IBC’s long-awaited return to highlight value of in-person events 

“Sometimes, the only way to find out how valuable something is, is to not do it.” 

IBC’s CEO, Michael Crimp, is reflecting on the much-anticipated return of the media, entertainment and technology tradeshow, set to appear in physical form in September for the first time since 2019. That year’s event was IBC’s biggest ever, with over 56,000 attendees making the pilgrimage to Amsterdam’s RAI Convention Centre to take advantage of the networking, learning, and deal-making opportunities that the show has become known for. Then, the pandemic struck – and we all know what happened next.  

Although a return to 2019’s record turnout may not quite be on the cards for 2022, this year’s IBC promises to be as unmissable as ever for cinematographers and the wider filmmaking community. Spanning 11 halls of the RAI, the show will welcome over 900 exhibitors including top camera, lighting and workflow brands showcasing their newest products. This year’s exhibition will be complemented by a substantial content programme offering both free and paid-for options.   

“On the Friday and Saturday, we’ve got a two-day conference, and on Sunday and Monday there’s a two-day free programme called IBC Changemaker,” Crimp explains. “What we’ve done there is gone beyond our usual technical remit that we have in the paid-for conference and reached out to organisations that could help push the wider diversity and sustainability agenda.”  

These Changemaker sessions include ‘Changing Workflows; Changing Perspectives’ run by #GALSNGEAR; ‘Making tech more accessible for everyone’ from Soho Media Club; and ‘Women in Broadcasting’ with Rise. Other highlights of the programme for the film industry include a fascinating talk from Movielabs, who will be presenting an update on their 2030 vision, and sessions with the American Cinema Editors.  

For many attendees, IBC may be the first international tradeshow that they are attending post-pandemic and indeed, rolling out a show on such a scale – and safely – is no mean feat for the team. “The main challenge of putting on this year’s IBC is making sure we’re communicating really clearly with the industry,” says Crimp. “We’re hoping to build that confidence that we can have a safe, global event. This year, there are lots of events going on around the world – there are certainly lots happening at the RAI – so there seems to be a very high level of confidence that people can get back to a tradeshow safely.” 

The precarity of the changing health situation in the wake of the pandemic is something IBC is, alas, all too familiar with. Last year’s show was forced to be cancelled with under a fortnight to go, following growing concerns about the COVID-19 situation in the Netherlands. But Crimp is hopeful that this year’s situation is more stable. “We’re planning all the different scenarios, all the way from ‘the show might need to be cancelled’ to ‘the show is still on’, and the halfway house of ‘if restrictions tighten up, how would we manage that’,” he adds. 

Established all the way back in 1967, IBC has been a focal point for the industry ever since that first event, held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London with just 32 exhibitors and 500 conference delegates. While many attendees return year after year, what should someone visiting IBC for the first time expect in 2022?  

“The first thing about IBC is the scale,” Crimp remarks. “It’s a huge event – everyone is there. As people attend and get knowledge, value, and fun out of it, they tend to come back every year. It’s a fun environment – hard work, but fun!” 

The film community will benefit from not only the vast array of exhibitors on offer, but also the networking and conversations that flow from gathering with their like-minded peers. “I always think with the filmmaking side, it’s very tactile – people really want to hold the camera, look through the lens, and they want to see everything there and touch it,” Crimp says, “but probably the most important thing is the conversations that happen between them and the exhibitors, and the conversations that happen in the peer group about what’s happening in the business; what the trends are, what work’s coming up. That’s the unique thing about live events, isn’t it? All the opportunities to meet, adjust and make sure you’re in tune with what’s happening in the market and what technology is coming up.” 

But what about the long-term future of the physical tradeshow? It certainly seems that absence has made the heart grow fonder in IBC’s case. “I think it’s been difficult because of the safety issues caused by the pandemic,” Crimp admits. “But we’ve been going since 1992. People have been paying a lot of money to exhibit, or on hotels to attend, and say, ‘I’m paying all this money and wonder what I’ve been getting out of it?’ Well, I think they probably now know, because we haven’t had one. Everyone that I’m speaking to and everyone that we’re involved with is so keen to get back because business is about other people, building up trust and relationships, and adjusting what we’re thinking and doing from all that experience of being immersed in something like a big event. So, my view is that we will come back even stronger and people will realise the value of face-to-face interaction.” 

IBC 2022 will take place from 9-12 September at the RAI Amsterdam. For more information, visit show.ibc.org