A project handbook is a practical communication and coordination tool, serving as a memory aid for both artistic and technical personnel involved in a telepresence project. Such a handbook should therefore include two sections: one addressing more artistic considerations, and the other addressing more technical considerations. However, sharing this document among all participants allows for a centralized space where all relevant project information can be found.
In the technical aspect of this project handbook, we can include, for example : any technical requirements relating to the spaces used or representing the artists’ needs; a contact directory gathering each person’s information (name, phone number, email, etc.) to facilitate communication between team members; a notebook to write down any specific needs or characteristics of the project; a diagram of connections and streams to be transmitted; a stage plan; a technical preparation schedule (internet connection test, technical trials, rehearsals, etc.), and any other relevant technical content. The fact that all technical team members have access to the same resources and share this information is quite crucial in a telepresence production context where teams are fragmented in different locations. This project book aims to promote the continuous development of good practices, both technically and in terms of communication and coordination. It serves to:
Create a shared technical notes document, where important or unique technical issues can be recorded after a meeting or other event. These notes can serve to: remind and keep track of specific tasks to be completed; record missing equipment to be purchased, rented, or borrowed; record any questions raised during a meeting that need answers; define a series of tests to be performed to answer those questions; or any other particular considerations.
Integrate plans created according to the needs of the event, so that technical personnel have a common reference of equipment and where to install it during assembly.
For more ambitious and complex telepresence projects, involving multiple locations transmitting multiple audio, video, and data streams, creating a shared stream matrix becomes a crucial tool for keeping track of and properly planning each transmission. Such a matrix can take different forms, but ideally it should allow technical personnel to understand the path and quality of each transmitted stream, including:
The name of the places involved (city, performance hall, residence of X, etc.);
The bandwidth available for upload and download for each location;
The list of all sources (audio, video, data, etc.) transmitted;
The hardware or equipment upstream (sources) and downstream (destinations) and their technical specifications if applicable (resolution, frame rate, sampling frequency, etc.)
The origin and destination of each of these sources;
The bit rate (in Mbps) consumed by each of these sources;
A system to calculate the total bandwidth (in Mbps) consumed by each of the incoming (download) and outgoing (upload) sources for each location;
Any other relevant information relating to stream transmissions.
Finally, such a table can be presented in two ways: an overview, relevant for sharing information between the technical teams of different locations; and a location-specific, more detailed view, especially useful for local production as a memory aid regarding the specific setup at each location.
For relatively complex events or projects involving a number of technical or artistic participants, it is essential to establish a timeline of their implementation (cue-to-cue). This event flow scenario will then be followed minute by minute, or even second by second during the dress rehearsal and the event.
The person designated for general coordination (stage manager) will be responsible for tracking this flow sheet. They will verbally indicate to members of the technical team when to move to the next cue through the designated communication tool for the event (ClearCom, DISCORD, etc.). The stage manager will therefore be responsible for advancing the event, one technical cue at a time. A copy of this flow must be given to each operator involved in executing this series of actions.
At the first technical meeting of a project, the technical coordination is responsible for developing a schedule that will be shared with the rest of the production team, so that all can agree on the important dates for conducting technical tests or trials in preparation for an event. It is imperative to include in the schedule appropriate periods of connection between locations in order to carry out, in order:
It is essential to maintain good communication between technical teams at different locations during planning, testing, rehearsals, and at the event itself. That’s why it’s strongly recommended to create a shared contact directory starting from the first meeting between the different people involved in a project. The directory can include the name of each member of the artistic, technical and coordination teams, as well as phone numbers, email addresses, and any other relevant contact information.
It is also suggested that each group (artistic or technical) agree in advance on the preferred means of communication (cell phone, text messaging, email, videoconference, etc.), or even determine the use of a specific tool (SMS, Messenger, DISCORD, Zoom, Jitsi Meet, etc.). Ideally, for the technical side, the adopted tool should work on a mobile device and allow for independent communication (in parallel) from the telematics control room (transmission of event streams). In fact, communication between technical teams must remain possible at all times, whether one is on the move or when the telematics control room is not operational.
For projects involving multiple locations where several technicians need to establish connections, communication between individuals can easily become chaotic and difficult to maintain if a good parallel communication strategy is not put in place beforehand. In such a case, the preferred communication tool should be adapted to these conditions: when communication takes place only between two people, a phone call can work well; however, when more than two people need to communicate, a more versatile tool like DISCORD will greatly facilitate the conversation by centralizing multiple modes of communication (voice, video, and chat) in one place, in addition to facilitating the identification of each member. Although this more complex tool sometimes requires some configuration, it nonetheless limits future time and energy losses potentially caused by misunderstandings and miscommunication. It also enables textual tracking (via chat) of past discussions and easier sharing of certain information.