Can I speak at an event?

As an informal group we welcome and encourage talks from all levels - it's not just for senior or experienced people. The simple criteria is that talks must not be focused on selling a product or service, and must involve doing something with media in the cloud. Technical talks and case studies are common, but relevant business, culture and process talks are also welcome. If you're interested in giving a talk, please contact us via this form.

Speaker FAQ

How do I sign up to speak at Cloud Native Media?

Please complete the short form. You’ll need to provide some basic information and contact details.

What kind of talk can I do?

We’re open to many different types of talks at all levels. The simple criteria are:

NOT a sales pitch or product demo

Related in some way to media/broadcasting/radio/TV/music

Related in some way to cloud or cloud related technologies

We especially like presentations that leverage the event itself or audience interactivity as part of a live demo.

I’ve never done anything like this before, does that matter?

No! We’ve had several first-time speakers and in fact, Cloud Native Media is the ideal opportunity to practice presenting for the first time or dry-run a new presentation before a larger event.

How do I use my slides/present my demo?

You’ll need to connect a standard HDMI lead to your own device. Your display output will be duplicated to the venue screen and the online video. If you’re able to share a copy of slides with us after the event, this can help with the edited video.

Is audio/video supported as part of my presentation?

Yes! But please make sure we’re aware of this and that it’s tested at the venue before the start of the event. Please also send us copies of your video or audio afterwards so that they can be cleanly used in the edited video. Please note that any music MUST be copyright free. Please also discuss with us if you specifically plan to use any video or audio that might be subject to copyright.

Can I present confidential material?

Please don’t present any confidential or privileged material, for example anything under NDA, as your talk will be streamed and subsequently available globally on YouTube.

Can I use any photos/images in my presentation?

Please avoid photos or images that might cause copyright issues. If you’re using any specifically licensed images, for example if you or your organisation has paid for a licence, please provide us with the details.

Can I just submit slides and use your laptop?

Most presenters don’t do it this way, but it’s certainly possible, please discuss ahead of the day.

Can I borrow a clicker?

Yes! If you want to borrow Paul’s clicker to advance your slides remotely please ask. It works without much fiddling in most cases and just needs a USB A or C port on your device.

Can I present remotely?

Our events are very much about the people in the room and people often join us to relax after long days of video calling. Thus we have a strong preference against remote speakers. That being said, we’re happy to consider it in special cases, for example if there’s an opportunity to hear from a well-known speaker, or if the talk involves someone in the room co-speaking or interacting with a remote participant - especially if the technology being used is part of the presentation.

How do the microphones work?

The same microphones are used for both the PA system in the room and (more importantly) for the online video. Most presenters use the lapel microphone and wireless beltpack; these will be put on before the event if you’re speaking first, or in the break if you’re speaking last. If you want to use the handheld microphone please let us know, but it’s usually easier to keep that for the questions section. If there are going to be multiple presenters please be sure to discuss this in advance. Additional microphones can be hired in specific circumstances.

What photo do I need to provide?

Minimum 350x350 pixels but the higher resolution the better.

Ideally a PNG with transparent background, but we can create that from a regular PNG or JPG if necessary.

Colour is preferred but B&W will suffice.

We can simply use your photo from LinkedIn if you like, but higher resolution is better.

What time do I need to arrive?

We prefer speakers to arrive in plenty of time on the day of the event; for our normal events at Newman Street please aim to be at the venue by 5.30pm, and be ready to connect your device for a test.

Is there WiFi I can use?

Yes. Speakers can access the sponsored guest network. We will need to submit your Name, Company, Email Address and Mobile Number to the venue for this. Guest access credentials will be sent by email. Please note that the guest WiFi portal requires you to change the supplied password as soon as you connect, which means you’ll need to enter the supplied password twice.

What else do I need to be ready for?

We try to do some informal video interviews with presenters before and after the event. These are used in the edited version of the online video.

Can I promote the event and invite my friends?

We’d love you to do that. Please share the Meetup, LinkedIn and YouTube event pages with whomever you’d like to invite along, and also like/repost etc on all platforms. Your friends should sign up as regular attendees. If you want to bring companions into the venue early with you please let us know in advance so we can inform security.