Case Study: Meeting Expectations and Informing Voters - PNCC Local Election 2025
Filming the “Meet the Candidates” public meeting hosted by the Palmerston North Residents Group at the Queen Elizabeth College Hall, Palmerston North.
Meet the Candidates
In the lead-up to the 2025 Palmerston North City Council (PNCC) local elections, the Palmerston North Residents Group hosted a “Meet the Candidates” evening at Queen Elizabeth College Hall. With 28 candidates in attendance standing for Mayor and/or Councillor roles, it was an important opportunity for the community to hear directly from those seeking their vote.
The Challenge
The Queen Elizabeth College Hall could only reach a limited audience. Many residents, particularly some of the elderly, were unable to attend because of the evening timing and travel concerns. Candidates also needed a way to extend their reach beyond one night because voters expect to see and hear from them online, not just in person. Without video, this valuable community forum would have been missed by most of the city.
Briclops Involvement
I attended the meeting to provide single-camera full event coverage. My presence and the purpose for filming was announced by the Chairperson at the start of the evening to ensure transparency with attendees. My goal was to capture the speeches from each candidate and to ensure the video was accessible for an online audience.
Respecting Attendees' Preferences
In order to make this event run smoothly and on time, the organisers didn’t allow questions from the audience. Time was allocated for one-on-one Q&A after the speeches which didn’t need to be filmed. During the speeches some attendees preferred to be at the back of the room as usual, avoiding the seats that would be within the camera’s view but also because most seats were already taken. The audience members that were seated within camera view had their backs to the camera and were also not the subject of the video, so the majority of the coverage was focused on the candidates on the stage.
Deliverables
The full coverage video was edited and uploaded to YouTube the following day with links to the video shared across local Facebook community groups. This quick turnaround allowed viewers who couldn’t attend the event in person the opportunity to see the content while it is still current. Informative graphics were added throughout the video. The candidate’s questions that were displayed on TV screens in the hall were included to provide more clarity about specifically what each candidate was asked, as some candidates preferred to summarise their questions due to the limited time for answering. Chapter markers and a video description were added when uploading the video to YouTube to give the viewer more control over how they consume the video content. The video description provides more details and context for viewers while also increasing SEO for the video to easily be found on YouTube and in Google search.
The Video Outcome
The feedback I received was positive.
Organisers were thrilled to see their event have a far wider reach than the hall allowed.
Candidates were grateful to have a polished video they could repurpose into campaign material, saving them time and effort in creating their own content.
Residents who couldn’t attend were still able to view each candidate that attended which will help them to make an informed vote when the election papers come out.
The end result was more informed voters, candidates with stronger digital presence, and organisers who succeeded in making local democracy more accessible.
How Briclops Can Help You
If you’re running a public meeting, forum, or community event, videography ensures your message isn’t limited by the room size. With Briclops, your event can:
Reach hundreds or thousands more people online.
Provide lasting video content that can be reused and shared.
Give your audience the flexibility to engage at their own pace.
Conclusion
The “Meet the Candidates” event proved the power of video to extend reach and impact. With Briclops, you can ensure your event continues to work for you long after the chairs are stacked away. If you want your next event to make a bigger impact, then get in touch with us.
"If you host an event with candidates to meet, I’ll film it, so your online audience can bring their own seat!”
