Secrets and Tips About the Venetian and Sands Expo!
Perhaps the most frequented property for our Las Vegas production crews is the Sands Expo / Venetian / Palazzo.
From convention and meeting spaces to restaurants, pools, and suites, there are limitless opportunities for videos to be shot. Whether big or small, we are always ready for a new adventure, and we here at FiveSix Productions would like to share some of our knowledge about the property. The Venetian, Palazzo, and Sands Expo spreads southeast from the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Sands Avenue. Parking is easily accessed from a number of locations. The Venetian garage from LVB or Krueger and Koval, the Palazzo garage from Sands Ave., and there is free parking! (This is one of the last properties on the Strip to not charge for parking.) Pushing gear in is easy, but you'll be pushing through casinos/restaurant row/Grand Canal shops from either garage to get to the convention space and expo space. We've never encountered trouble, but it's a long push either way. If you're shooting at the Expo, you may be able to load in/out at a cab depot on Sands Ave. Check with the Expo staff to see if it's okay on your specific day/time, otherwise, we usually park at Palazzo and push gear in. It's a tiny bit shorter of a walk.
The convention/meeting/expo space is located centrally to the two resorts, near restaurant row.
Note: Sands Expo is different from Venetian Convention space; there are halls in both, meeting rooms in both, but they are usually used in conjunction. You can access it via the casino level or Grand Canal Shops level. Sands Expo A/V handles in-house audio/lighting services, and they've always been helpful when we've worked with them. There’s not always communication between the client and the house, so make sure to bring enough power and audio cabling, just in case it isn’t always set. We’ve also gotten into the habit of bringing a lavalier kit, XLR turnarounds, XLR to 1/4 inch, and various other cables. We run into various and differing audio boards, so we are set for all contingencies. The lighting in the rooms can be a bit tricky because it's really warm, probably 2700, and then the walls are a gold/yellow/whatever, so, even if you're properly balanced, it's still not great.
The suites are often used for interviews.
Sometimes we’ll use the room itself as a background (hence renting a visually attractive suite), and other times we’ll use a green or white screen. Space can be an issue, but just discuss that with your client ahead of time, and everything should fall into place.
This location has many restaurants that are located all over the property, but there's a large grouping of them on the casino level near the convention space entrance.
Lastly… Starbucks! There's a brand new, giant one right at the entrance to the convention space, but, as you'd imagine, the line can be terrifying.
Any other questions, feel free to reach out!
This Will Save Your Video Shoot!
This is going to hurt me more than it'll hurt you: clean, usable audio is as important as a great image.
I know... I know... that was rough. We all know that the audio department takes a little "guff" on set; and, justifiably so. I mean, those guys and gals are usually the best looking, smartest, and coolest on set; how can the camera department not get jealous? Well, I say, let's let egos and tempers cool, and discuss a vitally important subject that needs to be addressed. Recording audio into the mixer along with the camera is the smartest and best way to ensure a successful video shoot.
Ever since The Jazz Singer went and messed everything up for us, people are just gaga for "talkies". Now, there have been some brave and stalwart warriors who have tried vigorously to get audiences to let go of their desire to have audio and dialogue, but it's been in vain. This said, we must live with this nuisance and trudge on, begrudgingly or not, and give the people what they want.
The best tools to do that with, especially with the video productions we find ourselves part of in Long Beach and Las Vegas, are the Sound Devices 664 and 633. These recorders are compact, lightweight, and functional! The 664 offers six XLR inputs and six additional mini-XLR inputs, for an astounding twelve isolated tracks, left and right mix tracks, and two additional output tracks to send to the second camera, or your grandma, or whoever. The 633 meanwhile has half of that, with three XLR inputs, three mini-XLR inputs, left/right mix and two additional outs to donate to charity. The great thing about these mixers is the ability to control and direct which audio sources you send to which tracks, and then what you do with those tracks. If your camera operator is a "DP" (last I checked, a DP doesn't operate a camera, they're too busy lighting the scene) and they don't care to watch audio levels in their cameras, you can be sure to have a perfectly mixed isolated track to hand over to post. While the "DP" will swear it's not their job to do their job, and they totally mess something up, giving your in-camera mix a crunchy or hollow sound, you know that you did yours and delivered excellent iso tracks.
The Three Best Cameras for Convention Coverage
Whether you find yourself in one of the expansive convention centers in Long Beach, Los Angeles, or Anaheim, or in one of the gargantuan convention spaces in Las Vegas, the right gear is crucial to getting the best end product. You'll most likely find yourself focusing on a few staples of convention/trade shows, depending on the client. So what are the three best cameras we would recommend for filming conventions?
If you're shooting with an exhibitor/vendor who has a booth and reps there, you'll most likely be filming their booth, showing off how amazing and unique it is, spotlighting any new products and cool demonstrations they have, filming any special guests, and helping to create online marketing content. You'll no doubt be interviewing sales associates, managers, and various other company employees; you'll also be trying to get man-on-the-street style interviews and soundbites with attendees. With this kind of shoot, you're more likely to be able to have a "base of operations", so you don't have to be so run-and-gun with your gear. Here, I'd recommend the Canon C300 Mark II, you have the ability to shoot all the way up to true-4K, for a really beautiful, functional image. While carrying multiple lenses can be cumbersome, the quality of glass, functionality, and variety will really expand your creativity and range. This is an exceptional camera that provides versatility, functionality, and world-class imagery.
Let's say you find yourself shooting for a client that may be exhibiting, or maybe they're from a trade publication of sorts, and your mission is to get general coverage of the show, and to interview and showcase other companies that may be friends and associates. The name of the game at that point is: RUN AND GUN! You need to be mobile, light weight, and all encompassing. If you've ever been to Times Square, Disneyland in the summer, or any Starbucks when I'm running late to work, you'll have an idea of what it's like at shows such as CES, SEMA, and NAB. Despite science, you have less space to exist in than the area your mass occupies. So, add a camera and hopefully tripod to that, and... well... godspeed. Here, I'd recommend the trusty Sony PMW300. As long as you don't need to shoot 4K, you'll get a great 1920x1080 image that'll look great online, and is easy to work with in post. The camera isn't heavy, it's menu is easy to navigate, and the best part, you have a zoom lens and servo. This camera does have a small plate that extends to give you a bit of a shoulder mount, but it's recommended to have a compact tripod or proper hand held rig.
Lastly: maybe you're a lone-wolf. Let's say you have a blog about something great, and Trade-Show X comes into town, and you just have to go check it out, and get some great video coverage. You don't want to lug around a big camera, you don't want to spend all your beer money on gear, and you really only need some highlights. Here, I have three, low-cost, light weight, compact options that'll do the trick. The Canon 5D Mark II or Sony a7S with a good zoom lens would do great for video and photos! You can also opt for the DJI Osmo which will give you a great, HD image, smooth moves, and won't get you chased out by grumpy exhibitors, because you'll look like every other attendee.
There you have it, the best of the best. If you have an upcoming shoot, reach out to the fellas over at f11 Rentals, and they'll get you set up with the perfect gear for your upcoming shoot. Or, if you'd prefer to have us take care of your Las Vegas video production or Long Beach video production, we're glad to help too!