When to film your CES 2027 booth video in Las Vegas, from December teaser to Jan 9 recap.
CES 2027 runs January 6–9, 2027 in Las Vegas. Media Days are January 4–5 at Mandalay Bay. Here's the short version for exhibitors: film your pre-show teaser in December. Shoot clean booth and demo footage on Tuesday, January 5, once the build is done and before the doors open. Use the four show days for real crowds, interviews and daily social cuts. Then cut the recap on the last day.
The details matter, too. Your crew needs the right badge. Your gear has to clear security. And the free Wi-Fi isn't built for uploading video. Here's how to plan it.
Know where you're filming
(Filming at the LVCC? See our LVCC filming checklist.)
CES lists 12 official venues, grouped into three campuses:
LVCC Campus: the West, North, Central and South Halls, plus outdoor exhibits in Central Plaza. CES Foundry (AI and quantum) is next door at Fontainebleau, January 6–8.
Venetian Campus: Venetian Expo, including Eureka Park, the startup area.
C Space Campus: ARIA. C Space activation hours are 9 AM–6 PM, January 6–8.
Hours aren't the same everywhere. Freeman's LVCC quick facts list exhibit hours of 10 AM–6 PM on Wednesday, Jan 6, 9 AM–6 PM on Thursday and Friday, and 9 AM–4 PM on Saturday, Jan 9. Build your shot list around your own venue's hours, not a general CES schedule.
Get your crew the right badge
If you're bringing in an outside crew (Indiemarch Film or anyone else), sort this out first.
Booth contractors register as Exhibitor Personnel. CES's registration page says the Exhibitor badge covers "contractors working in exhibitor booths during show hours." Your Registration Coordinator invites each crew member from the Exhibitor Dashboard and marks them as contracted just for CES.
The email address has to match. If a crew member registers with a different email from the one the invite went to, they're registered as an Industry Attendee. They pay the Standard Pass fee and lose floor access during move-in and dismantle.
Your crew can't get media credentials. CES doesn't accredit PR, marketing or brand people. A camera team working for an exhibitor isn't press.
Badges need a headshot. CES won't print a badge without a photo. Each person picks up their own badge with a government-issued photo ID. Nobody can pick up badges for someone else.
Builders have different rules. Exhibitor Appointed Contractors (EACs) follow their own registration and wristband system. A video crew isn't usually an EAC, but check if yours is doing install work.
Get the crew registered early. CES says it reviews credentials within five business days and recommends registering early because of high volume.
Plan for security before you pack
Six badge and security checks to clear before your video crew packs for CES.
CES's 2027 security page sets the rules for bringing in camera gear:
Attendees can carry two bags, each smaller than 12" x 17" x 6". Rolling bags of any size are not accepted. That includes roller camera cases.
Exhibitors can bring product and display material in beyond the two-bag limit starting January 5, and before 8 AM on show days (Jan 6–9). They can also bring materials in on move-in days between 7:30 AM and 6 PM.
Expect bag searches at every entrance, a visible law enforcement presence, and K9 units.
So bring production kits in early, and confirm with CES Operations that your gear counts as exhibitor material. Last year's CES 2026 exhibitor letters also said union rules don't allow exhibitors to use dollies, hand trucks or flatbed carts, though carrying things by hand is fine. Plan for cases one person can carry. Check the CES 2027 exhibitor manual for your venue when it's out.
The content to plan for
Decide on deliverables before you build a schedule. Our trade show booth video checklist covers booth shoots in more detail.
Pre-show teaser (15–30 sec): A product tease and your booth number. Film it before you fly out.
Booth walkthrough: One clean pass through the finished booth, filmed when it's empty.
Product demos: Close-ups and screen captures, plus one take with a live presenter.
Exec interviews: Two or three short answers per leader, recorded somewhere you can control the sound.
Daily social cuts: One short vertical edit per show day.
Post-show recap: Crowds, demos, best soundbites. Ready within days of the show while CES is still in the news.
Day-by-day shot plan
The CES 2027 shot plan at a glance: Jan 5 is your clean day for booth, B-roll and interviews.
Now through early December
Lock in your crew. See how far ahead to book a Las Vegas conference videographer.
Write the interview questions and the demo script.
Film the teaser at your office or a studio.
Order booth power and internet early. Freeman's LVCC deadlines are November 25, 2026 for utilities and December 1, 2026 for advance-order discounts.
Move-in (LVCC: Dec 26 – Jan 5)
Freeman lists LVCC move-in as 7:30 AM–6 PM on most days. Thursday, December 31 ends at 2 PM, and the LVCC is closed on January 1.
Set up a locked-off time-lapse of the build. Grab a few "night before" wide shots if your booth is ready.
Last year, late work after 6 PM needed a pass from the floor manager by 2:30 PM, and crews had to stay in their booth. Ask about the 2027 rule before planning anything after hours.
Tuesday, Jan 5 — your clean day
At the LVCC, Jan 5 is the last move-in day and the exhibit halls don't open until Wednesday. Media Days are at Mandalay Bay. That makes this your best shot at an empty, finished booth.
Film the walkthrough, the hero product B-roll and the exec interviews while the hall is still fairly quiet.
Test your upload setup from the booth.
Wednesday, Jan 6 — opening day
Film the doors opening, the first crowds and people's reactions at demos.
Post the first daily social cut that evening.
Thursday–Friday, Jan 7–8 — peak floor
Record live demos with real visitors. Get signed consent for anyone you feature.
Pick up interviews with partners and customers who stop by.
Keep the daily cuts going. Start building the recap timeline.
Saturday, Jan 9 — final day
The LVCC closes at 4 PM. Last year CES required booths to stay open and staffed until close, so don't plan to tear down early.
Get the last wide shots and a team photo, then start finishing the recap.
Floor logistics that change your footage
Wi-Fi: CES says the free exhibit hall Wi-Fi at the LVCC and Venetian is for basic use and not recommended for product demos. High-speed internet is available to buy. At C Space, free Wi-Fi is only on ARIA Level 2. If you need same-day uploads, buy a hardline.
Noise: Show floors are loud. Use lav mics, and do interviews in your meeting room, on the clean day, or before opening.
Other exhibitors' products: CES's 2027 exhibitor guides say nobody can film another exhibitor's product without permission. Keep your wide shots focused on your own space.
Music: CES has ASCAP and BMI licenses for music played in booths, but they don't cover broadcast or transmission. Don't rely on booth audio for your social cuts. Use music you've licensed for the edit.
FAQ
When is CES 2027? January 6–9, 2027, in Las Vegas. Media Days are January 4–5 at Mandalay Bay, and CES Unveiled Las Vegas is January 4.
Can an outside videographer film in my CES booth? Yes. The crew registers as Exhibitor Personnel through your company's Exhibitor Dashboard. CES doesn't give media badges to crews working for exhibitors.
Can I bring rolling camera cases into CES? Not as personal bags. CES doesn't allow rolling bags of any size. Exhibitors can bring in display material beyond the two-bag limit starting January 5 and before 8 AM on show days. Confirm with CES Operations that your gear qualifies.
When should I film booth B-roll at CES? On January 5, after the build is done and before the show opens. Then use show days for crowds, live demos and daily social cuts.
Plan your CES shoot
If you're exhibiting at CES 2027 and want a Las Vegas crew that already knows how badges, move-in and the show floor work, take a look at our corporate event videography services or book a discovery call. Indiemarch Film is happy to help you work out the shot list.
