (Audio Control Room), the stream observing shifts in CCL, Hall 5 (VOC Office) and all other shifts within the lecture hall!

The Stream Observing Angels sit in the VOC Office and monitor the streams for issues and improvements. They presents the improvements on the daily meeting and hand over issues to the VOC Helpdesk.

The Shift takes place in the VOC Office

—GERMAN—

Die Lecture Tent Nightwatch ist eine Access-Control Schicht für die Voetragszelte. Ihre Aufgabe ist es, sicherzustellen, dass außerhalb des Vortragsprogrammes nur berechtigte Personen die Vortragsräume betreten.

• Alle Vortragszelte sind nachts für die Teilnehmerinnen unzugänglich. Die Vortragszelte können aus technischen Gründen oder aufgrund von Fluchtwegen nicht verschlossen werden.
• Die VOC-Crew benötigt Zugang für Wartungsarbeiten.
• Bitte achte darauf, dass niemand sich am Equipment innerhalb des Saales zu schaffen macht oder es gar entwendet.
• Im Vortragszelt findet sich bei dem Bildmischer hinter der Bühne ein Funkgerät. Vergewissere dich, dass es da ist.
• Menschen mit Personal-Badge der “Ziegelei Mildenberg” und die aktuelle CERT-Schicht (erkennbar an der CERT-Weste und/oder Erste-Hilfe-Tasche) haben überall uneingeschränkten Zugang.
• Bei Unsicherheiten oder Problemen kontaktiere bitte umgehend das VOC (DECT 1699) oder den Himmel (DECT 1023), um die Sache zu klären.
• Im Notfall wende dich an die Security (DECT 110)

—ENGLISH—

The Lecture Hall Nightwatch is a access control shift for the lecture halls. Your task is to ensure that only authorized people enters the lecture halls in the time between the last and the first talk.

• All lecture tents are inaccessible to the public at night.
• The lecture tents not be locked up because of emergency exists or other technical reasons.
• The VOC-Crew need access for maintenance.
• Please make sure no one enters the lecture hall and/or touches or even tries to steal equipment.
• Each lecture tent has a radio on the video mixing desk behind the stage. Ensure that it is there.
• People with staff badges from “Ziegelei Mildenberg” and the current CERT shift (identifiable by the CERT vest and/or first aid kit) have unrestricted access everywhere.
• In case of any problems or if you are unsure about something, please immediately contact VOC (DECT 1699) or call heaven (DECT 1023) to clear up the matter.
• In case of an emergency call security (DECT 110)

—GERMAN—

Die Lecture Tent Daywatch stellt in den Vortragapausen sicher, dass das Veranstaltungsequipment innerhalb der Vortragpausen nicht von unberechtigten Personen manipuliert wird.

• Veranstaltungsequipment ist für Teilnehmerinnen unzugänglich. Bitte achte darauf, dass niemand sich am Equipment innerhalb des Saales zu schaffen macht oder es gar entwendet.
• Die VOC-Crew wird in dieser Zeit Wartungsarbeiten vornehmen
• Im Vortragszelt findet sich bei dem Bildmischer hinter der Bühne ein Funkgerät. Vergewissere dich, dass es da ist.
• Bei Unsicherheiten oder Problemen kontaktiere bitte umgehend das VOC (DECT 1699) oder den Himmel (DECT 1023), um die Sache zu klären.
• Im Notfall wende dich an die Security (DECT 110)

—ENGLISH—

The Lecture Hall Daywatch ensured that nobody manipulates the stage equipment in the lecture halles.

• All stage equipment are inaccessible to the public
• Please make sure no one enters the lecture hall and/or touches or even tries to steal equipment.
• The VOC-Crew need access for maintenance.
• Each lecture tent has a radio on the video mixing desk behind the stage. Ensure that it is there.
• In case of any problems or if you are unsure about something, please immediately contact VOC (DECT 1699) or call heaven (DECT 1023) to clear up the matter.
• In case of an emergency call security (DECT 110)

Assistance during the A/V buildup, supporting the A/V operation or helping during the tear-down.

You meet at the VOC Office that dispatches you to the places where your help is needed.

The VOC Office is in CCL, Room 5. This is the room where the VOC Crew basically lives during the congress.

The Audio Control Room is in CCL, Room 12. Every streaming audio related thing happens there