Professional skills to honour your loved ones
My name is Richard M Torres, and I am a skilled camera operator and filmmaker with a wealth of experience, spanning more than 25 years in both Aotearoa/New Zealand and the United States. Throughout my career, I have worked with television networks such as TVNZ, TV3, and Māori Television, showcasing exceptional talent and dedication to my craft. In addition to my work in the television industry, I akso bring my expertise to the funeral industry as an Independent Livestream Funeral Specialist.
Why I Livestream Funerals
I started professionally livestreaming in 2015. I was fascinated with the whole phenomenon and wanted to understand its mechanics: how it worked, how it could be improved, and most importantly – how to fix it when problems arose. Coupled with my PROFESSIONAL BROADCASTING background, I can confidently say that I have a good idea how things should look and sound when presented to an audience
When my wife passed away in 2018, I made the decision to livestream her funeral (yes, I am too young to be a widower!). Lisa had friends and family all over the world who weren’t able to attend. At first, the idea of livestreaming her service came across as a bit unnecessary for some members of her family. But the feedback we received afterwards was unanimously positive – especially from those who loved and adored Lisa, but were unable to travel to Aotearoa/New Zealand for her service. The livestream of Lisa’s funeral has remained as the starting point for the quality & professionalism I demand upon myself.
“Every funeral I livestream has to be as good as hers … if not better.”
Professionally Filmed & Edited Funerals on Professional Gear
There is no replacing a Professional Broadcaster with high-end cameras, cables, and sound equipment.
I have invested heavily in professional 4k and 6K cameras, lenses, gimbals, microphones, livestream units, and video mixers. This is to get the optimal quality when I am filming and livestreaming.
My modems are incredibly robust and industry recognised. They are particularly important for tricky places where there is no internet connection and/or poor cellular coverage.
Most churches I livestream at either don’t have a internet connection or are on regular broadband - which isn’t good enough when it comes to broadcasting a funeral service.
Livestream to YouTube via Facebook or to a Funeral Home’s Livestream Channel
Most of the funerals Livestreamed are broadcasted on YouTube, a widely recognised platform that a vast majority of individuals are familiar with. Following coordination with the family or funeral director, the livestream event is scheduled on Facebook and YouTube, with a shareable link provided to facilitate viewing by family and friends who are unable to attend in person.
Should login credentials be furnished, the Livestream can be directed to a family member's Facebook profile or the funeral home's page.
Alternatively, upon request, it can be streamed to a private YouTube Channel - or both platforms, recognising that not all viewers may have a Facebook account but could access the service via YouTube. Given adequate bandwidth at the venue, simultaneous Livestreaming to both platforms is also a viable option.