The first in our new series of events  - “Back to work – 2012 update” - was held on Thursday 31st January. In partnership with Media Parents, it was billed as a refresher course for industry professionals returning to work after maternity or paternity leave, or who just want to catch up on developments from 2012. For those of you not familiar with Media Parents, they are an organisation who aim to assist working parents (or anyone who wants to work flexibly) within production. Aside from offering a resource of all the latest roles, they also provide networking & training opportunities, which is where we came in.

I usually start writing these conference reviews with the tickling of geeky butterflies still fresh in my stomach but with manufacturers’ recent tendency to announce new products well in advance of the shows, it is starting to feel like they’re intentionally trying to take the wind out of my sails. Having said that, there was still plenty to see at this year’s IBC and with attendance numbers up, it seems as though this ‘tactic’ is not deterring people from going. Below is a relevant summary of what we saw and liked; if something is not listed, let us know!

So another NAB has come and gone, and while public opinion is divided on the success of the event this year, I was able to draw far more positives than any previous years and personally felt that the “vibe” of the event was far more upbeat this year. With all the announcements prior to the event, there was still plenty of surprises to keep energy levels up. Add the surprises and the known releases up and you’re left with the following: