Definition June 2021 - Web

5 MINUTES WITH… | JUL I ANE GROSSO

environment and beyond. We’ve had events pertaining to product launches, as well as a ‘Got Agent?’ – something we do at the show every year to discuss meeting the right agent, standing out against the competition and ways of establishing your brand. And, in a similar vein, a ‘Got Publicist?’ event. We’ve been getting good feedback and have seen people from at least 40 different countries interact with us at virtual events. It’s reassuring to know that we’re still reaching and trying to educate the community – we’ve even brought in new faces along the way. We also decided against doing a virtual trade show because we have our virtual marketplace, which we always keep up to date with new product information and industry papers. Cine Gear will return in September. How did you decide it was safe to do so? And will it operate differently? JG: We wanted to return in June, but I don’t think that we, or the world, were quite ready for it. So, we reached out to participants to see if they’d be comfortable with a fall event. The responses have been very positive. Obviously we’ll follow all the safety protocols given by local authorities, but we expect the situation to be much safer by then. Things are moving well here in the US – as they are in the UK. Furthermore, our show is largely

outdoors, and I recently read there’s a new rule in California, allowing for 75% capacity in movie theatres, as well as no social distancing, provided people are fully vaccinated. This means that we can start planning our much-loved seminars, screenings and workshops. Are you concerned there might be crossover, with NAB and IBC also happening in the autumn? JG: Everyone had to push back to the fall, and IBC might push back even later still. The decision was difficult, but there’s such a need and desire for humans to interact in a networking environment again, that we couldn’t postpone another year. People enjoy our show – and we enjoy putting it on. We’ve tried our best to straddle the show and be courteous to other events,

so our exhibitors can either move around, or make their own choices about the event they attend. A lot of that will depend on budgets and how they’ve been affected by the pandemic, but we expect to have a strong national and UK presence at this year’s event. There are some areas in the world that aren’t looking too good, but a lot can happen from now until September. We may be jumping the gun, but are any masterclasses or seminars for September finalised yet? JG: We will definitely be doing our lighting workshop again, as well as our annual dialogue with ASC cinematographers and ‘Got Agent?’. We’ve had a lot of interest from DOPs about screening their new features. We’ll do panels for these, but haven’t finalised what those are going to be yet. However, with the new rule regarding California theatres, we can now start planning those in more depth. We’ll also have a number of partner-sponsored events, from the likes of Sony, Arri, Canon and Blackmagic, as well as a series of newcomers looking to get involved in the show and establish a footing in the US. I also expect more post-production companies at the show this year, particularly as it collides with their world. Members from that community will certainly want to make contacts. And that’s what Cine Gear is all about. It’s a networking experience – an opportunity to connect with old friends and meet new ones. After a long and tense wait, I am looking forward to welcoming everyone back.

06 DEF I N I T ION | JUNE 202 1

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