My day

I’ve just launched a video daily service for trade shows where I shoot, present and edit interviews across the event each day, then upload them to the event’s YouTube Channel before the end of the day. This enables them to email out daily e-newsletters containing the video reports and host them on their website during the show. But it makes for a tough day’s work …

6.45am: Wake up in a hotel in Chicago. Today I am working at the Americas Incentive Business Travel and Meetings Show. In the last three months I’ve also been in Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, and Frankfurt. Quickly check any videos I was working on the night before have uploaded, then dive in the shower …

7.15am: Work on any outstanding video report edits.

8.15am: Head down for breakfast, where I’ll check on my day’s schedule and check emails and social media.

8.45am: Head to the trade show – I’m staying pretty close to the venue, so it’s a short trip.

9.00am: Set my laptop up at the venue – I am often in a press office or a separate room I’ve been given by the organisers. Grab a coffee and check over and set up my kit – tripod, journo mic, iPhone and adaptor that transforms it into an HD video camera, making sure I have enough memory available both on my iPhone and laptop. Archive any video I need to, to make space for the day’s shoot.

9.30am: Quick meeting with organisers to verify my interview schedule.

10.00am: Hit the trade show floor to shoot my first interview. The iPhone’s really compact and portable, and is great for these kind of “live” blog-style reports, but as it has no light, it’s vital that I set up and check how the interview will look before each interview.

10.30am: Second interview on the show floor.

11.00am: Shoot a couple of general reports on the different features of the trade show which I’ll use for the video review of the whole event that I’ll produce after the event. This involves me shooting and doing a commentary at the same time, which can save time at the edit or inform a voiceover later.

11.00am: Head over to education area and interview a speaker and a couple of delegates about a particular session.

12.00pm: Back to the office on site to download morning’s shoots onto my laptop for editing later.

1.00 pm: Grab some lunch, check the afternoon’s schedule with organisers and kick off some editing if I have the time.

2.00pm: Back on the show floor for a couple more interviews.

3.00pm: Head back to the on-site office to get on with editing the day’s interviews and reports, so that they are ready for the next day’s e-newsletter.

4.00pm: Continue editing on-site at the trade show, but often I will also be shooting another interview I’ve been asked to do by the organiser, or in a meeting about the various aspects of work, such as discussing placing of videos on the show website, etc.

5.00pm: Back to hotel for more editing, plus begin uploading any completed edits. Check emails then get changed for the trade show’s evening networking event, which the organisers like me to cover.

6.30pm: Head off to evening networking event spruced up, but still toting my tripod! I frequently work on travel industry events, so these evening dos can be pretty spectacular.

7.30pm: Arrive at the event. I always try to get shooting and interviewing done as early as possible, before people get too drunk. Also means I can have a drink and relax too!

10pm: Back to the hotel. Download evening’s shooting, try to fit in a little more editing and set up more uploads to take place overnight.

11.30pm: Time for bed.

Ian Whiteling is a video business journalist and content marketer with three-sixty (three-sixty.co.uk) and editor of travel and meetings web channel MeetingTheWorld.com