The Ultimate Guide to Video Production at McCormick Place Chicago video production and videography: Tips for Exhibitors & Video Producers
1. Introduction
Welcome to your guide to making live event video production content at McCormick Place in Chicago for video production and videography. Whether you’re a marketing professional wanting to capture cool live event video production content at your booth or a video producer sending a team to film, this guide will help you. We have tips, gear suggestions, and advice to make your video production for live events. This guide will help you understand how to film at one of the biggest and busiest convention centers in North America, so you can be prepared and do your best.
Creating live event video production content at a big event like this can seem overwhelming, but with the right planning and preparation, it can be an amazing opportunity to capture incredible footage. You can use this content to boost your brand visibility, engage your audience, and help your business grow. This guide is here to help you every step of the way, from understanding the event to choosing the right equipment and making the most out of your filming opportunities.
2. About McCormick Place and Trade Show Opportunities
McCormick Place is the largest convention center in North America. It hosts a lot of trade shows, expos, and conventions every year. Many different kinds of companies, like those in healthcare, technology, cars, and retail, come here to show off their products, connect with people, and build their brands. Some of the big events here include the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), Chicago Auto Show, and Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) meeting. Exhibiting here is a great way to make live event video production content that will be helpful for your business even after the event is over.
By exhibiting at McCormick Place, your company can be part of some of the best trade shows in the country. These events are not just about showing your products; they help you connect with other professionals, build your brand as a leader, and find new customers. Videos you make during these events can be really useful for your marketing and sales teams.
The diversity of events at McCormick Place means that you can target different audiences depending on your industry. Whether it’s healthcare professionals, tech enthusiasts, or automotive fans, there is always a chance to create live event video production content that appeals directly to the people who matter most to your business. This content can be used in your marketing campaigns to keep building excitement and interest long after the trade show live event video production has ended.
3. Build Your Video Content Library at McCormick Place
Trade shows are a great time to make lots of live event video production content. Filming at McCormick Place lets you capture many types of videos all in one place, like customer testimonials, product demos, and interviews. The busy energy of Chicago adds a cool backdrop to your videos, making your brand look even better. By filming at the McCormick Place in Chicago, you’ll have high-quality content that you can use on social media, email, and your website to keep your audience interested long after the event.
Having a lot of different live event video production content is really important to keep your audience engaged. Videos from the trade show live event video production can be used in many ways—short clips for social media, longer product demos for your website, or as part of an email campaign. With a well-documented event, you have endless possibilities for making interesting content, and McCormick Place is a perfect spot for that.
You can also take advantage of the variety of people attending the event. You can film interviews with industry experts, testimonials from customers, or even casual conversations with attendees. These different perspectives will make your content more diverse and engaging, giving your audience a sense of what it’s like to be at the event. This type of content can help build trust and show that your brand is connected to the industry.
4. Types of Videos to Capture at Trade Shows
Here are some of the best types of videos to capture during a trade show live event video production:
Booth Interviews: Interview experts, executives, or people working at your booth to show your authority and help educate potential customers. These interviews let your audience hear from people who know your products well, giving them a better understanding. You can also use these interviews to highlight your team members and their expertise, showing viewers the people behind your brand.
Customer Testimonials: Get people who have used your product to share their experience on camera. Real testimonials build trust and make your brand more credible. People are more likely to trust other customers, and trade shows are the perfect place to capture these honest opinions. These testimonials can be powerful tools to influence new customers, especially when they hear positive feedback directly from real users.
Product Demonstrations: Show your product in action. Trade shows are great for live demos because people can ask questions and see the features up close. A good demo video can highlight what makes your product special in a way that photos or text can’t. Filming these demos can help people who weren’t at the trade show live event video production understand your product’s benefits and see how it works in real-time.
Event Recap Videos: Film important moments from the event to make a summary video. Recap videos are great for social media or follow-up emails. They help people who couldn’t attend feel like they were part of it, and they can be used to attract more people to future events. A recap video is also a great way to highlight your company’s involvement and the success of your booth.
Live Streams: Streaming live from the trade show live event video production can create excitement and engage your audience in real time. Live streams can include product demos, interviews, or just a walk around the booth. This makes people feel like they are part of the action, even if they can’t be there in person.
5. Best Practices for Filming at McCormick Place
Arrive Early and Plan Parking
Arrive early to get ready. I suggest parking at Media Parking, 2399 S Martin Luther King Dr, Chicago, IL. This area isn’t officially for video production for live events, Chicago video production and videography videography, and Chicago video production and videography video production vehicles, but I’ve been able to park there briefly to unload gear and get my badge. Just remember there’s a small risk—your car could be towed, though it hasn’t happened to me.
After unloading your video gear, use SpotHero, a mobile app that helps you book parking spots ahead of time in Chicago. My favorite parking garage for long-term parking is at 2138 South Indiana Avenue, Chicago, IL. It’s close to McCormick Place and has affordable rates. Getting a good parking spot early can save you time and make things easier during the day.
It’s also helpful to plan your route to McCormick Place ahead of time, especially if you’re not familiar with the area. Knowing where to go and where to park will make the morning much less stressful, and it will give you more time to focus on setting up your gear and preparing for filming.
Set Up Early and Stay Within Booth Boundaries
Set up your equipment before attendees enter the exhibit area. Keep all your gear inside your booth boundaries—even if it’s just an inch over, you could get in trouble with event staff. When filming for VSP (the vision insurance company), we were reminded to keep our tripod legs fully inside the booth space. Following these rules will make sure you don’t cause any problems for attendees or create safety issues.
Setting up early also means you can test your equipment before the crowds arrive. Make sure your cameras, lights, and microphones are all working properly. Doing this early ensures that you won’t have technical issues once people start arriving.
Prepare for Limited Power Availability
Power access may be limited, so make sure all your gear is battery-powered. Also, keep in mind that the overhead lighting can be harsh and create shadows that don’t look good. Using a reflector on a light stand to soften the lighting on your interview subjects can make a big difference. Planning ahead with the right lighting gear will help improve the quality of your video.
You should also bring extra batteries and chargers. Running out of power in the middle of filming can be a big problem, especially if you can’t find an available outlet. Having extra batteries ready will help you avoid interruptions during filming.
Use Good Audio Equipment
Using an overhead boom mic might not work well because of the crowd. Instead, use a professional lavalier microphone to get clear audio even with all the background noise. Trade shows are noisy places, with lots of people talking at once. Good audio is super important because bad sound can make even the best video unusable.
Make sure to test the audio before filming. The loud environment can make it hard to get clean sound, so testing ahead of time will help you find the best setup. You may also want to have a backup microphone or an audio recorder, just in case there are issues.
Coordinate with Booth Managers
Before the event, talk to your booth manager to pick a spot for filming. This way, you won’t block the booth traffic, and your filming won’t interfere with sales activities. Good communication with your team helps keep everything organized. Make sure everyone knows the filming schedule and what to expect.
Work with your booth team to figure out the best times to film. Filming during less busy periods can help avoid getting in the way of sales activities. It also helps make sure the booth looks good on camera, with fewer distractions from crowds.
Food Options at McCormick Place
Trade shows can be long, so plan when and where to eat. There are food vendors on the exhibit floor, but there are also places nearby, like 23rd Street Café & Market or Third Star, an American-style restaurant inside the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place. Knowing where to grab a quick bite will save time and keep you energized for the day.
It’s also a good idea to bring some snacks and water with you. Trade show days can be very busy, and you may not always have time for a long lunch break. Having snacks on hand will help you stay focused and energized throughout the day.
6. Best Video Gear for Trade Show Coverage
Barebones Setup
iPhone with a ring light and Rode Go Lav Kit. This is a simple and cheap setup that still gives good quality for social media content. If you’re on a tight budget, this gear can still get decent footage that’s great for quick updates.
The portability of this setup makes it perfect for capturing moments quickly. You can easily move around the booth and film different angles without the hassle of heavy equipment.
Intermediate Setup
Canon 80D with a Rode shotgun mic. This setup gives better video and audio quality and is good for small businesses wanting a more professional look. The Canon 80D is a reliable DSLR that’s easy to use and offers great image quality, making it a solid choice for trade show live event video production filming.
This setup allows for more creative control compared to a smartphone. You can adjust settings like focus and exposure, which gives you more flexibility to adapt to different lighting conditions inside McCormick Place.
Professional Setup
Sony a7IV with an 18-35mm G-Master Lens.
Ronin-S Gimbal for stable shots. This setup gives a very professional look with smooth, cinematic shots that stand out.
Aputure 60x Light for good lighting. Having good lighting is key, especially with the bright lights at convention centers. Good lighting can make a huge difference in the quality of your footage, making everything look more polished.
Rode Go Lav Kit with an upgraded professional lav mic for excellent sound quality. Good audio gear makes sure your content is clear, which is important to keep people watching.
With this setup, you can create broadcast-quality live event video production content that can be used for many different purposes. It’s a good investment if you plan on creating a lot of live event video production content at multiple events throughout the year.
Conclusion
Filming at McCormick Place is a great chance to make exciting, high-quality content for your company. Whether you’re filming product demos, interviews, or testimonials, following these best practices and using the right gear will help you succeed. Make sure to plan ahead, work with your team, and prepare your equipment to get the best possible footage. The excitement of a trade show live event video production at McCormick Place is a perfect background for videos that will keep your audience engaged long after the event.
Ready to Film Your Next Event?
If you need a professional video production for live events in Chicago at McCormick Place, Simplistic Views can help you capture every moment. Contact us today to learn how we can support your video needs at your next big event. We offer video production for live events and video production solutions that fit your unique needs—whether you need full production services or just some extra help. Let us make your next event a success and create videos that keep adding value to your marketing for years to come.
Our team has experience filming at McCormick Place in Chicago, so we know the challenges and how to overcome them. Let us take care of the details, so you can focus on connecting with your audience and making the most out of your trade show experience.
