
By Debra Kaufman
Shortly after last year's HPA Tech Retreat - the event's 25th anniversary - COVID-19 shut down all such gatherings in the state. Last year's HPA Tech Retreat in the desert was maybe the industry's last in-person event before the shutdown in California, notes Hallen. When it became obvious that an in-person event in 2021 presented too many unknowns, the HPA team began to envision what a virtual or hybrid Tech Retreat would look like. Welcome to HPA Tech Retreat 2021, the first in its 26 year history to be online.
HPA president Seth Hallen, programming curator Mark Schubin, and a committee of experienced others are creating an innovative plan that will appeal to even the most Zoom-fatigued. Much of HPA and the Tech Retreat is about community, Hallen says. People fly in from around the country and from other parts of the world and drive across the desert to connect with old friends, collaborate and learn. It's definitely built around that great educational programming and knowledge sharing, but it's all about the connection. The HPA has an ambitious plan to recreate the event in a way that will seem familiar to past attendees.
The first change is the timing. Rather than four consecutive days in the desert, HPA Tech Retreat 2021 will take place on Monday and Tuesday, February 15 and 16 and the following week, also Monday and Tuesday, February 23 and 24. On opening day, Schubin will kick off the Tech Retreat as always, with his annual Tech Year in Review, followed by a panel discussion on how the industry has been impacted by COVID-19. Another tentpole of the Tech Retreat, the Supersession, will take place on February 23. Hallen notes that last year's Lost Lederhosen, which highlighted remote and cloud-based workflows, ended up being incredibly relevant in the months that followed. No surprise then that this year's event - again hosted by Joachim JZ Zell - will revisit the terrain, but in a much bigger way, looking at how these remote and cloud-enabling technologies can support multiple, global productions.
HPA Tech Retreat 2021 will continue to showcase the kind of educational and informational programming it's known for. (Proposals are still being accepted through 5 pm PDT on November 20.) And the Tech Retreat will stay true to its core, with main program presentations strictly reserved for marketing-free content and, as always, sessions can and will focus on a range of topics. But 2021 differs in that an important focus this year will be on how technology has helped the industry overcome the impact of the COVID 19 virus and the role it will play as we adapt to a new set of industry challenges and opportunities.
Presentations will also have a new format. Be it a panel or a presentation, the maximum duration will be 20 minutes - and there is no minimum duration. Schubin notes that, we might be able to accommodate more presentations, so consider splitting big topics into multiple presentations. Those whose proposals are accepted will have to deliver a pre-recorded presentation before the event. As to the content - it's too early to tell. I never know what's going to be in the program until we finish going through the submissions, says Schubin. I can tell you we've gotten a lot of good ones, many related to the pandemic.
Key to the next HPA Tech Retreat is the HPA Content Platform, still under construction, where the presentations will find a home along with other asynchronous presentations, enabling attendees to watch whenever they want. That's a bonus for attendees who live in other time zones. Hallen reports that HPA will be dropping new content on the platform every day. Asynchronous means more slots, he explains. But they will still be curated and vetted. The presentations will have interactive components and still allow the attendees to ask questions of the presenters.
Community is a big part of the 2021 remote event, which will include the familiar breakfast round tables. Although everyone will have to fix his or her own breakfast, again, any registered attendee can sign up to moderate a table and attendees can sit down at any breakfast roundtable they want. The Innovation Zone will also be open, where attendees will be able to watch demos of showcased products.
Hallen reveals that HPA Tech Retreat 2021 will also enable a range of more impromptu connections among attendees and other opportunities to create community. Networking options, chats, connections are going to be enabled. While it's not sitting on the golf course with someone, there will be plenty of opportunities to connect and convene. With a combination of more and shorter presentations that can be watched on demand, content that explores the wins and struggles of our industry during a pandemic, and the familiar community venues for greeting friends and sharing information, the HPA Tech Retreat 2021 promises to be a noteworthy event. As a remote event, it also promises broader outreach to more people around the globe. In other words, it's yet another Tech Retreat not to be missed.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
03/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/09/2026
Recognizing the ever-increasing demands for media throughput in challenging environments like post-production, two leaders in network technology have worked tog...
03/09/2026
EVS, a leader in live video technology and production infrastructure solutions, and Matrox Video, a leader in software-defined media technology and IP-based vid...
03/09/2026
AJA Debuts OG-FiDO-4 openGear Four-Channel SDI/Fiber Conversion Cards
Brie Clayton September 3, 2026
0 Comments
New product family expands 12G-SDI and...
03/09/2026
Nice Touch launches V2 of its AI edit assistant for professional editors
Brie Clayton September 3, 2026
0 Comments
Built by two editors with twelve ye...
03/09/2026
Accedo, a global provider of video streaming software and services, and MediaKind, a world-leading video technology company and the number one independent provi...
03/09/2026
International research from Big Blue Marble puts a consumer churn number against a technical failure, and sets out what streaming providers must fix before 2030...
03/09/2026
High-performance points of presence power video streaming delivery to large audiences across Latin America with guaranteed quality of experience
Broadpeak , a ...
03/09/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, will unveil the next evolution of Dalia at IBC2026 (7.A43), its media-aware agent...
03/09/2026
CGI (TSX: GIB.A) (NYSE: GIB), one of the world's largest independent IT and business consulting services firms, will showcase CGI OpenMedia Evolve and CGI d...
03/09/2026
LiveU is participating in the IBC Accelerator Incubator 2026: Smart Stories The New Knowledge Architecture for Content Production, an industry-wide initiative...
03/09/2026
Broadcast Solutions, a leading systems integrator and provider of innovative solutions for the broadcast and media industry, has taken another major step in its...
03/09/2026
Quortex today announced that it will showcase how it is accelerating innovation and the transition to IP at IBC 2026. The company will debut its newest intellig...
03/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/09/2026
The EZDRM approach to Revenue Security on streaming video can be visualized as a multi-dimensional set of solutions. A growing dimension of that approach is the...
03/09/2026
From field capture to management, control and production, Kiloview will demonstrate one connected Hybrid AV-over-IP workflow including a complete 4RU producti...
03/09/2026
Mediagenix, a global leader in smart content solutions to profitably connect the right content to the right audience, today announced Mediagenix Curation, a new...
03/09/2026
LucidLink, the Emmy-winning cloud-native file streaming platform for instant, secure access to large files, today announced the next step in its vision to make ...
03/09/2026
Fraudulent communications purportedly from Screen Australia 3 September 2026
Screen Australia is aware of scam attempts involving fake emails and promotional m...
03/09/2026
AJA Introduces FS8, Next-Gen 12G-SDI/SMPTE ST 2110 Media Processor
Brie Clayton September 2, 2026
0 Comments
AJA Video Systems unveiled FS8, a video a...
03/09/2026
Shooting Deadheading with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton September 2, 2026
0 Comments
Bringing a small story to the big screen with dark com...
03/09/2026
OOONA Launches OOONA Go: Professional Localization Management for Small Companie...
03/09/2026
DURHAM, N.C. - East of Texas Durham has officially opened its doors at American ...
03/09/2026
First Class Takes is a new six-part series for RT KIDS that captures funny, hon...
03/09/2026
September is here with 26 more games streaming on GeForce NOW this month, led by a slam dunk: NBA 2K27 with the NVIDIA DLSS 5 3D-Guided Neural Rendering feature...
02/09/2026
Professional and collegiate clubs, leading vendors discuss current trends in stadium production
On. Aug. 12, the 2026 SVG Venues & Teams Summit explored the ev...
02/09/2026
SoFi Stadium, YouTube Theater, and Hollywood Park have completed an infrastructure upgrade expanding game presentation and broadcast production capabilities acr...
02/09/2026
Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) has announced a suite of AI-powered workflow applications for broadcasters, content owners, and operators, built on its Video...
02/09/2026
The North American Broadcasters Association (NABA) and the Association of Professional Wireless Production Technologies (APWPT) have announced a partnership to ...
02/09/2026
Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Minneso...
02/09/2026
New LED provides enhanced quality control, quicker show prep, detailed productio...
02/09/2026
Combines the Phat Drive with high-voltage valve circuit
The latest pedal from Keeley Electronics combines their popular Phat Mode drive pedal with an all-ne...
02/09/2026
Free version of virtual mixing room plug-in introduced
Lewitt's Space Replicator plug-in provides users with a virtual monitoring environment that aims ...
02/09/2026
Two new mixing & mastering plug-ins revealed
AIR Music Tech have just introduced the Stereophonic Bundle, a pair of processing plug-ins designed to provide ...
02/09/2026
Rohde & Schwarz has achieved initial verification of 3GPP Rel. 17 power-saving f...
02/09/2026
Bilbao - 3rd September 2026 -AgileTV, a leading provider of end-to-end TV and vi...
02/09/2026
Why agentic media supply chains need experience design built around visibility, reversibility and human authority
When AI can generate a functional interface ...
02/09/2026
Six-country survey finds 26% of sports fans frequently unable to determine where...
02/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
02/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
02/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
02/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...