Speaker Rider

A rider is a term used by performers and production teams for a document listing demands and requests for their performance. Famously, the band Van Halen would include a clause in their rider requesting a bowl of M&M’s with the brown dragées removed as a way to check that the document had been comprehensively read.

This is my rider for speaking at events, such as conferences and meetups. It is a reasonable set of expectations that, for the most part, is expected by any speaker – not just myself.

Plenty of speakers have riders, including Matthias Ott, Cassidy Williams, Maurice Cherry, Hazel Weakly Remy Sharp, æva black, Nicholas S Selby, and Greg Wilson. My rider is partially derived from theirs.

Expectations & Culture

Your event must have a public code of conduct. It should define what is acceptable and what isn’t, as well as how violations of the code will be enforced. It should be explicit and mustn’t be buried away somewhere. This is absolutely critical, and lacking one is a deal breaker for me.

The venue must be accessible to people who make use of mobility aids. It is basic human decency not to exclude people because of a disability when alternative arrangements can be made or a solution for their access can be found. I take digital accessibility extremely seriously in my work, and I’m not willing to compromise on it. Masks should also be accepted and provided, with details on what ill attendees should do.

I expect a reasonable degree of diversity of speakers at any event. Many conferences (especially tech ones) tend to be dominated by able-bodied, white, cisgender men of high socio-economic status from the same collection of countries. Such a lineup is not representative of the wide variety of viewpoints and experiences that should be represented at an event. I don’t want a token minority to tick a box; I want a varied speaker lineup. Diversity makes communities strong.

Time limits for talks must be enforced. I will honour them, and it is unfair for someone else’s talk to creep over and into somebody else’s time. It inconveniences the person whose slot is being disrupted, and it throws off the whole day’s schedule.

When attending events, I like to make the absolute most of the experience. I wish to be able to feel the vibe of the event, engage in hallway conversations, and meet lots of folks. Some of the greatest value from an event comes not from a speaker’s talk directly, but from everything surrounding the talk. I expect a free, full pass not just for the day I’m speaking but for all days of the event.

Promotion such as social media posts about my talk is welcome, and I’ll promote my talk through my own means too; however, I do not consent to any AI alterations of my image, my presentation, or AI-generated copy beside my presentation. I prefer if AI-generated slides and content are banned event-wide, too. What is the point of having a human give a talk if their content or material is going to be AI generated? It is disrespectful to the audience and disrespectful to speakers who go through the effort to diligently create their work.

Logistics

Creating a talk is an extraordinarily time-consuming process. It takes countless hours to research a topic, ensure complete understanding, create slides and demos if needed, tweak them, practise, refine, practise more, tweak more, and work to get it as good as it can be. In addition to that is time travelling to the event and attending it. Given the immense time commitment required to deliver a high-quality presentation, I require a speaker fee for for-profit events.

If significant travel is required for me to speak, then I’ll require compensation or coverage for that travel. I’m content flying economy. I’ll also need some coverage for my lodging. Even if paid for presenting, which I also expect, a talk cannot be a net financial negative for me once lodging and travel are factored in.

As the considerations and details are all so variable, I handle them on a case-by-case basis. Should an event be cancelled, then I expect reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses already incurred.

Technical Requirements

My bespoke presentation software is browser-based and thus system and device agnostic. Ideally I will present from my own computer, though I am conducive to using a provided alternative device if necessary. An internet connection is optimal – preferably Ethernet, though WiFi is often acceptable. The web is my focus, so being able to access it is important. I will need to know by what methods I will be connecting to the venue’s systems (DisplayPort, HDMI, USB-C, etc).

My slides are as much part of my voice and presentation when speaking as the diction I choose and stage presence I hold. I’m content to make minor alterations but am unwilling to reformat my slides into a template or to force a specific style.

I prefer a headset or lavalier/lapel microphone to a fixed microphone or handheld option. I find it important to gesture with my hands or point as necessary. With a clicker and a handheld microphone, one is very limited in dexterity, which is especially an issue if giving a demo which requires cursor manipulation or typing on a keyboard.

I will need to know what type of display my slides will be presented on. This is in large part due to talking about colour and contrast in some situations and some displays, such as projectors, making this difficult. A brief AV test at some point prior to my talk is important for ensuring everything goes smoothly.

If my talk is to be recorded, I wish to know ahead of time. I also wish to know where it will be published. I’m generally happy to have my work recorded; I just like to be aware. Any recording or publication of a talk I give should not be censored in any way. I retain ownership of my slides and content, providing it under a non-exclusive licensee. I prefer any recording to be freely accessible, though am happy to negotiate if needed.

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Are you happy with the above and interested in having me speak? Brilliant. Confirm you’ve read this rider and send me a message with information about the event. If you’re located outside of Australia, I’ll need an official letter of invitation.