Comedy Estonia is adapting to the new types of events. We have already compiled solid experience in both hybrid (live and online combined) and virtual (completely line) events.
Hybrid
Hybrid (as we call them) have some combination of online Skype / Zoom / Teams component as well as a live presenter either in a stage or in a studio. So far the typical format we have noticed is a host who is presenting live to a camera while the speakers are coming either pre-recorded or via Skype.
Pitch competitions are common in this format and the pitch itself is pre-recorded and then the speaker is skyped in live straight after to answer the Q&A. So far Louis Zezeran has implemented this format for Enterprise Estonia in the “Proto” studio in Tallinn, which was done without a live audience and also for Latitude 59 2020 Japanese pitch sessions which were done to a live audience.
Thank you so much for the wonderful MC for our pitch programme!
Yuri Mori – JETRO Tokyo.
I feel that thanks to you, the session became more and more attractive and it went smoothly.
Looking forward to further cooperation with you,
and hope you could visit Japan again soon!
Virtual
As a group we already have significant experience performing in completely online environments. This experience comes both from events we have carried out for clients as well as live streaming our Comedy Estonia podcasts.
We have our own podcast studio in Telliskivi, Tallinn with good quality audio and video capabilities which we can use for your event. This means that when we appear in stream, the audio is very clear and the video is typically better quality than the usual webcam/headset setup of most participants. Small details like this mean that an online event can add a more professional touch to your meeting without the expense of a full production crew.
The videos below presents an overview of the event for Enterprise Estonia, which was a very professional production and not withstanding technical crew, was performed to an empty room.
Online Hosting
In this sort of event all participants are virtual and the software used is usually more consumer level (Skype, Zoom, Teams) rather than the professional level productions required for a hybrid event. The types of events we have done in this environment are
- Pitch competitions
- Online seminars with a number of speakers
- Full day workshops / hackathons.
When different speakers are involved, the event host would typically become “admin” of the online meeting and handle the muting and unmuting of the correct speakers at the correct time. Just like when hosting a real conference, the job of the host is to take charge to ensure the event runs smoothly.
Online Entertainment
We love Stand Up and we think that the live connection with the audience is one of the key elements. However, just telling your same jokes down the camera won’t work. We took some time to work out the best way to adapt our performance to this new online format and we think we have come up with solid offerings which are funny and keep the connection going.
1. Online Stand Up / Funny story telling with Q&A
Not only are our comedians funny joke tellers, they have a lot of experiences about life as a comedian and trying to make your career as an artist in Estonia. This could be pitched as an inspirational talk or just more humorous stories about life as a comedian, we can adapt to your needs. Our comedians naturally talk in an interesting way and they are able to weave in their Stand Up stories in a more organic manner. We have given these talks to regular companies but also non profits and “Making a living as an artist” has also been a popular topic for schools. After the talk, the comedian can take questions via video or chat and we find these sessions really reinforce the ideas discussed.
Comedians who fit this style
Sander Õigus
Karl-Alari Varma
Louis Zezeran
2. Fun online games – a customized version of the “Külapood” podcast
Two of our comedians, Karl-Alari Varma and Ardo Asperk have been recording a popular podcast “Külapood” for some years now and since the start of the lockdown have successfully translated this format to online video streaming. At the time of writing they have done 15+ episodes on the Comedy Estonia YouTube channel. The basic formula is to take a person from your company and make them the guest of the show. The “episode” starts with some introduction and small talk. After this the “game” begins where Karl has many great questions and it’s a quiz between the guest and Ardo. After recording many episodes, the guys have a range of great questions to ask and we can also customize these for your company. The humour in the situation comes from the questions: Karl is a great host and Ardo has a way of chiming in with hilarious answers. The friendship and years of experience between Karl and Ardo shines through in the banter they create. There is no need for the guest to be “funny”, the guys know how to make the experience around the guest.
This is a fun, lighthearted activity which could be used to spotlight someone in your company. The length of the sketch can be adjusted but it would need 30 minutes minimum.
You can find many examples of this on the Comedy Estonia YouTube channel, here is one in particular: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViBSkAH9vFw
Comedians who fit this style:
Karl-Alari Varma and Ardo Asperk
If you have a favorite Comedy Estonia comedian, they can be added to the formula as a 4th participant.
3. Video interview with a company member
This format is great when a CEO or leader needs to communicate information to the staff but they do not feel comfortable just speaking into the webcam as a monologue for 20 or 30 minutes. Our comedians are experienced at leading conversations from their podcasting experience and they can “interview” your leader and create a conversation which leads them through the topics to be discussed without appearing stiff. Our host would have a pre-meeting with the leader and go over the points they would like to get across. What is created is less of a straight up Q&A style interview and more of a natural conversation between the host and your leader. We believe that this style of communication is more interesting and therefore is more likely to be listened and absorbed by your staff. While you may have serious topics to go over, our comedians are experienced in balancing between important information and providing light hearted humour along the way.
The length of the conversation can be adjusted however it would depend on the amount of information you need to get across.
You can see some examples of this style with such guests as Dave Benton and Taavi Rõivas on the YouTube Channel for “Comedy Guy with Louis Zezeran”.
Comedians who fit this style
Louis Zezeran
Karl-Alari Varma
If any of these packages interest you, please contact our sales manager Kristiina Lõhkivi at info@comedyestonia.com or +372 5592 0782.
We welcome your input, if you have differing requirements we can work with you to come up with a new concept which fits your organization.