Cine Gear 2024 Preview
Posted on May 26, 2024 by Samara Husbands
La La Land
Cine Gear Expo returns to its sunny Californian roots, and we can expect a bigger splash than ever before
Words Katie Kasperson
Cine Gear LA Expo – the largest of the three US shows celebrating both the artistry and technical prowess behind motion picture making – returns to Hollywood.
From 7 to 9 June, Warner Bros Studios will open its Burbank backlot to the industry, where attendees can find eagerly anticipated kit, seminars, masterclasses and the annual Technical Awards, all while mingling with directors, DOPs, operators, gaffers and others who work tirelessly behind the camera.
Home to film and TV classics like Friends, Gilmore Girls and The Music Man, Warner Bros Studios – all under the iconic WB water tower – hosts exhibitors across audio, video, accessories, editing, motion control, VFX, virtual production and much more.
With 230 exhibitors and counting, including the biggest names in cameras, optics and lighting, there’s plenty to see at this year’s event.
Speaking of kit, visitors can expect all the latest gadgets, from spatial computers and storage to 12K cine cameras and LEDs.
Sessions and ceremonies
On Friday evening from 8pm to 11pm, after a full day out at the expo, Cine Gear will present the winners of its famed Film Series contest.
Categories cover music videos and commercials, independent shorts and student films, with finalists in the latter group coming from the American Film Institute (AFI), New York Film Academy and Columbia University.
Film Series winners will receive entry to the VIP party as well as a prize package from one of the competition’s sponsors and invaluable industry recognition.
After the show, Cine Gear will formally announce winners for its 2024 Technical Awards, which intend to anticipate and honour the industry’s most substantial advancements.
A few of last year’s recipients include Brompton Technology for TrueLight, Rosco for RDX LAB System, Creamsource for LNX and Panasonic Connect for the AK-PLV100 camera.
Besides scouring the show floor, visitors can see sessions at the Steven J Ross Theater.
Find demos by Canon, Sony and RED, or seminars with the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), the Society of Camera Operators and the AFI.
On Sunday, after the exhibitors have come and gone, Cine Gear LA will host a masterclass on ‘Lens Flares for Creative Use’ delivered by Markus Förderer, ASC for an extra $175. More information about masterclasses, such as locations, will be released closer to the event.
A cine staple
Last year’s expo – the first held at a Hollywood studio since 2019 – saw record-breaking attendance.
It held special significance to Cine Gear CEO Juliane Grosso, who not only presented the inaugural Karl Kresser Heart of the Community award – which honours her late husband, the expo’s co-founder – but also received an award herself from Women In Media.
Together, Grosso and Kresser have grown Cine Gear from the ground up, expanding it so that it now regularly gathers hundreds of exhibitors across three major metropolitan areas.
Although not on its usual plot at Paramount Studios, Cine Gear LA 2024 promises a jam-packed agenda amid another emblematic industry backdrop.
There’s lots to be gained for first-time attendees and veteran visitors alike, whether it’s a new skill, contact or industry insight.
So be sure to have your passport, plane ticket and sunblock handy; this filmmaking function isn’t one to miss.
Make sure to check out our round-up of stellar stands on the next page!
This feature was first published in the June 2024 of Definition.
