To mark TwitchCon’s 10th anniversary, Elgato streamed live from San Diego so fans at home or abroad could experience the show by tuning in on Twitch. To execute the project, the hardware manufacturer partnered with Social180Group, a digtal production group led by John Porterfield. The objective was clear: deliver a live show hosted by Elgato, and walkthrough of the Elgato booth, showcasing new products for creators and broadcasters without the heavy lifting of a traditional larger production and expensive gear.
“The goal that the Elgato team had was to be able to offer people to experience TwitchCon," Porterfield said. "They wanted to go live and basically give people the experience of what was happening... as well as walk them through some of the latest products that Elgato has released."
While pre-recorded content offers control, Porterfield noted that a live approach captures the energy of the event in a way edited video cannot. "The advantage of going live versus just pre-recording... is that it's edited," Porterfield said. "By the time people see that content, it's usually published after the event has already concluded. You're seeing it after the event's done."
(Elgato livestreamed from TwitchCon in San Diego for fans to watch.)
The LUMIX Solution
To navigate the crowded convention center floor, Porterfield required a camera package that balanced mobility with professional imaging. The production team utilized a LUMIX ecosystem, specifically the S5IIX mirrorless camera and the BS1H box camera. "We used the full frame version of the box camera in one setup," Porterfield explained. "Our other approach was to use the S5IIX to help us deliver the "In Real Life" (IRL) creator workflow which works so well, and also leverage LUMIX's flagship zoom in our setup."
The S5IIX was selected for its Phase Hybrid Autofocus and Active I.S. (image stabilization), features designed to maintain subject sharpness and stability during handheld operation. However, the main driver for the camera choice determined more by the full-frame sensor. "We wanted a full-frame camera, we wanted the clarity... just to enrich the experience from a visual perspective and help our client create a unique experience." Porterfield noted.
Cinematic Depth in a Broadcast Environment
Departing from the deep focus look typical of broadcast, the production team paired the S5IIX with the LUMIX S PRO 24-70mm F2.8 lens. This combination allowed for a shallower depth of field, isolating the host from the chaotic trade show background. "We're seeing more of this in live production and something we have been working to implement for our projects," Porterfield observed. "It’s more of a cinematic approach being put into certain broadcast setup’s to share your story live."
(LUMIX Ambassador Andrew Roberts ran a Tilta shoulder rig with focus control and Hollyland Lark Max 2 wireless audio with his LUMIX BS1H.)
Porterfield worked with LUMIX Ambassador Andrew Roberts, who utilized a Tilta shoulder rig equipped with Tilta's latest focus control tools, and Hollyland Lark Max 2 wireless audio setup with in ear monitoring. This setup enabled precise focus pulls between the host and specific products and monitor live audio, creating a more polished visual narrative. "That shallow depth of field allows us to focus more on the subject than just a normal big broadcast and maintain good audio... Focus more on them than it is what's happening in the background," Porterfield said. "We'll still give the vibe, if you will, of what's happening in the show."
Technical Specs
The production adhered to a practical standard for live streaming, broadcasting in 1080p. To minimize latency and processing overhead, the team opted for a standard Rec.709 color profile rather than shooting in V-Log. Lighting was kept minimal, relying on the S5IIX's dual native ISO capabilities to handle the variable lighting conditions of the convention hall.
Connectivity in high-density venues like the San Diego Convention Center presents a significant challenge for live broadcasters. Porterfield solved this by deploying a lightweight production setup using LiveU's patented LRT (LiveU Reliable Transport) technology, using LU800 and SoloPro units. These devices utilize cellular 4G/5G bonding to combine connections from multiple carriers utilizing the LRT feature, ensuring a stable uplink and signal delivery. "We're using cellular type connectivity along with additional local internet connections... to encode and send a video and audio live signal from the camera through the LiveU units in a ground to cloud to the crowd delivery process," Porterfield explained.
(The team also used a lightweight LUMIX S5IIX setup with a LiveU SoloPro.)
Porterfield served as the Technical Director (TD) from a back room at the Elgato booth, managing the incoming live feeds into LiveU Studio, a cloud-based production vision mixing platform from LiveU. This remote production workflow eliminated the need for on-site hardware switchers and additional gear. "Think of LiveU Studio as basically your cloud production vision mixer," he explained.
Livestream Logistics
Graphics were integrated using #tagboard, a cloud platform that allows for HTML-based overlays, QR codes, active polling, and social media integration that can be used in conjunction with and into LiveU Studio. "One of our goals for this show was to introduce comments coming from different social media posts like Instagram to engage viewers such as during our pre-roll and post roll," Porterfield noted.
Control of the broadcast was managed through an Elgato Stream Deck with, allowing Porterfield to switch between scenes and trigger elements via hotkeys setup in LiveU Studio. " We set up the Stream Deck with hotkeys to control specific functions,” he explained, “so I'm actively switching between different parts of the show... just like anybody else would do a normal show with an onsite production switching system."
(Porterfield used an Elgato Stream Deck to control the stream via LiveU Studio.)
Pre-show planning included tech day and detailed walkthroughs to map the camera path and identify potential connectivity dead zones, or other issues to manage. Porterfield set a five-second delay on the LiveU transmission to buffer against signal fluctuations. "We set it to 5 seconds," he said. "Just because of some connectivity issues in the Convention Center and we wanted to make sure those were working right for the client."
Economic Implications
The workflow demonstrated at TwitchCon suggests a shift in the economics of live event coverage. A traditional broadcast setup can cost upwards of $8,000 to 15,000 or more depending on the event size, complexity, and resources needed. According to Porterfield, you can significantly reduce costs by using a small on-site crew, remote support, and affordable tech like mirrorless cameras and cloud switching. "Technology in media is helping us streamline more to support clients," he explained. "We can do something relatively inexpensively... drop that cost down to let's say maybe around... $4,500 [such as for a one day local event] and be creative to find new ways to help."
This reduction in overhead allows brands to increase the frequency of their live content without scaling their budgets proportionately. "We want them to worry less and stream more," Porterfield concluded. "That's our main goal. We don't want to... create more complexity for them."
To learn more about Social 180 Group, visit here. To watch Elgato's TwitchCon 2025 livestream, click through here.
