Small Business Health & Safety Forum
How an office concourse was transformed into a professional broadcast environment - without external vendors.
WSIB needed to relaunch its flagship Small Business Health & Safety Awards program. The goal was to deliver a high-stakes, content-rich hybrid event and awards ceremony, executed seamlessly using only in-house resources. I was brought on to lead the entire production from concept to completion.
At a Glance
Purpose: Relaunch a flagship awards program as a high-impact hybrid event.
Location: A standard corporate meeting room, transformed into a pop-up broadcast studio.
Scale: 2-hour live program with an in-person audience and a province-wide public stream.
My Role: Creative Producer, Technical Director, Content Creator, Systems Engineer, Vision Mixer
The Challenge
The project demanded a premier broadcast experience despite several critical constraints:
100% in-house execution: No external AV vendors, production trucks, or studio rentals. All technical and creative production was my responsibility.
Complex show flow: The program required juggling five distinct speaker blocks, interactive Q&A, and a multi-winner awards ceremony in a continuous live broadcast.
Extreme space limitations: I had to design and fit a multi-camera setup, control desk, awards stage, and audience seating within a single corporate meeting room.
Rapid 3-week turnaround: All pre-production, content creation, and technical programming had to be completed in just three weeks.
The Approach
My strategy was to act as the single point of ownership for all creative, technical, and operational elements, ensuring a unified vision and flawless execution.
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I transformed a multi-purpose meeting room into a professional broadcast studio by designing a compact, reliable technical core.
Multi-camera system: A four-camera setup provided dynamic coverage: two Sony A7s on 85mm lenses for tight speaker shots, a Sony FS5 on a 16mm lens for the wide awards stage, and a ceiling-mounted PTZ for audience reactions.
Broadcast control hub: At the core was a Blackmagic ATEM switcher, with dual HyperDecks for redundant recording and media playback, ensuring zero risk of failure.
Unified show control: I programmed a Stream Deck XL with Bitfocus Companion, creating dozens of custom macros for one-touch execution of lower thirds, scene changes, and video roll-ins.
Room transformation: I strategically designed the layout, including backdrop placement, comfort monitors for presenters, and acoustic treatments to optimize the space for broadcast.
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In a 3-week creative sprint, I produced the show's entire visual identity from scratch.
Complete animated graphics package: This included a pre-show loop, opening sequence, countdown timer, segment bumpers, sponsor commercials, custom lower thirds, and split-screen templates for Q&A and panel discussions.
Brand cohesion: Every visual element was designed to align with WSIB's brand while establishing a unique, professional identity for the awards show.
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My role covered the full lifecycle of the event:
PRE-SHOW:
I managed the complete physical and technical setup, including stage and lighting design, power distribution, network coordination with IT, and a comprehensive RF scan to ensure interference-free wireless audio. I then ran a full technical rehearsal with the presenters.
LIVE EXECUTION:
During the live show, I single-handedly vision-mixed the four-camera production, triggered all graphics and audiovisual playback, managed the in-room IMAG feed and the public Zoom livestream, and directed presenters and mic runners on the floor.
POST-SHOW:
The entire set was struck and the room restored to its original state within two hours. By the next morning, I had delivered a polished highlights reel and the full event recording for WSIB's YouTube channel and intranet.
The Results
The relaunch of the WSIB Small Business Awards was a resounding success, setting a new standard for the organization's in-house event production. The project not only met all its objectives but also delivered tangible, measurable results that directly addressed the initial challenges.
Key Performance Indicators:
Exceptional audience satisfaction: Achieved a 92% approval rating in post-event surveys, confirming the program's high-quality content and engaging delivery.
Flawless technical execution: Delivered a zero-incident, two-hour broadcast, proving the reliability and robustness of the in-house system I designed and operated.
High engagement & reach: Garnered over 3,500+ replay views within the first week on the corporate intranet and YouTube, demonstrating the lasting value of the content.
Outstanding recipient experience: Received 100% positive feedback from award recipients, who felt celebrated and professionally recognized.
Strategic Value & Long-Term ROI:
Beyond the event itself, this project delivered lasting value to the organization:
Created a scalable production model: The control surface templates and technical workflows I developed are now the baseline for all subsequent in-house forums, increasing efficiency and consistency.
Generated high-value content assets: The highlights reel was repurposed for an external press kit and social media campaigns, amplifying the program's reach.
Delivered significant cost savings: We achieved the quality of an externally-produced event at a fraction of the cost as a result of everything executed in-house. It established a new, cost-effective benchmark for future initiatives.