Like we said in our last ProductionHUB newsletter, the new product announcements just keep on coming. In the intimate (and way too cool) setting of the Neuhous Theater and under a gorgeous Los Angles twilight, DJI unleashed maybe — just maybe — one of the most captivating and interesting new products in recent memory. The Zenmuse X7 with a 35mm sensor and a full set of new carbon fiber lens designed specifically to work with the 35mm sensor. Gotta tell you straight up - they knocked it out of the park. Long known for excellence in the drone world, DJI seems keen on not only keeping up but also surpassing the norm. What was on display wasn’t just new product but some new ways of approaching the production and post-production workflow.

So with another IBC in the rearview mirror and NAB NY along with AES just a few days away, you would think we could catch our collective breath. Not going to happen. With more new cameras, new sensors and new gear announcements than I can remember (outside of NAB) there is just a ton of cool stuff going on in our business. Which makes for very good news for us here at ProductionHUB. The problem is where to start? Simple. I am just going to dive right in with both feet. Not in any particular order either but here goes.

There are a lot of IBC preview lists (including our own) but I wanted to wait until the last minute so I could get you some of the latest info about IBC. So now, with IBC here, it is a perfect time to check out some of the latest gear that will be on display in the exhibition halls in Amsterdam. It is true that almost nothing beats actually getting on the floor to get some hands on time with the new stuff. But sometimes you just can’t get there. We get it. So if you can’t be there, don’t worry, ProductionHUB has you covered. But don’t think we are going to stop there. We plan to continue on extensive coverage during, and after IBC too. Make sure you are checking out the latest show updates on IBCHUB.com. Let’s Go!

Each year in New York City, Fox like all networks, bows to their advertisers with their annual Upfronts Presentation. It’s a chance to plug their lineup, introduce new shows, explain old decisions and entertain, pulling out the stops with a star-studded show featuring top celebs, star-style execs, and wow ‘em video footage-all in the name of marketing their upcoming season.

Is this not a great business to be in? Hard to believe not to long ago that the 2017 NAB was wrapping up. Officially, the National Association of Broadcasters tabbed the attendance at 103,443. Which after twenty something NAB shows sounds and feels about right. But before we get into some of the cool new products we looked at, some perspective and analysis is definitely in order.

So before we get to our illustrious winners, I think providing a little background is in order. When the ProductionHUB team set out to chose our Award of Excellence Winners it seemed like such a simple task. Slam dunk, 1, 2 3. Hour to pick the winners tops right? That would be such a resounding NO. Everyone (including me) in that room fought tooth and nail to do one thing. That one thing was to get it right. So after a lot of arguing, persuading, and flat out shouting at each other we had our list. Wasn’t easy or very pretty but when the dust settled there it was. There was so many solid products out there, and I won’t lie we all had our own favorites. But that didn’t matter. So,some four arduous hours later we were done. Best of the best. Let’s go!

Well, that didn’t take long. Atomos dropped an early announcement prior to the show open. The calibrated Sumo 19” Recorder/Monitor/Switcher has all the potential to be a real game changer for maybe every segment of the production market today.

As I looked out of my office window this morning at the raging snowstorm currently hammering New England, it occurred to me that NAB 2017 is right around the corner! I hope you will have your best walking/running shoes ready because this year's NAB is shaping up to be a real whopper of a show. All preliminary indications tell me that this could be the year of some exciting new breakout products and as always the continued refinement of existing products. Someone who knows me asked, “Are you excited about NAB?” Guess I couldn’t hold back my enthusiasm for one of the greatest technology showcases going when I said “Heck ya!"

Tons of industry professionals, reflected as a record-breaking attendance number, joined together at the Javits Center in New York City on November 9-10th for the National Association of Broadcasters fall show, NAB Show New York, to celebrate the latest in broadcasting and production technology.

This fall, audio professionals from all around the world convened at the 141st AES Convention in downtown LA to check out the leading-edge audio technology and gear of 2016. Not only was the Los Angeles Convention Center jammed with countless exhibit floors, but there was also a myriad of seminars where attendees gathered to gain insight on these new developments. Some of the highlights included VR/360° audio microphones, virtual microphones and ground-breaking audio plug-ins that now change the way engineers can mix, master and record.