Resources for Presenters
What’s with the themes?
Each month is anchored by a theme like: Renegade, Time Machine, or When Pigs Fly. Think of them as inspiration, not rules. You can interpret them any way you like, including not at all. It is always fun for us to see how presenters interpret the same theme in such different ways.
So I can talk about ANYTHING?
Pretty much! We just ask that all our presenters remember that these nights are about community, creativity, and celebration. That means no sales pitches, shameless plugs, or hate.
What if the thing I love is also the thing I do for work?
That’s amazing! And we totally want to hear about it. The key is making sure
that your presentation focuses on sharing whatever it is that makes you love it so much. We sometimes call this focusing on the Why instead of the What.
400 seconds doesn't sound like a lot of time!
You'll be surprised about how much you can convey in 400 seconds! Think of your presentation as just the beginning of conversations that will continue with the people who connected with your presentation.
I'm nervous to present.
We hear you!
These nights aren’t a TedX talk or a thesis defense. They’re about sharing something you love. So long as you’re having fun, you’re doing it right! If you want to bounce around some ideas, need a hand putting your presentation together, shoot us a note.
Do I need to run my own slides?
You send us your 20 images the Sunday before the event, and we take care of the rest. On the night of, you either show up to the venue, and we run all of the tech so you can focus on the important part: sharing your story.
What should I expect on the night of the event?
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Doors open at 7:20pm to grab a beverage, schmooze, and mingle.
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At 8:00pm the host will gather you and the other presenters to meet, learn the lineup order, answer questions, and most importantly, high five each other.
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At 8:20pm (20:20), the host will kick off the night. When it’s your turn to present you’ll see your name on the title slide, the host will read your bio to introduce you, and then the mic will be yours. Once you're settled you'll see your first image and that's your cue to tell your story.
Preparing Your Presentation
What does putting a presentation together entail?
It can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. At its core, it just needs to be 20 slides in Google Slides or PowerPoint.
Each slide can be a single image, images and words, or a collection of images. Just remember that 20 seconds goes by quickly, so don’t load too much onto each slide.
Can I include video or animated transitions?
We keep it old school with still images because we believe they encourage the audience to look, listen, and think.
Presenter Commitment
While we want presenting at a PechaKucha Night to be as easy as possible, we do ask our presenters to commit to a few things:
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You won’t use this as an opportunity to try and pitch or sell to our community.
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Email your slides to info@pechakuchapvd.org the Sunday before the event.
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Arrive by 7:45pm on the night of the event.
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Spread the word to your friends and family to cheer you on.
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If you need to back out of presenting, give us 14 days notice so we can find someone to take your spot.
Need Help? Talk to us!