Create a Virtual Exhibitor Showcase for the 2021 Archives Bazaar

The 16th annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar will be a hybrid event happening on Saturday, October 23, 2021 from 9am-5pm. Exhibitors have an option to participate virtually with a prerecorded video that will be linked to the Archives Bazaar webpage. The goal of these short videos is to showcase the archives that document the rich history of Los Angeles, whether it be one item or a behind the scenes look of "the vaults" or another creative way to spotlight collections.

Find inspiration by watching the 2020 Archives Bazaar Virtual Exhibitor Showcases here.

Video submissions due Friday, October 15, 2021.

Virtual Exhibitor Booth & Showcase Tips and Ideas:

Tips For Filming Using a Mobile Phone:

• If the plan is to record on a phone, if possible, arrange to use a newer phone: iPhone or Android.
• Hold the phone horizontally and stand three feet away - so shot would be mid-chest up and with a neutral background.
• Be mindful of noise when you are recording. Video without a lot of ambient noise is preferable, if possible.

Examples of Ways to Share:

• Banning Museum YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJb08d2rvxM; 3 minutes and 16 seconds
• Autry Lantern Slide unboxing shared: https://twitter.com/LA_autry/status/1237523238009196545; 30 seconds
• Lanterman House’s Story of La Cañada using PowerPoint with Shep the dog: https://www.lantermanhouse.org/story-of-the-la-canada-valley; 7 minutes and 12 seconds. (These videos are designed to be educational at a 3rd grade level)
  • Laura’s Presentation on how she created this video may be found here: https://youtu.be/mD5tRZ5ZUhc

Regarding Time:

• Can be very short 15-30 seconds (think TikTok); The Autry Lantern Slide unboxing is 30 seconds and still compelling.
• Not longer than 15 minutes - you are sharing a taste of your collections/archives/items. Think about attention span. Less than 5-10 minutes would be ideal with few exceptions. 
• How quickly can you captivate an audience?
• This is not intended to be an overview of your entire collection, but a taste similar to what the Archives Bazaar Exhibitor table might provide.

Notes and Ideas on Content:

• Base content on your intentions of what you want to show. For example, Banning House showcased what they are doing during COVID in a clever way.
• Unbox a specific archival object. Perhaps something you would not be able to bring to an in-person Archives Bazaar.
• Focus on one thing you are delivering. Make it a special thing to deliver and deliver well as an easier task.
• What would you put on your exhibitor booth? Or the opposite: share items you would not normally be able to share.
• If you have a virtual archive you might create a lead-in to the balance of your collection. Similar to a movie teaser trailer e.g. would you like to know and see more? Think “Show and Tell.”
• Try things out on your members - colleagues, etc. See what resonates and don’t be afraid to try a few different ideas out.
• Highlight a specific project or specific collection.

Ways of Sharing:

• Video posted to your website or in your digital collections.
• Record video and post to YouTube, Vimeo, or other video platform.
• Video broadcasted through Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
• Recorded Zoom session that is shareable.
• Please make sure that the link is shareable and can be viewed by the public.
• Videos for YouTube must be smaller than 128GB.

To Consider:

• Subtitles in recorded videos for accessibility purposes.
• In-person exhibitors often have “giveaways” or treats to share from an Exhibitor Table. An idea was proposed in a Talk-Shop that perhaps a screensaver, desktop background, or Zoom background might be created from a collection image and shared with Archives Bazaar attendees.