“Once again, NAB Show is the premier destination for content creators, producers and distributors exploring the evolving world of media, entertainment and technology,” said NAB Executive Vice President of Communications Dennis Wharton.
The best laid plans become a cruel joke when the abstract becomes real life. From the second I stepped foot in the immense Las Vegas Convention Center for NAB 2017 the amount of opportunities, tech toys and vast variety of broadcasting applications was overwhelming.
Lets put it this way, in a building filled with over 100,000 broadcasters, journalists, producers, editors, camera operators, etc literally filming non-stop the entire conference no one could capture all the activities at the world’s largest annual convention encompassing the convergence of media, entertainment and technology. The exhibition featured over 1800 companies spanning over one million square feet of exhibit space!
TIP: Be very specific on the exhibits you are interested in seeing and group them by location and day you would like to see them. Walking back and forth is a waste of time and energy.
In the two days of being at NAB my step counter recorded 7 miles of walking on the first day and over 11 miles on the second. Many times I would explore a company at NAB just because the carpet was softer, the seats looked comfy or they had water or juice available.
My best advice is to be very specific on the exhibits you are interested in seeing and group them by location so you do not spend a lot of your time and energy walking around. Another helpful hint is to plan your days according to the activities you want to do mentally and physically, on days with less walking it would probably be beneficial to get information to focus on the specs, details and information you need about certain products and services as you will have more time and energy to mentally be prepared to ask all the right questions instead of worrying about your feet.
On days with more walking, test drive equipment, this is more typical of a work day when you would actually use the equipment. I remember in college we would have to pick our classes for the next quarter the week before finals week when you are fired up about getting focused while the beginning of the next quarter an 8am class may not seem as fun. You want to taper your expectations from an air-conditioned day chatting about tech with a customer service rep vs that hot humid day out in the field when you will actually be carrying that fancy new 4K behemoth on your shoulder. Days with less walking should include more snacks to keep your energy up mentally and days with more walking should be as you generally work in the field or office, if you have snacks go for it, but if you don’t i’d stay away from them to get a closer experience to how you will use the equipment in real life.
The most important aspect of your day is location, location, location… be sure you scale the floor plan to how much you will actually walk when deciding on an information or test drive day, if the best route includes both, then be sure to schedule meetings early on and check out equipment later in the day.
Every company with a booth has the same goal when you arrive at NAB, attack your senses with as much stimulation as possible to get you moving like a moth towards the light. Once you arrive at the glow of an LCD, the many knobs of a sound mixer bumping jazz versions of 90s pop hits or a camera rigged with all the fancy bells and whistles it becomes very apparent how little you understand about the industry.
TIP: Get familiar with a company, product, or service before attending the show so you can ask the right questions.
Speaking with marketing and sales reps at the event is a good way to get yourself confused on what is necessary to be up to date without going overboard on new products and services. It feels a bit like iRobot where you have to ask the right question to get the right answer and often times the right answer is not available especially if it is a specific tech question because most of the people representing the companies are not the engineers and designers behind the ideas and innovations. Broadcasting includes a ton of fields and it is difficult to decide what is most important for you. This is where some pre-production prep comes in handy before an event like NAB. Break it down to the simple six questions of journalism: who, what, where, when, why and how. Start with what do I need, what do I want, what would be interesting to explore and what should I avoid. The process of figuring out those questions takes research as it will be very specific to your needs. Once you have a base idea of the products and services you are looking for the first question is who manufactures the products or services? The important parts of this question are deciding if the company is reliable based on reputation and customer service outside of the convention. A salesmen is your best friend until you have an issue with his product, then it can be quite a hassle getting issues resolved. Check out user reviews to gain insight on any bugs, recalls and how a product works in the field as well as how the company treats its customers. The next question which is in my opinion the most important is, what is the product functionality? This takes the most research as you have to consider individual product specs including facts and figures, what does it do exactly and even more important what does it do for you exactly as well as how well does it work given your needs (will it be underwater, extreme heat, etc). Another important consideration is where does this fit into my workflow? does it increase or decrease the complexity of my current procedures (generally it will increase, done correctly it can and you should strive for it to decrease) as well as is this a new workflow design or update to an existing one. Throughout the process always remember why do I need this? Is it flashy or functional, make sure you are keeping a cost-benefit analysis in your head on whether a product or service is worth your time. A cost-benefit analysis is even more important when you consider when is the correct timeline to implement new tools and tech. Don’t forget that technology at NAB is already created so it is available when YOU not the manufacturer is ready and waiting may decrease costs to make a new product or service feasible when you always shape your buying decision on cost-benefit analysis. Finally and this may relate to the where question, but how will this effect my workflow is the most important consideration of all. Is this a new tool or abilities with existing equipment, work around for current procedures and how all of this will effect past, current and future media management.
TIP: Don’t get distracted with flash, focus instead on functionality
Avoid marketing reps selling you a product based on bells, whistles, flash and bang because that is a very quick way to spend a lot of money with little to no results. Doing research before and after the show will help you avoid this issue, but remember your two favorite questions will be why is this important and how will it effect my workflow. Keeping that in mind will give you a much better overall experience, less anxiety and less opportunity for buyers remorse as you continue on your journey in media, entertainment and technology.
TIP: Ask the obvious questions. Don’t avoid a product or service if it seems unfamiliar or you are unsure what it does. NAB is an opportunity to educate yourself on the latest products, services, and trends.
No one expects you to be an expert in every field, the worst mistake you can make is being too afraid to ask the obvious questions when you see something new and unfamiliar. We avoid the idea of asking “obvious” questions so we do not seem ignorant, but avoiding those questions increases ignorance. You are highly encouraged to use this opportunity to educate ourselves and learn more about the countless possibilities available in this amazing field of broadcasting. Curiosity is always a rewarding endeavor, don’t ever feel ashamed to pursue it.
TIP: Don’t worry, be happy.
NAB is an amazing experience and opportunity to learn and grow in a field you have passion for. Don’t forget to smile and enjoy your stay in Sin City as you explore The MET Effect. See you next year!
