How do I start a live stream?
Once you’ve set up your live stream, you can prepare your camera and microphone, enter the Cinema8 Studio, and get your broadcast ready to go live.
Entering the Studio does not start your broadcast. Nothing is sent to your viewers or destinations until you select Go live.
Step 1: Complete the pre-flight check
Before entering the Studio, check your camera and microphone.
The pre-flight screen includes:
- A live camera preview.
- A microphone meter to check that your microphone is working.
- Your Display name.
- Your Headline.
Check that your camera and microphone are working correctly, then enter the display information you want to use for the broadcast.
When you’re ready, click Enter studio.
Step 2: Prepare your stage
The stage is a preview of the broadcast your viewers will see. Before going live, arrange the people and content you want to include.
Cinema8 includes eight layouts:
- Solo
- Cropped
- Group
- Spotlight
- News
- Screen
- Picture-in-picture
- Cinema
Cinema8 can automatically switch layouts when the content on your stage changes. For example, starting a screen share switches to the Screen layout. Once you manually select a layout, Cinema8 will not automatically override your selection.
Step 3: Add people and content
Use the Studio to prepare any additional people, media, or branding you want to include in your broadcast.
You can:
- Add guests to the stage.
- Share your screen.
- Add an extra camera on Live Pro and above.
- Add a logo, overlay, image, video clip, or background.
- Add an intro clip.
- Apply a saved scene.
Guests remain backstage until you promote them to the stage. Backstage guests cannot be seen or heard until they are promoted.
Step 4: Check your destinations
Check that the destinations you want to broadcast to are enabled and ready.
Cinema8 uses the following destination statuses:
- Ready
- Preparing
- Reconnect
- Error
- Off
Resolve any destinations that need attention before starting the broadcast.
Step 5: Go live
When your stage is prepared and your destinations are ready, click Go live.
Confirm that you want to start the broadcast in the confirmation panel.
Your broadcast will be sent to all enabled destinations at the same time. The Studio’s top bar shows how long you have been on air and the number of live viewers.
What happens next?
Once you’re live, you can continue managing your stage, guests, media, and destinations from the Cinema8 Studio.