In short
- Your own programme decides the coverage, not a standard Chinese New Year template.
- List the moments that matter most, the languages spoken and who must approve the video.
- Plan sound early: lion dance drums and the MC can drown out speeches.
- Agree what is shared with members and what stays inside the association.
Brief the dinner from your own programme, not from a standard template. Tell us who speaks, what is performed, which languages are used and who approves the video, and the coverage follows from that.
Which moments does your dinner actually have?
Every association runs its dinner differently. Some have a president’s speech, a lion dance, a yee sang toss, toasts, performances and a lucky draw. Yours may have only some of these, or others we have not listed. Write down what is really in your programme.
| Moment | Tell us | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome and speeches | Who speaks, in which language, for how long | Speeches are usually the parts people want to keep complete |
| Lion dance or performance | Time, place, whether it enters the hall | Fast movement and loud drums need planned camera positions |
| Yee sang or toasts | When it happens and who leads it | It happens once, so the crew must be ready |
| Guest and member greetings | Which tables or VIPs you want covered | Helps us film people, not only the stage |
| Prize draw or presentations | Who presents and who receives | Names and faces are often what members look for later |
The must-capture moments checklist helps your committee agree this list before you send it to us.
How do languages change the plan?
Many association dinners have speeches in Mandarin, a dialect, English or Malay, sometimes in the same speech. Tell us the languages, so we can plan microphones, and so you can decide whether you want captions or translated subtitles.
If someone can explain who the honoured guests are, name that person. We confirm names and titles with your committee, so they are spelled correctly.
What should we plan for sound and lighting?
Lion dance drums, the MC and the band can overpower a speaker. Ask the venue whether we can take a clean feed from the sound desk, and where the lectern microphone will be. Our event audio brief builder lists the questions to settle first.
Banquet halls are often dim, with round tables that block sightlines. Share the floor plan if you have one, so camera positions can be agreed with the venue ahead of the evening.
Who decides what is filmed and shared?
Members come to a dinner, not to be in a video. Agree these points before the day:
- Whether any members or guests prefer not to appear, and who tells the crew.
- Which version goes to the members’ group chat or social media, and which stays within the association.
- Who gives feedback on the edit, so comments arrive once and together.
The private and public video version planner and our guide on permissions and responsible publication cover these decisions. Photography is a separate request, so tell us if you want both.
What to put in your brief
A good brief is short. For example, you could write: the date and venue, the rough number of guests, the three moments that must be filmed, the languages of the speeches and the name of the person who will be our contact on the night. This is an illustration, not a fixed format, and we ask if anything is unclear.
If your association holds this dinner every year, keep this year’s brief. Next year you only need to update what changed.
What we confirm for your dinner
- How speeches are recorded if the room is loud: a microphone plan, or a feed from the sound desk.
- Where the camera stands during the lion dance, so guests keep their view.
- Who our contact is on the night, so we follow the programme if it runs late.
- Which films you receive, and whether the speeches are kept complete.
For the choice of films, see highlight films and full ceremony and speech recording. Our community event videography page explains how we work with associations. If your dinner is a fundraiser, read the guide on charity dinners too.
If you have the draft programme and the committee's list of important moments, that is enough to start. Send us the date, venue and programme and we will check what coverage we can offer.
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