Janki Patel (L) and Zaferhan Yumru (R) and at the Cine Gear Expo. Image credit: Janki Patel
The Cine Gear Expo in Los Angeles is enormous, filling more than 20 stages around Warner Bros. Studio. Each stage holds 15 to 20 exhibitors demonstrating the latest technology from large companies like Canon or Fuji. The Expo primarily caters to individual artists or professional filmmakers looking for novel techniques and technology. You can register in advance to get a free pass for the Expo. (Passes are free until a deadline and become paid after that.)
Since its beginnings in L.A. in 1996, the event has served to unite those interested in the progression of filmmaking tools from pre- to post production. But it’s not just for the gearheads. In fact, it is more like a filmmaker’s Disneyland, with massive scale, tons of freebies, and quite a few food trucks. The studios in which exhibitors hold gear demonstrations were once home to shows like Friends and Young Sheldon. In June, the IDA team attended to meet existing partners and potential new ones, finding that whether you attend as an individual or organization, the event is a great opportunity to both discover the latest trends and build relationships with brands and other filmmakers.
That said, it’s difficult to make the most of the buzzing atmosphere while you are starving, unable to find parking, and really starting to feel the L.A. sun beat down on your head. Try as you might to prepare by looking at a floor plan or anticipating parking trouble, nothing will teach you like personal experience. For some helpful insight into planning a first—or next—trip to Cine Gear Expo, Documentary spoke to IDA’s Director of Marketing, Communications, and Design Zaferan Yumru and Advertising Manager Janki Patel to learn about their experiences and how to make the most of a large commercial event.
1. Arrive Early
To maximize your time at Cine Gear Expo LA, you might want to arrive a little earlier than the official start of the event. This year, the Expo was held in L.A. from Friday, June 9, to Sunday, June 12. The event started at 11:00 a.m. on Friday. Although IDA arrived just half an hour later, “We waited for more than an hour to get in,” Janki recounted. “And we had to park, which took us more than 30 minutes. There was so much going on because it was a big event, and we didn’t know.” She advises getting there right around opening time in order to easily secure parking and beat the lines. Bypassing the crowd to get into the venue also helps you to be among the first to explore exhibits and connect with key individuals before the crowds arrive.
2. Start With Major Exhibitors
Large companies at the Expo are often busy throughout the day and have nonstop traffic at their booths. For those interested in building contacts, viewing new equipment, or connecting with specific companies, consider visiting these booths during quieter periods, usually earlier in the day. You’ll probably have deeper discussions and access to more detailed demonstrations this way, with time to ask all your questions.
3. Chart Your Path
The Expo covers extensive ground and features more than 250 participants, so you should definitely review the schedule beforehand. Prioritize the booths and exhibitors you want to visit to ensure you maximize your time and take advantage of essential opportunities. Janki and Zaf spent around four hours at the event, so plan to spend most of your day at the venue to get the most out of it. Even if portions of the lineup aren’t directly relevant to your agenda, it’s a great opportunity to listen to master classes and panels given by experts in the field.
“We really just went with the flow of the place and the layout, because it was so huge, and then ensured that we’re not missing any contacts that we wanted to meet,” Janki said. If you have some time to spare, you might stumble upon something interesting this way and create some unexpected alliances. “We were giving out our business cards to [the companies] and asking them for a contact detail. A lot of times you’ve not heard of a company, but when you see their set-up, you get an idea of who you should talk to. So while we were following our contact list, we were also stopping everywhere and getting the feel of things, to make sure that we didn’t miss any of these new technologies and new products that they were showcasing.”
If you are pressed for time, take advantage of Cine Gear Expo’s detailed schedule and program containing a directory of exhibitors’ contacts and planning features.
4. Get Contact Information
View this as an opportunity to network and connect with filmmakers, industry professionals, and potential collaborators. Introduce yourself, exchange contact information, and follow up after the expo to cultivate relationships that could benefit your career or projects. Janki explained: “We just approached people to tell them about IDA and what we do. We carried some magazines as well, to show them one little sample of what we’ve done in the past. We’d get contact details for someone on the PR team or the marketing team, or even meet them if they were there in person.”
5. Don’t Forget to Eat
Plan your day so that you don’t leave the venue for a meal, since you’ll have to go through the nightmare of parking and entry lines all over again. Instead, explore the variety of food trucks and, if you’re lucky and early, complementary coffee stations. This will help you stay energized and focused throughout the day, maximizing your participation in panels and exhibits.
IDA plans to attend again next year and implement their own advice. Janki also appreciates that it was as much a chance for the team to get to know each other as it was a networking opportunity with clients outside the organization. “I think it was just a really nice way of team building and getting like a few yeses here and contact details there. And we felt like we achieved what we wanted to achieve.”
Arushi Khare is a writer from Los Angeles and a publications intern at IDA.