Why does the TribuCast® team avoid referring to what we do as a “funeral livestreaming” or “a funeral webcast”? We usually sum it up in one simple sentence: Cameras on caskets without context is creepy – and makes people uncomfortable.
The team at TribuCast® knew early on that we needed to distinguish ourselves from companies that simply livestream funeral and memorial services. And so TribuCast® set out to offer families much more than simply a camera on a casket: We developed context portals through which loved ones can add personal (and personalized) content about the deceased. These context portals frame the viewing experience both literally and figuratively, providing a life-affirming window into the deceased that counterbalances the solemnity (and potential creepiness) of the livestreamed funeral.
Our experience is that families love the TribuCast® context portals – as do viewers. And not just because they eliminate the creepy factor too often associated with funeral webcasting.
Here’s why: The portals provide a way for families to make their memories of their loved one come alive again. They post photographs of their loved one doing what inspired them most – playing a sport, vacationing, celebrating a milestone, gardening, biking or simply smiling at a grandchild.
But the possibilities don’t end with action pictures. Families that use TribuCast® have posted favorite poems, special scripture readings, artwork, commendation letters, military medals, genealogical records – and so much more. TribuCast® context portals become a way for families to reconstruct the most important elements of their loved one’s lives and to convey a full and rich sense of the person they loved – all before the camera is ever turned on and long after it has been turned off.
Remote viewers love the portals as well. Prior to the funeral livestream, most viewers will spend time browsing them, remembering the person they cared about – and likely learning something new, as well. Some viewers have likened the portals to a memorial in and of themselves, where the focus is more on the life lived – a powerful complement to the funeral itself, which highlights the life lost and mourned.
The team at TribuCast® is very proud of our context portals, which are unique to our product. It’s just one of the many ways we distinguish ourselves from the competition, along with high level customer service, personalization and privacy. It’s also the reason why we call our product a “Remote Attendance System™” A TribuCast® is so much more than just a funeral webcast. It’s a way to participate more fully in the project of mourning, which includes not only watching a funeral procession or listening to a eulogy, but also recognizing and celebrating the life that was lost.