20th Annual Pro Video Show

If you live in or around the Boston area, it’s time to make plans to attend the 20th Annual Pro Video Show, brought to you by The Camera Company, which will take place March 12-13, 2010 at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Dedham, Massachusetts. Admission to the show is free.

Vendors showing gear at the show include Panasonic, Canon, Sony Professional, JVC Professional, Aja Video Systems, Manfrotto, Sachtler, Sennheiser, Anton Bauer, Shure, GlideCam, and several others. In addition to the vendor booths, there are a variety of workshops (fee based) and vendors seminars (free) scheduled during the course of the two days. This year I’ll be doing three of the workshops, two are new, one is an update from last year bought back by popular demand:

The LED Lighting Revolution [NEW]
(Friday, March 12, 10:00 A.M. to 11:50 P.M.)
In spite of energy savings, reduced carbon footprint, and long life, LEDs continue to be under utilized in video production, primarily due to their high initial cost. We’ll take a look at recent advances in LED lighting by leading light manufacturers and demonstrate how you can incorporate innovative LED lighting in your production today and in the future. This session will consist of presentation, discussion, and demonstration of several LED lighting instruments currently available on the market. The session is designed for both beginners and intermediate videographers.

Seven Habits of Highly Successful Interviewers
(Friday, March 12, 1:00 P.M. to 2:50 P.M.)
The interview is a fundamental element of many documentary films, podcasts, and corporate videos. Through examples and discussion this session will cover practical strategies and techniques including how and why to use interviews, how to choose the right interview style (e.g. walk-and-talk vs. formal sit-down), how to choose a form of address (e.g. first-person vs. third person), tips for preparing for an interview, suggestions for putting subjects at ease, and most importantly, the seven habits of highly successful interviewers. The session is designed for both beginning and intermediate videographers and documentary filmmakers.

The Hatchback Production Kit [NEW]
(Saturday, March 13th, 1:00 P.M. to 2:50 P.M.)
I will discuss my compact video production kit, which is designed to fit completely in the hatchback of a compact car. It has been optimized for air-travel, and can be transported by a single person in a pinch. I will demonstrate and discuss the tradeoffs that went into selecting each item in the kit, as well as range of viable alternatives to accommodate your own set of requirements or preferences. The complete kit includes camera, lighting, grip, sound, camera support, and even make-up! If you’re a videographer trying to achieve the highest production values with a modest amount of gear, this session will provide you with the strategies, guidelines, and recommendations that will help you achieve that goal.

If you’re planning to attend the show, I look forward to seeing you there!