On March 29, the U.S. government extended America’s social-distancing guidelines, which include no group gatherings of more than 10 people, through April 30 — and potentially beyond. Many states and local governments have enforced even stricter rules, which take precedence for local citizens. These important measures are pushing organizational leaders to adapt, and funeral directors are among those rapidly innovating to meet their clients’ needs.
The National Funeral Directors Association is helping funeral homes, memorial service centers, and churches adapt to these changing times with recommendations on how to help families and loved ones mourn relatives while following CDC guidelines. Funeral options in the COVID-19 pandemic include postponing services, hosting limited gatherings for immediate family, or recording and streaming the service for loved ones near and far. For organizations offering the latter — livestreaming — we’ve compiled several recommendations to help your clients during these unprecedented times.
Streaming services for funerals
Some of the most important things to consider when choosing a streaming service include quality, audio, ease of use, and privacy. Here are five services that excel in these categories:
OneRoom:
OneRoom is a trusted streaming service used by funeral directors and families across the country. It’s a simple setup process: You schedule the funeral, send an invite to friends and families, then record and livestream the service for loved ones. OneRoom also records the service, making it available for those who weren’t able to make the set date and time. The platform is password protected, with high quality footage that makes families feel like they’re together in person.
TribuCast:
With TribuCast, families and loved ones have a personal memorial website with the livestreamed service, photographs, the obituary, and donation information all in one place. Loved ones and friends can also leave their condolences on the website. The streamed memorial can be viewed live or replayed later. TribuCast is a pay-per-use system; you can start with a free demo as well as a pretest to ensure it streams seamlessly.
Live Memorial Services:
Live Memorial Services provides easy-to-use streaming solutions for funeral homes, churches, and families. Footage on Live Memorial Services is HD-quality with sharp audio. An easy scheduling system gives funeral homes the capability to stream multiple services at once. Live Memorial Services offers flex pricing based on your specific needs, and they don’t charge admin or gear set-up fees.
Vimeo Livestream:
Vimeo is a trusted video platform used by many professional creatives, and its livestreaming capabilities are of the same caliber. You can host multiple streams at once, which is important for days when you have more than one service simultaneously. Vimeo streams content in high-quality 1080p, with streaming plans available starting at $50 per month. Plus, Vimeo Livestream offers tech support to help you get set up to avoid any in-the-moment issues.
Dacast:
The flexible and affordable Dacast livestreaming service is a smart option for funeral homes and churches that want to test the livestreaming waters before investing full-force. Subscriptions start as low as $19, which includes customer support, unlimited viewers, high-quality 1080p footage, mobile device support, and more. Password protection also guarantees privacy for clients.
Camera gear for streaming services
In addition to streaming platforms, you’ll need the right gear to broadcast services to family and loved ones near and far. More and more companies are investing in livestreaming equipment, which means you have a number of unique packages to consider:
Mevo Plus Live Event Camera Kit
Mevo is one of the most respected livestreaming brands on the market. The affordable Mevo Plus can stream high-quality 1080p footage with dual antennas for quick and seamless data transmission plus included MEMS microphones for transmitting audio. Pair the Mevo Plus with the Mevo Boost, and you can connect to your computer for streaming reliability while simultaneously guaranteeing your camera won’t run out of juice. (The Boost allows a livestreaming time of up to 10 hours.)
Sony FDR-AX53 Camcorder Kit
With this Sony bundle, you can capture sharp footage and audio with high-quality gear that’s built to last. The Sony camcorder is easy to use, and records up to 4K footage. The on-camera wireless microphones guarantee crisp, easily audible sermons and eulogies to make viewers feel like they’re onsite with their loved ones. This streamlined package works for recording and webcasting with Mac and PC video software. Cables can also be configured to fit varying space requirements.
Panasonic HC-V800 Camcorder Kit
For a bit more versatility, the two-camera system offers multiple angles on the affordable Panasonic HC-V800 Camcorders. These cameras pair with the Shure Dual Lavalier Wireless System to guarantee sharp and in-sync audio during eulogies, speeches, and sermons. The Roland VR-1HD video mixer/switcher plugs into most computers via USB; the platform, paired with the BENQ Full HD Monitor, lets you easily view footage and switch between camera angles while livestreaming for loved ones.
For more information about streaming, including the required licenses and legal forms, read the NFDA’s comprehensive overview here.
For more questions about livestreaming gear packages or equipment quotes, contact us via this form or at 888-216-6700.
Feature image via Shutterstock
