V I D E O • A G E AP R I L 2 0 1 1 14 That this recent NATPE was going to be a success was evident even before the start. On Saturday, January 22, two days before the market opened, two parties were held near the Fontainebleau Hotel, the market headquarters, with many more to follow. In the past, in Las Vegas, this number of parties was recorded throughout the entire event and sponsored by the organizers, since companies were no longer investing in a dying trade show. NATPE’s January 24-26 return to Miami Beach, Florida was, overall, consideredbyparticipants andorganizers alike to be a success. This marked the third time that NATPE has been held in Miami Beach, after the 14th edition in 1977 and the 31st iteration in 1994. NATPE CEO Rick Feldman noted that this year’s market recorded “substantial growth,” with the some 4,500 attendees, 702 of which were buyers, representing an overall 22 percent increase over 2010 in Las Vegas. Most importantly, all the U.S. studios were back in full force, with both their domestic and international distribution divisions. At the same press conference, Feldman credited VideoAge’s petulant editorials over the past four years for the fortuitous move to Miami Beach. The event still has a few kinks to work out concerning the venue, foremost among which was the problem of too few elevators ushering participants to and from company exhibition suites in the Tresor tower, one of the Fontainebleau’s four towers. Nevertheless, sellers reported that business was booming and that NATPE could consider itself revitalized. After much discussion of whether or not the move to Miami would revamp the lagging market, the balmy south Florida city proved to be a welcoming venue. Case in point was Miami Beach Mayor Matti Herrera Bower, who penned a greeting to attendees for Day One of VideoAge Daily. “I like to think that NATPE and Miami Beach have evolved along similar paths by embracing change as a source of energy, creativity and strength,” she wrote, elaborating that she hoped the city of Miami Beach would become a launch pad for many NATPE ventures. Clear signs of NATPE’s revival were also evident in the number of the aforementioned parties. Although there were 12 official parties, in actuality the number of recreational activities swelled to 20, with some described as “large private events.” The celebrations kicked off on Saturday and continued in a big way through Sunday, even before the market’s opening onMonday. Wednesday, the final day, saw four parties, the largest of which was hosted by Disney. These activities, in effect, made the market a five-day event when, in the past, participants left after only the second day. On Monday, January 24, the doors officially swung open on the convention floor, where all was smooth sailing. The only problem for the floor could have been the lack of mid-size companies, with the exclusion of Cableready. For next year, organizers have to make an extra effort to attract more mid-size distribution companies if the floor is to retain its useful purposes. Buyers flooding the suites, on the other hand, faced 30-45 minute waits in the elevator banks. The flow somewhat improved after NATPE organizers took VideoAge’s suggestion to take advantage of both the lobby and ground floors to enter and exit the four elevators. (A possible solution for the elevator problem is presented in this Issue’s “My Two Cents” editorial.) The inconvenience did not deter acquisitions executives, however, who were out in droves. Where the top buying delegations were concerned, Canadian buyers numbered 36, while the U.S. had the best showing with 200, even though many buyers represented Latin companies. The contingent from Latin America was predictably strong, with 21 buyers from Argentina, 17 from Brazil, 15 from Colombia and 10 from Mexico. Buyers were everywhere, at times gathering en masse around the lobby bar at the hotel’s main hall and at the outdoor Miami Market Marked Momentous Moments N A T P E R e v i e w CBS Studios’ Eric Muller, Stephanie Pacheco, Warner Bros’ John Garcia, David Stern, Gustavo Gomez, Tomas Davison. The deals bar by the pools: No badge, no hassle VideoAge Daily andVideoAge Monthly at the Tresor tower of the Fontainebleau appreciated by NATPE participants such as NewsProNet’s Deanna Ray, John Cuddihy The line at elevators on Day One (Continued on Page 16)
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI4OTA5