Special Events + Co-Located Networking
Your Expo Hall Pass lets you be part of the excitement at LDI and DSE!
Immerse yourself in the dynamic landscape of creativity and connections under one roof.
Keynotes
Opening Keynote
Fearless Collaboration: Why the Next Generation is Essential for Success
Keynote Speaker: Laura Frank, Executive Director and Creative Advocate, frame:work
Date & Time: Saturday, December 2, 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Location: Foster the Future Lounge
Join Laura Frank, executive director of frame:work, as she discusses the value of collaborative problem-solving and how to instill this form of production team bonding in today’s world of entertainment production. She’ll look at the value of what the next generation needs to learn, and how it applies to a variety of jobs in entertainment and beyond.
Lunch Keynote
Shifting Realities of Place: Digital Enhancement Pushing the Boundaries
Keynote Speaker: Cheryl Catterall, Creative Director, Moment Factory
Date and Time: Sunday, December 3, 2023, 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Location: DSE
***NOTE: This lunch/keynote is available exclusively to DSE Full Conference and LDI VIP Pass holders.
Moment Factory’s credo - We Do It In Public - sets the tone for this provocative keynote that questions the role of digital technologies and media in the public realm and beyond. Cheryl Catterall and her team (re)imagine the city to be a place for people to participate in collective and memorable experiences. The building blocks of this approach unearth narratives that engage local culture, connect to physical features and movement patterns, and adapt multimedia technologies to the shifting realities of place.
XLIVExLDI Keynote
Step into the Extraordinary: Unconventional Innovation in Immersive Environments
Keynote Speaker: Brian Loo, VP, Operations Development & Exhibition Engineering, Meow Wolf
Date & Time: Monday, December 4, 10:30 am – 11:30 am
Location: TBD
Calling all adventure-seekers, trailblazers, and creative mavericks! Join us for an engaging and thought-provoking keynote that delves into the realm of "doing things differently" in immersive environments.
Wellness
Rise and Shine – 5K
Date & Time: Sunday, December 3, 7:30 am – 8:30 am
Location: Shining-A-Light Wellness Lounge
Join us for a meaningful stride towards positive mental health and substance use support at our annual 5K Rise and Shine Walk/Run. Lace up your running shoes and be part of a community dedicated to making a difference. Every step counts as we come together to support a worthy cause, Behind the Scenes. Run with purpose, run with heart – let's go the extra mile for BTS!
Behind the Scenes Mental Health Sessions
Date & Time: Sunday, December 3 – Tuesday, December 5, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Location: Shining-A-Light Wellness Lounge
Visit the Behind The Scenes booth in the Wellness Lounge to learn about our Mental Health Initiative and receive valuable information you can post at work. Our safe space provides an alcohol-free environment where attendees have opportunities to talk one-on-one with the presenters and ask questions about nutrition, sleep, mindfulness, physical health, and mental health. View all sessions.
Session in the Shining-A-Light Wellness Lounge:
- Overview of Mental Health Tools & Resources
- Intro to Mental Health First Aid
- Staying Sober at the Bar
- The Effects of Sleep Deprivation in The Entertainment Industry
- Integrating Meditation into Your Workday
- Cup of Coffee Yoga
- A Layman’s Guide to Eating Healthier on the Road
- *Mental Health First Aid with Steven Michelman - paid course
- Strategies for Overcoming Stigma Surrounding Mental Health Challenges
- Breathing and Meditation with Kenton
- One-on-One Discussion Sessions
Eat & Learn
New Technology Breakfast
Start your day with a cup of hot coffee and continental breakfast plus a sneak preview of the cool new technology on the show floor.
Lighting & Lasers
Date & Time: Sunday, December 3, 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Location: Room W228 - W233
Digital Signage, Projection, Special FX
Date & Time: Monday, December 4, 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Location: Room W228 - W233
Audio, Staging & Rigging
Date & Time: Monday, December 4, 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Location: Room W228 - W233
LDInnovation League’s Design Thinking Sessions – Ideating the LDI of Tomorrow!
Speaker: Bill Digneit, Department Head, Theatre & Dance, Northern Michigan University
Date & Time: Sunday, December 3, 12:30 pm – Tuesday, December 5, 1:30 pm
Location: ConNEXTions Café
This exciting session led by Bill Digneit and the esteemed team members of SISU: The Innovation Institute at Northern Michigan University, three-days of hands-on workshops will immerse you in the world of design thinking. Through collaborative exercises and interactive activities, we will percolate fresh ideas and seize new opportunities to elevate LDI to greater heights.
Foster The Future
URTA Design Showcase
Date & Time: Saturday, December 2, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location: Foster The Future Lounge
Designers and technicians! Present your work, and network with graduate school recruiters and potential employers. Presented by the University Resident Theatre Association, there is no additional cost to participate in the showcase. Pre-registration available soon. Walk-ins are available as space permits. All pre-registered showcase participants will receive a free LDI Expo Hall pass.
30-Minute Buzz Sessions with Industry Leaders
Date & Time: Saturday, December 2 – Tuesday, December 5, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Location: TBD
Join conversations with PRG, Matt Conover, Disney; Carnival Cruise Lines; Brian Loo, Meow Wolf; AREA15; Elynmarie Kazle, Michael Howell, Jake Pinholster, Brad Schiller, URTA, TAO Hospitality Group, and more...
Portfolio Review
Date & Time: Saturday, December 2, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: TBD
All students and young professionals are invited to participate in the LDI Portfolio and Website Review. Bring your portfolio and/or device to get tips one-on-one from the industry's top professionals. Co-moderated by Brackley Frayer and Deanna Fitzgerald. Click here to register for specific time slots: LDI Portfolio & Website Review
If you are interested in attending and have not registered, please email [email protected].
Pat MacKay Diversity in Design Scholarship Ceremony
Date & Time: Monday, December 4, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: Circle Bar
Support diversity and inclusion as we acknowledge and celebrate the 2023 recipients of the 5th annual Pat MacKay Diversity In Design Scholarships, sponsored by LDI.
Partners:
Show Floor Tech Tour
Date & Location: Monday, December 4, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Location: Foster The Future Lounge
Take a guided tour through a curated labyrinth of innovation, immersing yourself in a myriad of cutting-edge products and services that redefine industry standards. Exclusive for Young Career Professionals.
Sponsors:
Awards
LDI Booth and Products Awards
Date & Time: Monday, December 4, 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Location: Circle Bar
Followed immediately after the Pat MacKay Diversity In Design Scholarships, the 2023 LDI Booth and Best Debuting Product Awards, will honor technological advances in new products from our exhibitors and those companies who excel in their booth design.
Competition
Battle of the Busk
Date & Time: Sunday, December 3, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Location: Programmers’ Playground & Circle Bar
Experience the ultimate showdown between lighting and video jockeys as they compete in the Battle of the Busk. Vote for your favorite lighting and video team.
Sponsors:
Networking
Networking Power Hour
Date & Time: Sunday, December 3 – Monday, December 4, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: ConNEXTions Café
LDI is excited to introduce our brand new ConNeXTions Café! This section of the event is reserved exclusively for you to host meetings with partners and prospects outside of the loud Expo Hall, from Sunday - Monday for Networking Power Hour.
Crew Up + Connect Industry Party
Date & Time: Sunday, December 3, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: Programmers' Playground & Circle Bar
Reunite with old friends, colleagues, and make new ones at LDI’s Crew Up + Connect industry party. Meet us at the Circle Bar for beverages immediately after the Battle of the Busk. The Circle Bar will also be open during show hours.
LDI After Dark
Las Vegas opens its arms – and dance floors – to LDI and DSE attendees.Present your LDI or DSE badge for free entry into the hottest clubs in town. It’s the perfect way to check out the gear as you dance the night away. Each night will have exclusive VIP expedited entry and access to special VIP table booking options.
After Dark Schedule:
- Thursday, November 30 – Hakkasan
- Friday, December 1 – TAO
- Saturday, December 2 – Marquee
- Sunday, December 3 – Omnia
- Monday, December 4 – Jewel
- Tuesday, December 5 – Omnia
Sponsored by:
Expo Hall Sessions
Diversity: Committing to Equity And Inclusion
Date & Time: Sunday, December 3, 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Location: Foster The Future Lounge
A serious conversation on the need for increased diversity, equity, and inclusion in the live events industry, is an important issue the industry is facing and there is so much more to learn. How to engage and commit!
LDInnovation Conference - Audio Sessions
Dates: Sunday, December 3 - Tuesday, December 5
Location: Amplify Pavilion
Visit the Amplify Pavilion to learn and demo the latest audio gear.
Sessions in the Amplify Pavilion:
- How to Solve Problems and Create a Clear and Present Mix with EQ
- New Technologies: Unique Deliveries in Audio
- Immersive System Equation
- Audio: Foster The Future: Young Designers Forum
- What's New Pussycat: New Developments on the Las Vegas Sound Scene
- No Room, No Problem!
- Wireless Intercom: Dealing with the Unexpected
- Audio: Foster The Future: Career Paths in Audio
The Lumen Brothers Light Talk Podcast Live at LDI
Date & Time: TBD
Location: TBD
The Light Talk podcast features seasoned professional lighting designers and educators— the original three Lumen Brothers Steve Woods (SMU), Stan Kaye (University of Florida), David Jacques (California State University Long Beach), plus Brackley Frayer (UNLV) as well as designers Zak Borovay and Driscoll Otto, and honorary Lumen Sisters Ellen Lampert-Gréaux (LDI/Live Design) and Ann McMills (San Diego State University)—who discuss the latest topics and developments in the world of entertainment and architectural lighting design and offer sage, and sometimes controversial advice to professionals and students of lighting design. Nothing is Taboo, Nothing is Sacred, and they can be as silly as they are informative. Join us for a live taping and toss out questions and topics at LDI.
