{"id":54554,"date":"2015-04-09T09:00:50","date_gmt":"2015-04-09T14:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=54554"},"modified":"2015-04-09T14:47:46","modified_gmt":"2015-04-09T19:47:46","slug":"nab-2015-parties-and-more-navigating-the-show-like-a-boss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/nab-2015-parties-and-more-navigating-the-show-like-a-boss\/","title":{"rendered":"NAB 2015 Parties and More: Navigating the Show Like a Boss"},"content":{"rendered":"

Parties, presentations and booths galore \u2013 cut through all the noise with our quick guide for getting the most out of the 2015 NAB Show.<\/h2>\n

So, you’re\u00a0heading to Las Vegas (with 100,000 other media professionals from around the world) to attend one of the biggest conventions in the world \u2013 the National Association of Broadcasters Show<\/strong><\/a>. With over 3 million square feet of hardware, software and service exhibitors, NAB Show is a whirlwind four-day event.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to get lost in the chaos. As a veteran attendee, I\u2019ll share a few tips for making the most of your NAB Show<\/strong> experience.<\/p>\n

Getting Around Vegas<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Uber<\/a> lovers will be disappointed to know that the service is currently prohibited in Nevada<\/a>. Instead, taxis are the main mode of transportation<\/strong> between the airport and the LV Strip. Be prepared for a wait at the airport in a taxi line (and any other time you need to take a cab in LV). At the airport, and on the strip, taxis are only allowed to pickup from taxi stands, creating atrociously long waits.<\/p>\n

The strip itself is walkable to NAB, especially if you are staying on the north end near the LV Convention Center<\/strong><\/a>. Otherwise, there is both a shuttle<\/a> that runs up and down the strip and a monorail<\/a>\u00a0that runs along the east side of the strip (behind the hotels). It drops off directly at the Convention Center, making it the transportation of choice for many conference goers.\u00a0Here are the monorail stops:<\/p>\n

\"NAB<\/p>\n

At the NAB Show<\/h3>\n

The Las Vegas Convention Center is one of the biggest in the world and navigating it can be intimidating. Most of the conference action happens in the three main halls<\/strong>, each representing a different segment of the broadcast industry.<\/p>\n

Plan out your visit! There\u2019s an Interactive Show Planner available online<\/a>, as well as a mobile app<\/a>, to keep you organized. Both resources allow you to search for specific exhibitors, schedule events and meetings and provide a layout of the show floor<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Try to knock out each hall (or a portion of each hall) each day. Otherwise, a scattered approach will leave you running between halls all week, feeling exhausted and overwhelmed.<\/p>\n

\"NAB<\/a><\/p>\n

North Hall<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The North Hall is filled with products geared\u00a0toward large scale, professional broadcast environments<\/strong>\u00a0(cable distribution, satellite broadcast, etc). It’s expensive, highly technical\u00a0gear – likely not relevant to the majority of the filmmaker and video production readers of this blog. It’s worth\u00a0a quick dash through the hall, but you likely won’t spend a lot of time here.<\/p>\n

Central Hall<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Gearheads flock to the Central Hall to see booths by the giants of film and video production<\/strong>: Sony, Canon, Nikon, JVC and ARRI. You\u2019ll also find loads of support gear (cranes, tripods, dollies), as well as lighting equipment. The back of the Central Hall is geared toward audiophiles and radio broadcasters.<\/p>\n

Be sure to stop by Shutterstock<\/a> in the Central Hall (C1727<\/a>). They\u2019ll be hosting workshops at their\u00a0booth throughout the show, as well as giving out cool prizes, like a DJI Phantom<\/a> and GoPro camera!<\/p>\n

South Hall<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The Lower South Hall caters to post-production, video editing, and display systems<\/strong>, with booths from\u00a0some of the biggest companies in this space: Blackmagic Design, Grass Valley, Autodesk and Adobe. You\u2019ll also find some camera equipment here, but not nearly as much as the Central Hall. Additionally, there\u2019s a Plug-In Pavilion with booths from some of the smaller startups in motion design and After Effects templates<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Upper South\u00a0Hall (upstairs) is primarily represented by online video and distribution companies<\/strong>. It\u2019s usually much less crowded and is a great spot to hideout and catch your breath.<\/p>\n

Note: The free wireless Internet\u00a0connection<\/strong> at the Convention Center is historically terrible. There is an option to pay for an upgraded wireless connection but in the past even this has been spotty and unreliable. Try to use your\u00a0phone as a mobile hot spot, but good luck! We’ve never had much success\u00a0with the Internet at NAB!<\/em><\/p>\n

Training & Workshops<\/h3>\n

\"NAB<\/em>
\nImage from NABShow<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

If you’re looking to up your video skills while at NAB, there are several prime\u00a0opportunities.<\/p>\n

Future Media Concepts<\/a> will once again be hosting the info-filled Post|Production World<\/a><\/strong>, five days of workshops and training by industry pros. You can pick and choose workshops based on topic<\/a> or go through a certification course on your video editing app of choice (Avid Media Composer, Final Cut Pro X, Premiere Pro, After Effects).<\/p>\n

Over the last few years I’ve attended\u00a0quite a few\u00a0Future Media Concepts workshops and it’s always been worthwhile. They handpick\u00a0leaders in the post-production industry to lead the workshops. This year’s presenters include well-known video editors, motion designers and colorists:\u00a0Eran Stern<\/a>, Ashley Kennedy<\/a>, Jeff Greenberg<\/a>, Kanen Flowers<\/a>, Jem Schofield<\/a>, Robbie Carman<\/a>, Scott Simmons<\/a>, and Patrick Inhofer<\/a>, among many others.<\/p>\n

Note: The cost\u00a0for\u00a0Post|Production World is additional. Head over to that page on the NAB site<\/a> for details on pricing.<\/em><\/p>\n

If you’re looking for FREE training and workshops, there are also several good options:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Post|Production World has an extension this year in the Upper South Hall called Post|Production Campus<\/a>. The ‘campus’ will have ongoing free 30-minute sessions on video editing and motion design throughout the duration of the show. Full schedule here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Shutterstock<\/a><\/strong> will be hosting a series of free sessions at their booth (C1727<\/a>) on the show floor. From the list below, it looks like a lot\u00a0of good topics to up your video and motion graphics game:<\/p>\n

\"NAB<\/p>\n

Similarly, Vimeo\u00a0is hosting four daytime sessions at the Wynn (near the Convention Center). You’ll have to jump over to the VimeoStudio page <\/a><\/strong>to RSVP for any of the Vimeo\u00a0sessions\u00a0you’d like to attend. Topics include:<\/p>\n