Video coverage at IFEMA Madrid: what exhibitors should plan for

IFEMA Madrid is Spain's other flagship trade show venue and hosts a very different set of events from Fira de Barcelona — more industrial expos, more consumer verticals, more state-owned shows. Producing video coverage at IFEMA has its own rhythm.

This article summarises what an exhibitor commissioning a stand video should plan for.

Every trade show has three video windows: the pre-open (empty stand, architectural and product hero shots), the peak-hours (people, demos, interactions) and the closing hour (talent interviews without the noise). Missing the pre-open is the most common mistake — once doors open, a clean stand shot is impossible until the next morning.

IFEMA halls use a mix of LED overhead and stand-provided practicals. Colour temperature varies from stand to stand. For interviews on a stand, bring a small key light and either a white bounce or a soft box to add fill; do not rely on the stand's own lighting for anything you want to look editorial.

Product or software demos on a stand are the most repurpose-able content from a trade show. Film them twice: once as a full-length demo (for the client's own portal) and once as a two-minute cut-down (for social). Brief the demo staff to keep their hands out of frame during key beats.

The value of a trade show is often the people who visit. A one-camera, tight-headphone-monitored interview area on the stand — even a corner with a branded backdrop — turns partner meetings into publishable video assets. Plan a target list of five to ten people to interview before the show opens.

A same-day social edit is possible with a dedicated on-site editor. A polished stand recap with graphics, subtitles and colour is typically a week after the show. Set expectations with internal stakeholders before the event, not after.