Strategic Plan Roadshow
Touring a Vision: Six Cities, One Seamless Experience
After years of virtual-only engagement due to the pandemic, WSIB needed to launch its new strategic plan in a way that would genuinely reconnect and re-energize its province-wide workforce. The solution was an ambitious, multi-city roadshow - the first major in-person gathering for employees in years.
My role was two-fold: to be the single point of ownership for both the content (the message) and the technology (the medium). This meant I was responsible for everything from producing brand-aligned commercials and assets to engineering a tour-ready broadcast system that could be rapidly deployed in six different venues in just three weeks.
Photography by Memory Tree
At a Glance
Duration: 3 weeks
Locations: Centennial Hall (London), Radisson Hotel (Sudbury), Victoria Inn (Thunder Bay), FirstOntario Concert Hall (Hamilton), Ottawa Conference and Event Centre, Meridian Hall (Toronto)
Audience: 4,000+ in-person attendees with concurrent livestream
Goals: Launch WSIB's strategic plan while reconnecting staff post-pandemic through consistent, high-quality experiences across diverse venues
My Role: Creative Producer, Technical Director, Content Creator, Systems Engineer, Vision Mixer
The Scope
The core requirements were:
Venue variability: From intimate hotel ballrooms to 3,000-seat theaters
Compressed timelines: 2 weeks for content creation and show programming
Hybrid delivery: Simultaneous in-room and livestream experiences
Technical independence: Setup, execute, strike, and travel daily
High expectations: Dramatically outperform previous events
The Approach
My approach was to design and execute a unified strategy in which technology, content, and on‑site/online direction all ran through a single point of ownership.
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Custom AV Kits (pack-and-roll):
Primary “switch” rack: ATEM Mini Extreme ISO, Stream Deck XL + Raspberry Pi (Bitfocus Companion), managed network switch, and multiview monitor.
Secondary “RF/Replay” rack: Six-channel Shure wireless receiver bank feeding the venue console, plus two HyperDecks (primary playout + program record).
Laptops (PowerPoint, Mentimeter, Resolume, Zoom host) traveled in separate cases for fast swap-outs and independent QC per show.
Dual-Switcher Layout:
ATEM Mini (stage screens): Drove the venue projector and three confidence monitors (notes / current slide / notes), switching sources from PowerPoint, Mentimeter, primary playout (HyperDeck #1), and a redundant software playout machine (Resolume).
ATEM Mini Extreme (Broadcast/Record): Mixed the Sony FS5 (FoH), screen returns, and show media for the livestream/record.
Playback & Redundancy:
HyperDeck #1 as primary playout; Resolume as backup.
HDMI splitters fed both switchers; HDMI↔SDI converters at venue boundaries to keep signals stable.
Recording & Stream Path:
ISO recording to external SSD from the ATEM Extreme, plus HyperDeck #2 and Zoom session recording program.
Magewell HDMI-to-USB 3.0 into the Zoom host laptop for the webcast.
Dedicated multiview monitor for technical confidence.
Audio Integration (FOH-led):
Venue audio console mixed all lavs, handhelds, various audio tracks (stingers, Voice of God, music, videos).
A clean XLR feed was interfaced to the broadcast switcher via Scarlett 2i2; an SDI audio de-embedder stripped audio from Hyperdeck #1.
Presenter Workflow:
PerfectCue for slide advance; Mentimeter laptop for audience interaction.
Confidence monitors were loop-through and labeled to match the run-of-show.
Control Network & Automation:
Private ethernet with Raspberry Pi (Bitfocus Companion) and Stream Deck XL - Simultaneous control over Atems, Hyperdecks, Resolume.
Programmed dozens of Companion macros to arm/disarm recorders, fire stings, swap screen states, media cues, contingency swaps, etc.
Venue Integration:
Standardized signal-flow diagrams and patch lists were shared with local crews, ensuring friction-free load-ins across all sites.
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Working within a two-week window, I led the full production of a comprehensive content package that included:
Branded Interstitials: Storyboarded, filmed, and edited four strategic commercials plus an interactive “BodyBreak” stretch video, pre‑show loop, and show‑launch opener.
Complete Audiovisual Identity: Built the full show package - lower thirds, motion graphics, stingers, transitions, and bespoke Voice‑of‑God announcements for each venue.
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From first power-on to final pack-out, I ran both switcher paths - ATEM Mini for stage screens and ATEM Mini Extreme for livestream/record - while coordinating FOH audio and venue crews to keep the show in lockstep across six cities.
Pre-show:
Advanced room with venue techs; confirmed projector + three confidence monitors (notes/current slide/notes) and loop-through routing.
Patched the dual-bus topology (HDMI/SDI converters, splitters, multiview), then verified source labels and tally.
Coordinated RF and gain structure with FOH mixer; took a clean console feed into the broadcast chain.
Loaded/time-checked media; armed HyperDeck #1 (primary playout), HyperDeck #2 (program record), and mounted the external SSD for ISO on the ATEM Extreme.
Charged, paired, distributed full-duplex comms headsets; assigned channels/roles (TD, camera, floor, runners); performed comms check.
Rehearsed the run-of-show: PerfectCue for multiple slide decks, Mentimeter checks, Zoom host handshake via Magewell.
Live:
Vision-mixed broadcast program on the ATEM Extreme (camera, screen returns) while maintaining stage screen cuts on the ATEM Mini.
Fired Companion macros; rolled stingers/interstitials; fail-safed to redundant playout if needed.
Controlled two HyperDecks (playback + program record) and monitored the ISO recorder.
Managed the livestream/record only (no in-room IMAG): Zoom ingest, FOH audio feed, and multiview confidence.
Directed camera op/PTZ and coordinated Q&A mic runners.
Post-Show:
Stopped/secured recordings; off-loaded ISO SSD and archived HyperDeck program files (checksum verified).
Captured chat/logs, noted routing tweaks, and reset macros/playlists for the next venue.
Struck the two AV kits and laptop suites; re-cased, labeled, and restored the room; coordinated overnight transport.
The Results: A New Benchmark for Engagement
The roadshow was an unprecedented success, dramatically outperforming all previous corporate events and setting a new standard for internal communications.
Impact: 83% of attendees reported overall satisfaction, nearly doubling the 43% rating from the last pre-pandemic event in 2019.
Strategic Alignment: 87% of attendees reported a clear understanding of the new Strategic Plan.
Technical Excellence: 80% agreed the technology enhanced the message without being a distraction.
The content suite and show workflows built for the road show are now the backbone of every leadership town hall - and some of the visual assets run at each Board of Directors meeting - extending value and brand consistency well beyond the tour.
