Introduction
Big Stage Online extends video-conferencing and streaming apps for fundraisers, political events, paid entertainment events and training courses. Big Stage creates a panel above the presentation window (like ZOOM). The panel has buttons connected to websites so viewers can respond immediately to a presentation and make a donation, register to volunteer etc.
How it works
This short demonstration shows how Big Stage works. Notice how:
- The presentation takes place in the bottom 80% of the screen.
- The Big Stage panel is in a separate window at the top above the presentation.
- The presenter can ask viewers to click on the buttons in the panel.
- When a button is clicked, it only occupies the top part of the screen.
- The presentation continues as before.
- This allows viewers to make a donation (say) while still watching the presentation.
- Five different sponsors and campaign messages can be featured in an event.
BigStage has several benefits:
Groups can choose the preferred presentation platform.
Supported video conferencing platforms include ZOOM, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams.
Supported video streaming platforms include YouTube Live, Facebook Live, Twitch.
Different donation and payment platforms can be used to process transactions.
It’s possible to ask users to take other actions such as volunteer or register for events.
Recordings of an event can be shared with the panel and response buttons afterwards. This lets viewers and potential donors watch the presentation and also respond while they watch it.
Interactive recordings
Big Stage allows you to share recordings of an event after it took place along with buttons so that users can interact with it. For instance a fundraiser may send recordings of an event along with donation links. Viewers can see the video of the event (from YouTube for instance) and then click on a button in the BigStage panel to make a donation while they are watching the video.
Here is an example of a link that you can try it out:
https://zoom.bigstage.online/index.php?event_id=PhilEhrRecord&client_id=C000004
Components
A panel has eight components which can all be customized.
A. A static image which includes a URL that connects to a website when clicked
B. A text box with a URL
C. A text box with a URL
D. A carousel with five images that rotate. Each is connected to a URL
Images to be displayed should be 800 x 300 pixels
And placed in a publicly accessible disk storage such as Google Drive.
The format should be like https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1rz8csIa3taASFJJxhyu8HLhWzYinFo-N
This will generate an image like this:
Images are generated when an event starts. The buttons can be changed as needed.
Setting up an event
Organizers have to provide the following information to set up an event:
Event Name Description of event
Static buttons
Button A URL of the image to be displayed
URL of website to direct users to when clicked
Button B Text to show on the button
URL of website to direct users to when clicked
Button C Text to show on the button
URL of website to direct users to when clicked
Button D Text to show on the button
URL of website to direct users to when clicked
Buttons that rotate
Button E1 URL of the image to be displayed
URL of website to direct users to when clicked
Button E2 URL of the image to be displayed
URL of website to direct users to when clicked
Button E3 URL of the image to be displayed
URL of website to direct users to when clicked
Button E4 URL of the image to be displayed
URL of website to direct users to when clicked
Button E5 URL of the image to be displayed
URL of website to direct users to when clicked
Type of event ZOOM, YouTube, Twitch …
Meeting ID ZOOM Meeting ID or YouTube URL
Meeting name This is the name that will be included in the invitation
Invitation format
Events are shared in the form of a link such as:
https://zoom.bigstage.online/indexz.php?event=8
More Information
How to Embed Facebook Live Stream into BigStage
- Launch a Facebook Live event and get the ‘Embed Code’
https://www.loom.com/share/2b1b5f97b7664d859001e0151ef605ef
- Format the Embed Code and add it to the BigStage Console.
The code we get from Facebook
<iframesrc="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fdeepak.puri.3701%2Fvideos%2F3414259025280094%2F&width=1280" width="1280" height="720" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe>
How to reformat it for BigStage
https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fdeepak.puri.3701%2Fvideos%2F3414259025280094
- Insert this code into the BigStage console and generate an invitation link
This video shows how the Embed Code is added to BigStage and the invitation link created.
https://www.loom.com/share/dacd4a77a7384266a0e98e7719c47e39
- The invitation link that is shared looks like this
https://zoom.bigstage.online/index.php?event_id=FacebookStreamDemo&client_id=C000001
It appears like this with the BigStage Panel above the Facebook Live Stream.
Streaming from ZOOM to Facebook Live
Click on the “More” three dots at the bottom of ZOOM
On ZOOM choose the option to stream to Facebook Live
Stream your ZOOM presentation to Facebook Live
Make sure to “Go Live” on Facebook
Once you’re live on Facebook, you’ll see the red LIVE button
Once you’re live on Facebook, you’ll see the red LIVE button
Once the event is live, get the embed code from Facebook
Copy the highlighted portion of the embed code
And paste it into the BigStage dashboard
Share the invitation link
The link looks something like this:
https://zoom.bigstage.online/index.php?event_id=FridayTest&client_id=C000008
Where C000008 is your customer number
And “FridayTest” is the name that you have given your event.
The presenters will be on ZOOM.
The audience will be watching on the BigStage which has the ZOOM session being streamed through Facebook Live.
Streaming from Zoom to Youtube Live
Step 1:
In order to go live on Youtube, you have to first activate this feature on Youtube. Go to your Creator Studio Tools page and select the “Live Streaming” tab. This is located in the left side column of the screen. This takes 24 hours to complete, so be sure to do this step well in advance of your event.
Step 2:
Create a Zoom account. Upgrade to a pro, business, educational, or enterprise account
From the Zoom website (NOT the app) go to settings, and click on In Meeting (Advanced)
Toggle on ‘Allow Live Streaming Meetings’
Click to watch instructional video
Step 3:
Download Zoom Desktop app
Start a new meeting or join scheduled meeting
You must be the host of the meeting
Click the … more and click Go Live on Youtube
Enter youtube video title and privacy (Public, unlisted, or private)
Click to watch instructional video
Step 4:
20 second delay between zoom and youtube streaming
Zoom and youtube chatroom are separate.
Youtube viewers will only see speakers from zoom, not the chat.
Click to watch instructional video
Step 5:
Return to zoom and proceed event or meeting as usual!
When you are done, in the top left corner of zoom, click to end youtube streaming
End zoom meeting