What to do at NAB

[Ralph Hajik]

Hi Rich,
What to do at NAB? Great question!
It’s time for a Pre-Plan. This is my 5th or 6th time at NAB but, who’s counting?

Where to stay? Try to find a hotel for cheap. I don’t believe in paying a lot for a room that I’m only there for a few hours. There’s a Mariott Hotel just across from the Las Vegas Convention Center if you wish to stay there, it’s going to cost you. I stay off the Las Vegas strip because the hotels are cheaper such as the Gold Coast Hotel. The price you save from the hotel you can rent a car. I have my brother drive in from California so we split the cost of the room. Try to hook up with others in your field of expertise and split the cost if you can. Wear comfotable clothes for a very long day. Plan your day and get ready to talk your way through the exhibits.
Decide how many days your going to attend NAB. I usually stay 2 days for NAB due to the reason that if I miss someone on the 1st day, I’ll definately see them on the second day. On the 3rd day is the day I fly back home because I have seen enough. I plan on purchasing royalty free music, see what’s new in the market, stop by Sony and Canon exhibits in order to get a good feel for a new purchase. I can’t wait to get my hands on the new Canon EOS 1D X. I have to stop by the B&H Photo booth to get good hands on experience. Also, spend some time talking to the reps at Sony and check out their demonstrations at different times throughout the day. Plus, see what is out there in the audio field and new light weight tri-pods for travel since I’m a travel photographer. I can’t forget to stop and see the Go Pro exhibit an see what’s new with them.
As I make my way around NAB, I always try to attend a party held by Sony or by Bob Zelin. Hey Bob, are you going to have a party this year? Remember, some party functions you have to register in advance.

It’s time to eat. I always break away from the strip since we have a car and eat at a restaurant far away. You know, getting away from the strip is a good feeling after you hustle all day long. If you ever get a chance, go to the downtown Las Vegas for the light show. You’ll enjoy it. If that’s not enough, the Gold Coast Hotel has $1.00 per game mid-night bowling. Get the pot coffee on.
I hope this helps you to decide on what to do at NAB.
Remember, what goes on in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
Enjoy and hope to see you at NAB.

Happy Travels,
Ralph Hajik
LastingMemoriesR4ever.com

LastingMemoriesR4ever.com

[Lance Bachelder]

If you check out NAB housing you’ll get the best deals – far better than booking direct or through any other site. If you don’t mind staying off strip I recommend the Eastside Cannery – on Boulder Strip next to Sam’s Town – very new place, beautiful Mirage-like rooms at like $39 nite and only 10-15 min. from NAB. Riviera is walking distance to NAB and they have remodeled rooms for $69 night at NAB site.

Monday night has quite a few events – the VASST Sony Vegas User Event is pretty fun – free food and drinks and some pretty good guest speakers. Haven’t heard if it’s on this year. Most of the vendors have get togethers for their clients all over town. Avid PArty used to be pretty god. Autodesk also used to have high-end party on Su. Night but neither has done anything lately.

Tuesday night is a big one. Supermeet always kinda fun, though long. If you can get a ticket, the AJA party the same night is AWESOME! Best party of the show and always at a great venue.

If you’re looking for an insane steak I recommend Del Frisco’s on Paradise Rd. Best beef I’ve ever had and now an NAB tradition for the wife and I. If you haven’t seen KA at MGM Grand it’s a great show – like seeing an epic movie “live”.

Lance Bachelder
Writer, Editor, Director
Irvine, California

[Rich Rubasch]

So how are tickets to these vendor shows acquired? I got a great deal on rooms at the Rio because MCAI is holding their Media Festival award show there and rooms were $89 a night with their group rate. Plus I got a free floor pass in the deal.

I’ve only attended one party…I did like the Morning general sessions and Bob Ueker is at the Radio session so that might be a must see….being from Wisconsin and all.

Any more?

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media Inc.
Video Production, Post, Studio Sound Stage
Founder/President/Editor/Designer/Animator
https://www.tiltmedia.com

[Rich Rubasch]

So how are tickets to these vendor parties acquired? I got a great deal on rooms at the Rio because MCAI is holding their Media Festival award show there and rooms were $89 a night with their group rate. Plus I got a free floor pass in the deal.

I’ve only attended one party…I did like the Morning general sessions and Bob Ueker is at the Radio session so that might be a must see….being from Wisconsin and all.

Any more?

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media Inc.
Video Production, Post, Studio Sound Stage
Founder/President/Editor/Designer/Animator
https://www.tiltmedia.com

[Lance Bachelder]

A lot of parties are announced to everyone and 1st come 1 served until registration is full. Many you have to be a customer of the vendor having the party. AJA party in designed for vendors first and users second so you usually have to know someone at a retailer or AJA to get in and it’s usually full BEFORE NAB.

Lance Bachelder
Writer, Editor, Director
Irvine, California

[Bob Zelin]

we will announce our party soon – but yes, it’s Moday night at the Hard Rock center bar.
Most hotels in Las Vegas are cheaper than any Best Western or LaQuinta anywhere in the US, so
if you say “can I afford to go” – if you can’t afford a hotel in Vegas, you can’t afford a hotel in your own
home town.

google search “free NAB 2012 exhibits pass” and you will find lots of free codes for registration.

If you don’t have a plan for NAB (what to see in advance) – you are screwed. You must plan.
If you are Post Production, the entire show is practically in the South Lower hall.

Bob Zelin

[Tim Wilson]

My annual slight disagreement with Bob re: which halls you need to see. 🙂

Many camera manufacturers are in the Central Hall. These include Sony and Panasonic (traditionally 2 of the biggest booths at the show), JVC, Canon (both of which have hot new offerings), and ARRI. (Red will be in the South Lower, though.)

Roughly one-third of the two million people who come to the COW every month identify themselves as broadcasters, including many broadcast engineers. There’s no question that such folks will need to stop by the South Lower hall to see Blackmagic Design (the showstopper the last two years), Grass Valley, Chyron and others…but there’s too much in the North Hall to miss, including audio (and radio) vendors.

Note too that last year’s 3ality “booth” was a basketball court outside the Central/North area, where they showed some of the show’s most compelling live broadcast technology. Following the merger with Element Technica, expect even more.

While you may not need to spend much time there, South Upper includes Avid, Harmonic, display vendors including Dolby (don’t miss looking at these — even if they’re out of your price range, this is the kind of thing that you need to experience if you go to the show), Toshiba, and the Content Theater, which often shows the kind of mind-boggling stuff you used to see at Siggraph…but is now at NAB instead.

As mentioned in a couple of posts above, you really need to check out some of the presentations, keynotes and the like. Last year, the COW’s Debra Kaufman hosted a remarkable session on the file-based workflow for NBC’s Community. (I know she’s doing something this year — I’ll get her to remind me.)

Another example, Creative COW’s Gary Adcock has four sessions:

• 3Ality: 3D from the DP’s Perspective
• High Speed Happiness – Phantom, Alexa & Epic in 120 fps
• LOG, LUT’S & RAW – On Set Color Management
• Stereoscopic Vision as a Storytelling Tool

And he’s just one speaker among scores of ’em.

If you click the NAB banner at the top of this page, you’ll get a discount code for NAB’s conferences, which include Technology Summit on Cinema, Disruptive Technologies, The Creative Master Series, Faith and Film, and much more.

My thinking is that if you limit yourself to South Lower, you could miss 80% or more of the show.

All the more reason to start planning now. NABShow.com has some pretty cool (if frightfully sluggish) planning tools, along with an app to help sort all this out, and includes maps and schedule reminder alerts.

Last but not least, my general show advice:

• Bring a fresh pair of socks for every day. I actually recommend brand new socks…but for pete’s sake, don’t wear new shoes!
• Drink lots of water.
• Avoid alcohol until you’re ready to go home. NAB is no place to be hung over and dehydrated. You’ll also torch your voice, and nothing will give you away as a rookie or wannabe faster.
• Make plans to ship your brochures home. It’s silly to carry 20 pounds of paper home.
• Look for show specials online. Many vendors will drop ship from the floor, but if not, check their website to avoid carrying stuff home.
• Unless you have an hour to kill, avoid the Starbucks at the entry to South Lower, and don’t bother with the food court there. There are loads of other alternatives, all of which will suck down less of your day.
• Better still, drink coffee at your hotel, eat a big breakfast, and skip the equivalent of lunch in a mall in order to blast through the show. Seriously, did you spend all this money and time to eat at Sbarro? Have a nice dinner instead.
• Make it a NICE dinner. Cheap buffets? NO!!! Las Vegas is one of the world’s great restaurant cities, arguably in the top three or four. (I’d put NY and Rome on the list…but by density, Vegas wins handily.) Even if only one night, go someplace NICE. You can walk into restaurants that require reservations days or weeks in advance in their home towns (say, Postrio in San Francisco or Nobu in New York),
• Some of the best ones are still comfortably under $50/head. For example, India Origin across from the Hard Rock is one of the best Indian places I’ve been to in either the US or Europe (and I’ve been to a LOT of Indian places around the world). But you can do well at Olives in the Bellagio, a number of places in the Venetian, and quite a few in the newer hotels around Aria in City Center. Do the buffets after you turn 70.

Also as mentioned, there’s a bunch of awesome free stuff, but O, the Cirque du Soleil show at the Venetian, is one of the most powerful entertainment experiences of my life. When the Cirque show Mystere was the only one in town, it was an annual event — I knew SCORES of people who bought tickets in blocks. Still absolutely amazing. And you really have to see and HEAR The Beatles Love to believe it.

All expensive, all need reservations made soon — and all incredibly much worth it. Other than clean socks, this is actually my strongest recommendation. A wonderful break from all the hub-bub of a**hole to elbow madness and be reminded just how beautiful the best technology can be when put to the service of human creativity.

[Moody Glasgow]

The NAB website has some decent planning tools. You can look up an exhibitor, see where they are on the floor plan, and make a list of which ones you plan to go to.

For hotel prices, I go to travelzoo. You can find some good deals there, some deals are better then the NAB housing site. I like to stay the Signature at the MGM. The Signature is a very nice all suite tower of the MGM, and is located in the back of the MGM by the monorail entrance. The Monorail is far cheaper and faster then taking a cab on monday morning of NAB.

moody glasgow
smoke/flame
http://www.thereelthinginc.com

[Lance Bachelder]

Nice post Tim – except maybe the alcohol part – but what happens in Vegas stays in…

This will be my 13th NAB and still happily making “rookie” mistakes…

Lance Bachelder
Writer, Editor, Director
Irvine, California

[Lance Bachelder]

Keep in mind when booking through the NAB Housing site you don’t pay RESORT fees at many of the hotels and you get free wi-fi – big savings.

Lance Bachelder
Writer, Editor, Director
Irvine, California