For Subjects

Subjects have some control over who they see in a Session. Here are the different options, based on the type of device that they are using. 

Mobile Subjects

By default, mobile Subjects will see the dominant speaker on their screen. But they can choose to view all the participants in a grid view, pin a specific participant on the screen, and even switch the view so they themselves appear in the larger feed.

Pin Another Participant

This may be useful when conducting a 2-Subject conversation, and they wish to only see one another on the screen.

Click the “Participants” icon.

Select which participant you want to pin by clicking on the pin icon for that person. Now that person will remain on the screen. 

Feed Switch

This is useful when framing and setting up a shot prior to filming, or if the Subject prefers to see themselves while recording.

By default, the dominant speaker appears in the larger feed while the Subject sees themself in the smaller feed. To swap who appears in the larger feed, the Subject can click the “Feed Switch” icon in the smaller feed.

Grid View

This is useful for panel discussions or when the Subject needs to be able to see many behind-the-scenes participants at the same time. 

Click on the grid icon under the OpenReel logo.

Now you can see all of the participants who are currently in the room. 

Webcam Subjects

By default, webcam Subjects will see the dominant speaker on their screen. But they can choose to view all the participants in a grid view or pin a specific participant on the screen. 

Pin a Participant

Select a participant from the right side of the screen.

And now that participant will be pinned to the main feed.

Grid View

Click the grid icon in the top right corner to activate grid view. 

For Directors 

Pinning Behind-the-Camera Participants

Pinning within OpenReel allows your team control over who the Subject/s can see and hear from your behind-the-camera crew, including Directors, Collaborators, and Watchers. This functionality is designed to limit potential distractions to the Subject while allowing the necessary crew to be in the Session and still communicate with fellow crew members. 

The Director(s) of the Session can unpin any Collaborator or Watcher so they are not visible or audible to the Subject/s in the Session. Collaborators also have the option to unpin any other Collaborator or Watcher but not the Director(s), who will always be pinned. Watchers do not have the permission to unpin any Director or Collaborators. 

A blue pin means the Collaborator or Watcher is pinned (visible and audible to everyone in the room).

A white pin means they are unpinned (only visible and audible to fellow crew members).

Pinning Subjects

Pinning on the Subject side also allows the crew to choose which Subject appears in the main Subject window for their unique view of the session.

Directors, Collaborators, and Watchers all have the option to view whichever Subject they would like to in the main preview window. To do so, they will click the white pin under the Subject they would like to see, and that Subject will move to the main subject window.  

Grid View

Directors and behind-the-camera participants can also view all of the Subjects in Grid view. Click the grid icon at the top of the page. 

Then the view will switch from the standard pinned view to grid view. 

In grid view, the panel showing behind-the-camera participants is hidden on the right. To expand the behind-the-camera panel, click the sideways arrow. You can hide the Participants panel by clicking on the sideways arrow again.

To switch back to the standard pinned view, click the single-view icon.