At first glance, it might seem a bit odd that the 2024 NAB Show is rolling out a new feature dubbed the “Creator Lab.”
After all, an army of production people with a diverse array of skills used to create video and film content — all of whom are “creators” — as well as hundreds of exhibitors and a full program of sessions related to production have been a fixture of the show seemingly forever.
However, show organizers are offering the new Creator Lab for a good reason: remarkable ecosystem growth. Goldman Sachs Research published an article in April 2023 that forecasts the creator economy could nearly double in size, climbing from $250 billion last year to $480 billion by 2027.
The new NAB Show Creator Lab, located in the South Upper Hall, will give those with a traditional background as well as new creators the chance to become experts in this changing marketplace, said Robin Raskin, writer and TV personality, who is co-producing the lab for NAB.
“The definition of the broadcast industry is changing,” she said. “Video is the lingua franca for a whole new generation, and NAB had the foresight to recognize this, develop the Creator Lab, and get in front of the tsunami of creators driving this transformation.”
Jim Louderback, editor and publisher of the Inside the Creator Economy newsletter and co-producer of the Creator Lab, saw a chasm between traditional media production talent and pioneers in the creator economy a decade ago, but gradually that has been changing.
“There was a big gap in between, and they sort of looked at each other askance. But now it’s more of a continuum where we see producers, editors and talent moving along the continuum between the creator economy and traditional media. Today, you need to know and be familiar with both,” he said.
Creator Lab presentations are designed to inform both new creators and those with traditional media backgrounds, said Louderback. “I’ve got three creators who are going to talk about what their studios look like.”
Automotive DIY YouTuber Lucky Lopez, for example, shoots from his garage and has built some custom technology to make it simpler for him to produce content without a large production team. “He’s going to bring in a lot of the technology that makes it easier to shoot in his garage,” said Louderback.
Beyond hands-on sessions, the Creator Lab will address the management side of the creator economy. Marc Hustvedt, president of MrBeastYouTube, will join Louderback on Tuesday to discuss running one of the biggest new media companies operating today. “You know, MrBeast has as many views on a regular basis as big television programs and networks,” said Louderback.
During one of the lab’s keynote interviews, Louderback will talk with Chris Laxamana, executive producer of “The Adam Carolla Show,” to discuss its evolution. They will cover a diverse array of topics, including social media legal landmines, on-the-go creators, creators in the cloud, investing in and with creators and credentialing in the creator economy.
Dylan Huey, CEO of REACH, the national organization for collegiate influencers and an influencer himself with more than 2 million social media followers, will take the deep dive on credentials during his session: “Empowering Creators: Unveiling the Credentials Revolution in the Creator Economy.”
“The creator economy has evolved to the point where now creators are seeing the need to have organizations similar to SAG-AFTRA [the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists] or the Producers Guild of America to help amplify them,” said Huey.
A sign of the maturing creator economy, he said, is the interest agents and management companies are beginning to take in influencers and creators. “Management companies like CAA [Creative Artists Agency] and WME [William Morris Endeavor] are starting to open their door for concentrators. That will be a big focus during my presentation,” he said.
The Creator Lab also will feature a number of technology vendors that are helping to propel the productions of new content creators to rival those of traditional productions with lower-cost, high-performance equipment. One such company, Blackmagic Design, is the sponsor of the lab.
“Creators are often starting from the ground up, and when users create a baseline workflow with Blackmagic Design products, we are often seeing these creators build their empires on a Blackmagic Design ecosystem,” said Bob Caniglia, the company’s director of sales operations in the Americas. “We make products that are incredibly affordable, and equally important, work extremely well together as needs change and grow.”
Creator Lab sessions and keynotes, presented in the Creator Lab Theater (SU4154A), begin today and run through Wednesday.
Four Key Takeaways:
- Goldman Sachs forecasts a doubling of the creator economy by 2027 to $480 billion.
- NAB Show is devoting a new zone in the convention center South Upper Hall to the rapidly maturing creator economy called the Creator Lab.
- Session topics range from hands-on production tips to the evolving economics of the creator economy. Keynote interviews focus on the real-world experiences of large creator economy players from MrBeast and “The Adam Carolla Show.”
- Technology vendors, including sponsor Blackmagic Design, will exhibit some of the affordable, high-performance solutions helping creators produce top-notch content.
To Learn More:
Along with sessions in the Creator Lab, there are more creator economy sessions available for attendees to learn more.
Recess Therapy: How a College Thesis Became an Instagram Sensation
Tuesday, April 16 | 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | West Hall
Attendees will learn how a college thesis turned into a viral web series.
Hosted by Julian Shapiro-Barnum, “Recess Therapy” is known for its interview-style interactions with kids at recess and is part of the Doing Things portfolio of more than 35 creator-led brands. The hit series continues to grow as major talent and brands turn to “Recess Therapy” to raise awareness on projects and campaigns. These include Olivia Rodrigo, NY Knicks’ Julius Randle, Drew Barrymore, Kenneth Cole, Gap, Cheez-it and many more.
Panelists include Scott Dunn, vice president, Talent and Business Development, Doing Things; Julian Shapiro-Barnum, creator and host, “Recess Therapy.” Jasmine Enberg, principal analyst at Insider Intelligence will moderate. A Core Education Collection Pass is required.
‘Do What You Can’t’ With Casey Neistat
Wednesday, April 17 | 10:30–11:30 a.m. | Main Stage
YouTube star, digital creator, filmmaker sensation and multimedia leader Casey Neistat empowers creators to think outside the box and redefine their creative potential. Heralded for his motto, “Do What You Can’t,” Neistat will discuss the career choices that powered his success, his thoughts on breaking through in today’s creator economy and share actionable lessons on innovation and creativity. Shira Lazar, founder and CEO of What’s Trending, will moderate. The session is open to all.
Copyright NAB 2024.
