Who knew when Pat MacKay founded LDI in 1988 that it would be still going strong—and growing—32 years later! The fact that I am still working for the show is another story for another day…but LDI2019 promises to be another great show. In programming the conference this year, we decided to focus on a few areas in new and different ways.
Listen up for new trends in audio at the Las Vegas Convention Center, where LDI2019 takes place on November 18-24. The LDI Amplify Pavilion on the show floor will present an array of audio manufacturers, and for the first time, a series of free audio training sessions will enliven a stage in the pavilion area. Presented in conjunction with AES (Audio Engineering Society), these sessions are free to all LDI attendees so keep an ear out of the schedule.
Also new on the show floor will be a Live For Broadcast pavilion with an accent on lighting and other gear for the broadcast market. The primary sponsor for this is PRG, who will also demo cameras and switchers along with lighting gear, while a lineup of A-team lighting designers—Bob Barnhart, Mike Berger, Matt Cotter, Oscar Dominguez, Josh Hutchins, Tiffany Keys, and Jeff Ravitz—will present zippy 30-minute LiveTalks right on the show floor.
And drones. Did I mention there is a drone zone on the show floor as well? Watch for demos and tech talks on this exciting new technology.
The LDI professional training program runs a full-week, from early Monday morning, November 18 through Sunday, November 24 when LDI also hosts its first Pop-Up URTA recruiting event. The LDInstitute flourishes with lots of in-depth training from lighting consoles and software to media servers, 3D tracking, and lasers, as well as rigging and electrical courses, while the LDIntensives range from our intensive Backstage Las Vegas event on Tuesday and Wednesday to our new Symposium on immersive experiential design presented in conjunction with our sister show, XLIVE, at MGM Grand—a day not to be missed! The LDInnovation Conference takes you to the heart of the industry with three days of 30- to 90-minute sessions on essential topics such as lighting, projection, rigging, and even extended reality.
At the end of the day, LDI serves up an incredible buffet of training options, with a very full plate this year. Take a look at the Schedule-At-A-Glance for an overview of what’s on the menu. Add the New Technology Breakfasts, the LDI Awards, the second annual KOI-USA Awards, as well as the chance to network with 15,000 industry professionals. I look forward to seeing you there…It’s where the business does business, and has a lot of fun while they’re at it!