The NAB Show returns April 22-27, 2017 in Las Vegas. The largest professional broadcast, video production, and post-production show always has plenty to offer. Here is a look at the most promising presentations, speakers, and must-attend events.
There is a ton to see and do and the NAB Show, so pre-planning is crucial. There is a wide variety of exhibitions, so be sure to find out which part of the Convention Center you want to walk around first.
If you are a gear head, the Central Hall is the place to be. For all things related to acquisition and production, the Central Hall is home to cameras, lenses, lighting, audio equipment, motion picture and film production, audio recording, and much more. It is also home to the Aerial Robotics and Drone Pavilion. (You can find Shutterstock at C3327. Come say hi!)
For all things related to post-production, you’ll want to check out the South Lower Hall. There you will find everything on VFX, animation, editing, motion graphics, subtitling, and more. The South Lower Hall is also home to the display systems, showcasing the latest in televisions and computer monitors.
In the North Hall, you will find the latest in radio, media management, and server systems. That includes digital asset management, content protection, metadata software, radio advertising, and radio master controls. The North Hall will also be housing the Virtual and Augmented Reality Pavilion, so go try on a VR headset and see why this pavilion was the talk of NAB last year.
The South Upper Hall is home to distribution, delivery, and online video. You will find equipment for analytics, advertising, encoding, video on demand, and mobile distribution. If actual mobile media (vehicles, not smartphones) is your passion, the LVCC Orange Lot will have plenty of the latest satellite uplink trucks, broadcast trucks, mobile production studios, and power generators.
Sessions and Presentations
There are far to many sessions to list out individually, but to find the best NAB sessions in your field, visit the Session page on the NAB Map You Show site. Here are some of the more standout sessions.
Next Generation Cinema: How You Package It — IMF Case Study — Master, Myth, and Mystery
Details: Sunday April 23 | 12:55 – 1:40 PM | S222-S223 | Conference Flex Pass or Session Pass required
Technology executives from the likes of Marvel Studios and Pixar Animation Studios talk about the Interoperable Master Format. They will discuss the current use of IMF in productions and the results of recent tests to make the spec and industry standard format.
Ghost in the Shell: Creating a Parallel Cyber Future
Details: Monday April 24 | 1:00 – 2:00 PM | S220 | Conference Flex Pass or Session Pass required
Visual Effects Designer John Dykstra and Director of Photography Jess Hall discuss the unique tools and systems designed to capture the upcoming major feature Ghost in the Shell, starring Scarlett Johansson. Based on the Japanese entertainment sensation, the 2017 live-action film uses an original anime-inspired 28-color palette, custom LED lights, a video-photogrammetry rig build for 3D video inserts, and a DCI-P3 workflow from camera to color finishing and deliverables.
After attending the session, you’ll certainly want to play around with glitch effects and digital distortion. There’s no better way to do so than by recreating the Ghost in the Shell titles yourself.
Next Generation Image Making — Taking Content Creation to New Places
Details: Tuesday April 25 | 10:30 – 11:30 AM | N249-N251 | Conference Flex Pass or Session Pass required
Leaders from Lytro (the leaders in light field capture), Adobe Research, and Holographic Imaging at Microsoft talk about volumetric capture, real-time rendering, and the blurring lines between live action and CG imaging.
The Intriguing Tale of Amazon Prime Video’s “The Man in the High Castle”
Details: Tuesday April 25 | 2:15 – 3:15 PM | S222-S223 | Conference Flex Pass or Session Pass required
Executive Producer Daniel Percival and cast member Joel de la Fuente will talk about Amazon’s most-watched original series, The Man in the High Castle, and how it changed OTT content and the television landscape.Video Platforms of the Future
Details: Tuesday April 25 | 4:15 – 5:00 PM | N249-N251 | Conference Flex Pass or Session Pass required
A panel discussion composed of executives from Mashable, Roku, Sony Interactive Entertainment, and Bleacher Report will discuss the growing landscape of social media, OTT, and SVOD services.
Lessons from the Front Lines
Details: Tuesday April 25 | 4:35 – 5:15 PM | N262-N264 | Conference Flex Pass or Session Pass required
A panel composed of executives from Netflix, Amazon Studios, and Equinix to discuss the use of cloud storage to lower costs and increase customer satisfaction.
Reaching for the Stars: Connecting to the Future with NASA and Hollywood
Details: Wednesday April 26 | 10:30 – 11:30 AM | N249-N251 | Conference Flex Pass or Session Pass required
NASA astronauts, filmmakers, and tech leaders make up the panel discussing the advanced video and cloud workflows used for deep space research, as well as the creation of the foundation for space commerce.
The Force Returns: “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”
Details: Wednesday April 26 | 2:00 – 3:00 PM | S222-S223 | Conference Flex Pass or Session Pass required
Industrial Light & Magic‘s chief creative officer, John Knoll, discusses the visual effects behind Rogue One. Hear in-depth details on the film’s more than 1,700 VFX shots — like new starships, weapons, space battles, and digitally recreated characters. (Spoiler Alert: Grand Moff Tarkin and Princess Leia.) The session will also cover the original sounds designed at Skywalker Sound, ILM’s Flux software, and new production pipeline innovations.
Post-Production World
If you’re headed to NAB for an education on all things related to post-production, there are over 200 classes available from top experts in the industry. You can learn motion graphics from Joey Korenman and Eran Stern, color grading from Patrick Inhofer and Robbie Carman, audio editing from Cheryl Ottenritter, and video editing from tons of professional editors.
For a full list of Post Production World classes, check the schedule here.
Are you attending NAB? Be sure to come by the Shutterstock booth to say hello and grab some free swag!