The Stage area is where you can reach the entire audience in one place. It’s great for your main talks — keynotes, presentations, fireside chats, panels, interviews, etc. This guide explains how to create multiple Stages and details all of the stage settings.
Tip: To learn how to set up a Stage in a Webinar event, refer to our guide on Webinar event: Choosing and setting up webinar style.
Creating multiple Stages
To review the list of your Stages, go to Event Dashboard > Venue > Stages (or to Event Dashboard > Content > Stages for Onsite events).
Important: The option to create multiple stages is not available on the legacy Starter plan.
Here you will see one Stage already created. This Stage is default and cannot be removed. However, you can set it up to meet your event needs. Hover over the Stage listing and click the Pencil icon to edit it.
To add another Stage, click Add Stage.
Once you create several Stages, you will see all of them listed on this page. Stages created manually can be removed by hovering over the listing and clicking the Bin icon. It's also easy to Go to backstage from here if your Stage has StreamYard selected as a stream provider.
Setting up a Stage
To set up a Stage, go to Event Dashboard > Venue > Stages (or to Event Dashboard > Content > Stages for Onsite events). Hover over the Stage listing you'd like to set up and click the Pencil icon.
In the Stage settings, fill in the following details.
Stage title (60 characters max / required): The descriptive, easy-to-remember name, attendees will use to find the Stage during the event.
Stage description (140 characters max / internal use): Add in some extra information about your stage, this will only be visible to Organizers in your Event Dashboard to help you distinguish between different Stages.
Who can watch: If you have different ticket types, you can restrict your Stages so that they are only viewed by specific ticket types. If you then link this Stage to a schedule segment, only those with the specific ticket types will see it in the schedule.
Stream provider: You can either embed a pre-recorded video from YouTube, Vimeo, or Wistia or start your own live broadcast from the StreamYard backstage. Refer to the section Choosing a stream provider for more information.
Live closed captioning: Closed captions will be enabled for your stage by default and we recommend keeping them enabled for better accessibility if not using your own captioning. Attendees will be able to enable and disable the captions on their screen at any time.
Apps: Connect the apps that are enabled for your Organization and can be added to the Stage area. Click Discover more apps to get redirected to the App store where you can install various apps that can improve your in-event experience. Check out our integration guides to learn more about the available apps.
Additional information: Add extra information and resources for your attendees. Follow our guide on Customizing content and additional information areas for more tips.
Once ready, click Save.
Choosing stream provider
Pre-recorded videos
To embed pre-recorded videos from YouTube, Vimeo, or Wistia, select the respective option under Stream provider. Under Stream identifier, paste the video ID from the video link, as highlighted in the screenshot below.
Tip: To embed a YouTube playlist, use the entire URL and the playlist link must include "https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=". You can find the link to the playlist by clicking the Playlist name at the bottom right corner of the YouTube window.
Important:
- The Stream identifier field is for the ID only, NOT the entire URL (unless it's a YouTube playlist). If the entire URL is used an error will occur.
- Be sure to use a video that is Public or Unlisted and not Private, as otherwise it will not work.
- Adding YouTube, Vimeo and Wistia as a steam provider works for uploaded videos only. Do not use this option to redirect your live stream from one of these platforms to RingCentral Events.
Broadcast studio
To use StreamYard backstage with advanced video production features to host a live broadcast, select StreamYard as your Stream Provider.
RTMP
To stream from a 3rd party software to Stage via RTMP:
- Under Stream Provider, select StreamYard.
- Go to RTMP Stream. When creating a new stage, save it with StreamYard selected as a stream provider first to be able to see this tab.
- Click Generate RTMP setup.
- You'll be presented with a Stream Key (unique key generated for every event) and RTMPS (standard URL used to stream to RingCentral Events, that is across all events) for two destinations, which you can add to your streaming software.
Recording the Stage
To record your live stream and share recordings in the Replay area, ensure the Record this stage? check box is selected. It is selected by default, but we recommend double-checking, especially if you have more than one admin working on your event.
Recordings can take up to 24 hours to appear in your Event Dashboard > Recordings tab. For more information, check out our guide on Accessing recordings.
Low latency mode
Low latency mode reduces the “lag” between the broadcast and the stage by a few seconds, allowing users to see backstage content quicker. However, it requires higher network performance from attendees.
Keep it enabled for optimized performance if you expect most of your attendees to have a stable and fast internet connection.
If you expect many attendees to connect with slow internet speeds or from regions like APAC, or if you are experiencing stream quality issues, it is recommended to disable low latency mode for improved stability.
Getting speakers set up
Having all of your speakers set up and well-prepared is essential for a successful Stage broadcast on RingCentral Events:
- Create speaker profiles for all your speakers and get them registered for your event. You can manually register them or let speakers register via the Registration page.
- Add speakers to the schedule: This will keep your audience engaged and informed, as speaker profiles will be showcased on your Registration page, Schedule, and Reception page.
- Conduct test run: You can use the Backstage of your existing event for rehearsal. Please note that speakers need to be signed in to their RingCentral Events account to access the Backstage. Share our speaker instructions with them.
- Share the Backstage link on the day of the broadcast so they can get ready for presenting and access the studio on time.