Is NAB going through a mid-life crisis? For 17 years I have been an avid NAB-goer. Over this time I have watched an evolution of sorts, perhaps an extreme makeover.
When I first started attending it was all about the camera and the very latest in video formats. Each year Sony, Panasonic, JVC and Grass Valley were the hallmarks of the tour. Occasionally bumping into that "got-to-have gadget" that ultimately rarely proved to be critical. But it all made the show an exciting experience set against a backdrop of Las Vegas.
This year, however, I woke up and noticed a trend which most likely has been obvious to many and most certainly to NAB Show organizers. For me, it wasn't about the camera or some new video format. It was about a new concept, "workflow." Making a seamless transition from "Content Creation to Management to Delivery" all without going bald (yes I saw the banners too).
The idea of NAB making this transition was evident everywhere. Sony, Panasonic, JVC and Grass Valley were the typical stops of the tour, but not nearly as interesting as exhibitors new to this production-centric show. Those "got-to-have gadgets" have matured into real product offerings critical to the content pipeline.
As a Sales Engineer for one of these grown-up-gadgets now critical to Fortune 500 companies and Higher Education, I was able to look fresh from a new set of eyes. Being both an exhibitor and attendee allowed me to interact with show-goers and get a feel for this "revelation."
No one can argue the fact that the Internet is officially here to stay and with its cost-effective nature, the barrier to entry has dropped to almost nothing. Content Creators can now reach across the aisle to the audience without a middle-man. Two of the newest rebirths I saw this year was the Enterprise and Higher Education coming in droves, which appears to have offset the chasm of independent production houses and broadcasters feeling the economic pinch.
Many of these new NAB attendees were searching for holistic systems and have been tasked with creating high-impact content on a modest budget. Not to mention needing a rich understanding of the viewer and their habits. Finding this "needle-in-a-hay-stack" will prove to be an opportunity for the NAB organizers and I look forward to seeing them address this in future shows.
So while its always exciting to see the new camera, I believe the real value of NAB today and in the future lies with this new workflow mindset. And 17 years from now when I write my next blog on NAB, I hope I'll still have a few hairs left (if grey ones) and that no matter what role you play in the content process, that you'll have a place at NAB.