The camera plan for a live stream is a balance: enough angles to cut a show that looks like television, and no more than the room and the crew can carry. We scale it from one locked shot up to a full multi-camera rig, and every position feeds one switcher.
How many cameras
| Setup | Good for | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| 1 camera | A single speaker at a lectern, a short update | One well-framed shot; slides cut in as a separate feed |
| 2 cameras | Most corporate talks and fireside chats | A wide "safety" shot and a tight shot, cut without jumps |
| 3+ cameras | Panels, stages with movement, audience reaction, IMAG | Full coverage, reaction shots, and the ability to keep rolling while one camera repositions |
Camera types we place
- Broadcast / ENG cameras with operators — the main angles: a wide safety shot and one or two tight shots that follow the speaker.
- PTZ cameras — remotely operated angles for balconies, tight rooms, and altar or bimah areas where an operator will not fit; several run from the production position.
- Long lenses — for large rooms and stages, so a tight shot from the back of the house still fills the frame.
- Locked / POV cameras — a fixed wide, a podium close-up, or a detail shot (hands, a product) held in reserve for the producer to cut to.
Positions, sightlines, and IMAG
We place the wide camera centred and elevated so nothing crosses in front of it, and the tight cameras at opposing corners so the producer can cut between faces without crossing the line. In large rooms the same switch drives IMAG — the images on the screens beside the stage — so the room and the stream see the same show.
If instant replay or a clean, wide, replay-friendly angle matters for your event, tell us early: it changes the camera count and the plan.
Planning a multi-camera live stream? Request a quote or call 516-792-2800.
Frequently asked questions
- How many cameras does our event need?
The smallest number that still cuts a clean show. One locked camera covers a single speaker at a lectern. Two let us cut between a wide and a tight shot without a jump. Three or more are worth it for panels, a stage with movement, audience reaction, or IMAG.
- What is a PTZ camera and when do you use one?
A pan-tilt-zoom camera is a compact, remotely operated camera on a fixed mount. We use PTZs for balconies, tight rooms, an altar or bimah area, and any position where a camera operator would be intrusive or would not physically fit. One operator can run several PTZs from the production position.
- Can the same cameras feed the screens in the room?
Yes. IMAG — the images on the big screens beside the stage — comes off the same switcher as the stream, so the in-room and online audiences see the same cut.
- Do you record each camera separately?
On request we record isolated (ISO) feeds of individual cameras alongside the switched program, so an editor can re-cut afterward. You get the files after the event.