3 Reasons You Should be at NAB Next Year
If you work in production, or even if you just love to nerd out over video and photo gear, NAB [National Association of Broadcasters] conference is a must-do. According to Natalie Weiss, a video freelancer based in the Bay Area, “…it’s overall a fun show with good vibes.”
This year was Weiss’ 3rd NAB show, and while she’s gone at very different stages in her career, it’s always been a good experience because of these three things:
1. For the Gear and Tech
While the sheer amount and variety of gear there can be overwhelming, Weiss notes that most companies announce new gear a few days before the event. If it is your first time and you don’t know where to start, try scoping out a few things online you want to test out or be able to chat with a techabout.
“The DJI Ronin 2 Gimbal was announced just before [NAB]. I’ve used the first version before, so being able to compare and contrast weight and specs was really cool. It’s great that companies release [products] a couple days before so you can prepare questions and get to test it out,” said Weiss. It’s common to leave events like this feeling like you should’ve seen more, but you’ll also be surprised by how much you did when you get home.
This year also featured an Atomos Sumo 19” monitor that can output 4 channels of live video. Plus it’s a touchscreen, which gives the complexity and clarity and intuitive touch.
2. Networking and Branching Out
NAB is a notoriously large event, which can be intimidating to people who are less experienced. Contrarily though, its broadness can be seen as an advantage to people of all skill levels. At NAB, there’s always an unknown around the corner, whether a cool person to connect with or a crazy LED light that pushes the boundaries of brightness with a fraction of the heat and power draw. That can be really exciting for the curious and creatives.
Weiss compared NAB to shows that are “…a little smaller and more intimate and narrowed down in terms of aspects of production. NAB is so broad and touches on so many world, which is cool because it helps you branch out.”
3. Reconnecting
Complementary to branching out and meeting new people, NAB is a great place to reconnect with your production pals from the past. Weiss notes that regardless of her experience level at NAB, one consistent thing is always being able to reconnect with her network, college friends and colleagues alike. “I think that’s one thing that keeps bringing people back year after year,” Natalie reflects on what has brought her back multiple times. Because regardless of where people end up living and working, NAB has something for everyone in production, and it’s a great place to catch up with those friends you don’t see every day.
If you want to go next year, here’s more info!
Natalie Weiss is an extraordinary cinematographer and person. She’s been in the Israel military, she had a film in Cannes, is a DP, AD, and so much more.