Welcome
We are excited to welcome you as a speaker for SODACON 2022. As a reminder, the event will take place on Wednesday, December 7 during Japan Standard Time, UTC +9. Please click through the tabs on this page to access important information.
Important Dates + Deadlines
- Speaker Registration Deadline: Tuesday, November 22. You should have received registration information in your speaker notification email. Please email cfp@linuxfoundation.org if you need this information sent to you again.
- Virtual Speaker Pre-Recorded Video File Submission Due Date: Friday, November 18
- In-person Speaker AV Requests Due Date: Tuesday, November 22
- Presentation Slides Due: Friday, November 25
- Event Date: December 7
- Timezone: Japan Standard Time, UTC +9
In-Person and Virtual Speaker Registration
Your registration confirms that you will be an event speaker and you will need to register as either an in-person OR virtual speaker by Tuesday, November 22. If you have a co-speaker or panelists, please confirm with them before registering. Everyone will need to register in the same way (i.e., you cannot present in person with a co-speaker who can only speak virtually). If you are not registered by Tuesday, November 22, there is a possibility that your speaking slot will be replaced by one on our waiting list, so please do so promptly.
Schedule and Uploading a Bio/Photo
The schedule will be posted on the event website using Sched.com on Wednesday, November 9.
- All breakout session durations include Q&A (Please allow at least 5 minutes for Q&A.)
- Lightning talks are typically 10 minutes in length and do not offer time for Q&A..
- Please confirm your session’s timing on the event’s website schedule when it is posted on Wednesday, November 9.
- If you have a conflict with the timing of your talk or are having problems uploading your bio and photo, please contact cfp@linuxfoundation.org.
- You may make updates to your speaker profile on Sched.com (biography, headshot, slides) at anytime.
Venue / Location
SODACON 2022 will be held at
Pacifico Yokohama
1 Chome-1-1 Minatomirai
Nishi Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa 220-0012, Japan
Hotel Accommodations
Click here to view a complete list of nearby hotels offering discounted rates.
AV Details + Requirements
Any additional AV requests are due by Tuesday, November 22.
The room will include a screen, projector, (1) wireless microphone, and (2) handheld microphones – for a co-speaker and audience Q & A, so be sure to leave time at the end of your talk.
Required: All speakers will need to supply their own computer and necessary adaptors to use during their session.
NOTE: The projectors have HDMI capabilities/outputs. If you require any additional AV, please email stwambly@linuxfoundation.org with those needs by Tuesday, November 22. The SODACON 2022 event team will make every effort to accommodate additional AV needs; however, final approval for additional AV requests will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Virtual Platform + Specifications
We will be using Zoom to deliver content by pre-recorded talk. More details to be provided as we approach the meeting date.
Pre-recording Information + Tools
All virtual speakers are required to submit a pre-recorded video of their talk, which will be played through the event platform.
Some suggested tools to use for recording are Quicktime, Google Hangouts, Zoom, a screen recorder, or something similar. The recording should show your slides/screen as well as you presenting using a picture in picture style format. Please feel free to reach out with any questions.
The platform accepts MP4 or MOV (under 5gb), dimensions: 1280 x 720 (720p), 1920 x 1080 (1080p).
If you need assistance with your pre-recorded talk, please contact stwambly@linuxfoundation.org for additional information.
Uploading Instructions for Pre-recorded sessions
We have multiple options for uploading your pre-recorded presentation:
Videos need to be received no later than Friday, November 18.
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
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 any other speaker or schedule-related questions, please let us know.
