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An Interview With DV Expo’s Scott Gentry
Setting goals and taking on challenges is nothing new for Scott Gentry.
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| Scott Gentry |
Setting goals and taking on challenges is nothing new for Scott Gentry. At the age of five he began acting in commercials, and by the time he reached 15 he had appeared in more than 70 television commercials. After college, he returned briefly to acting with somewhat regular walk-ons on All My Children. From there, Gentry launched his own company producing automotive videos-and used DV Magazine as his main guide to buying tools. He enjoyed the magazine so much, in fact, that he decided to send a resume to them without even seeing a job posting. Starting out in the sales department, Gentry worked his way up to publisher, and now Group Director, where he oversees the magazine, the DV Expo tradeshow and their Website, DV.com. On December 3 - 7, 2001, Gentry will oversee the fifth annual DV Expo in at the Los Angeles Convention Center. It's an event he expects to be the biggest and most exciting yet.
Jennifer Wood (MM): This is DV Expo's fifth year. Today, more than ever, our world is embracing digital technology-and the number of people who shoot motion pictures, or otherwise work with DV is increasing exponentially. In the five years since DV Expo came to be, what are some of the biggest changes you've seen in the industry and the medium?Scott Gentry (SG): We've seen many changes in products and in the players. Last year there were a tremendous amount of dot-coms exhibiting and touting streaming abilities. I think that's subsided a great deal this year. In 1997, to get a really good professional camera, computer, software, etc. you probably had to spend upwards of $50,000. Today, a Sony PD150 or Canon XL1 with a new computer and software will set you back roughly $10,000-and you'll be far more productive and have much greater capabilities in your tools. When I first started at DV back in 1994, the basic system I purchased was $70,000 and it crashed all the time. Today, programs like Premiere or Final Cut can run circles around my old system. Back in 1997, believe it or not, our sales team still had to educate the market on what DV was and what the future held.
MM: In terms of the DV Expo event itself, what are some of the biggest changes you've seen?
SG: The first DV Expo was in a hotel and I believe we had approximately 40 booths of exhibitors. For 2001, DV Expo moved to the LA Convention Center and will have over 250 booths. Already for 2001, despite the economy and the recent tragic events, Expo registration is approximately 90 percent higher than it was this same time last year.
MM: Who are some of the major players we can expect to see at this year's event?
SG: On the company side, Apple is making their DV Expo debut in a big way. You'll see big booths from Sony, Panasonic, Pinnacle, Matrox and many others. What's really great about the show floor is that every aspect of the market is covered. From workstations to cameras to software, lighting, tripods, stock media and, of course, many resellers. Some of the resellers even have training available at their booths. It's also great fun to see the major new product announcements. We're expecting some from a few of the companies I mentioned.
As far as keynotes, we have two this year. Allen Daviau, the Director of Photography for such films as Empire of the Sun, E.T. and The Color Purple will be discussing filmmaking in today's world relative to all of the new technological advances. We're also very excited about having Philip Schiller, Apple's Vice President of Worldwide marketing, make a keynote presentation this year.
MM: The event is comprised of both a Conference and an Expo. How are these two facets different?
SG: The conference is what sets DV Expo apart from all other video events. In fact, people think of NAB as being "the big industry trade show." Well, as far as the Expo is concerned, it is larger than DV Expo, but DV is focused exclusively on tools and techniques of digital content developers. This year we have over 80 different conference sessions, covering the entire range of the creative process from production, post-production to delivery and in-depth tutorials on the best software and hardware products. The Expo is more of hands-on place to meet and greet vendors and peers, check out new products, new ideas and network.
MM: What are some of the classes or seminar that you are most excited about?
SG: There are really too many. Personally, I'm excited about the DV Intensives on Monday, December 3rd, that cover Motion Graphics, 3D and Lighting. It's hard not to sound too much like a marketing vehicle, but the staff here has a lot of passion for what they do. If you're working in digital video, 3D or content development in general, there's really a lot to be gained because we've got the best and the brightest teachers available. That's why the show has grown so fast, and why every other show has gotten smaller.
MM: Your events really run the gamut as far as subject matter, experience level and professional experience go. Who is your target audience? As far as experience goes, is the event geared more toward those already familiar with digital mediums, or are newcomers looking to learn a bit more about DV encouraged to come?
SG: We do try to touch all levels, and to do that, it's really critical to segment the classes so experts don't get bogged down with newbie questions. However, everyone starts somewhere, and there are also many beginner-level classes on every topic. There are also a lot of business classes and forums that will allow attendees to learn from the mistakes of others, offer advice on formats, hosting solutions, etc.
MM: Your advisory board is comprised of so many individuals on the 'cutting edge' of digital technology. How is it that you all came together to create such an enormous and important event?
SG: I think everyone on the advisory panel is a DV reader-most are contributors to the magazine, and they're really the leaders in their field. Many, literally, wrote the book about their segment. In fact Trish and Chris Meyer are the gurus of After Effects. Their book had consistently been on the top 100 of Amazon best sellers. Luckily, all are fans of DV magazine, so the transition to the show is easy.
MM: Part of the event includes a two-day film festival, which is comprised of animations, shorts, documentaries, and more. Who is encouraged to submit their work?
SG: Last year we also did a film festival and it was a great success. Dave Kapoor, our community manager, has really put together a great event. For information about the festival, the simplest way to get information is simply to go to DVExpo.com.
MM: Who are some of the major sponsors of DV Expo 2001, and in what capacity are they contributing to the event?
SG: DV Expo had more media partners this year than ever before. I think that in the past there was concern from competitive media that DV Expo was a DV magazine event. Everyone understands that DV Expo is really an industry event, of which Post, MacWorld, The Hollywood Reporter, MovieMaker and many others are all helping to promote. On the vendor side, folks like Sony, Pinnacle and Apple are the largest sponsors. But there are many, many more.
For more information on DV Expo 2001, log onto www.DVExpo.com.
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