Shindig is a virtual event platform for online video chat events. Its unique technology offers the dynamics of an in-person event at Internet scale. Shindig enables hosts to deliver a video conference, lecture, seminar, interview or media event in front of an online audience of thousands. Hosts can share the stage for face-to-face interactions with audience members before the entire gathering, or sidebar with participants privately. Unlike other video conference or webinar meeting technologies,audience members themselves are also able to network, converse, and socialize with one another in their own self-initiated private video chats, just as naturally as they would at in person events.