NAB Show's CineCentral Explores the Craftsmanship of Production

Top Gun Maverick
(Image credit: Paramount)

Central Hall of the LVCC is host to a new location dedicated to the craftsmanship of Hollywood filmmaking during the 2023 NAB Show, April 16-19.

CineCentral serves as a landing spot for those professionals looking to deepen their creative and technical knowledge of cinematic production by exploring new trends and techniques for production and post production.

The area offers attendees the opportunity to attend workshops on topics such as 16mm film loading, tools for digital imaging technology, and cranes, motion and movement gear, hosted by the Society of Camera Operators, the International Cinematographers Guild Local 600 and Kodak, several of which will offer hands-on training and share stories of on-set technology successes.

Getting Hands-On
For Kristin Petrovich, producer of CineCentral and founder of the consulting firm Createasphere, the goal is to give attendees hands-on training and guidance on some of the gear and techniques that are the cornerstone of cinema production.

“NAB Show is perfectly positioned for the broadcast and cinema industries [because they] are overlapping skills and technology right now,” she said. “There’s this relatively new area being seen where cinema gear is being used in broadcast and live entertainment with these groups needing to be trained on the gear. All one has to do is watch the Super Bowl halftime show or any sports event to see how cinematic technology and storytelling is being used in this new area, cine live.

Much like a global training ground, CineCentral will offer attendees the opportunity to get hands-on training with notable Hollywood professional in the workshops and garner technical know-how in the “craft clinics” offered daily with topics ranging from film loading, DIT skills, using cranes, dollies and camera heads. Included in the lineup are sessions focused on Cine+Live, the integration of cinematic tools and techniques in broadcast content.

Live Productions and Broadcast
“Another growing [industry] trend is the way that tools, traditionally leveraged exclusively for high-end cinema production, are now finding adoption with content creators,” said Chris Brown, NAB executive vice president and managing director, Global Connections and Events. Workshops and demos will explore how and why cinema techniques are being employed more often in traditional live production and broadcast projects.

Complimentary group “Craft Clinics” and hands-on instruction are being offered on a first-come, first-served basis and presented by companies such as Chapman Leonard, Cinema Devices, DJI, Fujinon, Sony, Adorama and others.

Other educational partners include Hollywood organizations such as the American Society of Cinematographers, American Cinema Editors, ICG Local 600, and Society of Camera Operators.

“These organizations will be producing hands-on workshops where creatives can receive instruction by notable professional with the equipment in current use,” Brown said, and will also feature a range of cinema technology suppliers. “Real-world, on-set examples of technology applications allow you to see the gear in action,” he said.

Petrovich is leading the Cine Consortium, which pulled together equipment manufacturers, studios, unions and guilds to identify opportunities to serve, educate and unite the global cinema, production, post and broader content creation communities.

The 2023 NAB Show seemed the ideal location to set up a training ground. “[We wanted to] create more of an immersive place, engaging attendees to learn from notable professionals,” she said.

Key Takeaway
Much like a global training ground, CineCentral will offer attendees the opportunity to get hands on training with notable Hollywood professional in the workshops and garner technical know-how in the “craft clinics” offered daily with topics ranging from film loading, DIT skills, using cranes, dollies and camera heads. Included in the lineup are session focused on Cine+Live, the integration of cinematic tools and techniques in broadcast content.

Copyright NAB 2023.

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Susan Ashworth

Susan Ashworth is the former editor of TV Technology. In addition to her work covering the broadcast television industry, she has served as editor of two housing finance magazines and written about topics as varied as education, radio, chess, music and sports. Outside of her life as a writer, she recently served as president of a local nonprofit organization supporting girls in baseball.