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Apple out of NAB… What say you, Ron?
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[Christopher Wright] “I can definitely say that the experience of attending NAB and the experience of “manning” a booth are quite different indeed!”
I have done both. I find that both are actually quite a burn-out. Even when I would go to NAB just to wander the floors and check out what was there, I’d get home fried to a crisp and need days to recover. Staying up all hours and then driving oneself hard is not a way to spend a week. Especially while throwing a fairly large wad of cash at the situation.
One of the biggest and rarely considered costs of NAB is that it takes you away from your business for a week and then you usually have a few days to a week to ramp back up to normal.
All in all, NAB is not really geared for answering technical questions. An example would be Walter’s recent problem with his CD/DVD record/printer. Sure you could check out the various units but I highly doubt that they’d give you the chance to really use one on the floor to the point that you would uncover some of the issues that he ran into in his own experience.
On the other hand, most VARs and dealers that I know take these kinds of issues very seriously and will pound on their manufacturers for solutions or they will drop the line.
For me, I use well known and trusted VARs and they tell me pretty straight which products are bull and which ones are real. Sure, they have their prejudices but in the end I nearly always get a real solution.
And this year I’ll save an extra week (as well as the few ‘ramp back up’ follow-up days) and a lot of money that I can put towards it all…
Best regards,
Ron Lindeboom
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronlindeboom
Publisher, Creative COW Magazine
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[Ron Lindeboom] “[Christopher Wright] “I can definitely say that the experience of attending NAB and the experience of “manning” a booth are quite different indeed!”
I have done both. I find that both are actually quite a burn-out.
There was a time when NAB was the only place to see everything important in one place. There was no internet, and there were no local dealers who carried enough of this stuff.
Both of those are simply not true anymore. Tradeshows don’t show what’s important, or what actually works outside a demo — they demo new features, period. It’s artificial and anti-informative.
I came to those opinions as a visitor. I became an exhibitor hoping to change that. Unfortunately, as a big tradeshow, the force of gravity is away from information and toward spectacle there more than anywhere else.
So my perspective is less one burnout than frustration. Tradeshows are a massive effort to provide the OPPOSITE of real-world information. This is why I left corporate life screaming, and came back to Bessie’s warm embrace. THIS is where you get real information, NOT tradeshows.
“All in all, NAB is not really geared for answering technical questions.”
The product managers you really want to speak to at NAB spend more time in meetings than they do in the booth.
However, they’re here in the Cow, and very quick to answer questions. This not only applies to software, but to hardware, including cameras, as well.
But the most important technical questions — will this work for ME — can’t possibly be answered at a show. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you how few configurations and use cases most companies encounter…although if you think about it, you’ll see why.
If you want to know if it works in PRACTICE, the Cow is the place. Any configuration questions you have that you can’t get answered here, will get answered by a dealer, not at a tradeshow.
Even if the spirit is willing, the opportunity is weak.
Last word about opportunity. One very high profile Cow leader intentionally skips the show for one reason: he harvests new clients at a shocking rate. Clients come to him because their “regular” guy is at the show. They become THIS guy’s regular clients now.
We suggest you skip NAB because we want you to get good information.
We suggest you skip NAB because we want you to get real-world information.
We suggest you skip NAB because we here at the Cow are committed to helping you make the most money possible.
We suggest you skip it because we love you. 🙂
tw
Tim Wilson, Creative Cow
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There was a time when NAB was the only place to see everything important in one place…. and there were no local dealers who carried enough of this stuff.
Again there is still no substitute for NAB when shopping for lighting kits, tripods, wireless mics, HD monitors and even cameras all in one place. There are certain products you have to see and feel, tripods you have to actually try out with a camera mounted on them, dolly systems actually laid out to try, etc. For those of you who live in large markets, you can always spend your time at say B&H, or any other similar company which MIGHT have everything out and on display to do some real apples to apples comparisons, or driving to any of these companies separately and maybe getting a decent hands-on of an HD camera, but not be able to see a RED camera, Panasonic camera, Sony camera, Canon camera, Genesis camera, lens selections etc. all in the same afternoon. This especially goes for lighting kits and microphones. Reading specs online is one thing, actually seeing a unit and holding in your hand is another.
Again if you are talking editing and compositing software, you are correct in saying all you will get is the standard polished demo, thus the exodus by Apple and Avid actually makes me happy. A personal face to face is always better in these situations.
However, I have always enjoyed the demos that Adobe puts on for After FX and Flash, and as long as I have used these programs, I still always learn something new in the more advanced sessions they offer at the show.
Not only does “my local market” not have ANY dealers for ANY cameras or systems, pretty much the whole state has no certified Autodesk, Sony, Avid, ARRI etc., etc. dealer or representative of any kind! The closest places to visit VARS are Dallas, Denver, or Phoenix. Roadshows rarely if ever even stop in Albuquerque, and Vegas is only a quick, cheap flight (or drive)from here.
Also the Cow is really best at finding problems in software and hardware that even the manufacturers and coders don’t know about. In essence we are the “ultimate beta testers” of any product used in production and post. You only get that information from actually using a product day in and day out. These are “after the sale” discoveries. You will never find out about those issues even if you do have a special session with just the manufacturer or software company. They will always gloss over any problems in order to sell you anyway.
I have never come back from NAB feeling “wasted” and needing “a few days or weeks to recover.” I actually come back feeling energized and refreshed! Many of my friends use it as a break from the routine, and get a good luxury suite, see a few shows, and actually enjoy the nightlife and some very good gourmet restaurants while they are there. You don’t have to spend every waking moment on the NAB show floor.
As far as “missing production time” or someone “stealing my clients” if I am going to be out of town for 4 days, I say your business must be in very bad straights, you have very flaky clients, and/or you need to get a life and reset your priorities!
I can say that I completely agree that I would never want to see NAB or Las Vegas again if I was stuck in a booth or having to “work clients” all day, every day ad nauseum, not to mention having to pay out the nose for the priviledge. I have done road shows and home shows in a past life and would never wish that fate on my worst enemy.
And of course the highlight of NAB is sharing a stiff martini with Bob Zelin at the Hard Rock.
So NAB 2008 anyone??
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Chris,
I never said nor implied that I am afraid to “miss production time” or that I couldn’t afford to take a break from time to time. And Tim Wilson never said that every business is in danger of getting their clients swiped by a competitor in a few days if they take off. (But for some, they do lose customers and I have seen it happen.)
What I did say was that, for some — your mileage may vary — NAB eats up a week that can be more valuably spent on something else. If you are going to go and then spend little time at NAB but instead hit floorshows and restaurants and other activities as you say, then I think that shows that the real value of NAB is not really in NAB but the “excuse of NAB.”
If you have the money to go to gourmet restaurants, floorshows and take so much time off from NAB, then (for me anyway) I can think of a lot better places to spend a week and the money than in Las Vegas — arguably the most plastic city in the world.
But again, that’s just my opinion.
Best regards,
Ron Lindeboom
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronlindeboom
Publisher, Creative COW Magazine
Join the COW’s LinkedIn Group
Now in the COW Magazine: Commercials. A look at the history, strategy, techniques and production workflows of successful commercials. All brought to you by some of the COW’s brightest members. Accept no substitutes!Would you like to be in Creative COW Magazine with your story or contribution? Contact me.
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Certainly all worthy arguments…
There are certainly other ways to market and these two companies are exploring them…
It will be interesting to see how the competitors who stay in will fare as well in the coming period. Grass Valley has been taking seats away from Avid in the fast-turnaround news editing space nearly or equally as fast as FCP, and they will, of course, be there.
Apple’s customer base…as much as the “fan boy” and “cult” remarks are used a bit too often…is based to some degree on association. I think FCP has more user groups than any software I’ve seen. mac users enjoy each other’s company and I think that this has been a big factor in solidifying Apple’s customer culture. I wonder if that will be maintainable with more ‘distant’, ‘individual’ approaches (the web, etc…)
Adobe is making progress in areas that many ‘NLE war’ aficionados aren’t watching. Broadcast servers are starting to move into Flash format playout files…and even in the NLE space, Adobe has the upper hand in app integration at the moment, and they aren’t sleeping. Walter Biscardi mentioned that he fears that there is no intensely anticipated improvement in ‘Color’s’ implementation in FCS…the guys at RED will have to show us whether there is some new workflow items there… I think Apple may generate more sales when it announces these types of advancements at tradeshows than they are willing to admit. Goodness knows I spend inordinate amounts of my time talking to people about these various Apple happenings in the months after NAB…
I’ve worked NAB for the last 8 or 9 years and all I seem to do is have technical conversations with people and attempt (sometimes successfully) to solve their issues…I have to cut someone off to pee or eat a 15.00 hot dog (and those are two activities it serves one best to not get confused!). There is a lot of fluff at NAB…and every tradeshow. But in a world where I spend way too many days interacting on IM, email or web-based forums…I think talking to a person, in person still holds some weight.
Just how much weight will have to be determined during the next year I guess…
TimK,
Director, Consultant
Kolb Productions,Creative Cow Host,
Author/Trainer
http://www.focalpress.com
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[Tim Kolb] “mac users enjoy each other’s company”
I have been laughing about this line for a half hour. And it’s getting worse.
kind of like – “If no one else will have ya, there’s always your equally weird brother.”
Yes, I do belong to the Arizona FCP users group and it’s exactly like that. Actually, I’ll probably be kicked out tomorrow. Oh well, the Discreet group is still there for me.
Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
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[Steve Wargo] “I have been laughing about this line for a half hour. And it’s getting worse.
kind of like – “If no one else will have ya, there’s always your equally weird brother.””
Sorry Steve…hopefully you weren’t drinking milk when you read it…
I was trying to call it like i see it, but with constructive language…
🙂
TimK,
Director, Consultant
Kolb Productions,Creative Cow Host,
Author/Trainer
http://www.focalpress.com
http://www.classondemand.net -
[Tim Kolb] “Apple’s customer base…as much as the “fan boy” and “cult” remarks are used a bit too often…is based to some degree on association. I think FCP has more user groups than any software I’ve seen. mac users enjoy each other’s company and I think that this has been a big factor in solidifying Apple’s customer culture. I wonder if that will be maintainable with more ‘distant’, ‘individual’ approaches (the web, etc…)
“Well despite all this online drama about Apple pulling out of the Show floor, Apple will still be at NAB. I know several Apple folks who will be there the entire week. Apple is supporting our SuperMeet BIG TIME and will be there in force. https://www.lafcpug.org/nab_2008
I imagine Apple will be at other events or quite possibly hold some of their own. You simply just wont get that Big Booth in the South Hall to hang around. Not a deal killer for me.
I continue reading about all this disappointment about Apple pulling out of NAB. I read all this nonsense about how they could of really stuck it to Avid had they just stayed. Hey, let’s dress the Apple employees working the booths with “We’re Number One” T-shirts.
Look, NAB is expensive but only if you choose to make it expensive. Most of us with no money still go and we stay off the strip and Hotels there are cheap. Really cheap. Most have shuttles to the strip where you can get transportation to anywhere. You can do NAB comfortably cheap. You just have to choose to do it that way. It’s just REALLY expensive for those companies who want a booth.
And you dont need Avid or Apple on the show floor to make or break your NAB experience. They will be there in some sort of fashion. You just have to find them assuming you need to find them. You know where Apple will be. They will be at the SuperMeet April 16 for some good ol’ one on one face time. I don’t know where Avid will be but I’m betting they will be easy to find.
Michael Horton
lafcpug
https://www.lafcpug.org -
I have been to plenty of these kinds of things and usually after the event ends and the people break up to talk, the employees spend their time with people they already know. You can’t talk while the show is on. When it’s over, the cliques form and the important ones end up talking to each other. Those of us who are peons just stand there staring at each other.
Back when Charles ran the Promax event he was the only one I found that didn’t care who came up, he would talk to them. Thank you, Charles. We haven’t forgotten you.
One of the reasons I’m sorry that the COW won’t have a booth this year is that I could always stop by and talk with Walter Biscardi, Jerry Hoffmann, Ron and Kathlyn Lindboom, Aharon Rabinowitz and others.
Hunting down software company employees at a party isn’t exactly the best way to get questions answered. But good luck with your show, I am sure it will be the biggest one yet.Mark Nance
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[Mark Nance] ” Back when Charles ran the Promax event he was the only one I found that didn’t care who came up, he would talk to them. Thank you, Charles. We haven’t forgotten you.”
Amen to that.
[Mark Nance] ” One of the reasons I’m sorry that the COW won’t have a booth this year is that I could always stop by and talk with Walter Biscardi, Jerry Hoffmann, Ron and Kathlyn Lindboom, Aharon Rabinowitz and others.”
Well, we have finalized our plans and I will be there at the show. Definitely in the Artbeats booth for demonstrations using FCP and/or Color, doing a demonstration or two on Colorista and most likely spending a lot of time in the AJA Booth.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR
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