Organizations often ask us to check that they have set their virtual event up correctly, and while we're happy to do so, we also strongly encourage organizations to test everything out by creating test tickets, passes, and events!
Here are some ways to test the user experience for your virtual event to make sure everything works the way you want it to.
Quality Check Your Film Content
A crucial step before launching your virtual event is quality checking your uploaded film content. Navigate to Films, then click Edit Film next to the film you wish to QC. Next, scroll down to the Virtual Content block (on the left side of your screen) and click the blue "Preview" text.
A pop-up window will appear with the ingested film content. Watch the film in the virtual content preview to check that the content has been uploaded successfully. You can watch the virtual content preview in full screen mode, as well via Cast or Airplay.
Filmmakers/content creators can also quality check their uploaded & transcoded films in their Creator Hub. Once logged into http://admin.eventive.org/creator_hub, they will click "Manage Asset" next to the film file they wish to preview. Then, simply click "View Preview" and they can quality check their uploaded film!
Preview a Screening with Admin Preview
After you've created your virtual screenings and added all the films, pre-roll, post-roll, etc. to your liking, use Admin Preview Mode to simulate playback exactly as your audience will experience it on your virtual watch site (without incurring a DRM unlock fee!).
NOTE: You cannot Admin Preview a Real-Time Broadcast screening. If you wish to preview a Real-Time Broadcast screening, duplicate the screening, change it to standard VOD mode, change the visibility to "hidden" and then preview the content.
Make a Test Screening
When testing virtual events, make new "test" virtual screenings instead of testing on a real virtual screening. Making a duplicate screening is a great way to test out redeeming a ticket and/or pass.
NOTE: If you are testing a physical event, there is no need to duplicate screenings. Skip to the sections below titled "Give Yourself a Ticket" and "Give Yourself a Pass."
To make a test screening, make a duplicate of the virtual screening you'd like to test by going to Virtual Screenings --> Edit, and click the Duplicate button.
Your new, duplicated screening will appear on your screen. Rename the duplicate screening TEST: Screening Title.
Select "Hidden From Public" under Visibility settings so it doesn't appear on your Virtual Catalog!
Change the Availability Window to the date/time you'd like to test the screening, or select "No availability restrictions."
Then, go through the steps of giving yourself a test ticket or pass to test your virtual screening.
You must name each test screening "TEST" in order to avoid getting charged DRM unlock fees. Even if the entire event bucket is called "Test Event Bucket," each individual test screening MUST have the word TEST in it.
Give Yourself a Ticket
There is no better way to understand the user experience than to become an audience member by buying a ticket!
Create a discount, then go to your Virtual Catalog or Schedule and click on the screening you wish to buy a ticket for. Click "Have a Discount Code?" and enter your discount code to receive a free ticket.
NOTE: If your Discount Code isn't working, check out our Troubleshooting Discounts article for help.
You'll then receive a confirmation email. Want to add additional language to the confirmation email? Learn how here.
Once you have your ticket(s), press play on the virtual screening if you'd like to see what your audience will see when they start watching a film. This is a great way to test any pre-roll or post-roll you have uploaded.
Give Yourself a Pass
We strongly encourage you to give yourself a pass from each of your Pass Buckets and test them to make sure your Pass Rules have been set up correctly.
Want to easily check that your Pass Rules are working? Test out a Passholder Reservation in the Box Office! Add a ticket to the Box Office order, select "Passholder Reservation," add a Pass name.
For example, I want to make sure that the 100% discount Pass Rules I set up for Fun Film Pass works. So I add a ticket to the screening, click Passholder Reservation, then start typing Fun Film Pass under "Pass Name."
When I select one of those Fun Film Passes, I see that the price for the ticket is discounted to 100% off, confirming that my Pass Rule works!
Or, give yourself a free Pass:
Create a discount, then go to your Buy Passes page. Select a pass, click "Have a discount code?," enter your code, and place your order.
NOTE: If your Discount Code isn't working, check out our Troubleshooting Discounts article for help.
You will receive an email confirmation. Want to add additional language to the confirmation email? Learn how here.
Want to add additional language to the confirmation email that's unique to each pass type? Go to Pass Buckets --> Settings --> Messages, and click the box next to "Custom confirmation email message."
Alternatively, you can give yourself a Pass using the Box Office, though that will bypass the user experience of buying a pass.
Once you have your Pass(es), go to your Virtual Catalog and unlock films. If your Pass isn't working the way you want it to, that means you need to double check your Pass Rules and read our Pass Bucket Troubleshooting guide.
A common error is that organizers sometimes add Pass Rules Overrides on a Virtual Screening. Adding information in this space will override - that means cancel! - any rules you've created in your Pass Bucket Pass Rules. Make sure you don't have anything in Pass Rules Overrides on any of your screenings if you want your Pass Rules to work correctly!
In Conclusion...
There is no better method than testing everything out yourself to make sure you've set up your Eventive Virtual Screenings in the way you want.
Want to make sure your Discount Codes work? Buy a ticket or pass using a Discount Code!
Want to see what the ticket confirmation email looks like? Give yourself a ticket!
Want to make sure your Pass Rules are set up correctly? Give yourself a pass and try unlocking films!
Want to understand what happens when a livestream starts? Give yourself a ticket to a VOD + Live event and watch the transition between film content and livestream!
Whenever you want to better understand the user experience, we say: Test it out!
NOTE: Up to $100 of Premium Livestream tests are included in your annual activation. Any testing of Premium Livestreams that exceeds $100 will be added to your invoice.