Shutterstock / Arsenii Palivoda©This week, Features Ed Alex is talking about our Facebook Live, which happens every Friday at 11am!
Have you ever watched our Friday Facebook Live?
We’ve been doing it for a few years now, as regular as clockwork at 11a.m. on a Friday morning. A few of us from the team will get together and talk about something topical or that’s been in a recent issue. Occasionally, we’ll have a special guest, or one of our writers will pop in for a chat.
It was started by our very first Digital Editor, Karlie. It’s a fab way that we can tell you about what we do, and just chat about the things in the magazine. We’re also delighted when you’re watching live with us, and talk to us through the comments. Although sometimes we do have to lean in quite far to read them!
Things haven’t always gone flawlessly! When we were in the office, we’d usually book a meeting room for the occasion. Three of us would squeeze in, close enough so that we’d all fit in the same shot. It was a lot closer than it looked on camera, and often the arms of our chairs would be overlapping! If you turned to talk to a colleague, it was hard not to feel like you were invading their personal space…
Three of us once attempted transmission from the basement, but the wifi was – well, just as you’d expect it to be underground. I also attempted to record one live from our office’s reception area, which was open to the public! It was noisy – and, as I’d turned the camera sideways, it transmitted sideways. At least, until I hastily edited it post-event.
Bear With…
Sometimes we’ve tried to broadcast live from events, and it hasn’t always gone perfectly. One of my most memorable ones was an outside broadcast. Karlie, previous-Fiction-Ed Shirley and I went down to the V&A shortly after it had opened. We wandered round it, chatting a bit about it’s shape and what a big deal it was for Dundee. We were also followed around for a wee stretch by a very elderly man. He peered at us for quite a long time with a very broad grin, and we can only imagine he thought we were some high-falutin’ TV crew. There’s a wee bit near the end, where Shirley finally breaks the tension and says hello to him! Blink and you’ll miss it…
Anyway…we hope you’ve enjoyed them, as we’ve gone along, and we do hope you’ll continue to join us. We also try to occasionally tell you, the viewer, a little more about how the wider company works. This is usually best achieved by a wee chat with folk from different departments, like our little chat with Iain from Circulation, who is in charge of distributing mags around the world and counting the sales.
So do, please, let us know if there’s anything you’d like to know about us, the mag or the wider team that puts it together. If there’s anything you want us to talk about, just let us know. And do join us tomorrow and every Friday you can, over on our Facebook page!
Read how we adapted Facebook Live during the pandemic.
Alex Corlett I am the "Friend's" Features Editor, working with the talented Features Team to bring you everything from cryptic crosswords to financial advice, knitting patterns to international travel and inspirational real life stories. Always on the hunt for a new feature idea, I also enjoy cycling and love a good tea room.
