Speaker Guide

Welcome & “Day-of” Details

We look forward to having you speak at Open Source Summit Japan & Automotive Linux Summit, which will all take place virtually December 2-4, on Japan Standard Time. (JST).

On November 30, you will receive an email invite from Accelevents, which has a link to your talk. Please click on the link to the invite, and enter your session at least 10 minutes early (30 minutes early if you are part of a mini-summit) to get situated. When your session is scheduled to begin, you will need to hit “Start Broadcast”, and attendees will see you and begin to enter questions into the Q+A box. At the time your session concludes, please hit “Stop Broadcast”, which will end your session. To see how everything works before your sessions, we suggest watching the Live Demo Video, which will familiarize you with the process.

Also, be sure to share your slides! You can either add them to this Google folder and we will upload them, or, add them directly to Sched, and here’s how:

Log into your OSS+ELC EU 2020 speaker profile through Sched.com.
Go to ossalsjp202020.sched.com. Click on “You’re speaking at this event! Manage & promote your session” at the top of the schedule.
Click “Add Presentation”.
Click the “Select a File” box and add the pdf document (note: there is a 50MB size limit).
Click “Upload” and your slides will automatically be saved.

If you have any questions, please reach out to cfp@linuxfoundation.org.

Please click through the tabs on this page to access information.

Important Dates + Deadlines

Speaker Registration Deadline: All speakers should already be registered. If you are not registered yet and you need this information or need us to resend your confirmation, please email cfp@linuxfoundation.org.
Pre-Recording Appointments: Available from Tuesday, November 10 – Tuesday, November 24. You can book your appointment here. All times are in Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5) and appointments are first-come, first-served.
Self-Recording or Presenting Live – You must notify the team by end of day Friday, November 13 so we can update our notes.
Presentation Details: You may utilize Google Slides, PDF, Powerpoint, and OpenOffice – whichever you prefer. Slides should be in 16:9 format and you may embed videos in your presentation.
Self-Recorded Video Due Date: This must be received by 11:59 PM EST on Tuesday, November 24. AccelEvents accepts MP4 or MOV (under 5gb), dimensions: 1280 x 720 (720p), 1920 x 1080 (1080p).
Conference Event Date: December 2-4

NOTE: If you choose to self-record or present your session live, you must let us know by end of day on Friday, November 13. If you have any questions about this, please reach out to cfp@linuxfoundation.org.

Registration

All speakers should already be registered. If you are not registered yet and you need this information, or need us to resend your confirmation, please email cfp@linuxfoundation.org.

Schedule + Uploading a Bio/Photo

The schedule has been posted on our website using sched.com. You should have received an email directly from sched.com asking you to create your account; please make sure to upload your bio and photo.

Platform & Specifications

We are using a virtual event platform called AccelEvents that will allow speakers to deliver content via pre-recorded talks and join for Q&A text chat with attendees. The platform is web-based with HTML5 and will be easy for everyone to access and use. After the event, all talks will be available on YouTube so anyone, anywhere, can view them as well.

The AccelEvents platform is allowing us to create an immersive experience for attendees with educational sessions that offer speaker and attendee Q&A and interaction, attendee collaboration & networking through a social activity stream, 1:1 and group chats over chat and video, gamification to keep attendees engaged throughout the event, and a sponsor and tech showcase that offers booths where attendees can view demos, download resources, check out job openings, and speak directly with booth reps.

Technical Requirements

Pre-Recording Appointments: Available from Tuesday, November 10 – Tuesday, November 24. You can book your appointment here. All times are in Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5) and appointments are first-come, first-served.
Self-Recording or Presenting Live: You must notify the team by end of day Friday, November 13 so we can update our notes.
Presentation Details: You may utilize Google Slides, PDF, Powerpoint and OpenOffice – whichever you prefer. Slides should be in 16:9 format and you may embed videos in your presentation.
Self-Recorded Video Due Date: This must be received by 11:59 PM EST on Tuesday, November 24. AccelEvents accepts MP4 or MOV (under 5gb), dimensions: 1280 x 720 (720p), 1920 x 1080 (1080p).

Use the recommended browser (Chrome);Make sure that your browser is up to date.

Presentation

Please book a time to record your session with our production team, AV Strategies, by Thursday, November 12. Please note the following:

Time slots are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and all time slots are shown in Eastern Standard Time (EST).
You may utilize Google Slides, PDF, Powerpoint and OpenOffice – whichever you prefer. Slides should be in 16:9 format and you may embed videos in your presentation.
Please review this guide for presentation best practices and tips.
You may use the branded slide template for your presentation, but it is not required.
- OSS – PowerPoint Template or Open Office Template
- ALS – PowerPoint Template or Open Office Template
Ensure you have stable internet access. A hardwired connection is preferable for your recording. If a hardwired connection is not available, turn devices off that will affect your connectivity during your presentation, and make sure that anyone in the house is not on devices and/or consuming bandwidth.

If you would like to record your session on your own, we can accept MP4 or MOV (under 5gb), dimensions: 1280 x 720 (720p), 1920 x 1080 (1080p)

If you plan on sending us your own recording, please let us know by Friday, November 13, and you must have your recording into us by 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on Tuesday, November 24.

Please upload your file into the Google Folder and make sure your file is named in this format: DateOfPresentation_TitleOfPresentation_YourName.mp4

Example: Dec 1_this is my title_Joe Smith and Sally Street.mp4

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please make sure your presentation is viewable by anyone. The team will need to be able to see your presentation in order to download and then upload to the platform.

If you would like to present your session live, please let us know by end of day on Friday, November 13. We also recommend that you watch this demo video to become familiar with the platform and how a live session works.

Live Q&A Text Chat

As with physical events, interaction is essential to the success of virtual events and we are asking every presenter to be available during their session for live Q&A via text chat within the platform. This will provide added value to the audience and create more of an ‘event’ experience.

You should have received an email invite from Accelevents, which has a link to your talk. Please click on the link to the invite, and enter your session 10 minutes early. Your session will play at the scheduled time and when it begins, type a message in the chat letting attendees know you are there. You will be able to answer questions from attendees. We suggest watching the Q+A Demo Video, which will familiarize you with the process.

If you are concerned about your timezone and how that could impact the live Q&A portion of your session, we will do our best to reschedule your session slot to a time that is convenient for you. If you are not comfortable with the idea of a live Q&A, or cannot participate “live,” please contact us immediately.

Technical Tips for Virtual Presentations

Audio – as counterintuitive as it may sound, the single most important factor in a good video, is the audio quality.
Eliminate ambient noise – close the doors and windows. You’d be surprised how much environmental noise gets picked up.
Lighting – Do not put lights overhead and don’t put any lights or windows behind you as they will alter the light levels in your videos and create shadows.
Background – don’t be afraid to show your natural environment – bookcases, plants, paintings – as long as they are not too distracting.
Framing – place yourself slightly off-center to the left or right rather than directly in the middle of the frame.
Camera Height – the lens should either be directly level or pointing ever so slightly downwards towards your face.
Stand – we recommend you stand during your presentation to help project your voice and improve your posture. However, if you’re more comfortable sitting, then please do.
Timer – Have a clock to keep track of the time you have remaining.

Source: https://www.greatspeech.co/video-presentations/

Lighting, Webcam and Microphone Best Practices

Best Practices for Lighting

For best results, use natural light and supplement with additional light as needed.
Keep natural light in front of you to avoid shadows. A bright window behind you can make you appear as a dark silhouette.
Interior rooms with no natural light source may require additional targeted lighting, such as a ring light, to brighten the speaker’s face.

Best Practices for Webcams

To ensure the speaker is looking directly at the audience, place the webcam at eye level.
Avoid distracting backgrounds by checking the surroundings behind you to make sure there are no distracting colors or movement.
Presenters should use chairs that are adjustable for height but do not swivel. Swiveling on camera creates a poor attendee experience and can be distracting.

Best Practices for Microphones

Use external microphones whenever available, as microphones built into computers and cameras often have lower quality.
An external microphone allows the speaker to place it in the optimal location for sound.
Place the microphone close to the speaker’s mouth, but not in the camera view.
Test audio levels in advance.
Manage noise by turning off fans, phones, or speakers and keep ambient noise to a minimum.
Do not touch the microphone while unmuted.

Dress Code

There is no dress code for presentations, and we encourage you to be comfortable. That said, you must be aware that the Code of Conduct applies to this space, both in terms of what you show on camera and what you say. We ask that you be tasteful and considerate in choosing your clothing and surroundings. Keep in mind that we are a global community. Please refrain from wearing shirts with global brand logos that are not your own. Solid colors (not white) also work best instead of prints.

Tips to Keep Your Virtual Audience Engaged

Learn the Content: Familiarity with the content allows a speaker to focus on presenting, rather than trying to remember the points to make. To minimize worry about forgetting elements of the presentation, include notes in your presentation file and have a printout of your script or talking points.
Practice Makes Perfect: Speakers should practice their content delivery in the environment in which they will deliver it, such as in front of a computer. Presenting alone to a computer can be awkward at first. To make speakers more comfortable, ask colleagues, roommates, or family to sit in front so they can present to familiar faces.
Understand the Tools: Speakers should understand and utilize the content options available to them, to maximize the effectiveness of the presentation technology. It’s important to know the basic functions of the software, e.g. how to advance slides, manage Q&A or chats, before the presentation.
Speak Up: Check audio levels before presenting, but also make sure to breathe at regular intervals to speak audibly and clearly. Maintaining a clear, even tone throughout the presentation will allow the audience to hear it without adjusting their volume settings.
Look at Your Camera: If presenting via video, remember, the webcam is your link to your audience. Make eye contact with the camera so it appears to the audience that you are speaking directly to them.
Don’t Fear Mistakes: Humans make mistakes, even during presentations. Realize that flubs happen and they won’t derail your presentation – unless you let them. Just keep going in your planned presentation and remember, the audience is forgiving.
Be Prepared: During the presentation, have a glass of water nearby to sip as needed. Also, keep handy a printout of your slides or notes in case you need to refer to them.

Source: https://www.inxpo.com/assets/pdfs/litepapers/How-To-Be-An-Engaging-Speaker.pdf

Additional Resources

Web Presenting: Gear Tips + Enhancing Your Remote Studio
19 Video Presentation Tips to help you give a great presentation (even if you hate the way you look on camera)
9 Tips for Giving Engaging Virtual Presentations | This article gives 9 tips and within each tip has folks from the tech world giving their advice in a fun/relatable way.
PACE Acronym for Virtual Presentations
Checklist for Speakers | This article provides checklists applicable for speakers that are live streaming.

Promote Your Talk

We appreciate you spreading the word about #ossummit and your session – please find some sample tweets below to share on your social channels!

Proud to be chosen as a speaker for #ossummit– visit “link to your session” to add my talk to your schedule!
Thrilled to announce I’ll be presenting at #ossummit! Visit https://bit.ly/38qAK0J to see the full schedule 👍
Can’t wait to speak at #ossummit – visit https://bit.ly/38qAK0J to check out the full lineup!

Inclusive Speaker Orientation Online Course

The Linux Foundation, in collaboration with the National Center for Women in Technology (NCWIT), has created an online course designed to teach the viewer about inclusion, diversity, and unconscious bias. We highly recommend all of our speakers watch the course to learn tips/tools to use when speaking to encourage inclusivity in presentations and messaging.

Code of Conduct

Please read and abide by our code of conduct, which can be found here. We ask that speakers especially review this code of conduct and are inclusive in the words and images used during their presentation.

Contact Us

If you have a question that is not included here, please contact us to let us know.

If you have any other speaker or schedule-related questions, please let us know.

This event has passed. Please visit the upcoming Open Source Summit Japan.