In many ways for the International Press who turns up in their droves, the Band Pro One World HD Event can feel like an uncomfortable experience.
The press group this year totalled over 50 and all were scratching their heads as to what copy they were going to file when they got home.
There is no doubt that this is a Sony event in disguise with Band Pro and Sony being so close (they are in their 22nd year of business relationship). But if you want the latest Sony news, F23 last year F35 this, Burbank in December is the place to be.
Amnon Band himself is a self made man and carries all the traits of someone who is classless and tough. The bigwigs at Sony must be amazed and grateful for gathering all the world's trade press in one room as Grass Valley used to do as a pre-NAB event in February.
But this is a pre-NAB event with bells on! For the press the best bit of the visit is the companies Band Pro introduce us to. If I turned up at Technicolor/3ality Digital/Pace HD and asked for a two hour tour of their premises with all my questions answered and to speak with the main personnel, a PR person would look down their nose at me and probably hand me a brochure as the door shut in my face. This is a locked-up town unless you know people.
What Mr Band is doing here is opening doors for everyone and at the same time stoking his expansion plans. His announcement of a New York office in Tribeca and a new company arm in Solid Design are both visions from a 'one man Band' not a committee.
Solid Design is a company Band Pro has just acquired. They make camera accessories for digital cinema, initially products coming from Solid will be for the F23 market, there are in fact 25 products designed specifically for this camera.
You maybe forgiven for thinking that this acquisition by Band Pro looks like they are competing with themselves as they already sell products from companies like Chroziel. The answer lies with the US economy as it mutates in to more of an export model with currency conversion making importing a pricey business.
Apart from the companies we visited on this trip we were also witness to a panel Q&A mostly between Band Pro's Michael Bravin and a prestigious panel of DPs, DITs, company owners and head techs. The talent included the DP and DIT from the forthcoming
Cloverfield movie and their comments though guarded were very interesting – the guys seemed like the next generation as they embraced TV and movie work practices without any baggage or thoughts they shouldn't do.
HD Magazine will be back next year, if invited, and look forward to the One World that Amnon is so insistent on.
