The tech deployed by the media and entertainment industry is profoundly progressive with a significant degree of development in motion since the last Mediatech in 2017. As one would expect – if you look back 18 years to the first Mediatech, there’s been a world of change across each of the show verticals, with tech innovation totally transforming the way industries operate. According to Mediatech show director Simon Robinson, the show too was a very different experience in 2001 when they first opened their doors. “As we celebrate our 10th edition of the exhibition, we can guarantee that this year, visitors will experience more creativity, inspiration, and innovation than ever before. We have been working around the clock to be ready for the appointed hour of 9am on Wednesday 17 July 2017 when the expo doors open.”
With hard to beat show specials, never seen before technology, live demos, instructive presentations, new product reveals, competitions, the opportunity to test drive new tech and so much more – it’s no surprise that this year pre-show registrations are already sitting at 8 000.
As in years past the organisers have developed a user-friendly and easy to navigate mobile show app that’s free and available on Apple or Android devices. Robinson says that to take full advantage of everything on offer, visitors must download the 2019 mobile app. “The electronic scheduling features will help you design and optimise a seamless show experience. We have a bumper line up this year and the app will make certain you track what’s happening on the hour to avoid missing any of the exciting 2019 attractions. We have modified and built on the success of the original app – further fine-tuning its features so that all the content you need is just a tap away,” says Robinson.
As the only trade show of its ilk on the continent, the Mediatech team has gone above and beyond to make sure that this the 10th edition doesn’t disappoint. Alongside its regular features, this year’s line-up is populated with new and immersive experiences. Events that will bring visitors closer to new technologies and make clear how technology is driving disruption and distinction. Robinson has cautioned that booking is essential to avoid missing out on what are sure to be oversubscribed events.
“Our 2017 show stopper Black Box returns and if you were in awe of what the team pulled off then – you will be spellbound this year. It’s hard to improve on perfection but the suppliers and manufacturers who have laboured on the project have exceeded all expectations adding new elements and twists to the automated light and visual performance. We have highly educational and entertaining performances on the hour daily – so don’t miss it.”
A new addition this year, together with the Academy of Sound Engineers (ASE), Mediatech launched MasterMix – an inspiring competition for emerging sound engineers. With incredible prizes and the opportunity to mix the separates of an unreleased Freshlyground track; Robinson says that the uptake was unprecedented with the entry cap exceeded within three days of taking the competition live. The first ever MasterMix title holder will be announced on the final day of the show – an honour that will be determined by visitors who are invited to cast their deciding vote at the show.
Another highlight never seen at Mediatech before is the inclusion of a new 3D Flying Broadcast Solution. “The addition of this birds-eye view technology to the expo is a real coup, and just as the tech brings viewers closer to the action, so visitors will have the opportunity to get close to this state of the art system. With no other local competitors to speak of – few will have had the chance to operate a 3D flying camera system. So sign up for this exciting experience where you can have a shot at guiding the system around a fully-rigged ‘stadium’ set-up,” says Robinson.
This year’s appointed radio partner is Hot 91.9 FM and Mark Pilgrim and other members of the Hot team will be broadcasting live from 9am – 12pm daily. Their stand is the real deal – an authentic entertainment zone – with pool and pinball on offer and reportedly this is where you can get the best ice-cream in town. The station will also be selling old-school vinyl LPs and as if that were not enough, they have installed a vintage audio, broadcast and music equipment museum – a veritable tech equipment hall of fame.
Drones will again be a big feature and some of the best cameras and drones available will be showcased. From the Alta 8 Pro, a Shotover U1, Lidar scanners and headsets, to the smaller Ari and red cameras flying on drones – these are the “heavyweights” in the world of drone technology and visitors will have the opportunity to experience them first-hand. The live drone demonstrations have been moved outside this year and visitors can watch the UAVs being flown around and over the Ticketpro Dome to map and survey the area to create meshes and complex point clouds.
The Gearhouse Group has been the official technical and event equipment sponsor of the show since 2007 and this robust partnership remains in place this year. As the show countdown begins, several of the group’s nine-strong business units have combined their equipment and expertise to meet the massive technical requirements year.
Gearhouse adds tremendous value and says Robinson, “We are really pleased that this industry leader continues to see the value in supporting our tradeshow – an event that has increased in stature and has evolved into something quite unique. Not just a show about the products available in six verticals, Mediatech is about innovation and bringing ideas to life using the latest tech, and Gearhouse recognised this at the outset and has grown with us on our journey of discovery.”
In closing, with just a week to go and the countdown clock ticking, Robinson says, “Mediatech will bring you closer to the best the industry has to offer, give you a glimpse into the future, and provide an understanding of how technology is making the impossible possible. Discover, learn, be inspired, network, and engage with people and tech. This is the media and technology tradeshow shaping the way creativity: Inspires. Innovates. Delivers. So take advantage of everything on offer and make the most of your show experience.”
Delegates still wishing to preregister for the event should sign up now: https://bit.ly/2uxLaXq. For those who miss the 12 July FREE registration cut off – there is an option to register at the show at a cost of R100.
Mediatech – the tech trade show shaping the way creativity: Inspires. Innovates. Delivers.
