When a loved one passes, there are always important people who won’t be able to attend the funeral in-person. Because of how easy live streaming can be with a smartphone, the choice to live stream their funeral seems a simple one.
But before you announce the broadcast, consider the following three things to increase your chances of delivering a successful live stream.
1. Choose the Best Platform

The most common public platform for streaming funerals is Facebook. By telling everyone to visit your Facebook page on the set date at the appointed time, you can “go live” when the ceremony begins with a single tap.

PROS

  • Free
  • Simple to stream
  • Easy access for guests

CONS

  • Public channel (lacks privacy)
  • “Noisy” place for a funeral (advertising, distractions)
  • Music can be automatically muted (copyright protection)
  • Recordings are tricky to save and stay on Facebook

You can overcome most of these issues by setting up a private channel on Vimeo or creating a Zoom webinar. Several funeral homes offer live streaming as a service. Ask your funeral director if they can stream the ceremony to a private channel for you.

2. Gather the Best Technology

Today’s smartphones and tablets typically have HD cameras and a variety of apps that encode video and audio for streaming. But there’s more to a high-quality broadcast that just the data stream.

Most online guests will accept good or even mediocre video quality if your audio is super crisp and clear. For this, avoid using your device’s onboard microphone whenever possible. These tend to pick up a lot of ambient noise, and you may not be able to clearly capture the voices of those speaking or singing. Connecting an external microphone (i.e., lavalier, shotgun, condenser, etc.) to your device can help improve the quality of your sound.

You may also want to add a telephoto lens, so that your camera can be placed behind the family’s direct view. We also recommend that you use a tripod with a mount for your camera. And, remember to bring a back-up battery for your equipment, just in case.

Finally, you will need to decide whether you will connect to the Internet using a 5G wireless connection or the local WiFi network. Different venues (funeral homes, churches, cemeteries, halls, etc.) will have varying signal strengths and data transfer speeds—even different locations in those venues can be better than others. Be aware that this could thwart even the best live stream planning and technology kit. We recommend running an onsite test stream at least a day before the funeral. Your funeral director might also have experience with your specific venue, and they may be able to offer some valuable advice.

3. Choose your Camera Operator

Because you want to be ‘fully present’ for the funeral ceremony, it’s important to find one or two individuals who can be responsible for making the live stream happen. They probably won’t be able to concentrate much on the actual eulogies or reflections of the day, but they will help you to be able to focus on what’s most important. They’ll take care of the details and inevitable complexities of live streaming and support any online guests who need help before (or during) the funeral to get connected. Again, your funeral director may have some helpful advice for you on this. They may also be able to offer you a simple and reliable service to live stream and record the funeral for you.

If you or your funeral director want a simple, affordable, personalized way to live stream the funeral ceremony of a loved one, we invite you to download Foveo’s DirectorView™ app. You’ll be able to stream from your mobile device to a permanent memorial page with a few simple taps in minutes. And your initial set-up will take less than 20 minutes.

You’ll also get free guest registration, privacy controls and personalization options included.
Click here to learn more or contact us at 1-877-936-8369.