In short
- A convocation record works best when the university decides first what it must contain: the full ceremony, each graduate's moment, or both.
- Sessions, stage moments and graduate names are agreed in writing before the day.
- Live feed, livestream for families abroad and captions are available on request, confirmed for each event.
- The graduate list and stage order, sent before the day, let us match names to the recording accurately.
A convocation record is only useful if it is complete and easy to use. We film the ceremony and the moments the university cares about, then deliver the recordings it has specified, ready for graduates, families and the institution’s own archive.
What we film at a convocation
Convocations differ by university, but most have several parts that need their own plan:
- The academic procession and the entry of the platform party.
- Addresses and conferment: the chancellor’s or vice-chancellor’s speech, awards and the formal conferment.
- Each graduate’s stage moment: the walk to the stage, the handshake or scroll presentation, and the walk off.
- Family and guest areas: reactions, and the atmosphere in the hall and outside it.
- Outside the hall: arrivals, photo areas and campus scenes, if the university wants them.
Many universities run several sessions by faculty or programme. We plan each session as its own coverage block, so crew, timing and files stay separate. Our university events guide sets out how these decisions connect.
The outputs you can specify
| Output | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Full ceremony recording | The whole session, start to finish, without cuts | The university archive, relatives who could not attend |
| Graduate stage clips | Each graduate’s moment, organised so it can be found by name | Graduates and families |
| Highlight film | A short edited story of the convocation | Communications and recruitment |
| Social clips | Short vertical or square cuts | University social channels |
| Live feed or livestream | Pictures to screens or to relatives watching elsewhere | Overflow areas and families abroad. On request |
A highlight film cannot replace the full record. A full record also gives each graduate their own moment only if that moment is marked and easy to find. Decide which of the two matters most before you compare quotes.
What to agree before the day
- Sessions and timings: how many, when each starts, and how long the stage section runs.
- Stage and camera positions: where cameras may stand, and what the university or hall management allows.
- Names and order: how the list of graduates reaches us, and how names are matched to the recording.
- Sound: how speeches and name announcements are captured, including feeds from the hall’s audio system.
- Approvals: who signs off the films, and what can be shared publicly or only with graduates and families.
- Handover: file formats, how files are organised and who keeps the archive.
The run sheet planner turns the university’s programme into a filming plan. If several offices are involved, the approvals planner helps assign each decision to a person.
How we work on the day
We plan to arrive early to check positions with the venue team and the university’s event staff. We keep cameras out of guests’ sight lines and away from the stage party’s movement. The crew stays small and calm, because a convocation is formal and families are there for one moment.
Tell us the venue and dates, and we confirm the crew and travel for each session.
What moves the quote
The number of sessions and whether each graduate’s stage moment is organised by name move the quote most. Pricing explains how the rest is scoped, and the quote comparison worksheet helps if you are weighing several suppliers. For families abroad, read our guide to convocation viewing for overseas families.
If you can share the convocation dates, the venue and how many sessions there are, we can suggest what to record and how to split it. Send what you have and we will check what is possible for your dates.
Request a videography quote