Exciting industry events in Las Vegas: CES, WPPI, NAB and more

I hope this newsletter finds you well! Over the past four months, I have been attending some of the biggest trade shows in the creative industry. Their focus, showcasing the latest hardware and software to take creative content to the next level. I am excited to share some of these trade show highlights in this month's Savvy Streaming Newsletter.

First, let's talk about CES held Jan. 5 through Jan. 8 throughout the halls of Las Vegas Convention Center and other hotel properties.

CES? 2023 conferences and exhibitions featured advancements in AI, robotics, sustainability, gaming, health, vehicle tech, entertainment, and smart home, and new content on creator economy, NFTs, and Web3. There was even a marine technology industry section.

While covering the show as an independent media professional, I reviewed innovative technologies that are sure to change the way we create and consume content. In my video recap, I showcased some of the most impressive cameras, drones, and audio gear. I also demonstrated how these tools can be used to create engaging content for your online audience.

Near the end of the show, I was able to meet with XRAI Glass , a software solution powered by augmented reality that aims to improve every day interactions for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. The AI technology is also gaining popularity in education and language-learning groups.

While in the media room, I was able to create some exciting content using some of the very tech I discovered at CES. Here is a clip of me using a Mobile Pixels Inc dual monitor product that clips on my existing laptop so that I had more screen space to work with. As a producer, being able to monitor social feeds, review press releases and send out followup emails to marketing and product managers, all while not missing message notification was great. I had room to spare when I tested their TRIO MAX product that gave me an additional slide-out monitor on each side. This year, they also had on display their recently launched Geminos monitor with stacked screens that help you save on desktop space.

Next up was the Fancy Food Show from Jan. 15-17, which highlighted some of the latest food and beverage trends. In my video coverage, I explored the hottest products, including plant-based alternatives and sustainable packaging solutions. I also interviewed passionate food companies and founders who found solutions to many of our food struggles. I still have videos to post from this show but ran out of time before my next trade show.

One of the food products I was most excited about was that of the plant-based sushi by Konscious Foods Canada. You have to taste it, and even then, you can't believe that you are not eating a fish product. I tried a few samples, just to be sure, and it was 100% plant-based. Thankfully, this delicious product is now available in the United States.

I didn't know the food space has so much innovation. I followed up the Winter Fancy Food Show with coverage of the International Pizza Expo and was honored to represent OGGI Foods as a client. Not only did I create engaging photo and video content for them, but I booked them on the local lifestyle show, Las Vegas Now on KLAS-TV. Executive Producer, Celina Tuason, selected them to be interviewed by talented entertainment host, Jillian Lopez, to highlight their latest gluten-free products.

March 5-9, was WPPI Events , the premier conference for wedding and portrait photographers. Imaging professionals gathered from around the world for five inspiring days to learn how to evolve their aesthetic, gain business strategies, connect with friends, hear from industry icons, and create lasting memories.

Not only did I meet one of my favorite photographers and mentors, Matthew Jordan Smith, but I was able to test the latest camera gear and practice techniques photographers are using to capture stunning images. We have come a long way since film and darkrooms - where I started before becoming a professional digital photographer and editor.

The many in-depth conferences shared tips on how to grow your photography business and attract more clients and I covered every minute of it.

Finally, NAB Show attendees filled the Las Vegas Convention Center April 15-19, as the centennial year of the largest trade show for media, broadcast and entertainment professionals began. The latest innovation in video, audio, distribution, editing, and live streaming was on display for all to enjoy and level up their own broadcasting skills. The show's centennial year featured categories: create, connect, capitalize and intelligent content. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority - LVCVA warmly welcomed us all back for another great show experience.

My NAB Show centennial year show sponsors were Ecamm Network, LLC , NANGUANG , and 微软 's Darrell Booker , with special thanks to Zacuto for letting me test their brand new Z-Finder smartphone device to conduct interviews on the show floor, AVGear for providing a vintage microphone prop for the media room and All-In Recruiting & Talent Boutique for their generous donation towards my show expenses.

I went live multiple times across social media to share insights on how content creators can optimize their workflow to save time and be able to focus on creating more content. Whether we figured out how to use AI or not, we had fun sharing best practices at workshops, participating in demonstrations and networking with our media peers at this show. It was great having media credentials for NAB Show because storytelling has been a passion for as long as I can remember. Sharing the experience with you makes it even better.

As a child I would draw almost daily, in my twenties I became a commercial photographer, in my thirties, I got into graphic design, website building and art direction. Then, in my thirties up until now livestream production, digital studio construction, hosting and covering tech conventions keeps me busy as I help client scale their creative vision.

Last year, I spoke on a NAB Amplify stage as a guest of Nicki Sun , and this year she featured me during one of her showroom floor segments on NAB Show Live. I was also honored to be a field correspondent and guest of the Ecamm Network News channel with Ana and Fulgens. I took the Ecamm family around the showroom floor for product demos and exhibitor interviews.

One interview series I captured that was special to me, was that of the TAP Program Class of 2023 graduates who wrapped up a 6-month long program with attendance at NAB.

The TAP fellowship is a hybrid program that prepares college students and recent graduates for careers in technology and engineering in the broadcast industry. The curriculum is tailored to industry trends and features in-person and virtual sessions led by industry professionals. The program covers various topics, including Broadcast Technology, Cloud applications, RF, and ATSC 3.0. Participants also have the opportunity to earn certifications in AWS cloud practitioner, 微软 Azure, Grabyo Live, and SBE Certified Broadcast Technologist.

Seeing them pursue their goals was inspiring. Here are some of the student's remarks on how the program benefited them as they pursue their career goals.

One of the biggest product launches at NAB Show was by R?DE. They debuted the R?DE Wireless Me, PodMic USB, R?DECaster Duo, StreamX, Backpack and R?DE Wireless Go II Charging Case. My audience was so excited to get a close look at these products. Ryan Burke of the Australian audio manufacturing company gave us an amazing tour of all the new products from the B&H booth. If you want to see that, the video is below.

In addition to trade show coverage, the past few months I've had the privilege of being a guest on my peer's YouTube channels to speak about my digital media agency turn-key services.

We also swapped tips and did virtual tutorials to help other content creators, digital producers and videographers improve there content creation skills. From lighting and audio tips to social media marketing strategies, we've had you covered. Here was the video podcast lineup:

I had the honor of being a guest of Aaron Parecki to demo how live producers can use Instagram's new live video feature. I had aready created a tutorial for the Savvy Streaming Community, but this collaboration really drove home the benefits of going live using Instagram's new feature to host a more engaging and interactive livestream.

Since Aaron and I used different gear to produce our livestreams, both videos are informative so I hope you have a chance to watch the replays.

Next, James Hicks was kind enough to invite me on his show to discuss a creator's mindset and how important it is to show up, stand out and win! I always say, "You can do it differently and still win, so don't get caught up in having all the gear or focus too much on the vanity metrics." You will be able to upgrade your studio over time, but your audience shows up for you and your story.

Last but not least, ahead of my appearance on "Leap Into Live-selling" to discuss how to become a profitable producer, I was a guest of Stephanie Garcia for a Backstage Pass chat to tease takeaways viewers could expect during the upcoming 2-day virtual event.

They certainly learned a lot from all the sessions, but during my session on April 25, as Doc Rock hosted, I was able to announce that a few virtual attendees even won new audio gear as part of my "Rocky R?DE Giveaway" sponsored by the team at R?DE . It was a great way to wrap up my session and inspire viewers to keep creating because you only get better by doing. I appreciate R?DE for their support of the creator journey and for allowing me to do that for the Ecamm Network, LLC community.

I hope you find this newsletter informative and it inspired you in your content creation journey.

If you are interested in taking your content to the next level, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at Savvy Streaming. I would love to work with you and help you achieve your creative goals.

Thank you for your continued support!

Rocky Nash, Founder & Executive Producer, Savvy Streaming