TEDx Burleigh Heads
Full Production for an Inaugural TEDx Event — From Venue Recce to Final Edit
About the Event
TEDxBurleigh Heads was the inaugural independently-organised TEDx event held on the Gold Coast, themed "Humans for Humans". Held on 17 February 2024 at Marymount College in Burleigh Waters, the event featured 12 speakers and performers exploring ideas around creativity, workplace culture, food, community, music, and the human experience — including live saxophone, a choir performance, and a dance piece alongside the talks.
As a TEDx-licensed event, the production had to meet TED's strict technical and editorial standards for video — every talk needed to be filmed, edited, and delivered in a format suitable for publication on the official TEDx Talks YouTube channel. We ran a full rehearsal day the evening before, planning camera positions, lighting cues, and sound checks with the speakers to ensure a smooth show day.
The Brief
The TEDxBurleigh Heads organising team needed a production partner who could handle the entire technical side of the event — not just filming, but sound, lighting, and the full stage setup. As a volunteer-run event, they needed someone who could work within a limited budget while still delivering content that met TED's publication standards.
We were brought on as the sole production company, working alongside a dedicated audio engineer and a lighting specialist. That meant taking responsibility for everything the audience would see and hear — from the light design and amplified sound in the room to the multi-camera recording and final edits uploaded to YouTube.
Based on the Gold Coast, this was a local project for us — no travel, no logistics overhead. We used the school's existing lighting bars and worked with the venue's AV technician to integrate our equipment with the in-house system.
What We Delivered
End-to-end production — from the initial venue recce through to the final edited talks published on YouTube.
Venue Recce
Pre-event site inspection at Marymount College to plan camera positions, lighting placement on the school's existing bars, cable runs, and sound integration with the venue's in-house system. The Friday rehearsal session (4–7pm) gave us time to walk the speakers through their stage marks and finalise every technical detail.
Light Design
Designed and installed the stage lighting using the school's lighting bars, rigging our own fixtures alongside the venue's existing infrastructure. The result was a professional TEDx look that ensured speakers were well-lit for camera while maintaining atmosphere for the live audience.
Amplified Sound (PA)
Provided the full PA system for the live audience, including managing microphones for speakers, a live saxophonist, guitarist, choir, and a singer with backing tracks. Our audio engineer handled all mixing and monitoring across the full programme.
Recorded Sound
Separate clean audio feed captured for post-production. Ensured every talk had broadcast-quality sound for the final YouTube uploads — critical for meeting TED's standards.
Multi-Camera Recording
All recording was done in a multiview environment, giving us multiple angles to cut between in post. This approach meant we could capture every speaker's delivery from the best possible shots.
Full Equipment Supply
We provided everything — cameras, lights, microphones, TV screen for slideshow foldbacks, and all cabling. The organisers didn't need to source any production equipment separately.
Volunteer Coordination
Worked with the TEDx-provided volunteers to keep production costs manageable. Trained and directed volunteers on camera positions and basic production tasks during the event.
Post-Production & Editing
Edited all 12 talks following TED's strict shooting guidelines — colour grading, audio mixing, full-frame slide integration, and seamless removal of speaker mistakes. All videos were delivered within TED's one-month upload deadline and accepted for the official TEDx Talks YouTube channel.
YouTube Publication
All 12 talks were published on the official TEDx Talks YouTube channel and have collectively reached over 670,000 views — with one talk alone surpassing 500,000.
At a Glance
The Talks
All 12 talks were filmed, edited, and published on the official TEDx Talks YouTube channel. Here are the featured talks — or browse the full programme below.
Creating Brain-Friendly Workplaces For The Imagination Age
Are You Being Manipulated?
Biohacking Your Creative Self
How Workplace Ageism Hurts Everyone — And The Bottom Line
"Silvis is one of the best videographers I have worked with. I have found him super professional, thoughtful, kind. A true gem. I highly recommend his work, particularly due to the attention he placed on our requests as we had to submit TEDx videos properly filmed and edited."
Silvia D.
Curator, TEDx Burleigh Heads
"It was lovely working with you and your crew was so professional, thank you for all the extra work, we really appreciate everything you did to help us. The cutting is excellent — you can't even tell where the edits are. Very smooth."
— Event Operations, TEDx Burleigh Heads
Why It Worked
Single Production Partner
Instead of coordinating separate vendors for sound, lighting, cameras, and editing, the organisers worked with one team. That simplified planning, reduced costs, and ensured everything worked together on the day.
TED Standards Met
TEDx events have strict technical requirements for video and audio quality. Every talk was filmed, edited, and delivered to TED's specifications — all 12 were accepted and published on the official TEDx Talks YouTube channel.
Volunteer-Friendly Workflow
As a volunteer-run event, the budget was limited. We worked with the provided volunteers, directing them on camera positions and basic tasks, keeping production costs manageable without compromising quality.
Multiview Recording
Recording in a multiview environment meant we captured every speaker from multiple angles simultaneously. In post-production, this gave us the flexibility to cut between shots for a polished, professional result.
670K+ YouTube Views
The proof is in the numbers. The talks have collectively reached over 670,000 views on YouTube, with Katharine McLennan's talk alone surpassing 505,000 — demonstrating the production quality that drives audience engagement.
Local Gold Coast Production
Based on the Gold Coast, this was a local project for us. No travel costs, no logistics overhead. We knew the area, integrated with the venue's existing infrastructure at Marymount College, and delivered a straightforward production on our home turf.
Services Delivered
What Happened Next
Following the TEDx event, the About my Brain Institute came back to us with enquiries about further production work — including online course filming and podcast recording on the Gold Coast. That’s the kind of outcome we aim for: deliver strong results, and the conversation continues naturally.
Services Used in This Project
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