e223 – Beyond 16:9, The Art and Science of Ultra-Wide Presentations

Show Notes – Episode #223

Ever wondered how those stunning ultra-wide presentations you see at big corporate events, concerts and trade shows come to life? In the latest episode Troy Chollar is joined by Lori Chollar for an all TLC Creative Services conversation. And the topic of the day? Ultra-wide presentations! These presentations are becoming increasingly common, as more events use LED walls along with multi-projector setups, the opportunity to use PowerPoint for content that is beyond 16:9 grows. Troy and Lori share their biggest insights when it comes to creating these kinds of templates and presentations, with many tips for setup and design in this unique presentation format!

Key Takeaways:

  • What Are Ultra-Wide Presentations?
    • Presentations with an aspect ratio wider than the standard 16:9.
    • Example: Aspect ratios like 3840×1080 is essentially two 16:9 monitors side-by-side.
  • Can PowerPoint Handle It?
    • Yes, It Can! With some technical planning, PowerPoint can handle almost any ultra-wide need.
    • Pro Tip: Setting up the page size in PowerPoint to match the display resolution is the most technical, and important step.
  • Technical Considerations
    • Understand the LED wall resolution and how the AV Production will handle the computer output. Do they need a single 4K output, or multiple 1080p outputs that are merged to output as a single ultrawide?
  • Design Challenges
    • Safe Areas: Avoid placing content in areas that have environmental considerations (eg. blocked by stage elements, or presenters).
    • Centered Content: Ensure content is centered to engage the entire audience.
  • Animation and Transitions
    • Consider the left edge can be really far to the left on ultrawide presentations, and using the far left for content is really far from the audience sitting on the other side.
    • TIP: split out transitions vs. wipe from left often works better for ultrawide presentations.
  • File Size Management
    • Vector Graphics: Keep file sizes manageable by using vector graphics.
    • High-Resolution: Optimize images and videos to the output resolution.
  • Why You Should Listen
    • Expert Insights: Troy and Lori share their extensive experience in designing presentations for large-scale events.
    • Practical Tips: actionable advice on setting up and executing ultra-wide presentations.

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